A seller in Mohali quotes a plot in marla, a broker in Jaipur talks in bigha, and a bank document says square metres. Land measurement units in India vary from state to state — and sometimes from village to village. This guide converts the units you'll actually encounter, with the exact values to use when comparing plots.
What are the standard land measurement units in India?
Three units are used nationwide and have fixed values: the square foot, the square yard (gaj) and the square metre. Larger parcels are measured in acres and hectares. Registration documents in most states record area in square metres or square yards.
| Unit | Square feet | Square yards | Square metres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 square yard (gaj) | 9 | 1 | 0.8361 |
| 1 square metre | 10.764 | 1.196 | 1 |
| 1 acre | 43,560 | 4,840 | 4,046.86 |
| 1 hectare | 1,07,639 | 11,960 | 10,000 |
One hectare equals about 2.471 acres. A 200 gaj plot is 1,800 sq ft or roughly 167 sq m.
How big is a marla and a kanal?
Marla and kanal are used across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. The traditional revenue marla is 272.25 sq ft (30.25 sq yd). Twenty marlas make one kanal, and eight kanals make one acre.
| Unit | Square feet | Square yards | Square metres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 marla (revenue) | 272.25 | 30.25 | 25.29 |
| 1 marla (225 sq ft variant) | 225 | 25 | 20.90 |
| 1 kanal (20 marla) | 5,445 | 605 | 505.86 |
| 8 kanal | 43,560 | 4,840 | 4,046.86 (1 acre) |
Important: some colonies and builders use a smaller 225 sq ft marla. A "10 marla" plot can therefore be 2,722 sq ft or 2,250 sq ft — a difference of more than 17%. Always ask for the area in square yards or square metres as written in the sale deed. For local context, see our Mohali plot buying guide.
How much land is one bigha?
There is no single bigha. Its size depends on the state and sometimes the district. That makes it the most error-prone unit in Indian land deals.
| Region | Approx. 1 bigha in sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | 14,400 | 20 katha × 720 sq ft (one-third of an acre) |
| Rajasthan (pucca bigha) | 27,225 | 3,025 sq yd |
| Assam | 14,400 | 5 katha |
| Uttar Pradesh / Punjab / Haryana | Varies widely | Kachha and pucca bigha differ by district |
Because the bigha varies so much, never agree a price "per bigha" without converting the total area to square metres in writing.
What other regional units should you know?
- Guntha (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat): 1,089 sq ft or 121 sq yd. 40 guntha = 1 acre.
- Cent (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh): 435.6 sq ft — one-hundredth of an acre.
- Ground (Chennai): 2,400 sq ft.
- Katha (West Bengal, Bihar, Assam): commonly 720 sq ft in West Bengal; varies elsewhere.
- Biswa (North India): a fraction of a bigha (typically 1/20), so its size varies too.
How do you convert plot area quickly?
Use these shortcuts for back-of-the-envelope comparisons:
- Square yards to square feet: multiply by 9.
- Square feet to square metres: divide by 10.764.
- Marla (revenue) to square yards: multiply by 30.25.
- Kanal to square yards: multiply by 605.
- Acres to square yards: multiply by 4,840.
Worked example
A 12 marla plot priced at ₹1.2 crore works out to 12 × 30.25 = 363 sq yd, or about ₹33,058 per sq yd. If the seller is using the 225 sq ft marla, the same plot is only 300 sq yd — and the effective price jumps to ₹40,000 per sq yd.
How to avoid measurement disputes
- Insist the agreement and sale deed state area in square metres or square yards, plus dimensions (e.g. 30 ft × 60 ft).
- Get the plot demarcated by the patwari or a licensed surveyor before paying.
- Compare the layout plan with the actual boundary stones on site.
- Compare listings on a price per square yard basis, not price per marla or bigha.
Every listing on Plots of India shows area in standard units so you can compare like for like. Search plots by size and budget, or read the plot verification checklist before you shortlist.