Understanding property measurement units in India is crucial for real estate investments, agriculture, and land management. Common units include square feet (sq ft), square yards (sq yd), Bigha, hectare, and acre. Each unit serves different purposes and varies regionally, especially traditional units like Bigha. This blog explains these units, their conversions, and usage for clarity in property transactions.

Square Foot and Square Yard

Square foot (sq ft) is the most widely used unit in urban real estate across India, especially in residential, commercial, and industrial property spaces. One square foot equals the area of a square with sides of one foot each. Square yard, also called “Gaj,” is another popular unit, especially for measuring plot sizes. One square yard equals 9 square feet (a square of 3 feet on each side). These units provide fine granularity, ideal for smaller plots and construction measurements.

• 1 sq yd = 9 sq ft
• Commonly used in cities and towns for defining carpet area, built-up area, and plot size.

Bigha: Traditional Regional Unit

Bigha is a traditional unit mainly used in rural and agricultural land measurement, especially in northern India. However, Bigha does not have a standardized size and varies significantly by region, making it complex for conversions.

• In Assam, 1 Bigha = 14,400 sq ft.
• In Bihar (Patna region), 1 Bigha = 27,225 sq ft.
• In Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, it ranges approximately between 6,800 sq ft and 27,225 sq ft depending on the locality.
• In Nepal, 1 Bigha ≈ 6,772.63 square meters.
• Historically tied to local customs, Bigha is subdivided into smaller units like Katha and Dhur in some regions.

Bigha continues to be important for farmers and rural landowners but is gradually transitioning to metric units for standardization.

Hectare: Metric Unit for Large Land

Hectare (ha) is a metric unit widely used globally for agricultural, forestry, and government land records in India. It is more suitable for measuring large landholdings and is equal to 10,000 square meters.

• 1 hectare = 10,000 sq meters = approximately 2.471 acres
• Used mainly in agriculture, forestry, and official land surveys.

Acre: Popular Large Land Unit

Acre is a traditional unit popular in India for both agricultural and real estate land measurements. It’s standardized and used uniformly across India.

• 1 acre = 4,840 square yards = 43,560 square feet = 4,047 square meters
• Commonly seen in real estate for large plot sizes, farm land, and development projects.

Conversion Overview

Understanding these units and their regional variations helps buyers, sellers, and investors avoid confusion and make informed decisions in property dealings. When dealing with Bigha or other traditional units, always verify the local conversion to standard units like square feet or acres to ensure accuracy.

This knowledge empowers better real estate transactions and clear communication with clients in India’s diverse property market.

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References: Land measurement units content from several Indian real estate blogs and official sources.