Puducherry govt fixes fee structure and standards for licensed land surveyors

New Indian Express

03-05-2025

PUDUCHERRY: To address long-standing public grievances over delays in patta transfers, sub-division, and field demarcation, the Puducherry government has fixed the fee structure for licensed land surveyors engaged in the demarcation of land parcels.
According to a release from C Sendhil Kumar, director of Survey and Land Records, the government has introduced a structured fee model based on land extent. The demarcation fee is set at Rs 400 for fields measuring less than 5,000 square feet and Rs 600 for areas between 5,000 and less than 10,000 square feet. For land parcels measuring between 10,000 to less than 20,000 square feet, the fee will be Rs 800, and Rs 1,000 for areas between 20,000 to less than 30,000 square feet. For fields up to 1 acre, the fee is Rs 1,300 per application, while larger plots will attract a charge of Rs 200 per additional 10 acres.
This development is a follow-up to the implementation of the Puducherry Licensed Land Surveyor and Licensed Land Draughtsman Rules, 2019, framed in 2020 to ensure accountability and transparency in land-related services.
The government has also approved the use of licensed surveyors and draughtsmen in various departments and public sector undertakings, with departments allowed to set specific conditions, subject to minimum prescribed service charges.
The remuneration for licensed surveyors or draughtsmen has been standardised at 125,000 per month (for 26 working days), 15,000 per week (for 6 working days), and 11,000 per day for daily engagements.
To ensure quality and competence, aspiring licensed surveyors and draughtsmen are required to undergo two months of training at a designated survey training institute, covering both traditional chain survey methods and modern survey technologies. An additional one-month field training will also be conducted by officials of the directorate. Only those who complete the training successfully will be eligible for licensing. The training cost will be borne by the applicants.
The government has invited applications from eligible residents of Puducherry with the requisite qualifications. A list of licensed surveyors, along with their contact detail,s will be made available on the revenue department's official website. Both the public and government departments are encouraged to utilise their services directly.