End of property disputes? Delhi moves to digitise all land records with ‘Property Aadhaar Card’ under ‘Land Records Bill 2026’

The Delhi government is set to introduce the Delhi Land Records Bill, 2026, a landmark legislation aimed at creating a unified, digitised database of all properties in the national capital. Under the proposed law, every residential and commercial property—whether in rural or urban areas—will undergo a scientific survey and be assigned a unique “Property Aadhaar card”. The initiative, announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s office on 30 July, seeks to streamline welfare delivery, improve transparency in property transactions and significantly reduce land-related disputes that have plagued the city for decades.

Will the bill be tabled in Delhi Assembly's monsoon session?

The bill is expected to be placed before the state Cabinet shortly and, while unlikely to be tabled in the upcoming monsoon session of the Delhi Assembly, will be passed in a special session convened for the purpose. Once enacted, the law will pave the way for a comprehensive digital record of every floor of every building in Delhi, ensuring no property remains outside the system.

WATCH THIS: CM Rekha Gupta Approves ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’; Women To Get ₹2,500 Monthly Financial Assistance

What the bill proposes

The Delhi Land Records Bill, 2026, mandates a citywide survey of all properties using modern technologies such as drones and aerial mapping. A unique digital identity—given the name "Property Aadhaar Card"—will be issued to each household, linked to authenticated land records. This card will contain details about the family, including caste, occupation, welfare schemes availed, and vaccination records, creating a consolidated household database.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the digitised records will be integrated with the government’s Family Card initiative to streamline the distribution of welfare schemes, healthcare benefits and other public services. Every property in Delhi will now get a secure and authentic digital identity.

READ ALSO: Old commercial vehicle in Delhi? PARIVARTAN scheme offers incentives to upgrade to BS-VI, EVs

What is SVAMITVA

A Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, it was launched nationwide on 24 April 2021 after successful pilot implementation. The scheme ensures clear ownership of rural properties by mapping land parcels using drone technology and issuing legal property cards to owners. It enables monetisation of assets, reduces disputes, and supports village-level planning towards achieving Gram Swaraj and Atmanirbhar Bharat. 

From pilot to citywide rollout

According to the chief minister’s office, the move builds on the success of a pilot project under the central government’s SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme, which was tested in 30 rural villages of Delhi. During the pilot, drone technology was used to map residential plots and establish clear legal ownership, resulting in the issuance of SVAMITVA cards to villagers. 

The SVAMITVA scheme pilot phase (2020–2021) was an initial testing period implemented across 9 states before its nationwide launch. It focused on using drone technology to map rural residential properties and establish clear legal ownership.

Encouraged by the pilot’s outcomes, the Delhi government will now expand the exercise to cover the entire National Capital Territory, including all urban areas, it added.

Why it matters

For decades, the absence of a systematic land records system in Delhi has led to difficulties in proving ownership, completing property transactions, settling inheritance claims, securing loans, obtaining building plan approvals and resolving long-pending court disputes. With the new system in place, authenticated digital property records will be available, eliminating ambiguity, improving transparency and significantly reducing land-related disputes, the office said.