Easing property registration process in Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister has recently given a green signal to ‘Anywhere Registration Policy’, with this the sale and purchase of properties in the National Capital can be registered at any sub-registrar’s office. This move will do away with the requirement of citizens to visit a specific sub-registrar office for getting their properties registered at the time of sale or purchase.

The move will help thousands who had to visit Sub-Registrar Offices, at different locations, and is also aimed at curbing corruption and harassment.

Residents can book an online appointment at any office and visit it to complete the remaining formalities. They can also upload required documents for sale deeds, power of attorney, and wills from home using the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS).

Now, residents can make an online appointment at any of the 22 sub-registrar offices across Delhi for their property registration. All Sub-Registrars in Delhi will now function as Joint Sub-Registrars, and their jurisdiction will cover entire Delhi.

Traditionally, individuals purchasing property in Delhi or undertaking any property registration process were required to visit a designated Sub-Registrar Office. However, this process often led to challenges, including long wait in queues and delays in booking appointments at certain offices, while some others remained underutilised.

The new initiative makes the process more transparent, as people who feel pressured by middlemen at certain offices will now have the option to visit other offices. Tracking the number of applications at each office will help identify preferred offices and address challenges faced by residents.

The government has received a number of complaints and suggestions to improve the functioning of the sub-registrar office which is one of the major departments to contribute to the state’s financial health. One of complaints received is that there are long queues in many sub-registrar's offices. Another complaint that is often received is regarding the prevalent corruption in many such offices.

While Janakpuri, Kashmere Gate, Model Town and Pitampura are among the most-crowded offices, Sarojini Nagar, Preet Vihar and Defence Colony witness the least number of applicants.

The Delhi Government recently appointed joint sub-registrars at six of its most crowded offices to ease the rush. Each year, the 22 sub-registrars together register around 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh documents.

There are middlemen outside the offices who demand money and people are forced to pay these middlemen to get their registry work done in the same office. To address these issues, the Revenue Department has initiated this new policy.

The writer is retd Chief Manager, SBI