Guidelines issued by city police on dealing with any land conflicts in Vizag

After the Visakhapatnam City Police recently arrested the two accused in an intriguing land document forgery case, the city officials have risen up to the issue. For the public’s convenience, the Vizag city police have released a set of guidelines on how to handle any land issues and how people can protect their land from encroachments.

Speaking to Yo! Vizag, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Dwaraka), RVSN Murthy, informed that various incidents of land document forgery, and cases related to land, have been reported in the past few months in Vizag and continue to be reported. To spread awareness to both parties – the buyer and the seller- the counsellors section of the Vizag Police have put together a few guidelines to aid in the legitimate purchase and protection of land. Abiding by the following guidelines would help the parties, interested in the property, and the police department if any case of malpractice arises.

Police strategy on dealing with land issues:

1. Creation of a fake document is a criminal offense. Such offenses have to be reported at the local police station.

2. Any land grabbing issue requires a report from revenue authorities. Therefore, please approach the local Tehsildar office immediately if your land has been encroached

3. Vizag police will not interfere in title issues/division of land within the family or boundary issues or any other purely civil issues

4. Opening of Pre-Litigation Counselling Forum (PLCF) in Zone 2 is under active consideration

5. In other land issues like the occupying Government lands by the public en masse, Police will support the VMRDA/GVMC/Revenue departments as and when required

7. Police will prepare a comprehensive list of persons who are habitually involved in land issues (land grabbing, double selling, etc.) by exploiting the loopholes in the system, understand their modus operandi, coordinating with other departments, and keep a regular watch over their activities

Guidelines to people to keep their lands safe:

A. Already purchased land:

1. Visit the site at least once a month

2. Put a board on the site with the owner’s name, otherwise, different people will come and check in at different times and each will believe that land has no issue

3. Install fencing

4. Keep a trusted watchman if it is an expensive land

5. When installing fencing, a total station or GPS survey is needed by a licensed or govt surveyor. Pls inform neighbours on the survey

6. Ensure updating of records after registration in revenue records like 1B and Adangal

B. New purchase of land:

1. Compulsorily place a paper ad prior to purchase

2. EC verification for the last 30 years is also mandatory.

3. Verify VUDA approval.

4. Immediately they should apply for electrical connection (they will issue connection within 24 hrs)

5. With this connection as proof, they should apply for a water tap connection from GVMC.

6. They can also get plan approval from GVMC.

7. Ensure updating of records after registration in revenue records like 1B and adangal.

8. Check all link docs right from the name in SFA (Survey Fair Adangal)

9. Check if it is an assigned land or in 22A prohibited property list

With the above steps, the name will be attached to the land in records of all Departments – Revenue, GVMC, Electrical.

EC and prohibited properties list can be accessed here.

1B, Adangal, and FMB can be accessed here.