POLICY/ GUIDELINES FOR THE SALE OR EXCHANGE OF REVENUE RASTAS (PATHS) AND KHALS (WATER CHANNELS) WIT

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EXTRAORDINARY

Published by Authority

CHANDIGARH, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026 (MAGHA 14, 1947 SAKA)

GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB

DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

(Town Planning Wing)

NOTIFICATION

The 2nd February, 2026

POLICY/ GUIDELINES FOR THE SALE OR EXCHANGE OF REVENUE RASTAS (PATHS) AND KHALS (WATER CHANNELS) WITHIN MUNICIPAL AREAS

No. CTP(LG)/2026/210.- The Governor of Punjab is pleased to notify the Policy/ Guidelines For The Sale or Exchange of Revenue Rastas (Paths) And Khals (Water Channels) Within Municipal Areas, as following:-

1.1 Introduction:

In Municipal areas, there are various instances where a Revenue Rasta or khal is abandoned and is situated between the land of private bodies but in the absence of clear guidelines the Department has been experiencing difficulties in transferring such defunct rastas or khal and is thus a stumbling block in the fast development of the concerned projects, besides affecting the revenue of the Department to a considerable extent. In other instances such Revenue Rastas/khals are not abandoned and actively under use by public, but divide a land under single ownership into two or more parcels, causing ineffective/restrictive land usage for the owners. Further, the Revenue Rasta also restricts access and services to be shared between land parcel under single ownership/use.

1.2 Similar issues were being faced outside Municipal limits and addressing this, the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab has notified the 'Amendment in the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Rules, 1964' vide notification No G.S.R. 173/P.A. 18/1961/S.15/Amd.(26)/2025 on 31-10-2025. Inside Municipal limits, such Rastas/khals are owned by the respective Urban Local Bodies under Section 56 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 and under section 169 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 read with section 4 of The Management and Transfer of Municipal Properties Act, 2020.

1.3 Purpose/Objective:

This policy ensures continued access and services by granting an easement to land parcels under the same ownership, and simultaneously guarantees that alternate Rastas/Khal can be provided without hindrance in lieu of active Rastas/Khal.

( 1011 )1012 PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ. (EXTRA), FEBRUARY 3, 2026 (MAGHA 14, 1947 SAKA) 1.4 Applicability:

(1) This policy shall be applicable in all the Municipal areas in the State and shall come into force from the date of its notification.

(2) The Revenue rasta/khal under this policy means any pathway or access or Khal/small water stream which is documented or delineated in Government Revenue record.

(3) This Policy is applicable to the two categories of such defunct or active Revenue rasta/khal identified as under:

i. Abandoned/defunct revenue rastas and khals.

ii. Active(running) revenue rastas and khals that lead to or provide access to adjoining land parcels.

1.5 Procedure:

(1) For abandoned paths (rastas) or water courses(Khals) within Municipal limits falling in all Government licensed projects, may also be transferred by sale or exchange in accordance with the following procedure and conditions, namely:-

i) Intended applicant shall upload the following documents to purchase or exchange Municipal rastas and khals of Urban Local Body, namely:-

a) Valid license from competent authority.

b) Aks Shajra and Google Map indicating the rastas/Khal.

c) Khatauni and Khasra numbers and total area; and

d) Resolution of Urban Local Body approving the sale or exchange.

ii) Pre and post-permission drone mapping to ascertain ground status shall be mandatory at the time of submission and within six months of approval, respectively.

(2) Any proposal for sale of rastas or khals pending for adjudication in the Hon'ble High Court shall be accompanied by a certificate issued by the Municipal Town Planner or equivalent designated officer of concerned Urban Local Body to the effect that such rastas or khals are abondoned.

The applicant shall upload this certificate on the designated portal:

Provided that the concerned Commissioner of Municipal Corporation or Executive Officer of the Urban Local Body shall ensure that the designated officer of concerned Urban Local Body takes a decision on issuing the requisite certificate within fifteen days from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette. Compliance in this regard shall be reflected through a status report on the portal. For pending cases that do not fall within the ambit of the order of the Hon'ble High Court, the requirement of obtaining such certificate shall not apply.

(3) For the active (running) paths (rastas) and khals, there shall be the following procedure, namely:

i) Application for exchange of active paths (rastas) or water courses(khals) shall be submitted on the portal certificate subject to the following conditions:-

a) Applicants shall propose a clear alternative shortest possible route (rastas/ khals) to maintain access/ water flow to other parcels.

b) The route must be clearly marked on Akas Shajra and submitted with supporting satellite images.

c) The sale price of the applicable Collector rate of the land in question shall be deposited into the bank account of the concerned Urban Local Body, once affirmed.

d) Drone mapping both at the time of application and within six months of approval, must show existing and alternate rastas or khals and pre and post-permission land conditions/ image/ status;

e) Drone mapping done at the time of application and within six months of approval, shall be physically verified and certified by the concerned District Revenue Officer for rastas and Executive Engineer (Water Resources) for Khals. Final review report shall be routed through the Deputy Commissioner concerned and the same shall be uploaded on the portal.

f) Merging of the existing rastas or khals into the applicant's project shall be prohibited until the permission is granted;

g) Upon recommendation from the District Level Committee, the competent authority (Commissioner/ Additional Deputy Commissioner) of the concerned Local Body shall take final decision within fifteen days; and

h) Where the District Level Committee decides that the khal shall not be shifted, a pipeline may be laid to ensure the smooth flow of water. The expenditure shall be borne by the developer, subject to the specifications of the competent authority.

i) The provisions of the Master Plan shall be adhered to in toto regarding the widening of revenue rastas and the provision of a green buffer along the khals, etc.

j) Furthermore, where an alternate route is provided in exchange for an active revenue rasta, the entry and exit points of the proposed alternate route within the site/layout plan shall coincide with those of the original revenue rasta to ensure unobstructed access for the local public.

(4) All applications (pending and new) on the portal, shall be reviewed by a District-Level Committee, within fifteen days on the basis of Revenue records i.e. akas sajra, google map, khatauni/ khasra numbers (area in acres/kanals or marlas), Site inspection, and Documentation submitted through the portal.

(5) The District Level Committee shall comprise the following, namely:-

i. Deputy Commissioner Chairman

ii. Commissioner/ Additional Deputy Commissioner Member Secretary (UD/General)

iii. Municipal Town Planner or equal ranking designated Member

Officer of ULB

iv. Executive Engineer Member

(Water Resources)

v. District Revenue Officer Member

(6) The District Level Committee shall follow the following procedure, namely;

i) The proposal of the exchange in case of active rastas and khal shall be published in 3 newspapers and the affected person other than the applicant shall be given opportunity of hearing by the committee.

ii) The abandoned rastas or khals of Urban Local Body shall be sold at two (2) times of the Collector rate applicable, payable to the Urban Local Bodies concerned.

iii) Additionally, two (2) times of the Collector rate shall also be paid by the applicant to the State Government (State treasury) towards 'Enhanced value capture' charges, as it will be used as a licensed area.

iv) The Collector rate shall be taken as per the category of land as it exists at the time of application (i.e. the actual revenue classification of the land) under this policy.

Sd/-

MANJIT SINGH BRAR, I.A.S. Chandigarh

Secretary, Local Government

3629/2-2026/Pb. Govt. Press, S.A.S. Nagar