Land Measurement in Maharashtra: Guntha, Acre, Are and Hectare

Land measurement in Maharashtra uses the guntha (गुंठा) and the acre (एकर) in daily talk, while the 7/12 extract (सातबारा) shows area in hectare (हेक्टर) and are (आर). 1 guntha is 1,089 sq ft and 40 guntha make 1 acre. 1 are is 100 sq m and 100 are make 1 hectare. The guntha and the are are close in size but not equal.

Units used in Maharashtra

The guntha value of 1,089 sq ft is commonly used and agreed by several sources, but we did not reach an official page that states it. Are and hectare are standard metric units. The bigha is not a practical unit in Maharashtra.

The chain of units

• 1 acre = 40 guntha
• 1 hectare = 100 are
• 1 hectare = about 2.47 acre = about 98.84 guntha
• 1 acre = about 40.47 are
• 1 guntha = about 1.0117 are

The anna is a small old unit for parts of a guntha. One reference says 16 anna make a guntha, which gives 68.0625 sq ft per anna, but the same reference also gives 6 anna per guntha in another place. Treat the anna with caution and confirm it locally.

Reading the 7/12 extract

Land records are on Mahabhumi Bhulekh (Mahabhulekh) of the Land Records Department. The modern 7/12 shows area in hectare and are, often written as H and R. Older entries may still show acre and guntha.

Example: a 7/12 showing 0 hectare 81 are means 8,100 sq m. That is about 87,187.67 sq ft, or about 80.06 guntha, or about 2.0016 acre. So 81 are is just over 2 acres. Do not read 81 are as 81 guntha: 81 guntha would be 88,209 sq ft, which is more.

Guntha, acre and hectare: quick values

Square feet in cities

In Mumbai, Pune and other cities, flats and plots are usually described in square feet or square metres rather than guntha. 1 sq m is about 10.7639 sq ft, and 1,000 sq ft is about 92.9 sq m. A city plot of 1 guntha is 1,089 sq ft, so knowing both units helps when a farm plot near a city is sold in square feet.

How to measure land

1. Measure length and breadth in feet and multiply them.
2. Divide by 1,089 for guntha, or by 43,560 for acre.
3. To compare with the 7/12, divide square feet by 1,076.39 for are.

Example: a plot of 99 ft by 66 ft is 6,534 sq ft. That is exactly 6 guntha, or about 6.07 are. For uneven plots use the land area calculator.

Common mistakes

• Treating 1 guntha as 1 are. A guntha is about 101.17 sq m; an are is 100 sq m. On 40 units the gap is about 504.36 sq ft.
• Reading H and R as acre and guntha. Check the unit heading on the 7/12 before you convert.
• Using a bigha value. Bigha figures from north India do not apply here.

For a measurement on the ground, the land records office handles applications and fees. The rules and charges are set by the department, so ask the taluka land records office for the current process. For a sale, partition or court matter, confirm the unit with the talathi or the tehsil office and check the 7/12 on Mahabhumi Bhulekh. Try our guntha to square feet and hectare to guntha converters.