Buying a residential plot is one of the largest financial decisions most families make. And in Punjab's real estate market, where unregulated projects and unclear titles still exist, doing your homework before signing is not optional — it's essential.
We've seen buyers lose money, get stuck in legal disputes, and wait years for possession because they skipped one or more of these checks. Here are the five things that genuinely matter.
The 5-point checklist
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01RERA registration — verify it yourself
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act requires all residential projects above a certain size to be registered with the state RERA authority. In Punjab, that means Punjab RERA (RERA Punjab).
Don't just take the developer's word for it. Go to rera.punjab.gov.in and search by project name or registration number. Check the registration is active, check the completion date, and check that the project details match what the developer is telling you.
Virat Greens' RERA registration — PBRERA-BTI08-PM0056 — is publicly searchable and verifiable at any time. -
02Clear title deed — no disputes, no liens
The title deed establishes legal ownership. Before any payment, insist on seeing the original sale deed chain — the sequence of ownership transfers leading to the current developer. Have a lawyer check for any encumbrances, liens, or disputes on the land.
Ask specifically: Is there any bank mortgage on this land? Has the land been used as collateral? Are there any ongoing court cases? A legitimate developer will answer all of these clearly and provide documentation without hesitation. -
03Layout and change-of-land-use approvals
In Punjab, agricultural land must have a formal change-of-land-use (CLU) approval before it can be developed for residential purposes. The layout plan must also be approved by the local development authority or municipal body.
Without these approvals, you may own a plot that cannot legally be built upon — and selling it later becomes difficult. Ask to see the CLU certificate and the approved layout plan. Both should be stamped by the relevant government authority. -
04Developer's track record — actual delivered projects
Ask the developer: what have you delivered before? Not what's under construction — what has been fully handed over to buyers, with possession given?
Visit a completed project if you can. Talk to residents. Look for reviews online. Check whether the amenities promised were actually built. A developer with 25+ years of experience and completed projects you can walk through is fundamentally different from a new entity with only promises.
Indira Infratech has been operating in Bathinda since 2000 — ISO 9001:2008 certified — with completed projects where residents are already living. You can visit Virat Greens and see for yourself before you decide anything. -
05All costs — not just the plot price
The advertised price is rarely the total cost. Before committing, ask for a complete cost sheet including: stamp duty and registration charges (typically 5–7% in Punjab), external development charges (EDC), internal development charges (IDC), maintenance deposit, and any club or amenity membership fees.
A transparent developer will give you this in writing upfront. Be cautious of any developer who is vague about these charges or presents them as "small" without specifying amounts.
Red flags to watch for: No RERA registration, pressure to pay without paperwork, "special price today only", inability to show original title documents, or promises of amenities without any committed timeline.
A quick note on loan eligibility
Banks and housing finance companies will only finance plot purchases in RERA-registered projects with clear titles and government approvals. If your chosen project doesn't meet these criteria, you likely won't get a home loan — which means cash-only purchase, which limits your options significantly.
A project that is fully approved and RERA-compliant gives you access to financing from SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Punjab National Bank, and most major lenders — at current home loan rates, which makes the overall cost significantly more manageable.
At Virat Greens: RERA-registered (PBRERA-BTI08-PM0056), Punjab Government approved, ISO 9001:2008 certified, clear title, all approvals in place — and bank-approved, meaning you can finance your plot purchase through any major lender. Every document is available for review before you sign.
The bottom line
Buying a plot should be one of the most exciting decisions of your life — not a source of anxiety. The five checks above take a few hours of effort and potentially save you years of legal trouble and hundreds of thousands of rupees.
If a developer can't answer these questions clearly and provide documentation, walk away. If they can — and the project ticks all five boxes — you're in safe hands.