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Document Guide · Puducherry

How to Check the Survey Map or FMB in Puducherry — Complete Guide 2026

The Survey Map in Puducherry is the FMB sketch, Field Measurement Book, issued by the Directorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records. It shows what government surveyors recorded as your plot boundaries. Skip it, and you risk finding post-registration that the ground and the deed tell different stories. This guide covers the CSC process, the Rs. 50 fee, and what to actually check.

Quick Reference
Also calledFMB Sketch / Field Measurement Book / Cadastral Map / Plot Map
Issued byDirectorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records, Puducherry
Valid forNo expiry; updated on sub-division or resurvey
CostRs. 50 per copy via Common Service Centre
Time takenDirectorate of Survey, Phone: 0413-2249672.
Online portalCSCs across Puducherry UT; nilamagal.py.gov.in for Patta and Settlement records
noteFMB is required for building plan approval, water connection, and electricity connection. Check it before purchase.
1

What Is the Survey Map or FMB in Puducherry?

Definition

The Survey Map, also called the FMB or Field Measurement Book, is a certified cadastral map from the Directorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records, Puducherry. It records the government's own measurements of a land parcel: its shape, dimensions, sub-division, and neighboring field numbers.

Most buyers I've spoken to conflate this with ownership proof. It isn't. Patta handles ownership. The FMB handles what physically exists where. Those are different questions, and in Puducherry land deals, mixing them up costs money.

Here's the scenario that keeps repeating. Seller shows a deed. Deed has a survey number. Buyer assumes the ground matches. Nobody pulls the FMB. Registration happens. Then the buyer visits the site and the measurements are off, or a neighbor has a wall three feet inside the boundary. The FMB would have flagged it. Now fixing it requires the Survey Directorate and possibly a court.

State-specific note: Puducherry UT has four separate regions, Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam, with distinct FMB records for each. Buying in Karaikal and checking the Puducherry main office gets you nothing useful.
2

How to Get the Survey Map in Puducherry: CSC and Offline Steps

FMB copies come from Common Service Centres across all four regions. Know your survey number, sub-division, village name, and region before walking in.

Online method (recommended)

1
Find the nearest CSC for your region CSCs in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam all issue digitized FMB copies
Nilamagal portal handles Patta and Settlement only. FMB is strictly CSC-issued.
2
Submit details, pay Rs
50 Give region, village, survey number, sub-division number. Pay Rs. 50. Output is a digitally signed e-certificate from the Settlement Officer.
Run the authenticity check using the verification link on the Puduvai Sevai page. Takes two minutes and confirms the certificate is genuine.
3
Keep the e-certificate Accepted for building plan approval, bank submissions, and court use
File it with your sale deed.

Offline method (Sub-Registrar Office)

1
Right office for your region Main office: II Floor, Revenue Complex, Kamaraj Salai, Saram, Puducherry 605013
Phone: 0413-2249672. Karaikal: 04132249672. Email: [email protected].
2
Request form, attach documents Get the FMB copy request form
Fill in survey number, sub-division, village, taluk. Attach a Patta extract or sale deed copy and identity proof.
3
Pay, get the inward receipt Pay the prescribed fee
The receipt with inward number matters, keep it.
4
Collect when ready
Rejections go to the District Collector on appeal.
Bring the copy to the site and walk the boundaries yourself before any money changes hands.
3

What Does the Survey Map Contain in Puducherry?

Each FMB for a Puducherry plot carries these fields. Check every one against the deed and then against what you see on the ground.

Field What It Means What to Check
Survey Number / Sub-division NumberIdentifies the specific parcel in recordsMust match sale deed and Patta exactly
Village, Taluk, RegionLocation within Puducherry UTConfirm correct region, all four have separate records
Plot Boundaries with Angles and DistancesOfficial measurements in metres or linksCross-check against physical site; flag gaps to Survey Dept
Neighboring Field NumbersAdjacent parcels on all sidesLook for any encroachment claims on these boundary lines
Land Dimensions and ExtentTotal area as surveyedCompare against extent in the sale deed
Reference PointsRoads, drains, canals, physical markersCheck these markers still exist on the ground
Sub-division SketchGraphical map of the specific parcelAny overwriting or corrections is a warning sign
Good sign: Survey and sub-division match the sale deed. Sketch is clean, no corrections. Extent aligns with deed. Neighboring field numbers traceable on ground.
4

Common Issues With Survey Maps in Puducherry

Four problems come up often enough in Puducherry that buyers should check for each one before proceeding.

Survey number in deed does not match FMB
A seller quotes a number that belonged to a different parcel or was never updated after sub-division. FMB shows a different extent or a completely different boundary shape.
Fix: Get the FMB before signing anything. Mismatches do not sort themselves out post-registration.
FMB extent is smaller than deed states
Deed says 10 cents. FMB says 8. Government measurement wins. Buyers have paid for area that simply does not exist in official records.
Fix: Lay the FMB extent against the deed extent before any price discussion. A gap means demarcation first, purchase later.
FMB still shows the undivided parent parcel
When land splits among heirs or sells in portions, new sub-division sketches should be filed. If the FMB still reflects the full original parcel, the buyer's specific portion has no independent survey record.
Fix: Ask the Survey Directorate directly whether the sub-division is on file. A separate Patta for the buyer's portion should exist alongside a matching FMB.
Encroachment on ground that FMB does not show
Walls, sheds, and compound structures creep past the FMB line over years. The sketch shows legal boundaries. The site may show something different. Whoever buys inherits whatever dispute exists.
Fix: Walk the FMB boundary on the actual site. A structure sitting on or past the FMB line is a problem, deal with it before signing, not after.
5

Why the Survey Map Matters for Land Buyers in Puducherry

A deed records a transaction. The FMB records whether the land in that transaction is measurably what it claims to be.

📋
Required for building plan approval FMB is a mandatory document for building plan approval, water connection, and electricity connection in Puducherry
Being registered is not enough. Without a clean FMB, construction cannot begin legally.
⚠
What courts use first Boundary disputes in Puducherry go to court with the FMB as primary evidence
An outdated or incorrect sketch gives the legal advantage to whichever neighbor or claimant has a better matching record.
🏦
Lenders will ask for it Banks and NBFCs processing construction loans or mortgages on Puducherry land will require FMB verification
A plot with a mismatched or missing FMB stalls at the documentation stage, sometimes many months after the buyer thought the deal was done.
🔍
Puducherry-specific: four records, four offices No other UT in south India splits its land records across four non-contiguous regions this way
Checking the wrong regional office produces no useful result. Confirm which region your plot sits in, then go to exactly that office.
Red flag: Seller hands over an FMB for the parent survey number pre-sub-division, or says there is no FMB available. Either way, the specific plot you are buying has no verified boundary in current government records.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Survey Map Puducherry 2026 and why do buyers need it?
The Survey Map is the FMB sketch from the Directorate of Survey, Settlement and Land Records. It records official plot boundaries and surveyed dimensions. Buyers need it to verify that the physical ground matches what the sale deed describes before registration or construction.
How do I get the FMB sketch copy in Puducherry?
Visit a Common Service Centre in the correct region of Puducherry UT. Provide region, village, survey number, and sub-division number. Pay Rs. 50. The CSC issues a digitally signed e-certificate authenticated under the Puduvai Sevai system.
What does the FMB contain for a Puducherry plot?
Survey and sub-division number, plot dimensions in metres or links, boundary angles, neighboring field numbers, physical reference points, and a graphical parcel sketch. Each FMB is specific to one village, one taluk, and one survey number.
What is the fee for an FMB copy in Puducherry?
Rs. 50 per copy through Common Service Centres for the digitized cadastral map. Offline fee at the Survey Directorate may vary.
Is the Survey Map required for building plan approval in Puducherry?
Yes. Building plan approval, water connection, and electricity connection all require the FMB sketch. Registration alone does not satisfy this requirement.
Where is the Directorate of Survey and Land Records in Puducherry?
II Floor, Revenue Complex, Kamaraj Salai, Saram, Puducherry 605013. Phone: 0413-2249672. Email: [email protected]. Karaikal: 04132249672.
Can I get the FMB sketch online in Puducherry?
Not directly online. Nilamagal (nilamagal.py.gov.in) covers Patta and Settlement records only. FMB copies are issued at CSCs as digitally signed e-certificates, verifiable through the Puduvai Sevai portal.
What happens if the FMB survey number does not match the sale deed in Puducherry?
Stop before registration. The mismatch is either a records error or misrepresentation. Request fresh demarcation from the Survey Directorate. Fixing it after registration is possible but slower and costs considerably more.

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