Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) surplus land check before buying in Hyderabad and Telangana
Short answer: under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976, land held above the city ceiling could be declared surplus and taken over by the Government. In Hyderabad, many such plots were later occupied, built on and sold. The Telangana Registration department's FAQ (Q18) lists "urban lands declared as surplus under ... the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976" as a prohibited class under section 22-A, so a deed for such land can be refused. If the seller's plot sits on ULC surplus land, the usual route is regularisation by the Government, not a private sale. Ask for the ULC case number and the regularisation order before you pay anything.
ULC situations in Hyderabad and what to do
| What you find | What it can mean | What to do before paying |
|---|---|---|
| Old papers mention a "CC No." or a ULC case, or the seller says "ULC was cleared" | The holding went through ceiling proceedings. The regularisation application form asks for exactly this "CC No.". | Ask for the case number and the final order in writing. "Cleared" should mean a document, not a verbal assurance. |
| The plot is described as excess or surplus land "taken possession by Government" | Government land under the 1976 Act. The form's title is "Application for Allotment of Excess Land Taken Possession by Government". | Only the occupant can apply for regularisation. Do not buy the occupant's "rights" before the Government order exists. |
| The seller shows a regularisation order under G.O.Ms.No.92 (26.05.2016) | The occupant applied and paid the basic value set by the G.O. (per the declaration in the form). | Have a lawyer match the order's survey or T.S. number, plot number and extent in square yards with the sale deed. |
| A small plot was given free to a poor family | The Khammam district GOs page lists G.O.Ms.No.58, assignment of ULC surplus land up to 125 square yards to poor families free of cost. | Assigned land often carries conditions on transfer. Ask your lawyer whether the assignment allows a sale yet (to verify in the G.O. text). |
| The seller offers a "sada bainama" (unregistered sale) route | Section 6 of the Bhu Bharati Act, 2025 says regularisation of such sales must not contravene the ULC Act, 1976. | Unregistered paper on ULC land does not become good title through the sada bainama process. |
| Nil encumbrance certificate | The Registration FAQ (Q39) says a Nil EC excludes unregistered transactions and that "EC cannot be taken as a sole criterion". | A Nil EC does not prove the land is free of a ULC take-over. |
What the Telangana regularisation form asks for
The application under G.O.Ms.No.92, Revenue (ULC) Department, dated 26.05.2016 asks for the CC No. (if known), survey numbers, T.S. number, block and ward numbers, premises and plot number, the extent in square yards, details of any registered document (document number, date and Sub-Registrar office), a property schedule and ID proof. The form lists an application fee of Rs. 2000. In its declaration the occupant asks for "regularization of my possession over the land on payment of the basic value prescribed in G.O. Ms. No. 92". A seller who went through this should be able to show the filed form, the payment and the order. The Khammam district GOs page also lists G.O.Ms.No.59 on regularising encroachments on ULC surplus land "on payment basis".
Seven ULC checks before you buy in Hyderabad
- Note the identifiers: T.S. or survey number, block, ward, premises and plot number, and the extent in square yards.
- Ask the ULC question directly: was this land ever under ceiling proceedings, and is there a CC number? Get the answer in writing.
- Collect the orders: any final ceiling order, possession record and regularisation order under G.O.Ms.No.92 or G.O.Ms.No.59.
- Match the extent: the regularised extent and plot number should match the deed you are about to sign, square yard for square yard.
- Check the prohibited list: use our prohibited property check and keep a dated screenshot.
- Read the chain: pull the encumbrance certificate, but remember the FAQ warning that an EC is not the sole test.
- Protect your advance: ask your lawyer to add a seller declaration on ULC status and a refund clause if registration is refused under 22-A.
Common mistake: assuming the ULC Act "no longer applies" because it was repealed. Land the Government had already taken over is the problem case, and Telangana still runs regularisation for it. Ask for the order, not the history lesson.
Related guides
- How to use the prohibited property search
- Waqf and endowment land check
- Land record check (Bhu Bharati)
- Mutation (name transfer) after purchase
Buying in Andhra Pradesh? See the Andhra Pradesh urban land ceiling guide.
Not legal advice. This page summarises official documents read on 23 Oct 2026. Whether a plot is ULC surplus land, and what a regularisation order covers, is decided by the Government and the courts. Have a lawyer check the title and the orders, and re-check because G.O.s change.
A free sample from our Hyderabad property do-it-yourself pack: which documents to keep, which official portals to check, and in what order.
Get it free (instant download)FAQ
Is ULC surplus land a prohibited property in Telangana?
Yes. Q18 of the Telangana Registration FAQ lists urban lands declared surplus under the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976 among the section 22-A prohibited classes.
The ULC Act was repealed. Why does it still matter?
Telangana still runs regularisation for excess land the Government took possession of under the 1976 Act, for example the G.O.Ms.No.92 (2016) application. Such land needs an order before it is safe to buy.
What is the CC number on the form?
The regularisation application asks for the CC No. if known, which refers to the ceiling case. Ask the seller for it and for the final order.
Does a Nil EC prove the plot is not ULC land?
No. The Registration FAQ says a Nil EC excludes unregistered transactions and an EC cannot be the sole criterion.
Official sources
- TG Registration FAQ (Q18, Q39)
- Application for allotment of excess land, UL (C&R) Act 1976, G.O.Ms.No.92 (telangana.gov.in, PDF)
- Khammam district GOs page (G.O.Ms.No.58, 59)
- Telangana Bhu Bharati Act, 2025, Act No. 1 of 2025 (gazette PDF)
Not legal advice. We don't check properties or certify ads. A lawyer must confirm title, and the Authority's own notices override anything on this page.