Land fraud remains the most reported issue in public hearings conducted by the District Magistrate, with a multi-billion-rupee registry scam recently coming to light in Dehradun. Despite a boom in the property market, fewer than 500 real estate agents are registered with the Uttarakhand Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), raising serious concerns about buyer protection.

For many middle-class families, owning land or a house represents a lifetime achievement, often involving decades of savings. Victims of land fraud or manipulation by land mafia gangs often find it nearly impossible to recover their losses.

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In many cases, the unregistered status of property facilitators leaves RERA powerless to intervene, while police often dismiss complaints as civil matters, leaving victims with little recourse.

Reports indicate widespread fraudulent practices in Dehradun and other plains cities:

Agricultural plots are being sold to individuals for construction, even though development authorities do not approve building plans on such land.

  • Government-owned plots are illegally sold, forcing victims to struggle for recovery.
  • Single plots are sometimes sold to multiple buyers.
  • Cases of mortgaged properties being fraudulently sold have also emerged.

RERA was established to safeguard the interests of property buyers and to ensure that builders and agents comply with regulations. During a workshop in April this year, authorities decided to take strict action against non-compliant agents and builders, including fines of Rs 10,000 per day (up to 5 per cent of the total property value) for non-registration. However, enforcement has remained weak, allowing unregistered agents and fraudulent operators to manipulate property transactions with impunity.

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Experts warn that until real estate agents are properly registered with RERA and strict enforcement is implemented, middle-class buyers remain vulnerable to large-scale property scams.