After several years, the much-debated Tatkal facility for property registration is being reintroduced in sub-registrar offices. Officials are preparing to launch the scheme, which will allow citizens to complete the entire registry process in a single day, but only by paying an additional fee of ₹10,000.
On the lines of passport services, this system is being linked to Easy Registration. Currently, property registration takes around two days under the e-registration system. Now, under the new option, individuals willing to pay the Tatkal fee can get the registry done the same day, saving time but increasing expenses.
At present, once a deed is written by the deed writer/assistant, it goes for approval into the login of the Sub-Registrar or Joint Sub-Registrar. After inquiries, the deed is approved and comes back after 7 pm for the final step. This back-and-forth is a key reason for delays, often stretching the entire process beyond a day.
Paying ₹500 will allow applicants to book an advance appointment.
Paying ₹10,000 extra will ensure the property registry is completed the very same day, similar to the Tatkal passport system.
Flex boards will soon be installed in offices to create awareness among the public.
However, officials highlight that a formal notification from the Revenue Department is expected this week. Currently, only the Joint Sub-Registrar has indicated that the scheme will be rolled out soon.
Under the earlier manual system, citizens could get their deed written, submit photographs, and complete the registry on the same day – without paying heavy extra charges. When e-registration was first launched, the government had promised that the process would be faster, cheaper, and would save middlemen costs. Registries used to be completed in almost 25 minutes at that time.
Now, as multiple updates have been made, the process has become lengthier and costlier. Critics point out that the new “Tatkal” option is essentially the same service, just with an additional price tag.
In recent weeks, several reforms have been introduced in registrar offices, including setting up help desks where an official seated with a laptop, alongside the security guard, distributes tokens to applicants. But despite these efforts, property transactions are seeing a steady decline, raising doubts about whether the new system is truly serving its purpose.
For property buyers and sellers, the upcoming Tatkal service offers faster convenience, but at a steep cost. Whether this change will ease people’s troubles or simply add to their financial burden remains to be seen.
