Chandigarh, Nov. 12 -- For thousands of residents living in Chandigarh's villages, the absence of formal revenue records for their houses and plots has long complicated ownership claims, inheritance disputes and property transactions. This may soon become a thing of the past as the UT administration on Wednesday issued five notifications to implement the Punjab Abadi Deh (Records of Rights) Act, 2021, putting in place a mechanism for preparing and maintaining records of rights for properties in Abadi Deh areas, commonly known as Lal Dora.

Lal Dora areas refer to traditional village habitation zones - marked with a red line in revenue maps during the British-era - to separate residential areas from agricultural fields.

Under the new arra...