1 Kanal in Sq Ft? Marla, Kanal, Gaj and Bigha Explained for Punjab and Chandigarh, With Worked Examples

Property1313 Team · October 15, 2026 · 9 min read

Ask three people in the Tricity what 1 kanal in sq ft is and you may get three answers. That is because Punjab's land units grew out of different local measures, and some of them still differ by district. This guide gives you the standard figures, shows where they come from, explains why bigha has no single size, and works through seven examples you can follow with a calculator or our area converter.

Quick answer: On the standard Punjab measure, 1 marla = 272.25 sq ft (30.25 gaj), 1 kanal = 20 marla = 5,445 sq ft = 605 sq yd, and 8 kanal = 1 acre (43,560 sq ft). Gaj means a square yard (9 sq ft). Bigha varies by region, from about 9,075 sq ft to 27,225 sq ft in Punjab's own records.

Key points

• 1 gaj (square yard) = 9 sq ft = 0.836 sq m.
• 1 marla = 272.25 sq ft = 30.25 sq yd = about 25.29 sq m.
• 1 kanal = 20 marla = 5,445 sq ft = 605 sq yd = about 505.86 sq m.
• 1 acre (ghumao or killa) = 8 kanal = 160 marla = 4,840 sq yd = 43,560 sq ft.
• Bigha has no single value. Check which regional bigha your record uses.
• In plot talk, "1 kanal" sometimes means a 500 sq yd plot. The papers decide, not the word.

Where these numbers come from

The figures are not a convention invented by brokers. They come from the length of a karam, the old surveyor's measuring rod. Punjab's Land Record Manual, published by the state's Department of Revenue, sets them out in Part F, "Land Measures" (paragraph 4.40):

• 1 karam = 66 inches (5.5 ft) in areas consolidated on the standard measure.
• 1 sarsahi = 1 square karam = 30.25 sq ft.
• 1 marla = 9 sarsahi = 272.25 sq ft. The manual gives 25.29285 sq m.
• 1 kanal = 20 marla. The manual gives 505.857 sq m, which is 5,445 sq ft or 605 sq yd.
• 1 ghumao (acre) = 8 kanal = 4,840 sq yd.

The same paragraph says that from the agricultural year 1976–77 the metric measure is to be used in revenue work. In practice, older records, deeds and everyday talk still use the local units, so you need both.

GMADA uses the same ratio. Its land pooling table writes "0.125 Acre (1 kanal)", which is 8 kanal to the acre.

1 kanal in sq ft, and the other standard units

Note: 1 hectare is about 2.47 acres, or about 19.77 kanal.

Why the marla is not always 272.25 sq ft

The manual lists other karams for areas that were measured on local standards:

• 60-inch karam (Amritsar, Gurdaspur except the Shahpur hill circle, Ferozepur except Fazilka, and former Faridkot): marla = 20.903 sq m, which is 225 sq ft or 25 sq yd; kanal = 500 sq yd; ghumao = 4,000 sq yd.
• 57.5-inch karam (Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Anandpur Sahib and the Shahpur hill circle): kanal = 383.95 sq m, about 4,133 sq ft; ghumao about 3,674 sq yd.
• 54-inch karam (former Kapurthala state): kanal = 338.63 sq m, about 3,645 sq ft.

This explains a common Tricity puzzle. A 500 sq yd plot is often called "one kanal", and a 250 sq yd plot "10 marla". Those names fit the 25 sq yd marla of the 60-inch measure, not the 605 sq yd kanal of the standard measure. Neither is wrong as speech. Only the area in the document counts.

Important: Never pay on a plot described only as "1 kanal" or "10 marla". Get the area in square yards or square metres, with the plot dimensions, in writing.

Bigha: why it varies

Bigha is the unit that causes the most confusion, because Punjab's own manual gives several:

Neighbouring states use other values again, and some use pucca and kachha bighas. So "5 bigha" means nothing until you know which bigha. Mohali district (S.A.S. Nagar) was carved out of the former Ropar and Patiala districts, so older village records around Mohali may show bigha and biswa on the 9,075 sq ft scale. Check the record itself.

Seven worked examples

1. A plot of 2 kanal 5 marla in sq ft and gaj

2 kanal = 40 marla, plus 5 = 45 marla.

45 × 272.25 = 12,251.25 sq ft.

12,251.25 ÷ 9 = 1,361.25 sq yd.

2. A plot of 1,005 sq yd in kanal and marla

1,005 ÷ 605 = 1.661 kanal.

The 0.661 kanal × 20 = 13.2 marla.

So about 1 kanal 13 marla, or 9,045 sq ft. (Plots of this size appear in Irish Town, Banur, whose listing gives sizes of about 796 to 1,267 sq yd.)

3. A 300 gaj plot in marla, on both measures

On the standard marla: 300 ÷ 30.25 = 9.92 marla, just under 10 marla.

On the 25 sq yd marla: 300 ÷ 25 = 12 marla.

Same plot, two "marla" answers. This is why the square yard figure matters.

4. Turning a rate per gaj into a rate per marla and per kanal

Suppose a seller quotes ₹40,000 per sq yd. This is only an example rate, not a market figure.

Per marla: 30.25 × 40,000 = ₹12,10,000.

Per kanal: 605 × 40,000 = ₹2,42,00,000, or ₹2.42 crore.

Per sq ft: 40,000 ÷ 9 = about ₹4,444.

If another seller quotes "per marla" on a 25 sq yd marla, divide by 25, not 30.25, to compare the two fairly.

5. 2.5 acres of farmland in kanal, marla and sq ft

5 × 8 = 20 kanal = 400 marla.

5 × 4,840 = 12,100 sq yd = 1,08,900 sq ft.

That is about 1.01 hectares.

6. "5 bigha" in three districts

On the 9,075 sq ft bigha (Ropar and Patiala areas): 5 × 9,075 = 45,375 sq ft, about 1.04 acres.

On the 10,000 sq ft bigha (Amritsar group): 50,000 sq ft, about 1.15 acres.

On the 27,225 sq ft bigha (Ludhiana and former Jind): 1,36,125 sq ft, which is exactly 3.125 acres.

Same words, three very different pieces of land.

7. A flat's super area in gaj

A flat of 1,800 sq ft super area is 1,800 ÷ 9 = 200 sq yd. Land units are for plots, though. For flats, compare carpet area, as explained in our guide to carpet area, built-up area and super area.

Tip: The Property1313 area converter does these sums for you. Enter the figure in one unit and read the rest.

Have a plot size in kanal or marla and want to know what it means in money terms on today's price sheets? Send it to us. Call or WhatsApp Property1313 on 89100 01313.

Chandigarh and Panchkula

In Chandigarh's sectors, houses are described in everyday speech by kanal, as in "a one kanal kothi". The allotment, lease or sale papers give the area in square yards or square metres. When you compare two kothis, compare those figures. In Panchkula, plots are usually quoted in square yards or square metres in the papers too.

What this means for buyers: facts to check

• The area in square yards or square metres in the allotment letter, sale deed or jamabandi, and the plot dimensions. Do the arithmetic yourself.
• Which marla or bigha the seller means, if they quote in local units.
• That the rate you are comparing uses the same unit. ₹ per marla on a 25 sq yd marla is not the same as on a 30.25 sq yd marla.
• The measured area on the ground. Ask for a demarcation by the revenue staff if you are buying land.
• The stamp duty basis. Stamp duty is charged on the higher of the deal value and the collector-rate value, which depends on the area; see stamp duty and registration charges in Punjab.
• RERA registration for any plotted colony you buy into. See how to check RERA registration in Punjab.

This is general information, not legal advice. For land deals, have a lawyer and a revenue official check the record and the measurement.

Plots and kothis listed on Property1313

A plotted colony in Banur with plots of about 1.3 to 2.1 kanal:

Irish Town Banur · Village Banur, Banur

One kanal kothis listed for sale in Sector 11, Chandigarh:

1 Kanal Kothis · Sector 11, Chandigarh · ₹23.5 Cr Asking Price

Plots of 115 to 1,000 sq yd in New Chandigarh:

Omaxe Plots · New Chandigarh

Residential plots in Trident Hills, Pinjore–Kalka Urban Complex, Panchkula (registered with HRERA Panchkula):

Trident Hills Residential Plots · Trident Hills, Sector 4, Pinjore–Kalka Urban Complex, Panchkula · ₹1.80 Cr onwards

More on plots in Mohali, plots in New Chandigarh, plots in Zirakpur, plots in Banur and kothis in Chandigarh. Weighing a plot against a flat? Read plots vs flats in the Tricity.

Talk to Property1313

Plot sizes are easy to misread and expensive to get wrong. Tell us the size you want, in any unit, and your budget. Property1313 will convert it, shortlist plots and kothis that fit, share the papers and the current price sheets, and arrange visits. Call or WhatsApp 89100 01313, or send your requirement through the contact page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many square feet are there in 1 kanal?

On the standard Punjab measure, based on a karam of 66 inches, 1 kanal is 20 marla, which is 5,445 sq ft, 605 sq yd (gaj) or about 505.86 square metres. Punjab's Land Record Manual gives 1 kanal as 505.857 square metres.

How many square feet are there in 1 marla?

1 marla is 272.25 sq ft, or 30.25 sq yd, on the standard 66-inch karam measure. In areas measured with a 60-inch karam, the manual's marla works out to 225 sq ft (25 sq yd), which is why you sometimes hear different figures.

What is gaj in land measurement?

Gaj is the everyday word for a square yard when people talk about plot sizes. 1 gaj (square yard) is 9 sq ft or about 0.836 square metres. A '200 gaj plot' is a 200 sq yd plot, which is 1,800 sq ft.

How many kanal are in one acre?

8 kanal make one acre (also called a ghumao or killa) on the standard measure: 160 marla, 4,840 sq yd or 43,560 sq ft. GMADA's land pooling table also treats 1 kanal as 0.125 acre.

How big is a bigha in Punjab?

There is no single size. Punjab's Land Record Manual lists different bighas for different areas: about 1,008 sq yd (about 9,075 sq ft) for Ropar (except Anandpur Sahib), Fazilka and the former Patiala, Nabha and Malerkotla states; 929 square metres (10,000 sq ft) in the Amritsar group; and 3,025 sq yd (27,225 sq ft) for parts of Ludhiana and former Jind. Always check which one your record uses.

Is a 1 kanal plot in Mohali or Chandigarh exactly 605 sq yd?

Not always. On the standard measure 1 kanal is 605 sq yd, but in everyday talk a 500 sq yd plot is often called a 'one kanal' plot, which matches the older 60-inch karam measure. Go by the area in square yards or square metres written in the allotment letter or sale deed, not by the word kanal.

Where can I convert marla, kanal and gaj quickly?

Use the Property1313 area converter at /area-converter. Enter the area in one unit and it shows the others. For bigha, pick the regional value that matches your land record.

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