Poramboke land is land recorded in Tamil Nadu’s revenue records as government land that is not assessed to land revenue, usually because it is set aside for public or community use, such as tanks, channels, pathways, grazing grounds and burial grounds. A private seller generally cannot give you valid title to it. The simplest way to spot it is to check the A-Register and patta for the survey number on the Tamil Nadu eServices portal before you pay anything.
Key takeaways
- Poramboke is government land in revenue records, often reserved for water bodies, roads or community uses.
- Water body poramboke such as eri, kulam and channels is treated very strictly; encroachments face eviction.
- Registration of transfers of government land is barred under Section 22-A of the Registration Act as amended in Tamil Nadu.
- Check the A-Register classification of your survey number and its neighbours, not just the seller’s deeds.
Common types of poramboke
Poramboke is usually described by its purpose. The classification appears in the A-Register and settlement records.
| Type | What it is | Buyer risk |
|---|---|---|
| Eri or kulam poramboke | Tanks, lakes and ponds, including the tank bed and foreshore | Very high: protected, and liable to eviction |
| Odai, vaikkal or channel poramboke | Streams, supply and surplus channels | Very high: flooding and eviction risk |
| Meikal poramboke | Grazing land for village cattle | High: community commons |
| Mayanam or sudukadu | Burial and cremation grounds | High |
| Vandi pathai or road poramboke | Cart tracks, pathways and roads | High: often absorbed into plots over time |
| Natham poramboke | Village house-site settlement area | Different rules apply; see our natham land guide |
| Tharisu or waste land | Uncultivated government land | May be assignable by government, but not saleable privately |
Objectionable and unobjectionable poramboke
Revenue officials distinguish between “objectionable” poramboke, such as water bodies, roads and burial grounds, which cannot normally be assigned to anyone, and “unobjectionable” poramboke, which the government may assign to eligible persons under its assignment rules. Even where assignment or regularisation of long occupation is possible, it is a government decision, not something a seller can promise you.
Why poramboke is a serious risk
You may not get title
Poramboke land belongs to the government. A deed from a private person does not change that. Section 22-A of the Registration Act, as amended in Tamil Nadu, bars registration of transfers of land belonging to the government or local bodies without competent sanction, so such a deal should not even be registered. If it was, the registration does not cure the defect.
Water bodies are strictly protected
The Tamil Nadu Protection of Tanks and Eviction of Encroachment Act, 2007 provides for surveying tanks, marking their boundaries and evicting encroachments. Courts have repeatedly backed the removal of encroachments on water bodies and village commons, including the Supreme Court’s well-known 2011 ruling on protecting common village lands. Homes built on tank beds also face flooding in heavy rain.
No approvals, no loans
Planning authorities will not approve layouts or buildings on poramboke land, and banks will not lend against it. Resale becomes nearly impossible.
How poramboke ends up in private deals
- Gradual encroachment. A pathway or channel next to a farm is slowly fenced in, and later sold as part of the plot.
- Tank beds that look dry. Many tanks around Coimbatore stay dry for long periods, so the land looks usable. It is still recorded as a water body.
- Wrong survey numbers. A deed describes the private survey number, but the physical land being sold is partly on the adjoining poramboke.
- Unregistered or notarised documents. Sales of poramboke often rely on agreements or “possession documents” instead of registered deeds.
How to check before you buy
- A-Register extract. Download it from eservices.tn.gov.in for the survey number and look at the classification and remarks.
- Neighbouring survey numbers. Check the adjoining numbers shown on the FMB sketch. If one is a tank or channel, walk the boundary carefully. Our FMB sketch guide explains how.
- Patta. Make sure a valid patta exists in the seller’s name for the exact extent.
- Village officials. Ask the VAO whether the land or any part of it is recorded as government land or subject to encroachment action.
- Survey. If in doubt, get a surveyor to fix the boundary on the ground before you pay.
- Legal opinion. Share everything with your advocate.
Coimbatore context
Coimbatore has a network of old tanks and channels fed from the Noyyal river system, and many are ringed by expanding residential areas. Rapid conversion of farmland in the peri-urban belt has increased the risk of plots overlapping tank beds, supply channels or cart tracks. If you are looking at a plot near a lake or channel, extra care pays off. Our first plot checklist covers the other basics.
If you already own land that turns out to be poramboke
Take legal advice immediately. Depending on the facts, options may include checking whether the classification in records is itself an error that can be corrected, applying for assignment or regularisation where the land is unobjectionable and rules permit, or pursuing the seller for recovery of money. Do not build further or sell on while the issue is unresolved.
Frequently asked questions
What does poramboke mean?
In Tamil Nadu revenue records, poramboke refers to government land that is not assessed to revenue, typically reserved for public uses such as water bodies, roads, grazing or burial grounds.
Can I buy poramboke land from a private seller?
No. The seller cannot pass title to government land, and registration of such transfers is barred. Walk away from such deals.
Can poramboke land ever be given patta?
Only by government decision, and generally only for unobjectionable categories under the assignment rules. Water bodies, roads and burial grounds are normally excluded.
How do I know if my plot is next to a tank or channel?
Check the adjoining survey numbers on the FMB sketch and their classification in the A-Register, and confirm with a site survey.
This article is general information as of September 2026, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified advocate, chartered accountant or the relevant department before you act.
References
- Tamil Nadu Protection of Tanks and Eviction of Encroachment Act, 2007 (India Code)
- Chennai Realties: Section 22-A of the Registration Act in Tamil Nadu
- Tamil Nadu eServices: A-Register extract
- Verified.RealEstate: can you get patta for poramboke land in Tamil Nadu?
Want to rule out poramboke before you buy?
Our Coimbatore team can help you check the classification of a survey number and its neighbours before you commit to a plot.
