India Real Estate Dictionary

Dag Number (Plot Number)

Land Records

Also called: Dag, Plot Number

The plot or parcel number used in West Bengal, Assam and parts of eastern India to identify a piece of land on the village map and in the khatian. It does the same job as the khasra or survey number in other states.

Example & agent tip

Example: The deed describes land at Mouza Bishnupur as Dag No. 214, which matches the map but not the khatian, where the same land is under Dag No. 241.

Agent tip: A typing swap in the dag number is common. Always cross-check it across the deed, khatian and map.

Dakhil Kharij

Land Records

The term for mutation in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand: addition of the new owner's name and removal of the previous owner's name in the land records.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Patna applies for dakhil kharij after registration to update the land record.

Agent tip: Include dakhil kharij in the post-registration checklist for clients in these states.

Related: Mutation Khatauni

Dalal

General & Places

Also called: दलाल, Property Dealer

The Hindi and Urdu word for a broker or middleman. In property use it means an agent who connects buyers and sellers for a fee, though the word can sound informal or negative.

Example & agent tip

Example: A seller in Ambala tells his son that the dalal has found two buyers for the shop.

Agent tip: Use the formal title Real Estate Agent when dealing professionally, and make sure agents are registered where the state law requires.

Damp Proof Course (DPC)

Construction

A layer of waterproof material placed above ground level in walls to stop moisture rising from the ground.

Example & agent tip

Example: A house without a proper DPC shows damp patches on the lower walls.

Agent tip: Look for damp marks on ground-floor walls during site visits.

Related: Plinth Waterproofing

Dampness (Seepage)

Construction

Also called: Seelan, Leakage

Unwanted moisture in walls, ceilings or floors, shown by peeling paint, stains or a musty smell. Causes include leaking pipes, rain entering through cracks, rising ground water and poor waterproofing.

Example & agent tip

Example: A top floor owner in Chandigarh saw ceiling stains after rain and later traced the water to a failed terrace waterproofing layer.

Agent tip: Visit during or just after rain before buying a resale flat. Seepage rarely shows in dry weather.

Data Centre

Property Types

Also called: Data Center

A secure building holding servers and network equipment, with heavy power supply, cooling, fire protection and backup systems. Developers lease space to companies in racks or whole halls. Land is chosen for power, water, fibre and low risk of floods.

Example & agent tip

Example: A developer buys land near Navi Mumbai for a data centre because of nearby power substations and fibre routes.

Agent tip: For land listings, the power load available and the fibre access matter more than road frontage.

Death Certificate

Documents

An official certificate of a person's death issued by the local registrar of births and deaths. It is the first document needed when property passes to heirs, whether by will, succession or mutation.

Example & agent tip

Example: When Mr. Gill dies in Ludhiana, his sons first obtain a death certificate before they apply for mutation of his plot.

Agent tip: Name and spelling must match across the death certificate, title documents and ID. Fix errors early.

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)

Finance

Also called: DSCR

A measure of whether a property's income can cover its loan payments. It is the net operating income divided by the yearly loan instalments, interest plus principal. A ratio above 1 means the income covers the payments.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Mohali office building earns ₹1.5 crore a year after costs and pays ₹1 crore a year in instalments, so its ratio is 1.5.

Agent tip: Lenders for commercial property use this ratio. Improve it by raising rent, cutting costs or choosing a longer tenure.

Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT)

Finance

Also called: DRT

A special tribunal set up to recover large loans owed to banks and financial institutions faster than ordinary civil courts. It hears recovery suits and appeals against actions taken by lenders under the SARFAESI Act.

Legal basis: Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993. Appeals against SARFAESI action go to the DRT under Section 17 of the SARFAESI Act.

Example & agent tip

Example: A borrower in Chandigarh who thinks the bank wrongly took possession of his factory shed files an application before the Debts Recovery Tribunal.

Agent tip: Time limits are short, so a borrower who gets a notice should consult a lawyer right away.

Decimal

Measurement

A land unit equal to one hundredth of an acre (435.6 sq ft), used in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

Example & agent tip

Example: A 10 decimal plot in Ranchi is 4,356 sq ft.

Agent tip: Treat decimal and cent as the same value. Make sure the buyer does not read it as a decimal fraction of a different unit.

Related: Cent Katha Acre

Declaratory Suit

Legal

Also called: Suit for Declaration, Declaration Suit

A civil case in which a person asks the court to declare a legal right, such as ownership of a property or the invalidity of a deed. It does not claim money but clears doubt about a title.

Example & agent tip

Example: A woman in Ranchi files a suit asking the court to declare that a sale deed made by her brother, using a forged signature, is not binding on her.

Agent tip: A pending declaratory suit over a property is a serious warning. Check court records before closing a deal.

Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC)

General & Places

Also called: DFC

Special railway lines meant only for goods trains, built on the Eastern and Western routes of the country. They free passenger tracks, speed up cargo and shape where warehouses and industrial parks are planned.

Example & agent tip

Example: A logistics firm looks for warehouse land near a DFC terminal in Haryana and checks the road link.

Agent tip: Land near freight terminals suits warehousing, not housing, so check land use before buying.

Deed of Surrender

Documents

Also called: Surrender of Lease, Lease Surrender Deed

A deed by which a lessee or tenant gives up the lease and returns the premises to the landlord. It ends the lease on a recorded date and records any dues settled. A lease of more than a year is surrendered through a registered deed.

Example & agent tip

Example: A company in Pune ends a five-year office lease early, and the landlord and company sign a deed of surrender that also records the refund of the security deposit.

Agent tip: Include a handover date, a statement of dues and a clause that no claims remain. Keep a signed copy of the key handover.

Deemed Approval

Approvals

A rule in some states that treats a plan or permission as approved if the authority does not decide within the stated period. It speeds up routine cases but does not override safety or legal requirements.

Example & agent tip

Example: An architect in Madhya Pradesh relied on the state's time-limit rule when the authority did not respond to a house plan.

Agent tip: Do not rely on deemed approval alone when buying. Ask for a written approval or a portal certificate.

Deemed Conveyance

General & Places

A process in Maharashtra under which a co-operative housing society can get a conveyance order from the competent authority when the promoter does not execute the conveyance deed.

Legal basis: Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act, 1963 (Section 11), and Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Mumbai society whose builder has vanished applies for deemed conveyance to get the land transferred in its name.

Agent tip: Societies often delay this step. It is needed before redevelopment.

Deemed Let-Out Property

Tax & Duties

Also called: Notional Rent

A second or third self-occupied house that is treated as rented for tax purposes, even if no rent is received. Up to two houses can be treated as self-occupied, and any more are taxed on an assumed rent.

Legal basis: Income-tax Act, 1961, as amended by the Finance Act, 2019; continued in the 2025 Act.

Example & agent tip

Example: Sanjay owns three flats in Mohali. He lives in one, keeps another vacant, and rents none. The third is taxed on a notional rent.

Agent tip: Clients with several homes should ask a CA which two to treat as self-occupied.

Deemed Registration

RERA

A project is treated as registered if the Authority neither grants nor rejects the application within 30 days. The Authority must then issue the registration number and login within seven days after that period. The promoter still has to be able to show a complete application.

Legal basis: Section 5(2) of the RERA Act, 2016.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Panchkula developer hears nothing for 30 days after filing, so the project is deemed registered and a number and login are issued a week later.

Agent tip: A deemed registration is still a registration, but check the portal for the actual number and uploaded documents before accepting bookings. Do not rely on a promoter's word that the 30 days have lapsed.

Defaulter Promoters List

RERA

The Authority must keep a public database of promoters who have defaulted, with their photographs, and a similar record of agents whose registration was rejected or revoked. It helps buyers spot promoters with a poor compliance record.

Legal basis: Section 34 of the RERA Act, 2016.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Kharar finds a promoter's photograph and default entry on the portal and drops that builder from the shortlist.

Agent tip: Search the developer's name and group companies, not just the project name. Defaults can sit under a different entity.

Defect Liability Period

Construction

A period after handover during which the promoter must fix structural and workmanship defects without charge. Under RERA it is five years from possession.

Legal basis: Section 14(3) of the RERA Act, 2016: defects must be rectified within 30 days of notice, failing which the allottee can claim compensation.

Example & agent tip

Example: Cracks appear in a wall three years after possession. The buyer gives notice and the builder must repair them.

Agent tip: Tell buyers to give written notice of defects within the period.

Defective Title Compensation (Section 18(2))

RERA

If a buyer suffers loss because the promoter's title to the land was defective, the promoter must compensate the buyer. The claim is not barred by limitation periods in other laws, so it can be raised even years after purchase.

Legal basis: Section 18(2) of the RERA Act, 2016.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Zirakpur discovers years later that a disputed claim on the land affects his flat, and claims compensation from the promoter.

Agent tip: Run a title search before buying. A claim is easier to avoid than to win.

Defence NOC

Approvals

Permission from the Ministry of Defence or the local military authority for construction near defence installations, such as cantonments and ammunition depots. Height and use may be restricted in a notified zone around them.

Example & agent tip

Example: A residential builder near a cantonment in Pune had to get the military authority's clearance before raising the building height.

Agent tip: Look for defence land nearby when assessing a plot. Restrictions can be significant and are checked by the local authority.

Deficiency in Service

Legal

Also called: Service Deficiency

Any fault, shortfall or inadequacy in the quality or manner of a service, which a consumer can complain about. For housing, it covers delay in possession, poor construction or failure to provide promised amenities.

Example & agent tip

Example: A builder in Indore promised a clubhouse but never built it. The buyers file a complaint of deficiency in service before the district consumer commission.

Agent tip: Collect brochures, agreements and emails promising the facility. They are the main proof in a complaint.

Deficit Stamp Duty

Tax & Duties

Also called: Insufficient Stamp Duty, Short Stamping

The shortfall when a document has been stamped with less duty than the law requires. The authority can impound the document and demand the balance with a penalty, and an insufficiently stamped document may not be used as evidence until the deficit is paid.

Legal basis: Sections 33 and 35 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, and the corresponding state laws.

Example & agent tip

Example: A sale deed is stamped on ₹50 lakh, but the circle rate value is ₹65 lakh. The sub-registrar asks for the difference and a penalty before registering.

Agent tip: Check the circle rate value before the deed is drawn. Paying the right duty first costs less than fixing it later.

Delay Interest

RERA

Also called: Delay in Possession, Delay Compensation

The interest payable by a promoter to an allottee for delayed possession. In most states it is the State Bank of India's highest MCLR plus 2%, as an annual rate. The same rate applies if an allottee delays payment.

Legal basis: State RERA rules made under Section 18 and Section 2(za) of the Act. A few states use the prime lending rate instead.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer who paid ₹40 lakh gets interest on that amount for each month of delay at the rule's rate.

Agent tip: Look up the rule in your state. The rule number differs among states.

Delhi Development Authority (DDA)

Authorities

The authority responsible for planning and development in Delhi. It builds housing and sells plots and flats, often on leasehold terms.

Example & agent tip

Example: A DDA flat is bought on resale with a conveyance deed.

Agent tip: Check whether the flat has been converted to freehold.

Delhi RERA

Authorities

The Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Delhi, the regulator for the National Capital Territory.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Dwarka checks a project on the Delhi RERA portal.

Agent tip: Delhi has many leasehold and DDA properties, so check the tenure.

How to become a RERA agent in Delhi →

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

General & Places

A long access-controlled expressway planned between Delhi (via Haryana) and Mumbai through several states, opened in sections. Towns near its interchanges draw interest for logistics and housing.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Rajasthan landowner near an interchange gets calls from buyers and checks his land's use category.

Agent tip: Section opening dates differ. Check which stretch is operational before relying on a travel time.

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)

General & Places

Also called: DMIC

A central government initiative to develop industrial and urban nodes along the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor between Delhi and Mumbai, across several states. It promotes investment regions, logistics parks and townships, with progress varying by node.

Example & agent tip

Example: A warehouse developer studies a DMIC node in Rajasthan and asks the state agency about allotment terms.

Agent tip: DMIC is a broad programme; only notified nodes carry special planning. Confirm if a given plot lies inside one.

Demand Letter

Documents

A written request from a developer for payment of an instalment as per the payment plan. In a construction-linked plan it states the stage reached.

Example & agent tip

Example: A developer sends a demand letter when the 8th floor slab is completed.

Agent tip: Check that the stage claimed has been reached before paying. Ask for the engineer's certificate if in doubt.

Demarcation

Land Records

The physical marking of a plot's boundaries on the ground by a revenue official or licensed surveyor, based on the map and records.

Example & agent tip

Example: Before building a boundary wall, a buyer gets the plot demarcated and finds that the neighbour's fence is 2 feet inside the plot.

Agent tip: Never skip demarcation for plots. Many boundary disputes begin with an assumed boundary.

Demolition Order

Approvals

An order from the authority or court to pull down a building or part of it, usually because it is unauthorized, unsafe or encroaches on public land. The owner is normally given notice and a chance to respond first.

Example & agent tip

Example: A floor built over a public lane in Ludhiana was ordered demolished after the owner failed to regularise it.

Agent tip: Check the authority's records for notices before buying an older building. Buying such a property can mean inheriting the risk.

Derabassi

General & Places

Also called: Dera Bassi

A town in Mohali district, Punjab, on the Chandigarh–Ambala highway between Zirakpur and Lalru, with housing and industrial areas.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer buys an industrial plot at Derabassi.

Agent tip: Check the zone and approvals, since housing and industry mix in this belt.

Devanahalli (North Bengaluru)

General & Places

Also called: North Bengaluru

A town north of Bengaluru, known as the location of the city's international airport. The area has plotted developments, business parks and aerospace and tech zones, and a separate planning authority for the airport region.

Example & agent tip

Example: An investor with land in Devanahalli asks a lawyer to confirm the master plan zoning before planning any layout.

Agent tip: Plots near the airport may fall under special planning rules, so check zoning, height limits and land use approvals before buying.

Development Authority

Authorities

A government body that plans and approves development in a defined area and often develops and sells plots and flats, such as GMADA, HSVP, DDA, BDA and MMRDA.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Mohali plot buyer deals with GMADA for approvals and transfer.

Agent tip: Know which authority covers the project. Approvals, charges and transfer rules come from it.

Development Control Regulations (DCR)

Approvals

The rules of a city or state on land use, building height, FSI or FAR, setbacks, parking and other building parameters. They are also called building byelaws or regulations.

Example & agent tip

Example: A builder wants to build 14 floors but the DCR for that road limits height to 10 floors.

Agent tip: Read the local DCR for any project your client is considering.

Development Plan

Approvals

Also called: DP

A long-term plan prepared by a planning authority for the growth of a city or area, showing land uses, roads, public facilities and reserved sites. Some states call it the Master Plan. It guides what may be built on any plot.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Pune found the Development Plan marked part of his plot for a road, which would reduce his buildable area.

Agent tip: Before buying land, check the plot on the current Development Plan and any proposed revision.

Development Power of Attorney (DPA)

Documents

Also called: DPA, Development Agreement Power of Attorney

A power of attorney given by a landowner to a developer so that the developer can obtain approvals, build and sell units in a project. It is usually tied to a development agreement, and it should be registered and clearly limited.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Kharar landowner signs a development agreement and a registered power of attorney for the builder, authorising sanctions but not the sale of his remaining plot.

Agent tip: Read its scope carefully. A broad, irrevocable power can give a developer more control than the landowner intended.

DGPS Survey

Measurement

Also called: Differential GPS Survey

A survey that uses differential global positioning to fix locations on the earth to within a few centimetres. It is used for large land parcels and projects where precise coordinates of boundaries matter.

Example & agent tip

Example: A highway authority used a DGPS survey to mark the centreline and boundary points of a new road passing through farm land.

Agent tip: A DGPS report with coordinates is useful evidence in boundary disputes over large plots.

Dharitree

Land Records

Also called: Dharitree Portal

Assam's land records portal, where users can see the jamabandi (record of rights), the patta, the village map and the mutation status for land parcels. It is part of the state's digitisation of revenue records.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Guwahati searches Dharitree using the dag and patta number and finds that the land is recorded as agricultural.

Agent tip: The portal can show mutation requests that are still pending. Wait until a pending mutation is resolved before paying the full price.

Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR)

General & Places

Also called: Dholera SIR

A greenfield industrial and urban region in Gujarat, planned as a node of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. It has a notified development authority and planning scheme, and has long been marketed for plots, so buyers should be careful.

Example & agent tip

Example: An agent receives a pamphlet advertising "Dholera plots" and asks the seller if the plot lies inside the notified town planning scheme.

Agent tip: Many sellers advertise land near Dholera outside the notified area. Check the survey number against the SIR's official map before paying.

DILRMP

Land Records

The Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme: a central programme to digitise land records, maps and registration, and link them across states.

Example & agent tip

Example: Under DILRMP, state portals publish digitised records and maps.

Agent tip: Use it to explain why many states now give online copies of land records.

Disbursement

Finance

The release of loan money by the bank, either in full or in stages tied to construction.

Example & agent tip

Example: A bank releases 20% after the plinth stage, once the builder's demand letter is verified.

Agent tip: Check the bank's rules for tying disbursement to demand letters.

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)

Investment & Valuation

Also called: DCF

A valuation method that estimates what future cash flows from a property are worth today, by discounting each one at a chosen rate. It reflects both the timing of cash flows and the risk involved.

Example & agent tip

Example: A valuer estimates ten years of rent from a Zirakpur office block plus an expected sale price, discounts each at 11%, and adds them to get today's value.

Agent tip: DCF results move a lot with the discount rate and rent growth assumptions. Ask to see those inputs.

Distress Sale

General & Places

A sale made quickly, often below market price, because the seller needs cash urgently or faces loan default, legal pressure or family difficulty. Buyers should be extra careful about title, dues and the reason for the rush.

Example & agent tip

Example: An owner offers a Sector 70 flat below market rate to repay a loan and wants money within a week.

Agent tip: A low price does not remove the need for checks. Verify title, loan status and any litigation first.

Distress Sale Value

Investment & Valuation

Also called: Forced Sale Value, Realisable Value

The price a property would fetch if it had to be sold quickly under pressure, such as a bank auction or urgent need for cash. It is usually lower than the normal market value, and valuers often report it separately.

Example & agent tip

Example: A flat valued at ₹60 lakh may have a distress sale value of ₹48 lakh in an auction, because buyers have little time and cannot inspect it.

Agent tip: Bank loans against property are often sized on distress value. Ask the valuer to state both figures.

Distressed Property

Investment & Valuation

A property sold under pressure, for example because of loan default, litigation or an urgent sale, often at a discount.

Example & agent tip

Example: A bank-auction flat is listed at 25% below market.

Agent tip: A low price is often a sign of legal or physical problems. Check everything.

District Collector

Authorities

Also called: Deputy Commissioner, DC, DM

The senior revenue officer of a district. The Collector heads land administration, with powers over land acquisition, revenue recovery, certain land use permissions and disputes depending on state law, and works through tehsildars and sub-divisional officers.

Example & agent tip

Example: A farmer in Mohali district needs the Collector's order for a land use matter, which the tehsil forwards.

Agent tip: Land matters often run through the Collector's office. Know which officer in the chain handles your file.

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Authorities

The first-level consumer forum in each district. Under the 2021 rules it hears complaints where the consideration paid is up to Rs 50 lakh, which can include homebuyers' claims against builders. The state and national commissions hear higher-value disputes and appeals.

Legal basis: Consumer Protection Act, 2019; Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer who paid Rs 35 lakh for a delayed flat in Mohali files at the district commission.

Agent tip: Limits are based on the amount paid and can be revised. Check the current rules before filing.

District Registrar

Authorities

The senior registration officer of a district who oversees the Sub-Registrar offices in the district. Complaints about refused or delayed registration, and certain corrections, can be taken to this office. Above it sits the state registration head.

Example & agent tip

Example: A seller whose registration was refused by a Sub-Registrar in Mohali writes to the District Registrar.

Agent tip: If a Sub-Registrar office refuses to register, ask for the reasons in writing and go to the District Registrar.

Dolil

General & Places

Also called: দলিল, Deed, Mother Deed

The Bengali word for a deed, used for registered property documents such as the sale deed. The "mother deed" or "matrik dolil" is the earlier deed showing how the seller got the property.

Example & agent tip

Example: A seller in Kolkata hands over the original dolil and the previous owner's dolil to the buyer's lawyer.

Agent tip: Ask for the chain of previous deeds, the matrik dolil included, to check title.

Dormant Plot

General & Places

A plot that has been allotted or approved but left without construction for a long period. Development authorities often set deadlines for building, and a dormant plot can attract extension fees, penalty or even resumption.

Example & agent tip

Example: An industrial plot allotted in 2019 is still empty in 2026. The authority's allotment terms may allow it to charge an extension fee or cancel the allotment.

Agent tip: Read the allotment terms on construction deadlines before you quote a dormant plot, and ask for proof that extensions were granted.

Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)

Tax & Duties

Also called: DTAA, Tax Treaty

A treaty between India and another country that prevents the same income from being fully taxed in both. It sets which country may tax which income and allows a credit for tax paid abroad. The tax residency certificate is needed to claim it.

Example & agent tip

Example: An NRI in Canada sells a flat in India and pays tax here, then claims credit for it when filing his tax return in Canada under the treaty.

Agent tip: NRIs should ask their CA about the treaty with their country of residence before signing a sale agreement.

Down Payment

Agent Practice

A payment plan or initial payment in which the buyer pays a large share of the price early, often for a discount.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer pays 90% upfront for a 7% discount.

Agent tip: Advise clients to weigh the discount against the risk of delay. In a RERA project the promoter cannot take more than 10% before a registered agreement for sale, so the money is tied up.

Related: Payment Plan Booking Amount

Draft Agreement

Documents

The version of an agreement circulated for review before signing. A buyer is entitled to read and negotiate it.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer asks for a draft of the agreement for sale a week before the signing date.

Agent tip: Advise clients to get it checked by a lawyer. Do not let them sign at the builder's office in one sitting.

Drone Survey

Measurement

A survey using drones with cameras or sensors to produce maps, 3D models and measurements of land from the air. It is faster than ground surveys on large or rough sites and helps check progress during construction.

Example & agent tip

Example: Under the SVAMITVA scheme, drones mapped village inhabited areas so that residents could receive property cards.

Agent tip: Drone images help show site progress. Ask your developer for dated aerial images during construction.

DTCP

Authorities

The Directorate (or Department) of Town and Country Planning, a state body that grants colony licences, approves layouts and enforces planning laws. In Haryana, it issues licences under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975.

Example & agent tip

Example: A developer in Gurugram applies to the DTCP for a licence to develop a colony.

Agent tip: Ask for the licence number and check it on the DTCP's records.

Related: Colony Licence Approved Layout

Due Diligence

General & Places

The checks a buyer, lender or agent makes before a purchase: title, approvals, RERA registration, encumbrances, litigation, tax and dues, and physical possession. The aim is to find problems before money is paid.

Example & agent tip

Example: Before a booking, an agent checks the RERA number, the sanctioned plan, the encumbrance certificate, the Jamabandi and any pending cases.

Agent tip: Use a written checklist for every deal. A skipped check is the usual cause of a bad purchase.

Duplex

Property Types

A residence spread over two floors connected by an internal staircase. It may be an apartment or a house.

Example & agent tip

Example: A duplex penthouse has living space on the lower level and bedrooms upstairs.

Agent tip: Clarify the carpet area on both floors. Builders often quote only the larger floor.

Duty to Take Possession (Section 19(10))

RERA

A buyer must take physical possession within two months of the occupancy certificate being issued for the unit. A buyer who delays may be asked to pay holding costs or maintenance.

Legal basis: Section 19(10) of the RERA Act, 2016.

Example & agent tip

Example: An occupancy certificate is issued on 1 March for a Mohali flat. The buyer must take possession by the end of April.

Agent tip: Schedule inspection quickly after the notice of possession and record any snag in writing.

Dwarka Expressway

General & Places

A high-capacity road linking Dwarka in Delhi with Gurugram's NH-48 stretch, also called the Northern Peripheral Road. It improved access to the sectors along its route and is widely referred to when discussing Gurugram's western residential belt.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer notes that a Sector 100-plus apartment in Gurugram is a short drive from the Dwarka Expressway and asks how the access road is planned.

Agent tip: Always check the site's actual road access and the sector's licence status; being close to an expressway on a map does not guarantee a usable entry road.

Dag Number (Plot Number)

Dakhil Kharij

Dalal

Damp Proof Course (DPC)

Dampness (Seepage)

Data Centre

Death Certificate

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)

Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT)

Decimal

Declaratory Suit

Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC)

Deed of Surrender

Deemed Approval

Deemed Conveyance

Deemed Let-Out Property

Deemed Registration

Defaulter Promoters List

Defect Liability Period

Defective Title Compensation (Section 18(2))

Defence NOC

Deficiency in Service

Deficit Stamp Duty

Delay Interest

Delhi Development Authority (DDA)

Delhi RERA

Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)

Demand Letter

Demarcation

Demolition Order

Derabassi

Devanahalli (North Bengaluru)

Development Authority

Development Control Regulations (DCR)

Development Plan

Development Power of Attorney (DPA)

DGPS Survey

Dharitree

Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR)

DILRMP

Disbursement

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF)

Distress Sale

Distress Sale Value

Distressed Property

District Collector

District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

District Registrar

Dolil

Dormant Plot

Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)

Down Payment

Draft Agreement

Drone Survey

DTCP

Due Diligence

Duplex

Duty to Take Possession (Section 19(10))

Dwarka Expressway

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