Official Data Reveals 1.7 Million Kanals of State Land Encroached in Jammu and Kashmir

Official data released on May 12, 2026, reveals that over 17 lakh kanals of state land have been encroached upon across Jammu and Kashmir, with significant regional disparities. The Jammu division accounts for more than 14 lakh kanals of illegal occupation, which is over three times the figure recorded in the Kashmir division, where approximately 3.27 lakh kanals were encroached. Rajouri district emerged as the most affected area, with 2.73 lakh kanals under illegal occupation, followed by Reasi and Ramban. In contrast, no district in the Kashmir division exceeded one lakh kanals of encroachment, with Baramulla and Kupwara recording the highest figures in the valley. The data highlights stark differences between twin capital districts, as Jammu district recorded over ten times more encroached land than Srinagar. Authorities have expunged these illegal entries from revenue records in response to queries regarding land retrieval and regularization efforts. This disclosure underscores the scale of land mafia activities and the administrative challenges in managing state property across the union territory.