Many people who want to purchase plot for either residential purpose or investment purpose for the first time in life ask why Marla size is small in big cities and housing societies. For clear understanding, let me explain what is Marla?
Marla is a measurement unit of land which actually equals to 272.25 square feet. There is a whole calculation behind 272.25 sqf. If you want to learn, you can watch this video.
In big cities and housing societies, 1 Marla equals to 250 sqf or 225 sqf. Now back to the question, why Marla is smaller in size in big cities?
If we compare big cities and housing societies with villages and towns, we can easily identify multiple differences like big and developed roads, dedicated parks and playing grounds, well-managed graveyards, well-controlled electricity system, and many more. All these benefits costs big money.
Authorities have two options to facilitate people who want to live with facilities. First way is to charge extra money for services. For example, for constructing streets and roads, they ask for extra money. Let me clear this with an example. If you buy a plot of 4 Marla (1090 sqf) worth 2 million and when you finalize the deal, you come to know that actually you have to pay 2.5 million. 0.5 million extra for the street in front of your plot and other facilities like electricity and water sanitation.
The other way which is actually being practiced by the societies and local authorities is they charge no extra amount but deliver less area. Take previous example. You bought a 4 Marla plot in Bahria Town worth 2 million and the handed over 900 sqf area to you which is recorded as 4 Marla in documents. The extra 190 sqf area society will use for street development and other facilities.
In short, arrangements and facilities provided in big cities are not complementary. People pay for it either in terms of cash or sacrifice some area. So, wherever Marla size is equal to 225 sqf, actually authorities are using the later discussed method to run operations smoothly.
