Karnataka govt offers 100-day window to 1 lakh properties in Bengaluru for regularisation, slashes fee by half

Bengaluru: In a major relief to owners of unauthorised houses built on notified land acquired by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) govt announced a fresh 100-day window, beginning June 15, to regularise such properties at half the earlier cost, aiming to bring over one lakh disputed properties under the legal framework.

The decision, announced by Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar, applies to built-up properties covered under Clause 38D of BDA regulations — unauthorised buildings constructed before 2008 on notified BDA-acquired land and having civic amenities such as electricity and water connections.

Officials said more than one lakh such properties have been identified across 65 BDA layouts in Bengaluru, excluding Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, Arkavathy Layout and Shivaram Karanth Layout, where acquisition happened after 2008 and, therefore, do not qualify under the scheme.

Owners can apply from June 15 for three months (close to 100 days). “We will give another three months for processing and six months to complete payment. By June 2027, the process should be over. If property owners apply within the three-month window, the rates will be relaxed by 50% for regularisation,” said the deputy CM.

BDA commissioner Manivannan P told TOI after the time-frame given for the regularisation process is over, all such unauthorised constructions will be bulldozed.

The move comes after an earlier regularisation attempt in 2020 received a poor response. Under the previous framework, property owners were required to pay charges, ranging from 10% to 50% of the guidance value depending on plot size — 10% for sites below 600 sqft, 25% for 600-1,200 sqft, 40% for 1,200-2,400 sqft and 50% for properties between 2,400 and 4,000 sqft. However, only around 600 applications were received, and none were regularised before the scheme lapsed.

Now, the govt has decided to slash these charges by half in an attempt to improve participation. This means owners who earlier had to pay 50% of the guidance value will now pay 25%, while the 40%, 25% and 10% slabs have been reduced to 20%, 12.5% and 5%, respectively.

According to BDA officials, the issue largely concerns lands that were acquired or notified for BDA layouts, where compensation had already been paid to original landowners, but houses were still being constructed — either by former landowners, subsequent buyers or through informal transactions. In several cases, sale deeds were executed despite the lands falling under BDA notification, often through Form 9 and 10 registrations at sub-registrar offices, leaving owners with possession but no legal title.

Officials clarified the scheme is not for vacant land and applies only to built-up properties constructed before 2008. Owners must show proof of water and electricity connections and sale-related documentation to be eligible.

Many such properties currently hold B-khatas and, despite residents occupying them for years, cannot legally be sold, transferred, gifted or formally transacted because the land legally remains with BDA. Under the revised scheme, eligible owners can obtain a BDA sale deed and legal ownership by paying the revised fee.

“In many places, layouts could not be formed due to litigation or political pressure despite land being notified. This scheme is intended to settle such long-pending cases while generating revenue and giving residents proper legal documents,” a BDA official explained.

At the same time, BDA has hardened its stance on post-2008 constructions on notified land. Officials warned any unauthorised structures built after 2008 will not be eligible for regularisation and may face demolition, with the land reclaimed by BDA.