With vertical growth focus, ordinance planned for apartment residents

Bengaluru: Signalling a shift towards vertical growth in the city, the govt Thursday said it will go ahead with Karnataka Apartment Ownership and Management Act 2025 (KAOMA), with plans to promulgate an ordinance soon — a move expected to benefit lakhs of apartment residents.Replying to a debate on the city's development in the assembly, deputy CM DK Shivakumar said the ordinance will be issued after discussions with stakeholders and legislators.BJP members led by opposition leader R Ashoka raised apartment residents' long-pending demand for the law. Acknowledging the issue, Shivakumar said, "If not for a few clarifications, we would have brought in the Act by now. Nevertheless, we will go ahead with an ordinance. But prior to that I will hold a meeting with Bengaluru MLAs and discuss some issues with you (Ashoka)."Senior BJP member CN Ashwath Narayan urged the govt to promote vertical expansion given the city's land constraints. "It may sound as if we are helping builders. But by giving more floor area ratio (FAR), it will help create self-containing cities. The govt must think in that direction," he said.Agreeing, Shivakumar said the city's growth model will shift. "We have realized there is no scope for horizontal growth and vertical growth is the need for the hour. We will focus on vertical growth through the BDA, barring a few exceptional cases," he said, while also seeking cooperation for a dedicated parking policy.The move was welcomed by Bangalore Apartment Federation. "We thank both CM Siddaramaiah and DyCM DK Shivakumar for bringing the KAOMA discussion to a conclusion in the assembly... We believe this Act will usher in greater transparency, accountability and empowerment for millions of apartment residents across Karnataka," said Satish Mallya, president of BAF.