Latest StoriesResidential

Bengaluru Buyers Complain of Double Tax on Corner Site Development

Representative AI Image BENGALURU: Some allottees are finding that a few extra square meters can almost double their property tax based on the BDA’s current policy. Owners of irregularly-sized plots argue that the existing slab-based rates unfairly penalize them, despite their properties using the same facilities as standard plots. They maintain that only the excess area should be taxed at a higher rate, yet the current system applies the increased rate across their entire site. For the past five years, concerns have been raised by allottees regarding a 2016 BDA resolution on vacant-property taxation, which they deem flawed. Owners of…

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BDA Layout Residents to Join New Greater Bengaluru Authority

Representative AI image BENGALURU: Residents of several previously neglected Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) layouts are on the verge of gaining democratic involvement. The government has started transferring major BDA-developed areas to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and its respective city corporations. For the first time, residents will have the ability to hold the GBA accountable for developmental activities. The initiative includes significant residential areas such as Banashankari 6th Stage, JP Nagar 8th and 9th Phases, Anjanapura Township, and Sir M Visvesvaraya Layout, which were under BDA governance for many years—a body not designed for everyday civic management. Residents have expressed…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Bengaluru body recovers ₹700 crore in encroached land through 14 demolitions

BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) undertook 14 demolition drives from July to December last year, reclaiming encroached properties valued at over ₹704.3 crore throughout the city. These efforts led to the recovery of over 25 acres of encroached land across various regions, including South, North, and East Bengaluru. The BDA demolished unauthorized RCC buildings, sheds, compound walls, and industrial structures that had been illegally erected on lands designated for layouts, roads, and infrastructure projects. The most significant recoveries occurred in JP Nagar 9th Phase, where approximately 12.5 acres, valued at around ₹370 crore, were reclaimed in three phases. Notable…

IndustryLatest Stories

Khata Freeze Leaves Thousands of Bengaluru Properties Stuck

Sure! Here’s a rewritten version of your content: BENGALURU: Property owners within the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits face significant challenges in obtaining khata-related services for their properties, as khata bifurcation has been on hold for several years. The process for converting B-khata properties to A-khata has been exceedingly slow, and there are no provisions for khata division, leaving countless citizens with unusable property records. Residents believe that a shift in policy has exacerbated the issue. Previously, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) managed khata bifurcation, but this responsibility has since moved to the GBA’s town planning department. Officials assert that…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

HC Upholds Land Acquisition for Banashankari VI Stage

BENGALURU: The High Court has upheld the Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) acquisition of land for extending Banashankari VI Stage, connecting the existing layout via Kanakapura Road. A division bench, comprising Justice DK Singh and Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju, rejected the appeals filed by K Gangamma and others against a single bench ruling that dismissed their petitions challenging the acquisition of 75 guntas in Gubbalala village. The land was initially notified on November 17, 2002, with the final notification released on September 9, 2003. The appellants argued they were unfairly treated compared to owners of 657 acres and 15 guntas who…

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Bengaluru body demolishes ‘illegal’ homes in Saraipalya

Representative AI image BENGALURU: On Thursday around 6 AM, residents of Saraipalya in Thanisandra, north Bengaluru, were awakened by the sound of heavy machinery demolishing their homes. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) executed the demolition on survey numbers 28/1 and 28/2 of Thanisandra village. BDA superintendent K Lakshmi Ganesh informed TOI that approximately 22 “illegal” structures across two acres were taken down, including nine godowns, a car garage, and a furniture shed. Around 12 families were living in the sheds, which are on land designated as BDA property. However, locals reported that over 60 structures were demolished. When questioned about…

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Bengaluru Body Shifts to Apartment Projects for Land Efficiency

BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is shifting its focus towards apartment developments over large plotted layouts, emphasizing enhanced land-use efficiency in urban areas. This shift raises concerns about the future of the BDA’s traditional housing model centered around plots. According to officials, projects comprising apartments facilitate quicker housing delivery and prevent land fragmentation. “While discussions are ongoing and we don’t anticipate an abrupt change, there will be a noticeable trend towards apartments for more efficient land use. Basic housing needs should not always mean a 30×40 plot. We are conscious of the demand for plots, but our priority remains…

Latest StoriesResidential

Bengaluru body urges Gunjur society to form RWA in a week

BENGALURU: Residents of a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) apartment complex in Gunjur, Mahadevapura Assembly Constituency, were shocked to receive a notice requiring them to establish a Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) within a week. The notice, dated December 23, 2025, warned that the BDA would cease maintenance of the complex starting January 1, 2026. Residents must inform the Assistant Executive Engineer (Housing) by December 28, 2025, about their plan to form the RWA. Residents express concern over unfinished construction, including an incomplete compound wall, broken lifts, and unresolved maintenance issues. “Some lifts have been out of service, and the contracted maintenance…

Latest StoriesResidential

Allottees seek amenities, cite design flaws in Kempegowda Layout

File Photo BENGALURU: While the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has expedited work on the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) between Mysuru Road and Magadi Road, residents in III and IV Blocks have raised urgent concerns regarding “critical bottlenecks” that might hinder habitation if not resolved promptly. Allottees appreciate the enhanced pace of land acquisition and development under the current administration; however, they assert that the layout is still not suitable for living. Although several houses are built and more are under construction, foundational issues like inadequate infrastructure and unclear design are becoming significant obstacles. One major issue is the absence of…

Latest StoriesResidential

Buffer Zone Dispute Leaves Bengaluru Site Owners in Limbo

Here’s a rewritten version of the content: BENGALURU: Over 1,500 families who purchased plots in the Banashankari 6th Stage layout, developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), are stuck in limbo for years. A sudden claim by the forest department regarding forest land has halted construction and sales, leaving many unable to develop their properties despite holding valid allotments, tax receipts, and long-standing ownership documents. Established in 2001, Banashankari 6th Stage consists of over 20,500 plots across 14 blocks. The current contention focuses on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th blocks, where the forest department has imposed construction restrictions, asserting that…