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The Bangalore Development Authority has intensified efforts to educate residents about illegal layouts across the city. After a survey revealed 278 unauthorised settlements, mostly on converted agricultural land, the BDA plans to issue 20-30 public notices explaining legal requirements, mandatory approvals, and responsible authorities. While the state government is framing stricter B-Khata to A-Khata conversion norms to protect buyers, activists caution that blanket amnesty could legitimise poorly planned layouts, complicating civic planning and post-occupancy infrastructure. Authorities urge citizens to verify approvals before investing in any layout.
The Bangalore Development Authority is rolling out a public awareness campaign to inform citizens about legal construction and planning practices, following the identification of 278 unauthorised layouts in its jurisdiction. The drive will include 20-30 public notices detailing what qualifies as a legal layout, mandatory approvals, and the roles of different authorities. Initial notices are expected to reach areas such as Budigere and nearby localities, where the conversion of agricultural, green belt, and valley lands into residential plots has been rampant. Advertisement
BDA officials have warned that many of these layouts, despite having basic infrastructure like roads, drains, and electricity poles, remain ineligible for A-Khata and could face demolition. The authority urged buyers to check approvals carefully before investing, as unauthorised sales carry no legal protection.
NA Harris, BDA chairman, stated that illegal layouts cannot be formed and stressed that buyers must confirm approvals from BDA or other authorities. He added that legal rights to sell are released only after development completion, and sites without proper documents should never be purchased.
The BDA's survey revealed that unauthorised developments span Bengaluru East, South, and North zones, covering taluks such as Yelahanka, Anekal, and Jigani. Most of these layouts involve land converted from agriculture to residential plots without statutory approvals. Many sites, while developed with some civic amenities, are part of the agricultural green belt, making them vulnerable to demolition and ineligible for full legal recognition.
Officials said the state government is framing guidelines under which panchayat and GBA authorities may consider B-Khata to A-Khata conversion through a structured procedure. Stricter khata norms are expected to reduce violations and better protect buyer interests compared to previous years.
However, activists have raised concerns that government amnesty for such conversions could legitimise poorly planned layouts. R Rajagopalan, convener of Bengaluru Coalition, said the current policy could allow unplanned concrete settlements to persist, complicating provision of civic amenities and redevelopment. He suggested the BDA submit a representation for a dedicated corpus for conversion funds, publish a redevelopment plan, and enforce rules effectively to safeguard planning standards.
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