After flats, BDA now extends across-the-table sales to plots

Encouraged by the good response to the across-the-table sales of its flats, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) plans to extend the scheme to its plots too.  

Buyers can choose their sites instead of depending on random allocation made through a lottery system, said a senior BDA official. Though officials did not specify how long it would take to get the site registered, sources said it would be faster than the present system. "Buyers will have to pay an initial deposit of 10%. We have also decided to speed up refunds of deposits from four to eight months to four weeks," the official added.

A  special provision will be made in the BDA rules, after obtaining clearance from its board. The direct sale of sites could happen only after the BDA allots the current lot of sites for which applications have been invited.  

A decision to sell sites across the table was taken after the poor response for the second time for sites in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout.

BDA had invited applications in December 2017 for allotment of 5,000 sites. February 9 was the last date for applying. Only 8,500 applications were received. Following this, the BDA extended the last dated to February 23.

On May 18, 2017, too, the BDA had extended the last date for applications by 30 days from May 15.

The BDA is doing away with seniority allotment system from this year, said an official. Instead, the lottery system followed by Karnataka Housing Board will be adopted.

According to an official, the lottery system would provide a fair chance to everyone to buy the plot. The decision was taken after allottees returned their sites owing to cost and poor infrastructure. Twelve years after the Arkavathy Layout project, the BDA invited applications for the formation of Kempegowda Layout. But the response was poor.

Many parts of the layout, stretching between Mysuru Road and Magadi Road, ran into litigation.

Under the second phase of Kempegowda Layout, BDA will allot 5,000 sites. It will also allot around 2,000 sites to land losers under the 60:40 scheme, around 1,600 sites to those losing sites under the development of major arterial roads in the layout, 2,000 more sites to land losers from Phase-1 and Arkavathy allottees.