The Bengaluru skyline.
Credit: DH photo
Bengaluru: The state government has relaxed building norms in Bengaluru, allowing property owners to build up to six flats on plots as small as 200 square metres (approximately 40x60 sq ft).
A maximum of eight dwelling units can come up on plots which are spread over 360 square metres (3,875 sq ft). What's more, the 30x40 plot – which is most common in Bengaluru – can have four kitchens.
These relaxations, which will lead to densification of residential neighbourhoods, have been introduced in the January 5 notification, called the Greater Bengaluru (Amendment) Regulations 2025. While most builders were already violating building regulations in the absence of proper enforcement, the new set of relaxations are expected to legitimise such constructions.
Under the revised rules, plots measuring between 200 sq m and 360 sq m situated across Bengaluru (Ring I, II and III areas) can build apartments with up to six dwelling units. Earlier, such plots were largely restricted to independent or low-intensity residential use comprising not more than four units (kitchens).
For larger plots, the government has introduced further relaxations. In Ring III areas, which are the city's outskirts, plots above 360 sq m and up to 750 sq m can accommodate apartments with up to eight dwelling units. Where plot size exceeds 750 sq m, there is no upper cap on the number of apartment units. Such a relaxation also applies for plots measuring 360 sq m and above in Ring I and II areas.
The notification however makes a minimum road width of nine metres mandatory for the development of apartments across all categories mentioned above.
While relaxing apartment permissions, there is also a height restriction that the property owners are required to follow, but that has been increased from 11.5 metres to a maximum height of 15 metres. This provision will help the 30x40 sq ft plot owners to build four floors including stilt but the total number of kitchens is restricted to four.
The notification also reduces the setback norms, which can potentially damage neighbouring properties.
Shrikant S Channal, an expert in building bye-laws, opined that building relaxations will remain on paper as the government did not relax the floor area ratio (FAR) of 1.75. "When the building plans are prepared, none of the relaxations can be actually put to use unless the FAR is relaxed," he insisted, adding that the notification may only help in getting electricity connections and nothing else.
Suhas Ananth Rajkumar, a resident of CV Raman Nagar, who is fighting against illegal constructions in his neighborhood, noted that the final notification has several new relaxations that were not there in the draft.
"A new category (150 sq m to 250 sq m) for the setback relaxation has been included which was not in the draft. Similarly, the number of residential units has increased. Ideally, the government should have revised the draft instead of including the new elements in the final notification," he said, wondering whether the relaxation could stand in the scrutiny of law.