75K illegal properties in Bengaluru to be regularised

The government plans to regularise an estimated 75,000 unauthorised properties in layouts developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) by levying a penalty, and a Cabinet sub-committee has been formed to look into this.

The Cabinet sub-committee will recommend amendments to the BDA Act, 1976, for the regularisation, Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said, briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Such illegal properties are located on about 5,000 acres of BDA land spread around the city, Madhuswamy said.

“They are neither paying taxes nor any development fees to the civic body. The state government plans to regularise these buildings by amending section 38(c) of the BDA Act,” he said.

The sub-committee will be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan and have Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Primary & Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar and Housing Minister V Somanna as members.

Penalties for properties will be based on guidance values, and the sub-committee is expected to finalise the extent of fines.

According to initial proposals, the government could levy 75% of the guidance value for properties on 30x40 sites and 100% for larger properties.

Madhuswamy said that regularisation of these properties will be different from those identified under Section 94(c) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, which deals with unauthorised construction on government land.

A similar regularisation scheme — Akrama Sakrama — was proposed to regularise unauthorised buildings within Bengaluru’s municipal (BBMP) limits, but it has been challenged before the Supreme Court.

Peripheral ring road

The Cabinet also empowered the BDA to hold talks with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to raise funds for the much-delayed peripheral ring road (PRR) project.

Of the Rs 5,616.42 crore required for the 65.5-km road, the state will contribute 16% of the funds equal to Rs 901.72 crore, Madhuswamy said. The PRR will come up in three stages — first from Tumakuru Road to Ballari Road at a cost of Rs 1,746.05 crore, second from Ballari Road to Old Madras Road at Rs 1,417.37 crore and third from Old Madras Road to Hosur Road at a cost of
Rs 2,453 crore.

Madhuswamy noted that around 1,810 acres of land will be acquired from 67 villages lying on the proposed PRR.

River revival

The government is also considering a proposal by Dakshina Pinakini River Rejuvenation Trust to raise Rs 2,600 crore to revive the dead river.

The Cabinet received the proposal from the water resources department and the approval is awaited, Madhuswamy said.

The trust has sought the government’s permission to raise funds from various nonprofits such as Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives, Tata Trust and Infosys Foundation, along with around Rs 500 crore under corporate social responsibility, Madhuswamy said.