Own a flat? You are not eligible to get a BDA site

Move aimed at checking huge demand for BDA plots

 Here is some bad news for those who own a flat in the City and want a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) site.

For, the BDA that aims to invite  applications for proposed Kempegowda Layout in January, has tweaked its eligibility criteria. So far, the list of those who are not eligible to apply for BDA sites included those owning a house, a site or residential units, including those obtained from cooperative housing societies.

In view of the increase in the number of apartment complexes and flat owners in the City, the BDA officials have now specifically mentioned in the eligibility conditions that flats owners too are not eligible to apply for a BDA site. The inclusion has been made to ensure that flats are also considered as a house.

A senior BDA official told Deccan Herald: “We have not changed any rule. The BDA Act, 1959, and the government rules clearly state that every one should get a residential unit and those who already have one, cannot apply for another.

Demand for housing is increasing and space is a constraint. With the inclusion of flatowners, pressure on BDA will also reduce as several flat owners will not apply for sites now.”

Survey of properties

Besides, the official said, the BDA has decided to conduct a survey and assess properties of those who had applied for sites before and not had got one, because as per rules, the older applicants have to be given first priority. If it is found that if they or their family members now own a house, flat or site; their application will be cancelled. This will be done along with the process of inviting applications for Kempegowda Layout from January.

The earlier layouts formed by the BDA were Anjanapura (2001), Banashankari 6th stage (2001), Sir MV Layout (2002), BSK 6th Stage and Sir MV Layout further extensions (2003) and Arkavathi (2004). The BDA had received 5,19,409 applications, of which 48,813 were allotted sites. Thus 4,71,096 applicants are still awaiting sites, as per the BDA records.

But the BDA would offer 54,000 sites in Kempegowda Layout spread across 4,043 acres as per their final notification of 2010.