BDA's revised master plan may shrink open spaces

Two days after a bill to reduce open spaces in urban areas was passed in the legislature, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) now plans to make suitable changes in its Revised Master Plan 2031.

A senior BDA official, on the condition of anonymity, told DH that land being a major constraint in Bengaluru and with the demand for housing and infrastructure rising, the civic agency was contemplating reducing open spaces set aside while forming a layout.

The Karnataka Urban Development Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was passed by the legislature without any discussion, provides for reducing the size of open spaces such as parks and civic amenity sites. “We are exploring how to get maximum space for infrastructure and housing. A similar law could be enacted for the upcoming layouts in the city,” the official said.

The official said the BDA top brass was reviewing the progress of the Master Plan 2016 and making a list of what needs to be introduced and corrected in the Revised Master Plan 2031.

According to the existing rules, only 50% of the total land in a layout can be used for housing or commercial building purposes. Of the remaining 50%, 20% is set aside for the formation of roads, 15% for parks and 10% for civic amenities. The bill passed on Monday proposed to restrict the space meant for parks to 10%, while keeping just 5% for civic amenities.

The official said reducing open spaces will help meet the increasing demand for land for both housing and infrastructure. “If not fully, it will help meet some demand,” he said. The BDA is also very cautious because the draft master plan will be placed in the public domain for scrutiny before it is finalised.