With land availability shrinking, Bengaluru is embracing vertical development and going the Mumbai way.

About 900 high-rise buildings are set to come up in the city, more than the number that came up in the last four years, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) statistics show.

Vertical growth became imminent in 2006, when the civic body started issuing Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), granting permission for additional built-up area in return for plot portions taken up for public projects.

Four-fifths of the TDRs issued to landowners were transferred to real estate developers.

The BDA has also given a push for vertical development in its 2007-15 Comprehensive Development Plan by increasing the floor-area ratio. This allows for the use of more space on a plot for construction.

Since last year

Vertical development has picked up pace in the past year.

Between 2014 and 2017 (numbers available for this year not complete), the civic body granted 706 occupancy certificates to highrises, including residential apartments and commercial buildings.

In contrast, since last year, as many as 819 highrise plans were sanctioned and 89 commencement certificates (permission to start construction) issued, meaning construction will begin or is underway.

BBMP chief’s take

“Vertical growth must be encouraged because land is a scarce commodity,” BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said.

He said people now prefer living along the Namma Metro corridor. “The transit-oriented development policy provides floor-area ratio (FAR) up to four, which is bound to increase vertical growth.”