<p>Bengaluru: In a partial policy reversal, the Congress-led government has authorised the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to approve building plans for single plots (yeka niveshana) that are not part of layouts approved or formed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).</p>.<p>The move is expected to bring relief to thousands of individual plot owners and small-time builders in Bengaluru from running between two government entities.</p>.<p>The order is significant as it eases the approval process for plots that were converted for non-agricultural use, but did not pass through the BDA’s planning process.</p>.<p>Bengaluru has a large number of such plots, many of which were part of unauthorised layouts developed without formal permissions.</p>.Cost of mega infrastructure projects may go up as BBMP looks to tweak SR value.<p>In a notification dated April 7, the Urban Development Department (UDD) has, however, reduced the threshold for what qualifies as a "single plot" from 20,000 sqm to 10,000 sqm (1 hectare). Any plotted development or single plot larger than 1 hectare will still require BDA clearance.</p>.<p>Citing Section 17 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, the government had tightened building permit rules in September 2023, making BDA nod mandatory for unapproved single plots.</p>.<p>The order prompted the BBMP to stop issuing 'A' or 'B' khatas to such properties in the last seven months. The policy caused widespread confusion, as citizens were forced to approach the BDA — often criticised for being bureaucratic and inaccessible. The delay led to a rise in unauthorised constructions across the city.</p>.<p>Under pressure from citizens and industry groups, the government issued the latest notification invoking Column 81 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act, 1961, stating that the decision was taken “in public interest”. The BBMP chief commissioner has now been empowered to clear building plans for single plots within the revised limits.</p>.<p>Reacting to the order, legal expert Suhas Ananth Rajkumar from CV Raman Nagar warned that the new rule could be misused. “Unless there is a legal check at the stage of registering the agreement of sale at the sub-registrar office, unscrupulous developers may continue forming illegal layouts, collect money from buyers, and vanish,” he said. </p>.Up to 35% tax hike looms as BBMP introduces garbage fee.<p>BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said the civic body will ensure that construction on these plots adheres to planning norms. “We will not create a separate planning wing. Instead, powers will be delegated to the joint director and assistant directors of town planning to handle approvals,” he said.</p>.<p>He added that the BBMP will come up with a revised circular on the steps to be taken at the time of handling files related to approvals for single plots requiring building plans. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: In a partial policy reversal, the Congress-led government has authorised the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to approve building plans for single plots (yeka niveshana) that are not part of layouts approved or formed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).</p>.<p>The move is expected to bring relief to thousands of individual plot owners and small-time builders in Bengaluru from running between two government entities.</p>.<p>The order is significant as it eases the approval process for plots that were converted for non-agricultural use, but did not pass through the BDA’s planning process.</p>.<p>Bengaluru has a large number of such plots, many of which were part of unauthorised layouts developed without formal permissions.</p>.Cost of mega infrastructure projects may go up as BBMP looks to tweak SR value.<p>In a notification dated April 7, the Urban Development Department (UDD) has, however, reduced the threshold for what qualifies as a "single plot" from 20,000 sqm to 10,000 sqm (1 hectare). Any plotted development or single plot larger than 1 hectare will still require BDA clearance.</p>.<p>Citing Section 17 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, the government had tightened building permit rules in September 2023, making BDA nod mandatory for unapproved single plots.</p>.<p>The order prompted the BBMP to stop issuing 'A' or 'B' khatas to such properties in the last seven months. The policy caused widespread confusion, as citizens were forced to approach the BDA — often criticised for being bureaucratic and inaccessible. The delay led to a rise in unauthorised constructions across the city.</p>.<p>Under pressure from citizens and industry groups, the government issued the latest notification invoking Column 81 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act, 1961, stating that the decision was taken “in public interest”. The BBMP chief commissioner has now been empowered to clear building plans for single plots within the revised limits.</p>.<p>Reacting to the order, legal expert Suhas Ananth Rajkumar from CV Raman Nagar warned that the new rule could be misused. “Unless there is a legal check at the stage of registering the agreement of sale at the sub-registrar office, unscrupulous developers may continue forming illegal layouts, collect money from buyers, and vanish,” he said. </p>.Up to 35% tax hike looms as BBMP introduces garbage fee.<p>BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said the civic body will ensure that construction on these plots adheres to planning norms. “We will not create a separate planning wing. Instead, powers will be delegated to the joint director and assistant directors of town planning to handle approvals,” he said.</p>.<p>He added that the BBMP will come up with a revised circular on the steps to be taken at the time of handling files related to approvals for single plots requiring building plans. </p>