Will regularise 2.3 million plots in B’luru: Dy CM

WIth Greater Bengaluru say-so (GBA) elections expected in the coming months, the mysore authorities on midweek proclaimed a major property regularisation drive for the city, introducing what Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar called Bengaluru’s “6th Guarantee”.Under the campaign, titled “Bhoo Guarantee – Nanna Khata, Nanna Hakku”, (“Land Guarantee – My Property Record, My Right”), the government plans to help lakhs of property owners resolve khata-related issues, convert B-Khata properties into A-Khata properties at reduced rates and regularise certain building violations.The campaign will begin on May 16 and run for 100 days. The government said special camps would be organised every Saturday at ten Greater Bengaluru Authority centres across the city.Explaining the scale of the programme, Shivakumar said Bengaluru has around 23 lakh officially recognised properties, including 16 lakh A-Khata properties and 7 lakh B-Khata properties. “We have launched the campaign to secure property rights for 2.3 million owners at their doorsteps. Of these, 1.6 million are A-Khatas. There are also 700,000 B-Khatas,” he said.One of the biggest announcements is a temporary reduction in the fee required to convert B-Khata properties into A-Khata properties.In Bengaluru, A-Khata properties are considered legally clear and fully approved by civic authorities, while B-Khata properties usually face legal or documentation issues and often create problems in getting loans, approvals or resale permissions.At present, B-Khata owners have to pay 5% of the property’s guidance value to convert their property into A-Khata status. Under the new scheme, those who apply within the 100-day period will pay only 2%.“Today, there is a special announcement: We are offering a ‘Golden Opportunity’ for a 100-day period. Typically, converting a B-Khata to an A-Khata requires a 5% guidance value fee. However, for these 100 days, citizens who apply and provide correct documentation will only be charged a 2% fee, a 60% discount,” Shivakumar said.He explained the benefit with an example. “For example, if a property is valued at ₹1 crore, the fee would normally be ₹5 lakhs; under this scheme, it will be reduced to ₹2 lakhs,” he said.The government also announced relief for homeowners whose buildings exceed approved limits by small margins. Currently, only buildings with violations up to 5% can be regularised and receive services such as electricity and water connections. The government now plans to increase that limit to 15%.“Based on Supreme Court guidelines, we have reviewed the restrictions on providing electricity and water to buildings with violations. Currently, only buildings with violations up to 5% are eligible. We are deciding in the next cabinet meeting to increase this limit to 15%, which will help thousands of families get basic utilities,” Shivakumar said.The state also proposed setback relaxations of up to 50% for common residential site dimensions such as 20x30, 30x40 and 40x60 plots, citing Bengaluru’s high land prices. “We are also introducing a ‘Setback Relaxation’ of up to 50% for standard plot sizes (20×30, 30×40, 40×60) given the high land value in Bengaluru,” he said.The government further announced that property owners would be able to regularise eligible properties under the Akrama-Sakrama framework through a One Time Settlement scheme starting June 15.Under the scheme, applicants can regularise properties by paying 5% of the guidance value.The government said Bengaluru’s property records have now been digitally mapped using Aadhaar-linked details, mobile numbers and location data in an attempt to reduce fraud and manipulation.Shivakumar said the new system would help citizens receive verified property documents without depending on middlemen or paying bribes.Alongside the property measures, the government also announced a series of Bengaluru development projects.As part of Kempegowda Jayanti celebrations, the state plans to plant 15 lakh saplings across the city under a “Green Bengaluru” campaign.The Bengaluru Development Authority, which is marking its 50th anniversary, also announced plans for subsidised housing projects, including affordable 1BHK homes and 3BHK apartments.The government additionally set an 18-month deadline for the proposed Hebbal-GKVK short tunnel project aimed at reducing congestion in North Bengaluru.