Intro
Authority warns buyers to verify approvals as unauthorised sites face demolition risks
BENGALURU
After identifying hundreds of unauthorised layouts across its jurisdiction, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has launched a public awareness drive to educate citizens on lawful construction and planning norms. The initiative comes as part of efforts to curb illegal urban sprawl and prevent unsuspecting buyers from investing in plots that lack statutory approvals.
Officials said the BDA will issue 20 to 30 public interest notices explaining what legally constitutes a layout, the mandatory approvals required before land development, the authorities empowered to grant such permissions, and the jurisdictional limits of civic and planning bodies. The awareness campaign is expected to begin from Budigere and adjoining areas, where illegal conversions of agricultural, green belt and valley lands into residential plots have been rampant.
BDA chairman N A Harris said unauthorised layouts have no legal standing and buyers must exercise due diligence before investing. “Illegal layouts cannot be formed. Buyers must verify approvals from the BDA or other competent authorities. Only after development is completed and permissions are in place do we release the right to sell. Sites without proper documents should never be purchased, as they are vulnerable to demolition and offer no legal protection,” he said.
A survey conducted by BDA officials last year flagged 278 unauthorised settlements and layouts across Bengaluru’s East, South and North zones, covering taluks such as Yelahanka, Anekal and Jigani. Data as of January 28 shows that most of these layouts were carved out of agricultural land without statutory approvals. Despite having basic infrastructure like roads, drains and electricity poles, many of these sites fall within green belt or agricultural zones, making them ineligible for A-khata and prone to future eviction drives.
A senior BDA official said such developments disrupt planned urban growth. “These layouts were largely formed without approvals, undermining zoning regulations. With stricter khata norms now in place, such violations are less likely to recur, and buyer interests are better protected than in the past,” the official said.
The state government is in the process of framing guidelines under which panchayat and Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) bodies may consider limited conversion from B-khata to A-khata through a defined procedure. However, activists have raised concerns that any broad amnesty could legitimise poorly planned and unauthorised layouts, weakening long-term urban planning and civic infrastructure.
According to the BDA, a total of 229 illegal layouts have been identified, including 79 in Bengaluru East, 58 in Bengaluru South, 49 in Yelahanka and 93 in Anekal.
