Bengaluru, 20 August

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed three Bills, including the Bangalore Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which cuts by up to 50 per cent the fee for regularising properties in BDA-notified areas.

The other two Bills were the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Heritage Area Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

All three Bills were passed amid BJP and JD(S) protests demanding Minister N Nagendra's resignation over corruption allegations.

BDA Bill

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the bill would allow property owners who built on BDA sites to obtain documentation. Land for these layouts was acquired years ago, but unauthorised layouts and properties subsequently came up on the acquired land, which the government is currently unable to remove, he said.

As the land came under BDA control, residents could not obtain khata certificates or complete property documentation. The government needs to provide relief and enable permanent documentation and full ownership rights, Gowda said.

Around 1,11,560 unauthorised houses have been constructed on land acquired by BDA, he said.

Earlier, 20x30-ft sites attracted a charge equivalent to 10 per cent of the guidance value; the amendment reduces it to 5 per cent. For sites above 20x30 ft and up to 30x40 ft, the charge falls from 25 per cent to 12.5 per cent. For sites above 30x40 ft and up to 40x60 ft, it falls from 40 per cent to 20 per cent. For sites above 40x60 ft and up to 50x80 ft, it falls from 50 per cent to 25 per cent, he said.

The amendment also empowers the BDA Commissioner to approve works costing up to Rs 5 crore at his level, Gowda said.

Planning Bill

The Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill, 2026, fixes 3 per cent of the guidance value of plots in the layout to be released by the planning authority for each year from commencement of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act, 2026, until completion of development works.