Govt plans to regularise ‘illegal’ BDA sites

BENGALURU: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to bring an amendment to the Bengaluru Development Authority Act, adding a clause that allows regularisation of houses on disputed sites. 
The insertion of clause 38D to the Act will allow regularisation of eligible houses on plots acquired by the BDA. It will not apply to empty sites under dispute.

There are 75,000 illegally constructed houses on about 6,000 acres of land acquired by the BDA, said JC Madhuswamy, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister. Owners of houses on sites of 20x30 sqft size will be charged 10 per cent of the current guidance value, while charges will be 20 per cent for sites of 30x40 sqft size, and 40 per cent for sites of 40x60 sqft and 50x80 sqft sizes. “BDA has been given two years to take action against such encroachments,” the minister added. 

The cabinet also amended The Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act. It was mandatory for developers to complete all infrastructure and amenities in the entire layout before releasing sites. But developers can now break up the entire layout into three blocks of 40 per cent, 30 per cent and 30 per cent area, and complete construction of all amenities in the first block before handing over sites, and then complete the rest in the same manner. 

Other decisions 
Post-facto approval for regulation of teachers’ transfers under Karnataka State Civil Services Act 
Rs 348.37 crore for social welfare department to purchase food grains, uniforms, toiletry kits for students in hostels Administrative approval for National Hydrology Project