The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has scores of properties across the city, many of which have been leased, albeit at a pittance. With no proper documentation or records, it has been alleged that many properties have been encroached and even sold with the help of fake documents.
To put an end to this, it has now been proposed to register all the BBMP properties in the jurisdictional sub-registrar offices. Mayor M. Goutham Kumar told The Hindu that after discussing this with civic chief B.H. Anil Kumar, he had directed the Special Commissioner (Estates) to register all properties within a month.
Even leased properties would be registered. “Though it was mandatory earlier, it was not being followed. As a result, we have lost quite a few prime properties,” he said and added that he had recommended to the commissioner to depute one senior official as the custodian of all property related documents.
As per the current records, of the 7,906 properties, 324 have been leased. Of these, the lease period of 159 had expired. However, the civic body was yet to take possession of many properties whose lease period had expired.
BBMP Special Commissioner (Estates) J. Manjunath said that the property documents would be digitised. He also said the civic body had already started coordinating with the Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps with regard to registering of BBMP’s properties.
Despite several attempts to contact the IGR, there was no response.
Over the years, several councillors have charged that the BBMP’s properties in prime areas have been leased out for a pittance.
However, Mr. Manjunath said that the lease and rental rates are calculated based on the guidance value of a particular area. “There is a formula used to arrive at both the rental and lease value of any property with the guidance value as the guiding factor,” he said and added that the BBMP council has the power to decide on the rates based on the purpose for which the land has been leased or rented.