BDA Cuts Site Allotment Charges to Rs 20 Per Sqft for Shivaram Karanth Layout

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has substantially reduced site allotment fees for land losers in Dr Shivaram Karanth Layout and other applicable layouts across Bengaluru. In a revised notification issued on September 1, the authority fixed the allotment charges at Rs 20 per sqft, withdrawing its previous notification from July.

The revised rate structure brings major financial relief to affected landowners. Under the new pricing, a 20x30 sqft site will cost Rs 12,000, while a 30x40 sqft site is priced at Rs 24,000. Larger plots measuring 30x50 sqft, 40x60 sqft, and 50x80 sqft will now cost Rs 30,000, Rs 48,000, and Rs 80,000, respectively. These updated rates include charges for application, registration, sewerage system development, and one-time administrative fees.

In contrast, the earlier notification from July had set charges at around Rs 50 per sqft. Under those rates, landowners were required to pay Rs 29,500 for a 20x30 site, Rs 59,500 for a 30x40 site, Rs 1.19 lakh for a 40x60 site, and Rs 1.99 lakh for a 50x80 site. The BDA had justified the previous fee hike by citing rising construction, development, fuel, salary, legal, and land acquisition costs, along with expenses for modern amenities.

The fee reduction came after BDA officials held consultations on August 31 with local legislators and farmers from the layout. The revised notification also sets clear guidelines for residual land entitlement. If a landowner has more than 300 sqft of residual land remaining after allotment, the BDA will allocate an additional 20x30 site upon collecting the applicable fee. If the remaining balance is below 300 sqft, the authority will pay the landowner its monetary equivalent.

Land losers, however, noted that several broader issues remain unresolved. M Ramesh Ramagondanahalli, Bengaluru district co-ordinator of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti and an affected land loser, welcomed the move but emphasized that other demands must still be addressed.

Ramagondanahalli stated that the government must consider all applications submitted to the Justice A V Chandrashekhar committee and issue regularisation certificates for eligible buildings. He also urged the BDA to provide documents for buildings that were not submitted to the committee and take into account farmers' objections regarding specific allotted sites.