BDA ordinance includes regularisation of larger plots

The ordinance to regularise encroachments of lands notified for acquisition by BDA in its 68 layouts, notified on Friday, includes norms to regularise large plots of land, contrary to earlier claims by the State government.

Law Minister J.C. Madhuswamy and Revenue Minister R. Ashoka had earlier pitched the move as an effort to “help common man and not builders”. Mr. Ashoka had said apartments would not be regularised and only smaller plots would.

Earlier briefings by the government had capped regularisation at 40 feet by 60 feet plots. However, the gazette notification issued on Friday provides for regularisation of plots up to 50 feet by 80 feet, for which penalty has been fixed at 50% of the guidance value. There is no clause that restricts regularisation of a group housing project.

“There are several apartments on 50/80 feet plots. In several cases, multiple 50/80 plots have been pooled in to build apartments. The inclusion of regularisation of larger plots is only aimed at helping builders who have encroached lands and built apartments. There are several such instances in R.T. Nagar,” said K.R. Ramesh, a property consultant with SecureProp.