According to the data with Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner, there are many unauthorized or illegal layouts formed on revenue (agricultural) land in Bengaluru Urban District. As per the data collected till June 2021, there are 6077 unauthorised layouts (7425 acres and 38 guntas) in Bengaluru Urban.
The revenue authorities have issued notices to 3,404 landowners for converting agricultural land into layouts. The sites at these layouts are called revenue sites.
A revenue site is carved out of agricultural land and has not been converted for residential or commercial uses. The term revenue site became popular as the owners of such properties used to pay agricultural revenue tax earlier. DC conversion sites (where the District Commissioner authorizes the usage of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes) or layouts are legal. Such converted sites can be used for residential, commercial or industrial purposes.
“Our objective in preparing the list of unauthorized layouts is to save gullible buyers from getting cheated. It will not only help the buyers but also generate revenue for the government,’’ said J Manjunath, Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner.
Landowners have to pay Rs 54,450 (Rs 50 for podi fees) as fees for converting one acre of agricultural land to be used for residential purposes and Rs 1,74,250 (Rs 55 for podi fees) towards fees to convert one acre of agricultural land for commercial purposes.
“The problem with land developers is that they are not ready to pay conversion fees to the government. Their greed or reluctance will not only make the government lose revenue but also put buyers in trouble,’’ said the Deputy Commissioner.
Our objective in preparing the list of unauthorized layouts is to save gullible buyers from getting cheated. It will not only help the buyers but also generate revenue for the government– J Manjunath, Bangalore Urban Deputy Commissioner
He said that Bengaluru District Administration would upload the data on illegal or unauthorized layouts on its website for the benefit of buyers. Ananda TR, a RERA activist said that Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Karnataka has to expedite the disposal of complaints on unauthorized private layouts. “There are many unauthorized layouts in and around Bengaluru. I am of the opinion that the authorities concerned are not acting against those responsible for the formation of unauthorized layouts,’’ said Ananda.
Meanwhile, RERA Karnataka chairman HC Kishore Chandra has said that all planning authorities in the State have already been asked to provide information on unauthorized layouts formed in their jurisdiction.
“There is a proposal to form teams consisting of retired tahsildars and revenue officials to inspect the unauthorized layouts. We will take action against those responsible for forming unauthorized layouts,’’ said Kishore Chandra.
