Wise buyers will wait for BIA Master Plan

Wise buyers will wait for BIA Master Plan
Wednesday May 7 2008 10:40 IST

Monica Jha
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BANGALORE: The areas surrounding the upcoming Devanahalli airport are expected to have a Master Plan within 15 days.

''The new plan for areas under the jurisdiction of the Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA), is expected to get Government approval even before the new popular government is formed,'' Deputy Metropolitan Commissioner of Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), M Doddappa, told this website’s News Paper.

The Master Plan prepared by the BIAAPA will include more areas under residential, commercial and industrial land-use,while reducing the existing agricultural area. ''The new plan will be in accordance with the existing Outline Development Plan for the area and all earlier approvals will hold good. The plan aims to cause minimum trouble to buyers, who have followed the existing plan,'' said Doddappa.

However, due to minor modifications to accommodate all earlier conversions and approvals, the zoning regulations might change a little. Sites earlier under residential areas, but not approved by BIAAPA yet, might not be a safe buy at this juncture.

''People should wait for the new plan or consult the BIAAPA before buying land in the area,'' said another BMRDA official. All DC agricultural land to non-agricultural land conversions, so far, will be honoured by the Master Plan. DC conversion of land (by Deputy Commissioner) will now be done only after a 'no objection' certificate from the BIAAPA to ensure a single window clearance.

But during 2004-05, some DC conversions in the area were done without an approval from the BIAAPA. Even after a piece of land is DC converted, according to land-use marked by the BIAPPA, a layout planned on that land needs to be approved by the BIAAPA again, otherwise the construction will be considered illegal.

A few real estate developers and agents are trying to sell residential sites that are not approved by the BIAAPA. Such properties cannot be registered at the sub-registrar's office and hence the buyer has no legal rights over the property and would not be eligible for bank loans on that property.

While approving a layout, the BIAAPA releases only 60 per cent area of the whole plan (usually withholding corner sites). After the whole area is developed, the remaining 40 per cent is released. If the developer fails to do so, the BIAAPA has the right to auction withheld sites. Therefore, a prospective buyer should check the BIAAPA approval and release of the individual site and not only for the layout.