An article about " ‘A’ KHATA PROBLEMS OF BANGALORE PROPERTIES "

‘A’KHATA PROBLEMS OF BANGALORE PROPERTIES

Property owners under the limits of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are facing lot of confusion and hurdles in obtaining khatas from the BBMP. Khata basically is an important property identification document issued by the local civic body to recognize the ownership of a property in their limits. Khata contains the details of property like name of the owner, dimension of the plot or size of the building, location of the property and other details which helps properly owners to file property tax. Apart from this khata is required for applying for building licence, for trade licence, for loan from any banks or financial institutions etc.,

In 2007 seven city municipal councils (CMC) Kengeri Town Municipal Council (TMC) and 110 villages, were brought under the administration of Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BMP). Thus, nearly 2/3^rd area was added to the existing 1/3^rd area under BBMP. Only properties which were approved by the town planning authorities and some other properties strictly conforming to the bye laws of the BBMP have been issued ‘A’ Khata. For the remaining  properties in the newly added areas the owners can pay tax to BBMP and get the ‘B’ khata form. According to BBMP there is nothing like ‘B’ khata, but it is only an extract of the B register maintained by the civic authorities to make entries of the taxes collected on the properties.

‘A’ Khata is required to be obtained from the BBMP to recognize the ownership of a property which makes the owners eligible to receive civic amenities extended to them. But, most of the properties in the old CMC areas now coming under  BBMP have many disadvantages in getting ‘A’khata as many irregularities pertaining to land conversion, building bye law violations etc., are rampant in these properties. To obtain ‘A’ Khata the land should be DC converted, owners should have paid up to date tax and also paid betterment charges to the BBMP pertaining to converted lands. All political parties promises the public about ‘Akrama – Sakrama’ scheme for regularizing unauthorized / building violation constructions. But, nothing is happening in this regard till date.

The Government must take concrete steps to mitigate the problems of property owners in Bangalore city either by implementing the previously conceived scheme of ‘AKRAMA – SAKRAMA’ or other scheme, to regularize the property ownerships by collecting one time penalty / fees, enabling the citizens to apply and obtain‘A’ Khata for their properties. The town planning  authorities must be more vigilant and not allowing illegal developments in the beginning itself.