BDA begins redevelopment of old complexes; Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Vijayanagar first to go

Seven of Bengaluru’s ageing BDA commercial complexes are finally getting a modern facelift under a public-private partnership, with work already underway at four key locations.

Seven years after the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) first floated tenders in 2018 to hand over its old commercial complexes for redevelopment under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, work has finally begun at multiple sites across Bengaluru.

Demolition and redevelopment are currently underway at four major complexes, Indiranagar, RT Nagar, Sadashivanagar, and Vijayanagar. These ageing public buildings, some nearly four decades old, are being replaced by modern commercial hubs that promise improved facilities, higher space utilisation, and long-term revenue for the civic body.

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The redevelopment plan covers seven BDA complexes in total, Indiranagar, Koramangala, HSR Layout, RT Nagar, Sadashivanagar, Austin Town, and Vijayanagar. Work on the remaining three, including Koramangala, Austin Town, and HSR Layout, will begin once ongoing negotiations with traders and residents are concluded.

The projects are being executed under a 30-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, in which private developers will construct, maintain, and manage the complexes before handing them back to the BDA. A consortium of MFAR Construction Pvt Ltd, KK Builders, and ADD Reality Ltd has been allotted six of the complexes, while the Indiranagar complex was tendered separately.

Officials said the redevelopment will significantly raise the floor space index (FSI) from around 1 to nearly 2.3, unlocking the potential of high-value city land. The move is also expected to generate a steady rental income for BDA, which had struggled for years with low rent recovery and poor maintenance at its older facilities.

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However, the transformation has not been without opposition. Traders in Koramangala and Austin Town fear displacement and steep rent hikes, while residents in HSR Layout worry about worsening traffic and congestion due to the construction of a proposed eight-storey commercial tower.

Despite the protests, BDA remains firm on pushing ahead, citing the need to revitalise outdated assets and adapt them to Bengaluru’s growing commercial demands. Once stakeholder consultations conclude, the Koramangala complex will be the next to be redeveloped.