BDA plans major relaxation in domicile rule to clear unsold houses and flats

Residency requirement for BDA housing allotment may be cut from 10 years to 2 years, in a move aimed at widening the applicant base and boosting property sales in Bengaluru.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is planning a significant change in its housing allotment rules by proposing to relax domicile norms for Bengaluru residents. As per the proposal under discussion, the mandatory requirement of 10 years of residency in Bengaluru may be reduced to just two years.

The move is primarily aimed at clearing unsold houses and flats under various BDA housing schemes. Officials indicated that the authority currently holds a stock of unsold properties and believes that easing eligibility norms will help attract a larger pool of applicants.

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According to BDA officials, the proposal is still under active consideration and has not yet received government approval. Once implemented, applicants would only need to submit proof of two years of residence in Bengaluru, along with a valid city address and Aadhaar card. The relaxed criteria would be applicable to both Karnataka residents and applicants from other states, significantly widening eligibility.

BDA officials clarified that there are no pending applications for houses at present and that all earlier applications have already been processed. The proposed rule change is therefore seen as a step focused on increasing demand rather than addressing application backlogs.

If approved, the proposal could mark a major shift in BDA’s housing policy and reshape access to public housing in the city.