Slow start for Bengaluru’s B-khata regularisation drive despite government push

Despite a strong push from the Karnataka government, Bengaluru’s new B-Khata to A-Khata conversion scheme has seen a slow start, with only 1,169 applications in the first week.

Bengaluru’s ambitious plan to convert B-Khata properties into A-Khata under a 100-day special drive has begun with a subdued response. According to data from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), just 1,169 property owners applied for conversion in the scheme’s first week since its launch on November 1.

The scheme allows B-Khata property owners to apply for A-Khata status, a crucial step for securing loans, selling property, or obtaining building approvals. However, before applying, property holders must first get an e-Khata, a digital record introduced under the e-Swathu initiative. Officials say this mandatory step is slowing down applications, particularly among those with older or disputed properties.

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Under the new rules, the scheme applies only to B-Khata plots up to 21,527 sq ft located beside public roads. Property owners must pay a 5% conversion fee based on the guidance value of their land, along with charges for map approval and land mutation.

GBA Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao confirmed that initial operational challenges have been resolved and processing has become faster. “Like any new system, there may have been early issues, but they have been addressed,” he said.

Currently, Bengaluru has about 7.5 lakh B-Khata properties, but only 2.6 lakh have been converted to e-Khata so far. This means a large portion of owners must complete the digitisation step before they can seek A-Khata conversion, a process some call time-consuming and documentation-heavy.

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The West Zone leads in conversions with 72,000 e-Khata properties, followed by North (69,000) and East (62,816). Among wards, Rajarajeshwarinagar tops the list with 1.23 lakh properties converted, followed by Bengaluru South and Anekal (1.03 lakh), Chickpet (84,000), and Shivakumar Nagar (78,000).