Bengaluru's GBA Issues 8 Lakh e-Khatas, Plans Passport-Style Service Centres
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the apex body overseeing coordination and supervision of city corporations, has issued over 8 lakh e-Khatas across Bengaluru. The authority is now preparing to launch passport-style service centres to accelerate approvals and enhance citizen experience, as stated in a recent announcement.
Citizens can currently obtain e-Khata services through Bengaluru One centres. However, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department, Tushar Girinath, recently revealed that the authority will introduce a passport-seva-style centre model to streamline e-Khata services. These centres are expected to reduce delays and remove bottlenecks in document processing.
The new model is designed to ensure smoother and faster processing of e-Khata applications, addressing the current hurdles faced by citizens. Girinath stated that the initiative aims to eliminate the difficulties encountered when obtaining e-Khata, ensuring efficient service delivery through the newly planned service centres.
Of the nearly 21 lakh properties in the city, only 8.2 lakh owners have applied for e-Khatas. There is a pressing need to encourage more property owners to apply. Girinath mentioned that Bengaluru One centres are actively trying to assist people in applying for e-Khata. Around 10 passport-style seva kendras will be opened in each zone to facilitate this process.
Additionally, Girinath reported that only 3,252 applications have been received for the conversion of a ‘B’ Khata to an ‘A’ Khata. GBA officials noted that the earlier round-robin allocation system for e-Khata applications had been discontinued due to operational challenges. It has been replaced with an upgraded mechanism designed to improve turnaround time. To ensure accountability, the authority has deployed a special surveillance team of 25 officers to monitor cases where applications are unnecessarily delayed or rejected.
The GBA also confirmed that around 3,000 applications for converting B-Khata to A-Khata have been received so far. However, almost 98% of these applications are pending because applicants have not uploaded mandatory documents, particularly property maps. Officials stated that these cases will be cleared once the required files are submitted.
Special Commissioner Munish Moudgil urged citizens not to approach middlemen for e-Khata services. “Applications submitted online will be processed within stipulated timelines unless there are technical issues. Staff rejecting applications without valid reasons will face disciplinary action,” the GBA statement emphasized.
The GBA is also anticipating a significant financial boost from the Premium FAR (Floor Area Ratio) scheme. With the Karnataka High Court dismissing the petition against the policy on December 5, developers, landowners, and homebuyers can now access Premium FAR benefits without legal uncertainty. According to the GBA, the authority anticipates around ₹2,000 crore in annual revenue from Premium FAR alone. Premium FAR in Bengaluru allows developers to build additional floors by paying a premium fee to the government, based on the road width and guidance value of the property.
