BENGALURU: Building plan approvals for eligible residential properties in Bengaluru could now take around 30 minutes instead of two to three months, with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) launching the fully automated ‘Nambike Nakshe 2.0’ system on Saturday.
The system, launched by Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, will initially cover residential sites measuring up to 50x80 sqft and allow construction of up to four units. It will be implemented on a pilot basis in select areas.
Under the new system, building plans can be submitted online through a qualified architect. If a plan complies with applicable town planning regulations, the system will automatically process and issue the approval in around 30 minutes. The system will also eliminate the need for applicants to separately upload Khata and certain other property documents. By entering the e-Khata number, basic ownership details will be automatically retrieved from government systems.
The minister said that the system is based on the principle of “Trust, but verify”, with greater reliance on citizens and qualified architects while using technology to verify compliance with planning regulations.
Online building approvals aim to cut paperwork, delays
The move is also aimed at reducing routine human intervention, paperwork and the scope for intermediaries in the approval process. He also said this would make the process more transparent and predictable for citizens.
The minister said the objective was not merely to put the existing approval process online but to rethink it from the citizen’s point of view and remove avoidable delays. “Technology should not simply move paperwork from the office to a computer screen; it should remove unnecessary steps from the process itself,” he said.
The functioning of the system will be reviewed during the pilot phase before its expansion to other areas under the GBA. The authority will subsequently examine similar technology-driven approval mechanisms for commercial buildings and larger developments.
The minister also cautioned that while the system was based on trust, deliberate violations or misuse would attract stringent penalties.
Oppn questions ‘software charges’ for khata services
Opposition leaders have questioned the state government’s decision to levy what they termed “software charges” for various property and khata-related services. The opposition alleged that property owners were being charged additional fees for services including property tax-related services, e-khata processing and khata conversion.
The charges listed in the post include Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 for property tax services, Rs 400 for final e-khata processing, Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 for B-Khata to A-khata conversion and Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 for new khata registration. It also cited Rs 10,000 per site for layout khata services and Rs 50 per document for re-issuance of e-khata.