BENGALURU: The across-the-table sale of flats, built by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), was meant to give a massive thrust to the sale of 3,235 apartments built by it across the city. But it has hit a roadblock with just 105 flats sold in the last five months. Flats at Kanminike, Komaghatta and Doddabanahalli have just not found takers, despite novel attempts by the Authority to push their sale.
As on February 13, 1,854 flats were yet to be sold. It is bound to take a couple of years to find buyers as BDA officials pin their hopes on completion of a Metro lines in the vicinity, as well as completion of infrastructure, works at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout to sell a good chunk of them.
While 74 1-BHK flats, all at Alur, have remained unsold, 93 3-BHK flats at Kaniminike and 1,687 2-BHK flats spread across Kaniminike, Komaghatta, Malagala, Alur, Valagerahalli and Doddabanahalli are still under BDA ownership.
“The flats are priced quite reasonably and are 30% lower than the rates quoted by private builders,” explained a top official. “The distance from the city, lack of access roads to the flats, absence of public transport in the vicinity and Vaastu compliance are reasons for the good chunk of flats remaining unsold,” he said.
In all, 409 flats are unsold at Kommaghatta (Phase-I & Phase-II). “They will be in great demand once the upcoming Metro line from Mysore Road to Kengeri up to the Challaghatta depot (Reach 2A and 2B) is in place. The flats are near the depot. That will provide residents instant Metro connectivity across the city,” another official said. This 10.31-km line, which was supposed to become operational last year, has a revised deadline of 2020-end.
Another official said that Vaastu beliefs have played a major role in flats remaining unsold. “Most of the people from Karnataka do not want to buy a house with its entrance facing North or East due to Vaastu beliefs. So, all the South or West facing flats have been bought. We are only looking at North Indians or defence personnel to buy them,” he said.
The BDA is also putting in place infrastructure at its KG Layout in the vicinity which has a March 2021 deadline. The BDA is also working on providing access roads to its Komaghatta and Kanminike flats, near Christ University.
The BDA tried to recruit MBA graduates to sell its flats, but the move did not take off. It had also called for tenders to rope in marketing agencies to promote its flats. No one at BDA could explain
its outcome.