Bengaluru: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), once the city’s primary planning body, is set to see its powers drastically curtailed, with the state government moving to transfer a significant portion of its authority to the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

Shift in planning jurisdiction

Currently responsible for planning across 1,200 sq km, the BDA’s jurisdiction will shrink to just 400 sq km under the proposed changes. These areas, officials noted, have limited development potential. In contrast, the GBA will plan for about 800 sq km, effectively emerging as Bengaluru’s principal urban planning authority.

A notification amending the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act, 1961 is expected soon to formalise the transfer of powers.

What this means for Bengaluru

The shift of the Local Planning Area (LPA) is significant, as it gives the GBA the authority to:

  • Prepare the city’s Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)
  • Approve change of land use (CLU) applications
  • Sanction new layouts and development plans
  • Frame and revise zoning regulations, building byelaws, and setback norms
  • Issue Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates

This effectively means builders and developers will now turn to the GBA instead of the BDA for project approvals.

Official stance

Tushar Girinath, Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development Department), confirmed the proposal.

“There is a plan to amend the KTCP Act to grant planning powers to the GBA, as it is now part of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Authority Act. The GBA will also prepare Bengaluru’s next master plan,” he said.

A senior government official, however, questioned the utility of retaining the BDA for just 400 sq km.

“Given the manpower BDA has, there is no point in restricting it to such a small area. If this continues, planners will be left without work, while the government keeps paying salaries,” the official observed.

Impact on local bodies

The state government also intends to empower the five newly carved corporations to approve building plans, regardless of size or number of floors, provided they comply with zoning norms.
According to a BBMP official, the idea is to let corporations handle routine building plan approvals, while the GBA takes charge of the citywide planning framework.

Why this matters

The restructuring could mark one of the most significant administrative shifts in Bengaluru’s urban planning since the BDA’s creation. While the GBA is expected to modernise planning and bring accountability, critics fear the BDA may be reduced to redundancy unless its role is redefined or expanded beyond Bengaluru’s 1,200 sq km planning limit.