The Greater Bengaluru Governance Act (GBGA) 2024, recently signed into law, has raised serious concerns about the city’s future urban landscape. Among the most debated provisions is the relaxation of building setbacks — rules that regulate the minimum distance between a structure and the property boundary.
Under the new law, residential buildings could see up to a 50% reduction in setbacks, and commercial properties up to 25%. Though BBMP officials insist it’s just an “enabling provision” and won’t be enforced immediately, critics and legal experts warn of potential long-term damage to safety, privacy, and urban livability.
Section 249 of the GBGA empowers the municipal commissioner to regularise structures violating setback norms, provided they were built up to one year before the Act’s notification. Regularisation will involve paying a fee between 6% and 35% of the property’s market value.
Despite BBMP’s assurances that implementation awaits the Supreme Court’s clearance of the Akrama Sakrama case, experts like Suhas Ananth Rajkumar and R Rajagopalan argue the provision could be misused, weakening existing building laws.
Instances like the New Thippasandra house collapse earlier this year highlight the dangers of poor construction practices.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath defended the move, stating the provision merely repeats the 2020 law that remains unstruck by the courts.
Activists warn this could set a dangerous precedent, risking Bengaluru’s civic infrastructure and quality of life.
Read Also: