BBMP will resume approval plan approval in a few days

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which stopped approving building plans or levying any fees or charges since early August, is likely to resume the process next week. Last week, the civic body had issued a circular notifying the rates for grant of building plan approval, occupancy and completion certificates as well as land rent, license fee, inquiry fee and security deposit.

According to highly placed sources, the BBMP has decided to retain the rates notified in September 2015. Sources said in all likelihood that the approval of the scheme would start from Monday.

The civic body had stopped building activities related to the scheme after the High Court of Karnataka declared that various fees and charges were levied were “unenforceable” and contrary to the provisions of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 Were. The development had not only impacts on construction activity in the city, but also major legal and financial implications for the BBMP.

However, in November, an ordinance was issued to amend the KMC Act, and the BBMP Act, 2020. This allowed the BBMP to levy various fees and charges. This effectively protected the BBMP from refunding fees and charges of around ₹2,000 crore to landlords, real estate developers and others.

The civic chief had earlier this month written to the Urban Development Department (UDD) seeking fixation of rates for various fees and charges. The UDD, however, said that the Chief Commissioner, in new amendments to both the KMC Act and the BBMP Act, was empowered to levy fee or penalty relating to the issue and to fix rates for execution of approvals as he deems it. fit. Further, the fee will be based on the guidance value prescribed by the Stamp and Registration Department under the provisions of the Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957.

Sources said the decision to fix the rates notified in September 2015 was taken following the response of the UDD to the request of the BBMP.