Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Monday announced a decentralised automated online approval process for building plans for residential constructions in Bengaluru seeking to address one of the major grievances of citizens.
All residential constructions, up to four units, on a plot of up to 50 x 80 feet can now get their building plans approved online from authorized architects or engineers through the new scheme called ‘Nambike Nakshe’. With this, one does not have to run from pillar to post in BBMP offices to get their building plans approved, the Dy CM, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, told a media conference.
The scheme was being introduced under the new Brand Bengaluru initiative. “Nambike Nakshe is a trust-based system in which the architects and engineers are empowered to self-declare the plan online and obtain the sanction plan by paying specified fees. This will save precious time for the public and also eliminates corruption,” Shivakumar said.
The engineers and architects, however, must be registered with the BBMP to be eligible to get online sanction plans for their clients. The submitted building plans will be evaluated using technology. Fees also can be paid online. Last year, 9,000 people were issued sanction plans and the number is likely to go up to 10,000 this year, he added.
“We would like to follow a trust-based system where we are giving the freedom of self-declaring their property details to the public and engineers and architects. This was one of the 70,000 suggestions that came as part of Brand Bengaluru initiative, Shivakumar said.
In the first phase, ‘Nambike Nakshe’ will be introduced on a pilot basis in the wards coming under Rajarajeshwarinagar and Dasarahalli zones and it will be extended to other areas of Bengaluru in the days to come.
NEW PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM:
The Dy CM also announced a new property tax system with the city classified into six zones based on asset classes, residential (owned & rented), commercial, industrial, star hotel, vacant plots with rebate and without rebate.
The BJP government had made certain amendments in the property tax format, which resulted in many changes. The public complained about this and the government amended the law to waive interest and penalty for property taxes, the Dy CM said.
The property taxes were revised upwards in 2016 by about 20% for residential buildings and 25% for commercial properties. The property tax rates were not increased for the last eight years. After deliberations, we have decided to fix the property tax increase to 10%. There are 18 lakh property owners outside of the property tax net and it is important to bring them into the tax bracket, he said.
“We are giving an opportunity to all those who have not declared properties till now. Now, they can declare their properties and obtain a property tax number and get a khata from BBMP. For all those whose documents are in order, BBMP will issue A khata and B khata for others,” he said.
