BBMP Cracks Down on Unauthorised Buildings, Mandates Legal Undertaking from Builders

In a big bid to stop unauthorised buildings in Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has brought about a compulsion for developers and property owners to furnish a lawful undertaking before taking building plan clearances. The undertaking will need to be undertaken to deliver dwelling units to the consumers only upon attaining the occupancy certificate (OC) as well as the completion certificate (CC).

This decision targets a longstanding loophole: many developers obtain initial plan sanctions and commencement certificates but skip securing the OC due to structural violations such as extra floors or deviations from approved plans.

A senior BBMP official confirmed that building plans will be approved only if this legal assurance is in place. “This is to ensure accountability and prevent buyers from being trapped in unsafe or illegal buildings,” the official told The Hindu.

The BBMP has flagged serious financial and safety consequences from these violations. Thousands of unauthorised constructions have been identified in a city-wide survey conducted after a series of building collapses. However, weak enforcement and delayed demolition drives have allowed illegal structures to proliferate.

To strengthen oversight, BBMP has instructed zonal town planning officers and assistant directors to conduct bimonthly inspections, with findings uploaded for monitoring. Violations must be escalated to assistant executive engineers for legal action.

Ward-level assistant engineers are now tasked with spotting and addressing illegal activity. Inspections will follow a fixed schedule—January, March, May, September, and November—based on Supreme Court guidelines. The Deputy Director of Town Planning at BBMP’s central office will supervise and report progress to senior officials.

If any unauthorised construction is discovered after the OC is issued, assistant revenue officials and engineers must notify subdivision officers to initiate legal proceedings. In addition, zonal commissioners are directed to alert Bescom and BWSSB to cut off power and water supplies to the illegal properties once notices are served.

This new compliance drive is part of BBMP’s wider effort to bring accountability to Bengaluru’s chaotic real estate landscape and safeguard public safety.