Bengaluru Proposes 15% Building Deviation Limit: What It Means For Homeowners

The Bengaluru real estate landscape is about to see a significant shift in regulations as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) proposes to relax the construction norms by increasing the permissible deviation from the approved building plans. The amendment draft seeks to raise the limit from the previous 5 per cent to 15 per cent. This move could impact lakhs of homeowners across the city.

At the core of this amendment, the deviation limit defines how much a building is different from the sanctioned plan while it remains eligible for legal approval. Under the current rules, any difference above 5 per cent is treated as unauthorised. This leaves property owners unable to obtain the essential documents, such as the Occupancy Certificates (OCs). This creates a widespread compliance challenge, especially in a city like Bengaluru, where growth is dense and rapid.

The changes which are proposed address the issue by allowing flexibility across the key parameters such as the floor area ratio, building height, and plot coverage. It also has a structured compounding fee mechanism, which enables homeowners to even out the differences by paying the penalties to free their property from scrutiny. Once the property is regularised, these properties can qualify for OCs and other legal clearances, which potentially improve their resale value and other access to civic services.

From the perspective of the government, the move is seen as practical and people-friendly. By raising the limit, it is hoped that a large number of buildings can get inside the legal framework instead of following mass enforcement actions.

As per a report by Hindustan Times, this proposal has sparked a strong debate among urban planners and civic activists. This reaction is due to the expectation that this change can make such violations more common than they already are, and the threshold will keep on rising, while weak enforcement keeps on getting weaker. Such moves risk diluting planning norms and can compromise safety in the long run.

However, the proposal is still in the draft stage and is open for public consultation. The final shape of the draft depends entirely on feedback from stakeholders. All in all, the GBA’s proposal to raise the limit from 5 per cent to 15 per cent sits at the intersection of relieving property owners or not.