Bengaluru’s Old High-Rise Apartments To Go For Redevelopment Under The New Apartment Bill

Bengaluru’s old residential hubs are soon to experience a significant overhaul. The introduction of the Apartment (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2025, this week proposed a roadmap for the redevelopment of approximately 25 ageing apartment complexes that have long been caught up in structural and legal delays.

Many of these buildings, particularly in old and established areas, such as Malleshwaram, Ulsoor, Shivajinagar, and Lavelle Road, are more than 40 years old.  Residents in the areas have been living in “unsafe conditions” with many structures showing visible cracks and structural deformities, per a Deccean Herald report.

The old buildings that have deteriorated over time need to be redeveloped, and a proper process needs to be defined for this. The new law is required to lay down the rules for reconstructing such buildings.

One of the transformative features of the draft bill is the shift in the consent requirement for such redevelopment. Previously, the redevelopment projects stalled due to a small number of dissenting owners. The new law addresses the dissent issue, considering the risk involved if the structure is not redeveloped. It proposes that even if a few owners oppose redevelopment, if 75 per cent of the owners agree to redevelopment, it can proceed.

In the past, there have been incidents when the majority of the owners, around 90 per cent, wanted to renovate their building due to a lack of proper lifts and parking, but because of those 10 per cent dissenting owners, redevelopment work couldn’t proceed. Reportedly, the two owners demanded larger flats or alternative housing during the construction period. However, the proposed 75 per cent owners’ consent rule can make renovation or reconstruction much smoother.  

Also, under the new regulations, redevelopment may come at no cost to the current apartment owners, as it is based on the floor area ratio (FAR). The new norms allow developers to construct and sell additional units on the same piece of land and make a profit, and thus, based on FAR, the cost to the existing owners may not increase.

The new flats are expected to be state-of-the-art with modern facilities while maintaining the per square foot flat area for each flat owner.

To streamline management of redevelopment projects and resolve several disputes that have previously reached the High Court, the government plans to establish a Competent Authority. This body will hold the power equivalent to a civil court to resolve the matters. It is expected to be allowed to adjudicate disputes, oversee compliance, and maintain digital records of the association.

The Bill also introduces strict governance for apartment committees by limiting the tenure of executive members to two years and preventing them from serving more than two consecutive terms.

The Urban Development Department (UDD) has published the 74-page draft Bill to seek public feedback. Once the bill is passed and comes into force, the law will mandate the apartment associations (both old and new) to register with the Competent Authority. This move is aimed at streamlining the current process where registration is required under various legislations, such as the Companies Act or the Karnataka Societies Registration Act.