Karnataka’s new B-Khata to A-Khata conversion scheme receives muted response, with only 1,169 applications in week one
The Karnataka government’s new scheme to convert B-Khata properties into A-Khata properties has seen a muted response in its first week, with only 1,169 applications submitted in the initial seven days, according to data from the city’s municipal body, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).
Launched on November 1 for a 100-day period, the scheme allows B-Khata property owners to apply for conversion after obtaining an e-Khata. However, officials HT Real Estate spoke to said the added step of securing an e-Khata first may be slowing participation, particularly among owners of older or disputed properties.
Under the ongoing regularisation framework, property owners with B-Khata holdings will now be required to secure an e-Khata before applying for A-Khata conversion. The scheme, which opened on November 1 has a 100-day window and applies only to B-Khata plots up to 21,527 sq ft that are located next to public roads. Property owners must also pay a 5% conversion fee calculated on the guidance value of the property, along with additional charges for land mutation and map approval.
GBA Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said initial operational issues had now been resolved. “Like any new system, this might have faced initial problems, but they have been addressed, and applications are now being processed faster,” Deccan Herald quoted him as saying.
Also Read: Bengaluru e-khata update: What property owners need to know
How many B-Khata properties are there?
Bengaluru currently has 7.5 lakh B-Khata properties, but only 2.6 lakh have been converted to e-Khata so far, according to data shared by GBA. This means a large share of property owners will have to first complete the e-Khata process before applying for A-Khata conversion, a step that has been criticised as time-consuming and documentation-heavy, officials said.
The West Zone has the highest number of conversions with 72,000, followed by North (69,000) and East (62,816).
Rajarajeshwarinagar takes the lead with 1.23 lakh B-Khata properties converted to e-Khata, followed by Bengaluru South and Anekal (1.03 lakh), Chickpet (84,000), and Shivakumar Nagar (78,000), as per GBA data.
Also Read: E-Khata now compulsory for B-Khata to A-Khata conversion in Bengaluru from November 1
What is an e-Khata?
A Khata is the official property account record that identifies ownership, property size, and tax liabilities. Traditionally, properties categorised under A-Khata meet all legal and planning approvals, whereas B-Khata properties may have deviations or incomplete approvals, which can limit their access to bank loans, building permissions, and easy resale.
The e-Khata is the digital version of this property account, created as part of the government’s e-Swathu digitisation initiative, making records easier to verify and update online.
