Bengaluru’s proposed move to waive occupancy certificates (OCs) for residential buildings on plots up to 1,200 square feet has triggered widespread debate over its potential impact on urban safety, planning, and real estate regulation. The proposal by the state’s urban development body aims to ease compliance burdens on small homeowners and builders, but experts warn it may fuel a surge in unauthorised constructions. If enacted, the amendment could reshape Bengaluru’s housing landscape—especially in congested areas—by allowing more buildings to bypass mandatory occupancy approvals currently linked to structural safety and legal occupancy.
Occupancy certificates serve as a critical safeguard, certifying that a completed building adheres to the approved blueprint and civic safety norms. Without them, buildings are deemed unfit for habitation and are denied access to official water and power connections. In Bengaluru’s fast-growing real estate market, however, many small-scale constructions, particularly in semi-urban or peripheral zones, already bypass these protocols. Experts argue that formalising this practice through legal exemptions may help thousands of families legitimise their homes, but it also undermines the city’s zoning laws and building codes designed to ensure orderly and sustainable urban development. Several experts and legal professionals fear that this proposed relaxation will erode regulatory accountability. If the local civic body is no longer responsible for enforcing occupancy compliance on small plots, developers could exploit the loophole by submitting misleading plans and constructing beyond permissible limits.
This could lead to ground-plus-two or even stilt-plus-three structures mushrooming in unauthorised layouts without any effective government oversight. The potential risks include compromised building safety, excessive load on civic amenities, and increased vulnerability in flood-prone or geologically unstable areas, especially as Bengaluru grapples with existing infrastructural pressures. The urban planning community insists that while reform is needed to address the housing needs of lower-income residents, it must not come at the cost of transparency, accountability, or environmental stability. Instead of exemptions, experts recommend simplifying the certification process for small homes, streamlining approvals digitally, and ensuring real-time monitoring through GIS-based systems. A blanket waiver, they argue, sends the wrong message—one that favours shortcuts over sustainable practices. It may also weaken Bengaluru’s efforts to achieve planned, zero-net-carbon growth if unauthorised developments continue without checks on design, ventilation, green cover, or waste disposal.
The proposed change is currently under discussion and may be brought into effect through amendments to multiple legislative frameworks, including the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act. If passed, the move will impact thousands of first-time builders and homeowners across Karnataka. While it could offer short-term relief to those caught in legal or bureaucratic limbo, it risks creating long-term planning challenges for a city already burdened with traffic congestion, water shortages, and ecological stress. Any regulatory shift must be balanced with firm oversight mechanisms to prevent environmental degradation and protect urban equity.
Bengaluru Exempts 1200 Sq Ft Homes Bringing Relief To Property Owners
