BDA approved means that the Bangalore Development Authority, the planning authority for the Bangalore Metropolitan Area, has sanctioned the project's layout or building plan. It tells you the project was planned under the rules that apply to that land, which matters for your home loan and your khata. But the BDA is only one of six authorities you will see on Bengaluru brochures, and which one applies depends on where the land sits. Here is what each means in plain words, and which one approved each project we sell.
The six authorities in plain words
| Short name | Full name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| BDA | Bangalore Development Authority | Plans and sanctions layouts and building plans across the Bangalore Metropolitan Area around the city. |
| BBMP | Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike | The city corporation. Sanctions building plans within city limits, keeps the khata records and collects property tax. |
| BMRDA | Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority | Plans the wider region beyond the BDA's area, working through local planning authorities in towns such as Hoskote and Anekal. |
| KIADB | Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board | Develops industrial and technology areas, and is the approving body for projects on land in its zones. |
| BIAAPA | Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority | Plans the area around Kempegowda International Airport, including Devanahalli. |
| DTCP | Directorate of Town and Country Planning | The state's town planning department, which approves layouts in areas outside the city's own planning bodies. |
None of these is a quality rating. A BBMP sanction is not better than a BDA one; they simply cover different land. The question is always the same: was the plan sanctioned by the authority that covers this land, and is the building being built to that plan?
Our projects by approving authority
| Authority | Projects we sell |
|---|---|
| BBMP | Mizumi Reserve (Kudlu), 22 & Crest (Yeshwanthpur), 66 & Shibui (Whitefield), Meru & Meadow (Kanakapura Road) |
| BDA | Mizu & Ki (Hennur), Zen & Sato and Miru & Miyo (Yelahanka), Trees & Tandem (Sarjapur Road), Ren & Rei, Muse & Maison and Melodies of Life apartments and plots (Hosa Road), Codename Twin Lake City (Kalkere) |
| KIADB | Sora & Saki (Aerospace & IT Park), Niwa & Neo (KIADB Hardware Park) |
| BMRDA | Codename Sublime (Hoskote) |
| BIAAPA | The Secret Lake and City of Palms (Devanahalli) |
| DTCP | 18 & Oak (Hosur Taluk, Tamil Nadu: DTCP of Tamil Nadu) |
As listed in the developer's documents. We do not yet have the approving authority on record for Soho & Sky or Canvas & Cove, and the Prestige Urban Townhouses have not launched. Muse & Maison, Twin Lake City and Codename Sublime are still awaiting RERA registration. You can browse every project in our project directory.
What BDA approved means for your home loan
Before a bank lends, its legal team checks that the plan was sanctioned by the right authority and that the title is clean. A project with its approvals in order is simply easier to finance. Many banks keep a list of projects they have already checked, which speeds up your loan. Ask the developer which lenders have approved the project, then confirm with your own bank.
Two cases need extra questions. On KIADB land, ask how the title passes to you, since KIADB land is often allotted on lease cum sale terms before full ownership transfers. On a plotted layout, ask for the approved layout plan and check that your plot number appears on it. We cover this for the two BIAAPA layouts in our guide to plots in Devanahalli.
What it means for your khata
Within BBMP limits, the khata records who owns a property for tax. A property built to an approved plan should get an A khata; one with deviations may end up on a B khata, which makes loans and resale harder. Outside BBMP limits, the record is kept by the local town council or panchayat instead. What e khata is, and A khata against B khata.
Approval is not RERA
A plan sanction and a RERA registration are different things, and a sound project has both. The sanction says the building is allowed. The RERA registration puts the approved plans, the completion date and the developer's progress reports on the public record. Check both, and check that the plan uploaded to RERA matches what you are being shown. How to check any project on RERA in five minutes.
Questions to ask about approvals
- Which authority sanctioned the plan, and what is the sanction number and date?
- Can I see the sanctioned plan? Compare the tower and unit count with the brochure.
- Is there a commencement certificate allowing construction to start?
- When will the occupancy certificate be issued? It confirms the finished building matches the plan, and it is wise not to take possession of a flat without it.
- For plots: is the land converted for residential use, and is the layout approved plot by plot?
