On this page
The hoarding on the highway says 'BMRDA approved plots, 30x40, near the airport, ₹28 lakh'. Another one a kilometre later says 'BIAAPA approved'. A friend's cousin bought a 'BDA approved' site in 2019 and is still waiting for a khata. You want a plot, but you are not sure what any of these labels actually promise.
The names refer to the planning authority that is supposed to have approved the layout. Which one applies depends on where the land is. And the word 'approved' on a brochure can mean anything from full clearance to a single conversion order. This guide explains who is who, as of November 2026, and how to check a plot properly.
Who approves layouts where
BDA: the Bengaluru metropolitan area
The Bangalore Development Authority, formed in 1976, has planned and approved layouts for the city and its immediate periphery under its master plans. When a private developer builds a layout in BDA's area, BDA approves the layout plan, and by law parts of the land must be kept for parks and civic amenities.
Since 2025, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and its city corporations have taken over civic administration of the core city, and planning powers there are being reorganised. For plots, BDA approval still matters most in the periphery inside its planning area. Ask which authority's plan number appears on your layout and confirm it with that office.
BMRDA: the wider region
The Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority, set up in 1985, oversees planning for the larger region around the city: the Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara (now Bengaluru South) districts. BMRDA does not usually approve your layout directly. It works through local planning authorities, each covering one area, including:
- Anekal Planning Authority
- Hoskote Planning Authority
- Nelamangala Planning Authority
- Magadi Planning Authority
- Kanakapura Planning Authority
- Doddaballapura Planning Authority
- Channapatna Planning Authority
- Satellite Town Ring Road Planning Authority
- Bengaluru International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA)
So 'BMRDA approved' usually means the layout plan was approved by one of these local authorities under BMRDA's oversight. The approval letter should name the specific authority.
BIAAPA: around the airport
BIAAPA is the local planning authority for the area around Kempegowda International Airport, including the Devanahalli belt that has drawn so many plotted developments. Its approvals work like the others, with one extra point: buildings close to an airport face height limits, so check what you will be allowed to build on the plot.
What a properly approved layout has
A layout goes through several stages. A plot is only as safe as the last stage it has cleared.
- Land conversion. The land was agricultural, so it must be converted for residential use by the Deputy Commissioner. This alone does not make it an approved layout.
- Layout plan approval. The planning authority (BDA, or a local authority under BMRDA such as BIAAPA) approves the plan: roads, plot sizes, parks and civic amenity sites. The approval has a reference number and a sealed plan.
- Release of sites. Developers usually have to finish roads, drains, water and power lines before the authority releases plots for sale, often in stages. Your specific plot number should be in a release order.
- RERA registration. Plotted developments above 500 sq m, or with more than eight plots, must be registered with RERA (Karnataka RERA for projects in the state) before they are advertised or sold.
- Khata. After sale, each plot gets its own record: an e-Khata from the city corporation, an e-Swathu record from the gram panchayat, or a record from the town municipality, depending on the location.
Warning signs on the brochure
- 'DC converted' presented as 'approved'. Conversion is only the first step. Without layout plan approval, it is not an approved layout.
- 'Approval applied for' or 'approval in process'. You would be buying on hope. Prices of approved and unapproved plots differ for a reason.
- Revenue sites. Plots carved out of agricultural land without conversion or layout approval. Cheap, and very hard to build on legally or sell later.
- No RERA number on the advertisement for a layout that clearly needs one.
- Narrow roads that do not match the approved plan, or parks that have quietly turned into extra plots.
- Pressure to pay a large advance before you have seen the approval documents.
How to check a plot's approval: step by step
- Ask for the approval letter and the sealed layout plan. Note the authority's name, the approval number and date.
- Find your plot on the plan. Check the plot number, dimensions and road width match what you are buying.
- Ask for the release order covering your plot number. If your plot is not yet released, wait.
- Verify with the authority. Visit the planning authority's office or check its website with the approval number. Do not rely on photocopies alone.
- Check the RERA registration on the Karnataka RERA portal and make sure the layout details match.
- Check the land records. Look at the RTC (pahani) and the conversion order on the state's land records system, and get an encumbrance certificate for at least 30 years.
- Check the master plan zoning. The plot should be in a residential zone, not agricultural, green belt or industrial.
- Get a property lawyer to review the title. A full title search costs a small fraction of the plot price and catches problems no brochure will mention.
Questions to ask the developer
- Which authority approved the layout plan, and what is the approval number and date?
- Has my plot number been released for sale? Can I see the release order?
- What is the RERA registration number, and when is completion promised?
- Who will maintain the roads, drains and streetlights until the layout is handed over to the local body?
- Will water come from a municipal supply, borewells or tankers?
- What type of khata will I get after registration, and from which office?
Write the answers down and match them against the documents. Vague or shifting answers are information too.
A worked example
Two 1,200 sq ft plots near Devanahalli. Plot A is in a layout with BIAAPA plan approval, a release order covering the plot, and RERA registration, priced at ₹2,400 per sq ft: ₹28.8 lakh. Plot B is 'DC converted, approval in process' at ₹1,700 per sq ft: ₹20.4 lakh.
Plot B looks ₹8.4 lakh cheaper. But most banks will not lend on it, a building plan may not be sanctioned, and resale buyers will ask the same questions you are asking now. If approval never comes, that saving can turn into a plot you cannot use. The prices here are illustrative; actual rates vary widely by location.
Frequently asked questions
Is a BMRDA approved plot worse than a BDA approved one?
Not by itself. Both are legitimate if the layout was properly approved by the authority covering that area. Location, infrastructure and the developer's track record matter more than which authority signed off.
Will banks give a loan on these plots?
Most lenders finance plots in approved layouts with clear title, usually with a plan to build within a few years. They generally avoid revenue sites and layouts with pending approvals.
Can I build right away on an approved plot?
You still need your own building plan sanctioned by the local authority, and near the airport, height clearance may apply. Ask about both before you buy.
What if the developer only shows photocopies?
Ask to see originals, and verify the approval number directly with the authority. A genuine developer will not mind.
This is general guidance, not legal advice, so have a lawyer check the papers for your specific plot. If you are weighing plots around Bengaluru, Skyros Estates can help you shortlist RERA-registered layouts and arrange document checks before you pay.
Buying a home?
Get a shortlist that fits your budget, site visits arranged, and the papers checked before you pay. Free for buyers.
