Premium FAR Scheme Kicks Off in Bengaluru, BBMP Eyes ₹2,000 Crore in Revenues

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has commenced accepting applications for the newly notified Premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR) scheme, allowing developers and owners to construct taller buildings by paying a fee.

The step follows weeks after the Karnataka government made the final notification for the scheme on April 2, even as increasing alarm has been raised over the city’s already strained infrastructure narrow roads, clogged sanitary systems, and no parking space.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath confirmed that the civic body’s town planning department has begun receiving applications through a newly developed digital portal. However, the BBMP has yet to publicly release the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) it is using internally to process these requests.

In its budget, the BBMP has projected ₹2,000 crore in revenue from the scheme. A senior official said approvals will be granted only to eligible plots or ongoing construction that meet key criteria, including adequate parking and proper building setbacks.

The new policy permits an increase in FAR by up to 60%, allowing builders to add more floors by paying 28% of the property’s guidance value. The permissible additional construction will depend on plot size and the width of the adjoining road.

The scheme applies across the BBMP Master Plan limits and extends to nine surrounding suburban areas such as Kanakapura, Nelamangala, and Hoskote. Experts say it will mainly benefit owners of larger plots above 5,000 sq ft, as the additional construction requires more space for parking and setbacks. Smaller plot owners, especially those with 30×40 or 40×60 sites, are unlikely to benefit.

Critics argue the policy may legitimize past violations, where developers added extra floors by misrepresenting road widths or modifying adjacent roads. Citizens have called on BBMP to reject applications from buildings already nearing completion or fully built, warning that retroactive approvals could disrupt land ownership shares and worsen parking and infrastructure challenges.