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Due to the dispute not being resolved, BDA has stopped issuing building plan approval and no-objection certificates for the affected plots. Construction is impossible without these approvals.
For middle-class families, this has effectively frozen a large asset, leaving money stranded to secure their future. Image: Canva
For many residents of Bengaluru, purchasing a BDA site is seen as the safest route to home ownership. It comes with the promise of trust, paperwork, and legality. That belief is now being tested for about 1,500 families in Banashankari 6th Phase, where plot owners find themselves stuck in an unusual and distressing situation. They own land, pay taxes on it, but can’t build on it or sell it.
Buyers of Banashankari sixth phase stuck in limbo
The affected plots are located in Banashankari 6th Phase, one of the city’s larger BDA-developed layouts in south Bengaluru. Many of the families who had bought these sites years ago, after investing their life savings, said they were now stranded. Construction permits have been put on hold, and potential resale is almost impossible due to uncertainty over the status of the land.
The forest department has objected, claiming that parts of the layout fall in the forest buffer zone, close to the Turahalli forest area. This claim has halted all transactions and development.
How the controversy came to light after years
Site owners say the issue came to light recently despite the layout being developed and allotted long ago. For over a decade, the owners paid property tax, maintained documents and followed all official procedures without any objection. Only in the last 2 years has the Forest Department started claiming some parts of the land.
This delayed intervention has forced residents to question how land cleared and sold by a government authority could later be marked as disputed.
What site owners are saying
Many buyers describe the situation as emotionally and financially draining. Some had planned to build houses after retirement, others hoped to sell plots for children’s education or weddings. With no options available, families say they are living in constant uncertainty.
A site owner said she has been paying property tax for more than 13 years without any problem. According to him, it is inappropriate to question the ownership now, as the buyers trusted a government body and invested their savings in good faith.
BDA vs Forest Department
At the root of the crisis is a standoff between two government departments. The BDA says the land was legally acquired, developed as a residential layout and allotted as per the rules. Officials argue that buyers should not be penalized for inter-departmental disputes.
On the other hand, the forest department claims that some blocks fall within the forest limit or buffer zone and hence cannot be developed. They argue that protection of forest land is a statutory responsibility and errors in earlier demarcation cannot be ignored.
Building permissions stopped
Due to the unresolved dispute, the BDA has stopped issuing building plan approval and no-objection certificates for the affected plots. Construction is impossible without these approvals. Banks are also reluctant to process loans, and buyers also find it difficult to find willing buyers for resale.
For middle-class families, this has effectively frozen a large asset, leaving money stranded to secure their future.
Although no final legal decision has been issued yet, there has been long standing concern over the lack of clarity. The owners say there is no clear timeline, no interim relief and no compensation mechanism. This situation highlights larger issues related to land administration, inter-departmental coordination and accountability.
What’s next for buyers?
Officials have indicated that a high-level meeting is likely to be held in January 2026 to resolve the boundary dispute between the BDA and the forest department. Buyers are hopeful that a clear decision will emerge, either to regularize the sites or provide an alternative solution.
Until then, families in Banashankari 6th phase will remain in limbo, legally owning the land but unable to access it. For them, the crisis is not just one of wealth, but of trust in the systems meant to protect ordinary citizens.
December 19, 2025, 14:45 IST
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