When you’re buying land, a plot or an apartment near Bangalore, the first question to answer is: which authority gave approvals for this property? That determines whether the plan is valid, which documents to ask for, and where to verify records. This short guide explains who does what - BBMP, BMRDA, BIAAPA, or the local Panchayat - and exactly how to check approvals before you pay a single rupee.

Quick summary - what you need to know right away

• BBMP handles building-plan sanctions and occupancy certificates within Bruhat Bengaluru city limits. Use BBMP’s online BPAS portal to verify. (BBMP)

• BMRDA is the metropolitan planning authority for the larger Bangalore region, but local planning approvals are issued by the local planning authority under BMRDA’s jurisdiction (check BMRDA’s local planning areas). (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

• BIAAPA (Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority) governs development around Kempegowda Airport - projects near Devanahalli must follow its rules. (biaapa.tpa.gov.in)

• Gram panchayats can sanction simple residential building plans in rural limits - but rules differ, so verify conversion/CLU and approvals carefully.

1. Why this matters

Who approved the plan affects legal title, loanability, and whether utilities and an Occupancy Certificate (OC) are possible. If approvals don’t match the location or are missing, the property can be difficult to register, hard to finance, and risky to build on.

2. The four authorities

BBMP - the city regulator (central Bangalore)

If the property is within BBMP municipal limits, BBMP issues building plan sanctions (Nambike Naksha), commencement certificates and often the Occupancy Certificate at completion. BBMP now uses an online system (BPAS / EoDB-OBPS) where architects upload plans, and approvals are tracked. Since July 2025, BBMP requires e-Khata for online plan approvals - that’s now mandatory for most cases. (BBMP)

When you see BBMP: expect online plan records, a sanctioned Nambike Naksha number, and a clear path to OC and property tax records.

BMRDA - the metropolitan planning body (peri-urban & metro region)

BMRDA (Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority) plans and coordinates development across the broader metro region. Important: BMRDA itself doesn’t always directly “sanction” every individual layout - local planning authorities under BMRDA’s umbrella (Anekal, Hoskote, Kanakapura zones, etc.) or designated TPAs handle local approvals. Use BMRDA’s local planning area map to see which body applies to a plot. (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

When you see BMRDA: you’re probably in a peri-urban area. Expect extra checks on layout approvals and infrastructure standards.

BIAAPA / BIAPPA - airport-area rules (Devanahalli / Airport zone)

If the land is near Kempegowda International Airport or in the airport planning zone, approvals often come from BIAAPA (Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority) or its designated technical planning agency - they have special land-use and environmental rules for the airport corridor. Always verify a BIAAPA approval on their portal or official notices. (biaapa.tpa.gov.in)

When you see BIAAPA: expect strict zoning, possible environmental conditions, and extra clearances (road access, height restrictions, etc.).

Panchayat / Gram Panchayat - rural village limits

Rural or village land often falls under a Gram Panchayat (or Taluk Panchayat) for basic dwelling permissions. Since 2022, Karnataka has empowered some Panchayats to sanction construction licences for houses in their limits - but governance and documentation standards vary. If the land is ruled by a panchayat, you must be extra careful about DC conversion / CLU, title clarity and future municipal assimilation.

When you see Panchayat: expect simpler local permissions - but also higher risk if the land later needs conversion for urban use.

3. How to check which authority applies

1. Get the exact address and survey number from the seller. That single number guides everything.

2. Check BBMP limits and BPAS if the plot is in city/suburban wards - search the BBMP BPAS / Nambike Naksha portal with the plan number or owner name. (BBMP)

3. Open BMRDA’s local planning map and see if the plot falls under its zones (it lists Anekal, Hoskote, Nelamangala, etc.). If yes, find which local authority handles sanctions there. (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

4. If the plot is near the airport (Devanahalli), check the BIAAPA site and ask the seller for a BIAAPA/NOC certificate. (biaapa.tpa.gov.in)

5. If village/panchayat land, ask for Panchayat building license copies and any DC/CLU orders. Confirm whether the land has been converted to non-agricultural use.

6. Cross-check RERA (if it’s a plotted layout or project) using the Karnataka RERA portal - registered projects list and promoter details help confirm legitimacy. (Karnataka RERA)

4. Documents to ask the seller for (must-have list)

• Approved layout / sanctioned plan (Nambike Naksha or sanction letter). (BBMP)

• RERA registration number for plotted projects (verify on rera.karnataka.gov.in). (Karnataka RERA)

• DC conversion / CLU orders (if the land was agricultural). (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

• Khata / e-Khata and latest property-tax receipts (BBMP requires e-Khata for online plan approvals).

• Encumbrance Certificate (EC) from the Kaveri/IGR portal (shows mortgages/charges).

• Any BIAAPA or local TPA clearances for airport-area land. (biaapa.tpa.gov.in)

5. Red flags

• The seller can’t produce a sanctioned/signed plan or gives vague answers about which authority approved the layout.

• Claimed “BMRDA-approved” or “BIAAPA-approved” but no document or no matching record on the authority’s site. Always verify. (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

• No e-Khata for BBMP-area properties (post-July 2025, this is required for online plan approvals). That’s a practical blocker for bank processing and OC later.

• Land shown as agricultural without DC/CLU for planned residential use - banks and registrars will flag this. (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

6. Quick checklist for a safe verification

• Exact address + survey number.

• Sanctioned layout/building plan (with sanction number). (BBMP)

• RERA registration number for plotted projects (verify online). (Karnataka RERA)

• DC conversion / CLU orders (if applicable). (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

• Khata / e-Khata + latest tax receipt.

• Encumbrance Certificate (Kaveri) for 20–30 years.

• Any BIAAPA / local-TPA NOCs for airport-zone land. (biaapa.tpa.gov.in)

• A short legal opinion from a local property lawyer before you pay.

7. Short buyer script — what to ask the seller (say it exactly)

• “Who sanctioned the plan - BBMP, BMRDA (which local body), BIAAPA or the Panchayat? Show me the sanction letter.”

• “Do you have the DC conversion / CLU order for this survey number?”

• “Give me the e-Khata/Khata extract and the latest property-tax receipt.”

• “Is this project RERA-registered? What is the RERA number?”

• “Any pending disputes or mortgages? Please provide the Encumbrance Certificate.”

If the seller hesitates or hands over photocopies only, ask for originals (or verified digital downloads) and a short time to run a legal/title check.

8. Tools & portals to bookmark (links you or your agent should use)

• BBMP BPAS / Nambike Naksha (building plan portal) - verify sanctioned plans and OCs. (bpas.bbmpgov.in)

• BMRDA local planning areas & regulations - check which local authority applies. (bmrda.karnataka.gov.in)

• BIAAPA official site - confirm airport-zone approvals. (biaapa.tpa.gov.in)

• Karnataka RERA portal - verify project registration and promoter details. (Karnataka RERA)

• Kaveri / IGR portal - download Encumbrance Certificates.

• Nirmana2P / citizen building-permit tracker - track application status in some taluks/TPAs. (bhu-yojane.karnataka.gov.in)

Final thought

Approvals and the authority that gave them are as important as the price. A verified sanction path (BBMP/BMRDA/BIAAPA/Panchayat) protects your loan, your registration and your peace of mind. If anything looks unclear - stop, verify, and get a short legal title opinion.