E-Khata Mandatory From November 1: Bengaluru Tightens B-Khata to A-Khata Conversion Process

Starting November 1, property owners in Bengaluru with B-Khata holdings will be required to obtain an e-Khata before converting their properties to A-Khata under a new directive by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The move has caught many property owners off guard, adding to the already complex process of conversion and sparking frustration among applicants who see this digital step as an unnecessary hurdle.

Under the new guidelines, only B-Khata properties measuring up to 21,527 square feet and located on adjoining public roads are eligible for conversion. Property owners will also need to pay a 5% conversion fee based on their property's guidance value, alongside additional charges for land mutation and map approval, according to the Times of India report.

Many residents, particularly in areas such as Rajarajeshwarinagar, were already in the process of gathering documents for conversion when the e-Khata requirement was announced, leaving them frustrated with the sudden addition of a digital step. Bengaluru is home to approximately 7.5 lakh B-Khata properties, but only 2.6 lakh have been converted to e-Khata so far. The West Zone has seen the highest number of conversions, with 72,000 properties upgraded, followed by North (69,000) and East zones (62,816).

Rajarajeshwarinagar leads the city with the largest number of B-Khata properties converted to e-Khata, totaling 1.23 lakh, followed by Bengaluru South and Anekal (1.03 lakh), Chickpet (84,000), and Shivakumar Nagar (78,000).

Defending the move, Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner (Revenue) at the GBA, stated that the introduction of e-Khata was necessary for ensuring transparency in the conversion process. Moudgil clarified that this new phase only applies to individual site owners or those with site-and-building properties, not apartment owners.

Despite the explanation, many residents argue that the issue goes beyond mere documentation. A senior GBA official elaborated that the conversion campaign's primary goal is to enhance property tax compliance. According to the official, many B-Khata properties currently lack official records, leading to a significant loss in property tax revenue. The conversion to A-Khata is seen as a way to formalize these properties, widen the tax base, and contribute to the city's infrastructure development.

While the new requirement may bring long-term benefits for Bengaluru's tax base and development, property owners are left navigating yet another layer of bureaucracy in an already time-consuming process.