The Karnataka government's flagship programme to convert B-Khata properties into A-Khata has kicked off with a slow response, registering only 1,169 applications in the first week. The project, which was formally launched on November 1 and will run for 100 days, is aimed at bringing thousands of properties in Bengaluru under the law and the regulation. However, the early indications are that property owners are going for a wait-and-see approach mainly because they have to get an e-Khata before conversion.
The slow take-up might have something to do with procedural and documentation confusions, as per the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) communication. Quite a number of owners, specifically those of old and partially approved properties, are struggling to meet the new digital demands.
What the Scheme Offers
The scheme facilitates owners of B-Khata properties that have perhaps slight deviations or unapproved parts, to normalise their real estate and get an A-Khata which is a proper record of the property. An A-Khata property has a number of benefits like it becomes easy to get bank loans, building permits, and resell the property since it is a verified legal and planning-compliant property.
The A-Khata conversion is available for 100 days from November 1 for plots with an area of up to 21,527 sq ft located along public roads. The property owners are required to obtain an e-Khata first. They are then to pay a 5% conversion fee based on the guidance value of the property besides other charges for land mutation and map approval.
The e-Khata Hurdle
Though the measure aims at simplifying property records and thus making ownership more transparent, the mandatory e-Khata condition is cited by both officials and residents as the cause of the slow down. There are approximately 7.5 lakh B-Khata properties in Bengaluru out of which only 2.6 lakh have been converted to e-Khata. This implies that a great number of property owners have to first digitise their records before even submitting an application for A-Khata conversion.
“As with any new scheme, there could be some problems at the start,” GBA Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao said, adding that the operational glitches that were experienced during the first week have been fixed. “We are expediting the applications now,” he said, in an interview with the Deccan Herald.
Officials mention that the e-Khata operation - part of the state's e-Swathu digital property records initiative - is vital for transparency and to avert duplication or fraud. However, for owners of old or inherited properties, it is more often than not a matter of following the trail of old documents, boundary maps, and tax receipts, which may take several weeks to gather.
Zone-Wise Conversions
Rajarajeshwarinagar, among the different zones of Bengaluru, is the leader in e-Khata conversion with 1.23 lakh B-Khata properties converted. After it come the areas of Bengaluru South and Anekal (1.03 lakh), Chickpet (84,000), and Shivakumar Nagar (78,000). The West Zone is the present leader in A-Khata conversions with 72,000 conversions, followed closely by the North Zone (69,000) and the East Zone (62,816), the data from GBA reveals.
Why the Distinction Matters
Khata is the main property account record which confirms the ownership, S.I. and tax obligations of a property. Real estate under A-Khata is considered to be fully legal and compliant with urban planning rules, while B-Khata entries are typically properties that have pending approvals, deviations or incomplete documentation.
For the past several years, property buyers have been in a tight spot when it comes to getting home loans or selling B-Khata properties because banks and buyers consider these properties as risky. The government's new conversion initiative is touted to bring ground clarity and instill trust in property records across Bengaluru, thereby increasing their credibility.
Though the response in the beginning was lukewarm, the officials are still optimistic that applications will increase once property owners get to know the process better. Some resident associations have also made requests for the setting up of help desks and online tutorials through which they can guide residents in e-Khata registration and document verification.
For a large number of people, an A-Khata title is not just a bureaucratic formality but rather a step toward legal certainty, financial access, and peace of mind in one of India's fastest-growing real estate markets.
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