BDA, BMRDA, BIAAPA or GBA: which authority approved your project

2.12.1 Which authority approves a project around Bangalore?

The authority that approves a project’s plan depends on where the land sits. Inside the Greater Bengaluru Area, the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 applies. Section 14(2)(a) makes the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) the “Planning Authority” for that area. The term comes from the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961 (the KTCP Act). Under section 230, the Commissioner of the City Corporation sanctions building plans. Around the city, the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) plans and coordinates development under the BMRDA Act, 1985. BMRDA’s website lists 12 local planning authorities in its region. These include the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), BIAAPA, and the Anekal, Hoskote, Magadi and Nelamangala planning authorities. BMRDA says these authorities approve layouts and issue the commencement certificate for buildings. In a KIADB industrial area, a proviso to section 14(2)(b) of the GBA Act lets KIADB sanction the industrial layout plan and building plan. It needs prior approval of the local planning authority. The table compares them.

Authority	Area it covers	Law	What it does for a new project
Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the City Corporations	The Greater Bengaluru Area	Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, sections 14(2) and 230. KTCP Act, section 81G	GBA: planning authority and layout approval. City Corporation Commissioner: building plan sanction
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA)	The Bengaluru Metropolitan Area and other notified areas, excluding the Greater Bengaluru Area	KTCP Act, section 81B, as amended by Act 67 of 2025	Local planning authority for that area
BMRDA	The Bangalore Metropolitan Region	BMRDA Act, 1985, sections 2(c), 9 and 10	Structure plan, coordination, and permission for notified types of development
Local planning authorities, such as BIAAPA, Anekal, Hoskote, Magadi and Nelamangala	Each one’s local planning area	KTCP Act, sections 4A, 4C, 14 and 15	Layout approval, change of land use, and the commencement certificate for buildings
KIADB	KIADB industrial areas	Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, section 14(2)(b), proviso	Industrial layout plan and building plan sanction in a KIADB industrial area, with prior approval of the local planning authority

Sources: the Acts named in the table and BMRDA’s Local Planning Areas page, checked 11 October 2026.

2.12.2 What does BMRDA do, and does it approve your plan?

BMRDA is a regional body. Its main job is to plan and coordinate, while the local planning authorities handle most plan approvals. Section 9 of the BMRDA Act, 1985 lists its functions. BMRDA surveys the region and prepares a structure plan for its development. It formulates schemes to carry out the structure plan, and it coordinates bodies such as the BDA, the city corporation, BWSSB and KIADB. Section 10 gives BMRDA a direct power over some projects. BMRDA can notify types of development that need its previous permission. For those types, no local authority can grant permission until BMRDA has. Sachi did not open the notification that lists those types. Section 81C of the KTCP Act adds one more role. The planning authorities in the region send their outline and comprehensive development plans to the State Government through BMRDA. One older K-RERA page, for the NATURA ATAVI plotted development in Anekal Taluk, names BMRDA as its approving authority.

The definition of the region differs between sources. Section 2(c) of the BMRDA Act, in the India Code copy, says the Bangalore District and Bangalore Rural District, and other notified areas. BMRDA’s website says the region covers Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagaram districts, about 8,005 square kilometres. Section 2(6) of the GBA Act defines the “Bengaluru Metropolitan Region” as Bengaluru District, Bengaluru Rural District and other notified areas. Sachi did not open the notifications that changed the region.

BMRDA power	Section of the BMRDA Act, 1985
Survey the region and prepare a structure plan	9(1)(i), 9(1)(ii)
Formulate and coordinate schemes	9(1)(iv), 9(1)(v)
Coordinate the BDA, the corporation, BWSSB, KIADB and others	9(1)(ix)
Require its previous permission for notified types of development	10(1), 10(2)
Hear applications, then grant, refuse or set conditions	10(3), 10(4)

2.12.3 What are BIAAPA and the other local planning authorities?

A local planning authority is the body that controls land use and building in one local planning area. The KTCP Act creates these bodies. Section 4A lets the State Government declare any area a local planning area. Section 4C lets it constitute a “Planning Authority” for that area. Section 14(2) says no change of land use or development can happen without the planning authority’s written permission. That permission is “contained in a commencement certificate”. Under section 15, the authority must acknowledge the application, and then grant or refuse the certificate. If it does not reply within three months, the certificate is deemed granted. The proviso to section 15(2) limits this to development that conforms to the approved plan. BMRDA’s Local Planning Areas page lists 12 authorities in its region. Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA) has its office in Devanahalli Town. BIAAPA’s website lists a building plan scrutiny procedure, a layout approval procedure and a change of land use procedure.

The BIAAPA website loaded over http on 11 October 2026, and the https address failed. The table shows the authorities from BMRDA’s page that a buyer around Bangalore meets most often.

Local planning authority (BMRDA list)	Office (BMRDA list)	Website (BMRDA list)
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA)	Not given in the list	bdabangalore.org
Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA)	Devanahalli Town	biaapa.tpa.gov.in
Anekal Planning Authority (APA)	Hennagara Gate, Hosur main road	anekal.tpa.gov.in
Hoskote Planning Authority (HPA)	Hoskote	hoskote.tpa.gov.in
Nelamangala Planning Authority	Nelamangala Town	npa.karnataka.gov.in
Magadi Planning Authority (MPA)	Magadi Town	magadi.tpa.gov.in
Satellite Town Ring Road Planning Authority	Malleshwaram, Bengaluru	strrpa.karnataka.gov.in

The same list also names the Ramanagara Urban Development Authority and the Kanakapura, Channapatna and Doddaballapura planning authorities. It also lists a “Greater Bengaluru Development Authority” at gbbsc.tpa.gov.in. The BDA websites did not respond to Sachi on 11 October 2026.

2.12.4 Where do the GBA and the BDA fit inside the city?

Inside the Greater Bengaluru Area, the planning and building rules now come from the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024. Section 2(30) defines that area as the larger urban area of the City of Bengaluru and other notified areas. Section 14(2)(a) makes the GBA the planning authority for it, “notwithstanding anything contained in any other law”. Section 14(2)(b) lets the GBA approve layouts, in conformity with the master plan. Section 230 gives building plan sanction to the Commissioner of each City Corporation, on the advice of the Additional Chief Town Planner. Section 223 says a City Corporation must follow the KTCP Act on land use and development. The India Code copy of the KTCP Act shows changes by Act 67 of 2025. Amended section 81B makes the BDA the planning authority for its area, excluding the Greater Bengaluru Area. New section 81G makes the GBA the local planning authority for the Greater Bengaluru Area. That copy leaves the start date of these changes blank.

K-RERA pages filed in 2025 and 2026 still name the BDA and the BBMP. On 11 October 2026, two pages showed “BDA - Bangalore Development Authority”, with plan approval dates in 2026. They were HARMONY HOMES in Anekal and SAMBHAV RISE OF AURA in Yelahanka. CASAGRAND ESTANCIA showed “BBMP - Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike” with a plan approval date of 1 September 2025. The building plan approval guide explains how a City Corporation sanction works, its five-year validity and the plinth and occupancy checks. For any project inside the city, ask the builder which body issued the sanction, and read that body’s name on the order.

2.12.5 How do you see which authority approved the plan on K-RERA?

The K-RERA project page names the approving authority. Open the project from the public search at rera.karnataka.gov.in, then open the Project Details tab. On the newer layout, a block called Plan Details shows three fields: “Approving Authority”, “Approved Plan Number” and “Plan Approval Date”. The older layout shows “Approving Authority” in the same tab, without the plan block. The Uploaded Documents tab on older pages also has a field labelled “Approval/NOC under Sec 14 of the KTCP Act”. The field is the builder’s own entry, so check it against the approved plan file. The Karnataka RERA guide explains the rest of the page. Three cases on 11 October 2026 show why you must read the field. Brigade Belvedere’s address says the land is “now Bangalore East Taluk earlier Hoskote Taluk”, and the page names the BDA. ASSETZ KVN NIWA & NEO, in a KIADB park, names KIADB. Laurel & Maple at Brigade Orchards in Devanahalli shows only “Local Planing Authority”, with a plan number that starts “TMCD”.

1. Search the project on K-RERA by its registration number.
2. Open the Project Details tab and find Plan Details.
3. Write down the Approving Authority, the Approved Plan Number and the Plan Approval Date.
4. Open the approved plan file, and check the authority’s name and seal.
5. If the field is generic, ask the builder for the authority’s full name in writing.

Project (K-RERA, 11 October 2026)	Village or area in the K-RERA address	Approving Authority field	Plan Approval Date
RIVIERA SKY	Upparahalli, Kasaba Hobli, Devanahalli	BIAPPA - Bangalore Airport Area Planning Authority	09-04-2026
JAI SKYWAY	Doddahullur, Kasaba Hobli, Hoskote Taluk	Hoskote Planning Authority	22-04-2026
SUYUG’S THE SHALLOT MARQUE	S. Medahalli, Sarjapura Hobli, Anekal Taluk	Satellite Town Ring Road Planning Authority	18-06-2026
Brigade Belvedere	Cheemasandra, “now Bangalore East Taluk earlier Hoskote Taluk”	BDA - Bangalore Development Authority	17-03-2026
ASSETZ KVN NIWA & NEO	Hitech, Defence & Aerospace Park, Yelahanka	KIADB - Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board	20-06-2026
Laurel & Maple at Brigade Orchards	Devanahalli Village, Devanahalli Taluk	Local Planing Authority	11-02-2026

Source: Karnataka RERA project pages, Project Details tab, checked 11 October 2026. The spelling “BIAPPA” and “Local Planing” is K-RERA’s own. Sachi reads the plan details that builders file on K-RERA for Bangalore projects. To check which authority approved your project, Ask Sachi.