S Lalitha By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: A 9mx12m (108 sqm) plot of land allotted by the Bangalore Development Authority to a farmer at its Kempegowda Layout became the first site of the authority to be registered through online mode on Wednesday. The successful issuance of the registration certificate for the plot of land in Krishnasagara village to Gangaraju by the Kengeri Sub Registrar office, brought relief to the land owner, the BDA, and e-governance officials.

Gangaraju told TNIE he was really happy to have the property registered. “Three more of my properties will be registered in the coming days,” he said.

Sustained efforts were undertaken over the past few months to integrate the property ownership document (Khata) issued by BDA with Kaveri Online Services of the Stamps and Registration Department. The integration is a major step that would safeguard property buyers from scamsters or even officials using bogus documents or false ownership records, said a senior official. Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar is said to be the driving force behind it.

Registration of BDA properties almost came to a standstill for nearly 3 months after physical registration stopped. An FIR filed against 20 sub-registrars in the city in 2019, for altering documents, was the main reason for this, a source said.

Vasanthi Amar, BDA Secretary, told TNIE, “This integration achieved between the departments will make property registration easy and transparent. Registration of properties will pick momentum now.”

BDA Systems Manager K Chethan said, “The seamless data sharing between the two departments will ensure transparency. No editing can be done online with any of the records.” For the next fortnight, online registrations will take place at Kengeri office, he added.