Bengaluru Occupancy Certificate Exemption: Relief For Houses On Plots Up To 2,400 Sq Ft For Power Connection
Byline: Political Bureau, Bangalore Mail
Dateline: Bengaluru
BENGALURU: In a major relief to thousands of small and mid-scale house owners across the tech city, the newly formed Karnataka government has announced a significant relaxation in urban construction norms. Days after taking charge as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, D K Shivakumar declared that residential buildings built on plots measuring up to 2,400 sq ft will be exempted from the mandatory requirement of obtaining an Occupancy Certificate (OC) to secure electricity connections.
The breakthrough order, issued on Friday, fulfills one of the key promises made by Chief Minister Shivakumar immediately following his first cabinet meeting. The decision is aimed at slashing red tape and fast-tracking essential utility connections for common citizens.
Eligibility and Scope of the Exemption
According to the official government directive, the one-time Bengaluru Occupancy Certificate exemption applies explicitly to residential buildings that were completed and had applied for electricity connections on or before May 31, 2026.
To prevent misuse, the relief is bound by strict structural configurations and structural limits:
• Permissible Building Height: The relaxation covers residential properties up to Ground+3 floors, or those built with Stilt Parking+4 floors.
• Deviation Margin: A maximum structural variation limit of 20 per cent from the sanctioned plan is permitted under this exemption.
• Geographical Limit: The order covers all eligible structures falling within the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) limits.
This progressive move builds on an earlier, more restrictive policy that had only exempted smaller residential structures—up to Ground+2 floors or Stilt+3 floors on plots up to 1,200 sq ft—from the rigorous OC protocol.
OTS Scheme and On-Site Verification
Alongside this infrastructural relief measure, CM D K Shivakumar announced a One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme designed specifically for residential properties struggling with compliance gridlocks.
However, to ensure that only genuine property owners benefit from this relaxation, the state government has laid down stringent checks. Electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) have been strictly directed to conduct detailed site inspections. Power utility officials will be required to photograph the properties and thoroughly verify compliance with the prescribed parameters before officially greenlighting any power connection.
Boosting Bengaluru’s Real Estate Sector
Political and industry observers anticipate that the policy change will inject fresh momentum into Bengaluru’s construction sector, giving a massive boost to individual plot owners and small-scale to mid-scale residential projects.
Previously, obtaining a traditional occupancy certificate in Bengaluru involved an extensive process, requiring meticulous site inspections and side-by-side verification between the physical structure and approved blueprints. Government officials noted that this created an overwhelming workload for local civic body officers, ultimately resulting in bureaucratic bottlenecks and agonizing delays for home buyers.
The latest relaxation aligns seamlessly with the government’s digital push for transparent, time-bound public services. It runs in tandem with the automated ‘Nambike Map’ system, which already allows citizens to obtain draft building plans on the same day of application and secure final plan approvals within 15 days.
