The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Many Bengaluru residents are struggling to buy or sell properties following the Karnataka government’s mandate for e-Khata in all property transactions.
The newly launched BBMP digital portal, which stores over 21 lakh property records, is experiencing issues with accepting certain required documents, delaying the final issuance of e-Khata.
While city residents may have the option to postpone their transactions until they receive the e-Khata, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are facing greater challenges.
"I planned to sell a property on October 5, and my daughter flew in from Melbourne for the transaction,” said TV Varadarajan, a resident of Kumaraswamy Layout. “On short notice, the Revenue Department made e-Khata mandatory, but the portal wasn’t adequately tested. I was able to upload all documents, except the Encumbrance Certificate, which the system doesn’t recognise,” he explained.
The technical glitch has prevented the family from completing their property registration as scheduled. “My daughter has return tickets booked, but I see no alternative. The e-Khata requirement is poorly timed, causing unnecessary trouble. Until the BBMP portal is fully functional, this rule should be relaxed,” Varadarajan added.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath has directed assistant revenue officers (AROs) to process e-Khata documents in person for those in urgent need. “We have received several requests from NRIs, and we’ll address them on Wednesday,” he said, noting that help desks have been set up in each ARO office.
The e-Khata mandate, which took effect on September 30, coincided with the BBMP’s test phase for the digital portal. To date, the website has seen around 22 lakh visitors. Many users report difficulties locating their properties or uploading required documents, such as encumbrance certificates or registered deeds, due to discrepancies in the government’s property database.
BBMP officials emphasise that document verification, including Aadhaar, is crucial to prevent fraud and impersonation.
Creating gold standard in urban Khata: KBG
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda acknowledged that property transactions may decline temporarily, but stated that the e-Khata system is designed to eliminate fraudulent registrations.
“We’re setting a new gold standard in urban Khata. Once the system is fully operational, genuine buyers and sellers will return,” he said.
To assist those facing challenges, Gowda added, “We have established help desks in revenue offices. Bangalore One centres will also assist with e-Khata applications. We’re also considering reducing the number of required documents.”