More than 1,500 families in Bengaluru find themselves trapped in a seemingly endless property nightmare. Their dream of building a home on plots legally allotted by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in Banashankari 6th Stage has been frozen for years, caught in a sudden and contentious claim by the forest department.
The Heart of the Dispute: A Buffer Zone Interpretation
The sprawling Banashankari 6th Stage layout was formed back in 2001 and comprises over 20,500 sites across 14 blocks. The current crisis centres on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th blocks. Here, the forest department has imposed a construction ban, asserting that portions of this BDA-developed layout fall within a 100-metre buffer zone of the BM Kaval Agara forest land, labelling it an encroachment.
Site owners, however, vehemently argue that the department is misinterpreting a circular. They state the directive was intended only to guide deputy commissioners against making new land grants within such buffer zones. It was never meant to be applied retrospectively to layouts like theirs, which were developed and allotted decades ago.
Lifetime Savings, Endless Wait: Voices from the Ground
The human cost of this bureaucratic impasse is staggering. Families have invested their life savings, taken home loans, and paid EMIs for years, only to be left in limbo.
A 49-year-old owner from the 4th Block shared his anguish, "I invested over Rs 1.5 crore in this property back in 2016-17. We are stuck even today, unable to sell or start construction. The authorities claim to know everything, yet there is no discussion on alternatives." He highlighted the insensitivity towards people who have put their entire financial security on the line.
Anasuya, a 51-year-old homemaker from Jayanagar, was allotted a site in the 5th Block on January 21, 2004. "I've been paying property tax regularly, but suddenly officials turned up claiming the land is forest land. For 13 years, they raised no objection...how is this justice?" she questioned. She calculated a massive opportunity loss, stating her Rs 10 lakh investment from 2004 could be worth nearly Rs 6 crore today had it been placed elsewhere.
No Clear Path to Resolution
TF Mahesha, president of the Banashankari 6th Stage Residents' Welfare Association, outlined the frustrating cycle of representations. "The land was developed and allotted in 2001, but for the past 2.5 years forest officials have blocked construction," he said. The BDA's suggested remedy—providing alternate sites—is conditional on the land first being formally declared a forest, a legal process that could drag on for a decade, leaving investments completely stranded.
While residents are told the matter is in court, they receive no clear assurances or timelines for a resolution.
BDA's Stance and a Glimmer of Hope?
The Bangalore Development Authority has stated that the issue has been escalated to the government level for coordination with the forest department. A senior BDA official clarified their position, confirming that the forest department's claim emerged after the layout was developed and sites were allotted.
"The circular only instructs deputy commissioners to avoid granting land within 100 metres of forest boundaries while making new allotments; it does not apply retrospectively," the official asserted, noting this has been communicated to the forest department.
Officials indicated that detailed discussions are scheduled for January 2026, after which a legal opinion will be sought from the law department. Since the dispute is between government departments, BDA estimates the process could take 3 to 6 months post-consultation, with actions based on the law department's interpretation.
For now, the wait continues for over 1,500 families, their documents, tax receipts, and dreams held hostage by a dispute over a circular's fine print.
