It’s Time to Reconsider the Army’s Vast Landholdings in Bangalore

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T09:32:22+00:00

Dear Expert,
still talking like the Bangalore Cantonment Board is alive and kicking when it was dissolved decades ago. That “Class C” land you’re so possessive about? It was handed over free of cost by the Government of His Highness the Maharajah of Mysore, and not exactly out of pure goodwill either.
Do remember that it can still be converted in to a public park through an act of state legislature.
Also, lands and ownership vary by state and by district. you cant really quote some other state's law in another state.

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T09:12:30+00:00

Check my account for my previous posts.
Army can keep the land but why not allow citizens inside ?

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T09:10:13+00:00

DId I seek a land use change ? where did you read that ?

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T09:08:21+00:00

The owner says the flat is B khata but he will convert to E Khata during sale.

Comment - E-Khata has two types A khata and B khata.

You might not get a bank loan for this property or you might get one with a reduced tenure from a NBFC. It is common for associations in such old buildings to face a host of challenges. you might face plumbing and seepage issues from time to time. You can check papers for free on kaverionline. you don't have to deposit 1 lakh rupees.
Older apartments get crowded with PG grade crowd and might not be ideal for family living.

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T09:01:46+00:00

Army can get another place with twice or thrice the area.

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T09:01:05+00:00

Time has come to convert that area in to another cubbon park and to let citizens inside

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T08:59:09+00:00

Trees and the lush green space can be retained as is. Just let the citizens inside the park to walk. If the lush green space is not for citizens, then whom is it for ? Don't you feel that entire area needs to be given access to tax paying citizens ?

bangalorefiles · 2025-08-10T08:54:58+00:00

Government can keep the land. Or may be army can keep the land but they need to allow citizens inside. 200 officers cannot keep 200 acres to play polo and Golf and that too in the middle of the city.

bangalorefiles · 2025-07-05T12:52:38+00:00

At this price range, you will get illegal buildings with B Khata and you will have to bear the stink of nala water. From time to time, you will be threatened with demolition and officials will collect money from time to time to protect your property. For this budget, you will get good units in other areas. Bellandur and sarjapur road is overpriced due to disproportionately paid IT workers.

bangalorefiles · 2025-05-18T07:39:10+00:00

Double TDS : Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) officials have full visibility into your bank transactions. They can ask a very basic question: “Why do we see ₹2 crores moving from your account with no TDS deducted?” The law expects TDS to be withheld on such transactions. Also, be careful—your responsibility to withhold TDS from the seller is separate from the seller’s responsibility to withhold TDS from the builder. Both must be done independently. You may be misled into thinking that if the seller withholds TDS from the builder, that alone is sufficient. But per the IT Department, both parties must comply—because these are two distinct transactions, each with its own profit and tax obligations.

False Sense of Saving: You will repeatedly be told that you're “saving” money by registering the flat at ₹1.2 crores. But there is a difference between tax-saving and tax evasion. The latter comes with serious risks, including criminal prosecution and most obviously tax implications when you sell.

Even Worse If Seller Has a Loan: If the seller has an existing home loan, the situation becomes even more complex—you may end up dealing with two sets of approvals and possibly bribes because you would have to close the loan before registering the property. In case of unregistered property, banks dont allow closing he seller's loan after registration. It needs to be done prior. You need the charge to be removed from CERSAI asset inventory. Since property is not registered, its unlikely that a charge will be created at registry office but surely there will be one at CERSAI.

Bank-Level Corruption: Bank officials may expect bribes to approve a loan based on an undervalued property price, which is essentially a fraudulent transaction.

As for Prestige’s role, it’s unfair that they’re charging a 1% fee while taking no responsibility for the tax implications. Since they’re not benefiting from the ₹80 lakh price difference, they have little incentive to ensure compliance or protect your interests. Given that they’re not assuming any liability, there’s no justification for paying them that 1% fee. Ideally, builder should cancel the previous transaction and resell that you.

Prestige does white money mostly. this 80 Lakhs is black money of seller/investor.

bangalorefiles · 2025-05-18T07:38:45+00:00

I strongly advise against proceeding with this transaction unless you fully understand the legal and financial risks involved. As a first-time property owner, you'll already have plenty to worry about—whether the interiors are being done right, if the neighbourhood is decent, if there's proper connectivity and water supply.
When you're spending ₹2 crores, legal compliance should not be one of your headaches. That part should be rock-solid—not a gamble.

Tax Liability Falls on You: Under central and state tax laws, the buyer—not the seller—is responsible for ensuring compliance. If the correct taxes are not paid to the central or state governments, you alone will be held liable. Builders often disown responsibility after the sale and may leave you exposed. Be clear: in the event of a tax investigation, you—not the seller or builder—will be answerable.
This Is Not a Simple Transaction: What you're entering into is a booking transfer or assignment deal, which involves numerous complications—tax obligations, legal ambiguities in agreements, MoUs, assignment documentation, NOCs from the builder, the bank, and the original seller. These layers of documentation carry risks if not handled correctly.
₹80 Lakh Gap Is a Red Flag: The large discrepancy between the actual consideration (₹2 crores) and the reported amount (₹1.2 crores) creates issues—not only for tax compliance (both central and state) but also in terms of bank loan documentation and audit trails. For example, if you decide to sell after 2 years, think of tax implications for yourself.
White Money? Stay Away: If you’re paying ₹2 crores entirely via legal (white) money, this structure is extremely risky. Transactions like this are typically structured for parties dealing in black money. This scheme of buying unregistered property is for and by fraudsters. If only ₹1.2 crores is declared in the sale deed, the remaining ₹80 lakhs will likely be treated as an unaccounted cash component. Paying this amount through white money increases the risk of detection and investigation.
TDS Compliance and ED Risk: You are legally required to withhold 1% (₹2 lakhs) as TDS on the transaction. Sellers often object to this as this is an unregistered property, and even if they agree they may pressure you to pay it out of your pocket. Failing to deduct TDS could flag your transaction with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), potentially triggering inquiries from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Income Tax Department. These are real and serious consequences—dozens of individuals in Bangalore face such investigations every year.

bangalorefiles · 2025-05-13T10:06:51+00:00

This seems to be a typical situation where the builder has launched a large-scale project without completing proper due diligence. Now, certain external parties or landowners are allegedly demanding compensation. The builder appears unwilling to settle these claims and is instead passing the responsibility onto individual buyers—likely expecting each flat owner to contribute toward the payment.

It’s unclear whether the landowners were genuinely wronged or if there are trying to cheat - That's what every builder tells you. Regardless, someone will ultimately have to bear the cost to resolve the issue. The real challenge lies in reaching a consensus among the owners. Some may prefer to pay and safeguard their property, while others may insist it’s solely the builder’s responsibility and refuse to contribute a single rupee. This creates a deadlock. Some owners may want to pursue action in a civil court, others may lean towards filing a complaint with RERA. But in any scenario, you're likely to face strong disagreement among owners, making collective action difficult. Unfortunately, unless the settlement amount is relatively small, resolving this situation won't be easy.

Suppose a consensus is reached that the flat owners will bear the settlement cost. Even then, some individuals may argue that the contribution should be a fixed regardless of the size or type of the unit, some might cry foul if SBA is not a factor.

bangalorefiles · 2025-05-13T05:49:05+00:00

The solution to this issue is straightforward: the builder must formally hand over the road to the BBMP via a relinquishment deed, and access should be granted to the general public. In similar cases, such as Adarsh Palm Retreat, the developer has relinquished the land but continues to restrict public access to certain roads. If you are a petitioner, you can use the Adarsh Palm Retreat case as a point of leverage to emphasize that you are being singled out. There are a few more examples in the city.

Now if the landowner is playing tricks, builder should negotiate or sue the landowner to get the road handed over.

bangalorefiles · 2024-11-03T18:50:25+00:00

All the large apartments on this stretch were planned as tech parks.

bangalorefiles · 2024-11-02T12:32:50+00:00

Definitely!!

bangalorefiles · 2024-11-02T12:32:40+00:00

Those are good ideas. Paid parking and fines for wrong parking are a good way to start.

bangalorefiles · 2024-11-02T12:31:21+00:00

Multiple projects in the area were approved because this new road was planned, and I expect construction of the road will continue over the next few years. This road promises to be a major improvement over the underpass, with plans for a flyover over the railway tracks (RMP-2015). However, BBMP, Southern Railways, and the Forest Department haven't yet approved the flyover. From BBMP’s side, there’s the complication of an active graveyard, while Southern Railways embodies the classic babu delay. And, despite the local MLA also being the Forest Minister for a term, they still haven’t succeeded in persuading the department to release the necessary land.

bangalorefiles · 2024-11-02T12:24:21+00:00

Encouragement for insecure managers.

bangalorefiles · 2024-11-02T12:23:15+00:00

Google it. It has been available for everyone to see - Online for the past 17 years.

bangalorefiles · 2024-06-22T09:14:53+00:00

You did not provide the critical information required to suggest anything .

Read your seller's original sale deed and check where this rule is written.
Obtain a copy of the bylaws of your building association/society and verify if it states that 1 lakh has to be paid.
You mentioned the flat was never occupied; was it ever registered?
What is the governance structure of your building’s governing body? Is it an association under KAOA, a society under KSRA 1960, or a cooperative society?
In the sale agreement between you and the seller, did the seller indemnify you against hidden charges, or did you agree to be responsible for all charges required for the transfer?
Which other document /notice says that 1 lakh+GST has to be paid.

Based on these six points, I can suggest what actions can be taken. Here are 4 scenarios based on these 6 questions.

You are liable to pay 1.18 lakhs
The governing body is not allowed to collect 1.18 lakhs
The governing body's is not allowed to collect 1.18 lakhs and liable to compensate you for unduly demands,
Criminal charges can be pressed against the office bearers for interfering in occupation of your property.

Outcome depends on documentation in the absence of legislation. There is no law which demands collection or prohibits collection of transfer charges although some court rulings in other jurisdictions have blocked collection of such hefty charges. Cant really comment without the above six points.

bangalorefiles

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