RERA directs immediate registration of Arkavati Barangay Project after a two-decade delay

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) has issued a crucial directive that approves the long-awaited Arkavati Barangay Project under the RERA Act.

In a significant development, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has been instructed to promptly register the project under the Act, providing it with the necessary legal validity.

This project had been left incomplete for two decades. The directive was in response to a petition filed by Vasi Soothan Thiraraj from Vidyaranyapura who sought the swift completion of the Arkavati Barangay Project and requested compensation in the form of interest due to the project's prolonged delay.

A full bench led by the Authority's Chairman, HC Kishorachandra, along with Members Neelmani N. Raju and G.R. Reddy, granted an interim order in favour of the petitioner.

The RERA Act requires the registration of all residential projects, even those initiated before the Act's enforcement. The failure of the BDA to register the Arkavati Barangay Project under RERA compelled the Authority to issue an immediate registration order.

During the hearing, the Authority expressed strong dissatisfaction with the absence of legal representation and the non-appearance of BDA officials. The 2003-2004 Arkavati Barangay Project in Bengaluru, initially planning 8,813 plots, was reduced to 3,720 plots due to land denotifications in various locations.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) faced difficulties in releasing developed land for the project. In response, the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) clarified that the RERA Act applies to ongoing projects, even those initiated before its enactment.

Citing a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, RERA emphasized the Act's applicability to such projects, obligating the Arkavati Barangay Project to register under RERA, as confirmed in the Authority's directive.