Karnataka has rolled out a major reform in land administration by introducing an auto land conversion system, a move that the state’s revenue department says will ease approvals, cut delays, and strengthen property ownership.
“The Government has done away with the requirement for separate land conversion in areas covered under the published comprehensive development plan (CDP) within the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Landowners who are developers can now directly apply for plan approval as per the master plan, and land conversion will be carried out automatically as part of the plan approval process,” the state’s revenue department said in a statement on February 7.
Land conversion means changing the official status of land from agricultural use to non-agricultural use, which is required before it can be legally developed for housing, commercial projects, or layouts.
Speaking after releasing the new ‘Land Auto Conversion’ software for land within the GBA jurisdiction at Vidhana Soudha on February 7, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said, “Till now, conversion of land was required even in areas falling inside the master plan. Despite the ‘deemed conversion,’ this process was taking 4-6 months and allowing middlemen to exploit developers. Delay, harassment, corruption and cost increases were ultimately burdening the common public who are site-buyers. This was also bringing disrepute to the government and the revenue department.”
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What does this new auto land conversion mean?
Revenue department officials said the government has removed the requirement for a separate land conversion process for properties located within areas covered by an officially published comprehensive development plan (CDP) in the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) region.
Under the revised system, property owners and developers no longer need to obtain a standalone conversion order before moving ahead with development. Instead, they can apply directly for building or layout plan approvals in line with the applicable master plan. Once the planning authority processes and approves the proposal, land conversion is deemed to have taken place automatically as part of the same approval cycle, according to department officials.
According to officials, the change is aimed at cutting procedural delays and eliminating duplication in approvals that earlier slowed down projects despite land already being earmarked for urban use under statutory plans. By integrating land conversion with plan sanctions, the government expects faster clearances, reduced administrative burden, and greater certainty for developers and property owners operating within the GBA limits.
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How will it impact real estate in the city?
The revenue department said in the statement that the introduction of auto-conversion in master plan areas is intended to promote planned urban development while significantly improving ease of doing business in Bengaluru’s real estate sector. Earlier, even parcels clearly falling within approved master plans were required to undergo a separate land conversion process, despite the legal concept of “deemed conversion.”
“This process typically took 4–6 months and often led to delays, harassment, corruption, and increased costs due to middlemen,” Gowda said at Vidhana Soudha on February 7.
These inefficiencies ultimately burdened site buyers and brought disrepute to government institutions, particularly the revenue department, he said.
With auto-conversion now in place across the GBA region, the department expects a measurable reduction in approval timelines, the revenue department statement said.
The reform also aims to lower development costs, bring greater transparency, and ensure decisions are taken within defined timelines, it said.
The revenue department said that reform supports faster, legal, and more affordable land development, benefiting both developers and buyers alike.
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Will it ease b-Khata to a-Khata conversion?
The revenue department statement said that enabling provision for auto-conversion creates a clear legal pathway for b-Khata properties to convert into a-Khatas, a long-standing demand of thousands of property owners across Bengaluru. Many of these owners had purchased sites in unauthorised or partially approved layouts in earlier years and have since faced restrictions on loans, resale, and formal approvals.
“Getting a-Khata will add legal strength to such sites, enable them to obtain loans, increase the value of their property, ease transactions, and approvals. By bringing online a transparent, time-bound and automatic process, discretion is reduced. All these steps, along with e-Khata and integration of different records, will reduce litigation and bring greater guarantee to property ownership,” Gowda said.
With auto-conversion now backed by a statutory framework, eligible b-Khata properties can be converted to a-Khata once they meet planning and documentation requirements. The statement said that obtaining an a-Khata will strengthen legal ownership, improve access to bank loans, and increase the market value of properties. It will also simplify future transactions, including sales, inheritance, and approvals for construction or redevelopment.
By integrating auto-conversion with e-Khatha and digitised land records, the revenue department aims to reduce litigation and provide greater certainty in property ownership.
“As urbanisation increases, demand for urban properties will increase at a faster rate. Our government is committed to facilitating planned development and to helping people with affordable access to properties. At the same time, our government is also continuously bringing reforms to help people and businesses get better governance. Auto-conversion in the master plan is a major step in that direction. By reforming and simplifying the infamous conversion, the government has taken a bold step,” Gowda said at Vidhana Soudha.