BDA No Objection Certificate (NOC)

What is a BDA No Objection Certificate?

A BDA No Objection Certificate (NOC) is a document issued by the Bangalore Development Authority. It serves two primary purposes:

1. Firstly, the BDA NOC document for a piece of land confirms that at the time it was issued, there was no notification from the BDA to acquire the land.

2. Secondly, the BDA NOC document for a piece of land also confirms that the BDA approves of what the builder, developer, owner etc proposes to do with the land. This means that if the builder wishes to build a residential layout on the land for example, then the BDA approves of the builder’s intent to build the residential layout there. Note that this is NOT the same as approval or sanctioning of the Residential Layout plan itself. The builder will still need to prepare the Layout Plan through the help of an Architect/Engineer and submit the plan to the BDA for review and approval.

Why is the No Objection Certificate important?

The No Objection Certificate is important from two perspectives:

1. When you are purchasing land or property from someone

   If you are purchasing land or property from someone, it is very important to find out if the BDA has already issued a notice to acquire the property. The BDA could have issued a notice to acquire your property for various reasons – for example, for building of a Commercial Complex, or for putting in place a BDA Park for the public, etc. If you purchase the property and then find out that the BDA had issued a notice to acquire your land, you are then out of luck. Also, it is never a bad idea to engage a skilled lawyer to verify that the NOC that has been provided to you by the builder is not forged.

2. For the planned development of the city

   The BDA is the organization that is responsible for the Planned growth of Bangalore City proper. By issuing the NOC certificates, the BDA implements its role in making sure that the different parts of the city develops according to its “Comprehensive Development Plan” which is the long-term plan for how Bangalore should grow. Therefore, if something is designated to be a Residential Zone or Area, the BDA will not give a NOC when a builder is proposing to build a Commercial Building.

Is BDA the only authority who can issue a NOC?

A BDA NOC is only one type of NOC. There are various other Planning Authorities in and around Bangalore City who are responsible for different geographic areas – for example, Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA), Lake Development Authority (LDA) etc. Each of these planning authorities issue their own NOC documents.