95% drop in property registrations as Karnataka's E-Khata initiative faces major technical glitches
Property registrations in major cities like Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru have dropped dramatically by 95% as a result of a major impediment to the Karnataka government's initiative to digitize real estate transactions through the mandated e-khata registration system.
This sharp decrease comes as the stamps and registration department tries to boost revenue by keeping select sub-registrar offices open on weekends. In the first two quarters of this fiscal year, property registrations had shown a 5% increase compared to last year, generating ₹11,550 crore in revenue, up from ₹9,419 crore during the same period last year.
Out of Karnataka's 257 sub-registrar offices, only 26 in Bengaluru are exempt from the e-khata requirement. In Bengaluru, 43 sub-registrar offices are spread across five registration districts. E-khata is currently mandatory in Basavanagudi and Gandhinagar, with plans to extend it to Jayanagar, Rajajinagar, and Shivajinagar next week.
Local authorities are tasked with issuing e-khata documents, which serve as legal proof of property ownership for tax payments. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has published draft e-khatas online for the city’s 2.1 million properties. To obtain a final e-khata, property owners must download the draft and submit various electronic IDs, including the sale deed, Aadhaar e-KYC, a 10-digit Bescom number, GPS details, and a photograph of the property, along with encumbrance details. However, many individuals have faced challenges due to reported glitches on the portal and a general lack of awareness about the process.
Launched on September 9, the e-khata system was introduced in four districts to curb fraudulent transactions and was expanded to eight districts by September 23 and the entire state by October 7. However, sub-registrar offices are now witnessing a dramatic drop in registrations. “Normally, a sub-registrar office registers 50-60 properties a day, but this has plummeted to just five to six due to technical glitches with the e-khata mandate,” said a sub-registrar from Bengaluru.
In light of these ongoing issues, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda convened a meeting with BBMP and revenue officials to address the challenges, particularly in Bengaluru. “I have informed Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who has directed BBMP officials to resolve these issues promptly. These are initial glitches, and once the system stabilizes, people will benefit from the digitization,” Gowda stated.
He reassured property owners that there is no immediate deadline for obtaining an e-khata. “Only those looking to sell their properties need to secure it now; others can take their time,” he added. To assist residents with the e-khata process, helpdesks have been established at various locations, including the BBMP ARO office, Bengaluru One, and local body offices in rural areas.
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Mock drills to be held at three places in Karnataka on May 7
Bengaluru, May 6 (PTI): Mock drills will be conducted in Bengaluru, Karwar, and Raichur on May 7, given the "new and complex threats" that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Director General of Police Prashant Kumar Thakur said the drills will continue for a week and are aimed at identifying and addressing gaps in preparedness and resources.
"Mock drills will be held at three locations in the state, including Bengaluru city, which is a metropolitan area with numerous defence establishments and is a very sensitive district for Karnataka," Thakur said.
"The second location is Karwar in Uttara Kannada district, home to the Kaiga nuclear power station. The third is Raichur, selected due to the thermal power station there," he added.
Speaking to reporters, Thakur said, "We have discussed the mock drill components with the Ministry of Home Affairs."
He clarified that sirens are not the sole component of the drill. The exercise also includes hospital mobilisation, relief efforts, and rescue operations.
There are about 5,000 civil defence personnel in Bengaluru, all of whom will be activated and deployed across the city as part of the drill, he added.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed all states to conduct such mock drills.
Thakur said the drill will be held at 4 pm tomorrow, with the timing chosen to account for both daytime and nighttime scenarios, from Northeast India to Gujarat.
The civil defence organisational structure includes people from diverse backgrounds—doctors, students, NCC cadets, and others. All of them have been trained and will be briefed and tested during the drill. By deploying them, we aim to assess and fix the gaps in preparation and resources, thereby building capability and confidence, he said.
Thakur noted that sirens have been installed at various police and fire stations.
In Bengaluru, 35 sirens have been deployed, of which 32 are functional, each with a range of approximately 3 km.
"People should know what actions to take when they hear the siren. We are expecting a formal guideline from Delhi on this. The decision regarding the drill was taken yesterday in Delhi, and we were informed last night," he said.
A video conference was held on Tuesday to finalise plans. We must assess our preparedness and address any shortcomings, he added.
According to a communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the measures to be taken during the mock drills include operationalising air-raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil defence procedures to protect themselves during a "hostile attack" and clearing bunkers and trenches.
Other steps include implementing crash-blackout measures, camouflaging vital plants and installations, and updating and rehearsing evacuation plans, according to a letter sent to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories.
The drills will also involve activating hotline and radio-communication links with the Indian Air Force (IAF), and testing the functionality of control rooms and shadow control rooms.
