Nelamangala Masterplan 2031: BMRDA Zone Check and Land Use Guide
BMRDA-2031
Overview
The Nelamangala LPA masterplan zone governs all land use in one of Bengaluru's fastest-growing western corridors. The Nelamangala LPA Masterplan 2031, provisionally approved by the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority under G.O. No. UDD 150 BMR 2013, divides the local planning area into nine use zones, each with distinct permitted uses, FAR limits, and conversion requirements under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961. This page covers the zone classification system, the regulatory traps that catch buyers in this corridor, and the micro-markets where the plan creates or destroys land value.
Agricultural zone and phase-II land: the trap that resets a Nelamangala deal to zero
The single most expensive mistake buyers make in the Nelamangala LPA is treating every yellow-colored parcel on a broker's map as immediately buildable. The masterplan is unambiguous: no change of land use is permissible in the Agricultural Zone under Section 14-A of the KTCP Act, 1961, and no approvals for development or no-objection certificates for conversion to non-agricultural use are permissible in Phase II urbanizable areas, which cover land planned for development only between 2021 and 2031. A broker showing you a site inside Phase II as "ready for layout" is showing you something that does not legally exist yet.
This is not a theoretical risk. In August 2025, the Karnataka Revenue Department identified approximately 30,340 suspected illegal layout cases statewide. Investigations confirmed that officials collaborated with landowners to bypass conversion requirements by using 11E maps issued without actual conversion, later patched through land record corrections called "phodi durasthi." Several officials have been suspended. Separately, a Karnataka housing cooperative was implicated in a Rs 316-crore scam with announced layouts in Nelamangala, Varthur, and Devanahalli. And in W.P. No. 21648 of 2024, the Karnataka High Court found that converted land not forming part of an approved layout cannot receive an e-Khata, even if the owner holds a conversion order and has paid property tax for years.
The table below summarises the Nelamangala LPA Masterplan 2031 zone codes and what a buyer can and cannot do in each.
Residential
Permitted as-of-right
Plots, villas, apartments, group housing (min. 1 ha)
Requires DC conversion?
Yes, from agriculture
Key restriction
Hospitals need min. 750 sq m and 12 m road
Commercial
Permitted as-of-right
All residential uses plus offices, retail, warehouses, multiplexes
Requires DC conversion?
Yes, from agriculture
Key restriction
Mezzanine permitted on commercial only
Industrial
Permitted as-of-right
All industries including IT/BT; 40% residential quarters allowed for 10+ ha sites
Requires DC conversion?
Yes, from agriculture
Key restriction
KSPCB clearance required for obnoxious industries
Agricultural (Phase I)
Permitted as-of-right
Farmhouses up to 200 sq m plinth within 1.2 ha minimum plot
Requires DC conversion?
Not required for agricultural use
Key restriction
No layout or CLU in this zone
Agricultural (Phase II)
Permitted as-of-right
Agriculture only
Requires DC conversion?
No NOC for any non-agricultural development permitted
Key restriction
Do not purchase for residential/industrial development
Parks and Open Spaces
Permitted as-of-right
Parks, playgrounds; ancillary uses max 5% of area, G+1 only
Requires DC conversion?
N/A
Key restriction
30 m no-development buffer around lakes of 10 ha and above; 9 m around Raj Kaluves
Zone
Permitted as-of-right
Requires DC conversion?
Key restriction
Residential
Plots, villas, apartments, group housing (min. 1 ha)
Yes, from agriculture
Hospitals need min. 750 sq m and 12 m road
Commercial
All residential uses plus offices, retail, warehouses, multiplexes
Yes, from agriculture
Mezzanine permitted on commercial only
Industrial
All industries including IT/BT; 40% residential quarters allowed for 10+ ha sites
Yes, from agriculture
KSPCB clearance required for obnoxious industries
Agricultural (Phase I)
Farmhouses up to 200 sq m plinth within 1.2 ha minimum plot
Not required for agricultural use
No layout or CLU in this zone
Agricultural (Phase II)
Agriculture only
No NOC for any non-agricultural development permitted
Do not purchase for residential/industrial development
Parks and Open Spaces
Parks, playgrounds; ancillary uses max 5% of area, G+1 only
N/A
30 m no-development buffer around lakes of 10 ha and above; 9 m around Raj Kaluves
DC conversion for non-agricultural use is mandatory under Section 95 of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act. Under the 2025 amendments to that Act, misuse of conversion orders now attracts cancellation, land confiscation, and fines of up to Rs 1 lakh plus Rs 2,500 per day , recorded as an encumbrance on the RTC extract. If a seller cannot show you a dated conversion order cross-referenced against the actual survey number on the masterplan map, the transaction is not ready to proceed.
Where the Nelamangala LPA masterplan creates investable land: NH-48, Arasinakunte, and the STRR node
The masterplan shapes value very differently across the LPA. Three corridors account for most of the legitimate buyer activity in Nelamangala today.
The NH-48 (Tumkur Road) corridor running through Arasinakunte and Adarsh Nagar carries the highest concentration of BMRDA and NPA-approved residential layout activity. Most developer projects here are in the Residential Zone, priced between Rs 3,649 and Rs 6,099 per sq ft as of late 2025. The FAR for residential use on roads over 9 m and up to 12 m wide is 1.75, rising to 2.0 on roads over 12 m. Group housing on plots above 1 ha requires a minimum 12 m approach road, 15% civic amenity reservation, and FAR calculated only on net area after deducting that reservation.
The Industrial Zone along NH-48 near Dobbaspet attracts logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing buyers. Industrial plots here were listed at Rs 2.5 crore per 10,000 sq ft unit as of 2024. The plan permits IT/BT industries on plots above 5 ha in the Industrial Zone to allocate 30% of area to residential apartments for employees, subject to KSPCB clearance. The Chennai-Bangalore-Chitradurga Industrial Corridor, where it falls within the LPA, is explicitly recognised in the masterplan as a permitted development.
The third corridor is the STRR alignment. The 288-km Bengaluru Satellite Town Ring Road (NH-948A) lists Nelamangala as a node. The 80-km Dobbaspet-Hoskote section was inaugurated by PM Modi on 11 March 2024, with tolling operational from June 2024. Land along the Dobbaspet-Nelamangala-Bidadi stretch , the longest STRR section at 43 km , is attracting logistics and land banking interest. Land prices in Nelamangala are reported to be growing at 22% year-on-year, with entry-level site pricing around Rs 5,500 per sq ft, the lowest among the STRR nodes. A proposed airport on the Nelamangala-Kunigal Road, if confirmed, could produce a sharp step-change in values, but as of March 2026 no official notification has been issued.
Arasinakunte / Adarsh Nagar (NH-48)
Zone classification
Residential
Current price range
Rs 3,600–6,100/sq ft
Infrastructure & economic drivers
BMRDA-approved plotted development
Key risk
Unsanctioned layouts adjacent to approved ones
Dobbaspet industrial belt
Zone classification
Industrial
Current price range
Rs 2–2.5 Cr per 10,000 sq ft
Infrastructure & economic drivers
Logistics, warehousing, STRR node
Key risk
KSPCB clearances; agricultural zone parcels intermixed
NH-48/STRR junction
Zone classification
Mixed (residential and agricultural phase I transition)
Current price range
Rs 5,500/sq ft average
Infrastructure & economic drivers
STRR connectivity, proposed airport
Key risk
Phase II land sold as buildable; visit site in monsoon to check drainage
Corridor
Zone classification
Current price range
Infrastructure & economic drivers
Key risk
Arasinakunte / Adarsh Nagar (NH-48)
Residential
Rs 3,600–6,100/sq ft
BMRDA-approved plotted development
Unsanctioned layouts adjacent to approved ones
Dobbaspet industrial belt
Industrial
Rs 2–2.5 Cr per 10,000 sq ft
Logistics, warehousing, STRR node
KSPCB clearances; agricultural zone parcels intermixed
NH-48/STRR junction
Mixed (residential and agricultural phase I transition)
Rs 5,500/sq ft average
STRR connectivity, proposed airport
Phase II land sold as buildable; visit site in monsoon to check drainage
The Nelamangala-Sondekoppa Road corridor is emerging, with layouts citing its expressway-like upgrade, but civic infrastructure on feeder roads varies sharply by exact location. Do not evaluate a Nelamangala site from satellite imagery alone: roads that look developed in summer can reveal flooding and drainage failures in the monsoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Nelamangala LPA masterplan and who enforces it?
The Nelamangala LPA Masterplan 2031 is prepared by BMRDA under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961. The Nelamangala Planning Authority handles layout approvals and zoning queries. BMRDA handles appeals. Gram panchayats have no authority here. Check your survey number's zone on 1acre Premium.
Can agricultural land in the Nelamangala LPA be converted and sold as residential plots?
Agricultural land in a Residential or Commercial zone on the Nelamangala Masterplan 2031 map is automatically treated as converted for non-agricultural use under the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Rules, 2025 — the owner can proceed directly to layout approval from the Nelamangala Planning Authority without a separate DC conversion step. Land classified in the Agricultural Zone (non-urbanisable areas) cannot be converted at all; no layout or CLU application will succeed here. Phase II land on the phasing map cannot receive any non-agricultural NOC during the current plan period. Always verify which zone and which phase your specific survey number falls in before any commitment.
What documents must I verify before buying a plot in the Nelamangala LPA masterplan zone?
Verify the RTC extract, DC conversion order (note: for plots already in a residential or commercial zone on the masterplan map, automatic conversion under the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Rules, 2025 may apply — verify with the Nelamangala Planning Authority), layout approval from BMRDA or the Nelamangala Planning Authority, A-Khata or e-Khata from the local body, and an encumbrance certificate going back at least 15 years from the sub-registrar.
What is the FAR allowed for residential construction in the Nelamangala LPA?
FAR ranges from 1.50 on roads up to 9 m wide to 2.50 on roads over 24 m under the Nelamangala LPA Masterplan 2031 zoning regulations — FAR scales directly with the width of the approach road abutting the plot. Group housing is permitted on plots of 1 ha or more; a minimum 12 m approach road is required for group housing access, and FAR applies as per the standard road-width table. Always confirm the actual road width at the time of sanction, not the proposed width.
Is land near the STRR Dobbaspet node a sound investment in the Nelamangala LPA?
The Dobbaspet–Hoskote STRR section opened in March 2024. The Dobbaspet node is zoned Industrial and Logistics in the Nelamangala LPA Masterplan 2031 — not residential — so buyers expecting residential appreciation in this specific corridor should check their survey number carefully before proceeding. Agricultural and Phase II land adjacent to the node is actively mislabelled by brokers as buildable; the zone classification of the exact survey number is the only reliable indicator. Check your survey number's zone on 1acre Premium.
What is the "Yellow Zone" that brokers in Nelamangala refer to?
It is informal broker terminology for the Residential Zone on the masterplan colour map. It has no legal standing. The KTCP Act uses zone names, not colours. Always confirm the formal zone name in the official zoning regulations document.
What penalties apply if I develop land in the Agricultural Zone without conversion in Nelamangala?
Under the Karnataka Land Revenue (Amendment) Rules, 2025 (notified 17 September 2025), penalties include conversion order cancellation, land forfeiture, fines up to Rs 1 lakh plus Rs 2,500 per day for continued violations, and potential criminal prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023.
Can I see the Nelamangala Masterplan along with all the survey numbers?
Yes. On the 1acre map, you can load the Nelamangala Masterplan layer and the Survey Number layer together. This lets you see, at any location, both the masterplan zone and the individual survey numbers overlaid on satellite imagery — so you know exactly which zone your survey number falls in before committing. Both layers are available with a Premium subscription. Subscribe to 1acre Premium.
Disclaimer
Nelamangala Masterplan 2031: BMRDA Zone Check and Land Use Guide is only accessible with Premium Subscription.
Data Source & Verification
Source
Official Nelamangala Local Planning Authority (under BMRDA) documents
Official Website
nelamangala.tpa.gov.in
Coordinate Reference System
EPSG:4326 (WGS 84)
Geometry Type
Polygon / MultiPolygon
Data Format
Vector (GeoJSON) + Raster Tiles
Last Verified
April 2026
Status
Active