Bengaluru Residents Navigate New Civic Rules Under Five Corporations

Bengaluru's civic administration changed on May 15, 2025, when the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike was dissolved and replaced by the Greater Bengaluru Authority under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024. The move created five separate municipal corporations to handle local services instead of one central body.

Three-tier structure reaches ward level

The Greater Bengaluru Authority now works through three layers: a Chief Minister-led body for city-wide decisions, the five corporations, and empowered ward committees that serve as the basic units of local governance. Residents may notice decisions on roads, waste and water moving closer to their wards because the lowest tier has formal powers under the new setup.

Funding and property changes affect daily life

The five corporations can now issue Municipal Bonds based on their own balance sheets, following the announcement in the Karnataka Budget 2026-27. This gives each corporation a direct route to raise money for local projects rather than relying only on state allocations. At the same time, the state government granted legal status to B-Khata properties issued between 2009 and September 30, 2024, and removed the requirement for an Occupancy Certificate on plots of 30x40 ft or smaller.

Practical steps for property owners and neighbourhoods

Homeowners holding B-Khata documents issued in the covered period now have clearer legal standing for their properties. Owners of smaller plots no longer need to obtain an Occupancy Certificate to regularise their records. Ward committees are expected to become the first point of contact for complaints about services that the new corporations will manage.

Residents can track updates through the official portals of the five corporations once they begin operations. The Greater Bengaluru Authority will oversee coordination across Central, East, West, North and South corporations while ward committees handle hyper-local issues.

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