Bengaluru was built around a network of lakes connected by storm water drains, the rajakaluves. As the city expanded, a great deal was built over them.
Periodically the authorities act on this, and when they do, buildings come down. Not fines. Demolition. Owners with clean sale deeds and paid taxes have lost structures, because a valid title to land does not create a right to occupy a drain.
Buffer zones are the protected margins around drains and lakes where construction is restricted. The permitted width varies by classification, and the rules have changed more than once, which is precisely why sellers are vague about it.
What to do before buying, particularly for plots and villas in outer North Bengaluru:
- Check the survey map for any drain marked through or beside the property
- Compare the approved layout against the revenue map, deviations show up here
- Ask specifically whether any part of the site falls within a buffer zone, and get the answer in writing
- Be more careful, not less, if the price looks unusually good for the location
We have advised clients out of projects for this reason, including one who had already paid and needed help recovering a refund. It is uncomfortable, and it is the correct call every time.
A rajakaluve problem cannot be fixed after purchase. It can only be avoided before.