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The Andhra Pradesh government has announced plans to reintroduce the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) and Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) in response to the rising number of unauthorised constructions across the state. A recent assessment revealed over 35,000 buildings that have never been taxed and more than 25,000 illegal layouts. These schemes, originally implemented during the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government, aim to legalize unapproved constructions and bring them under municipal regulation. However, before implementation, the state must obtain approval from the Cabinet and clearance from the High Court, which had earlier raised concerns that such schemes could encourage future violations.
The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to reintroduce the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS) and Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) to address the growing issue of illegal constructions and layouts throughout the state. A recent state-level municipal survey revealed alarming figures: approximately 35,000 buildings have been developed without any tax registration, and over 25,000 layouts have been created without proper approvals. These findings reflect significant gaps in both urban planning and municipal revenue collection. Advertisement
Officials have cited a shortage of field-level town planning staff and unchecked political interference as the main reasons for this situation. Builders in various towns and municipalities have been constructing extra floors or completely unauthorised buildings without obtaining required permits or layout approvals. Because these constructions are not recorded in municipal systems, the local bodies have been unable to impose property taxes or enforce regulations on them.
To counter this, the government plans to reintroduce the BPS and LRS, which were previously implemented by the TDP government in 2015. These schemes had allowed property owners to pay a penalty to regularise unauthorised buildings and layouts. While they proved successful in generating revenue and bringing unapproved constructions under the law, the High Court had later expressed concerns. The court warned that such schemes could create a precedent where people would knowingly violate construction rules with the hope of future legalisation.
As a result, the new proposal will need to be carefully examined and approved by the state Cabinet. It will also require judicial consent, as the matter is currently sub-judice. The government aims to ensure that this time, the scheme is not just a one-time amnesty, but part of a broader reform to clean up and formalise urban development processes. The objective is to strike a balance between regularising past violations and enforcing future compliance more strictly.
This move comes shortly after the launch of the Self-Certification Scheme by the state, under which technical professionals such as architects and engineers can submit online applications for building permissions based on trust-based declarations. That scheme was designed to speed up approvals and improve transparency in the construction process. The proposed reintroduction of BPS and LRS complements this broader administrative reform, with a focus on streamlining processes while increasing accountability.
In parallel, government sources indicated that discussions are underway on how to monitor future development activity more effectively and prevent the recurrence of such unauthorised growth. This may include increased staffing in town planning departments, use of satellite surveillance, and stricter penalties for violations moving forward.
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