GBA not finding space for e-khata seva kendras

BENGALURU: The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) plans to launch e‑khata seva kendras on the model of the Passport Service Centre, but has faced obstacles from the beginning as it is unable to secure a suitable location.

The GBA has not yet found venue for the e‑khata centres and the lack of space is causing further delays in implementation of the project. Officials are doubtful that the backlog whether the e‑khata issue will be cleared quickly, as problems with the service continue to mount across the city.

Many applicants have reported that their e‑khata submissions are not being approved, with some saying their applications have not even been reviewed. This has led a number of residents to visit Regional Office (RO) premises in person.

In response, the GBA has reaffirmed its intention to open an e-Khata Service Centres on the model of Passport Seva Kendras, but space constraint remains a major obstacle.

GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwara Rao said the authority is actively searching for sites and plans to open five e‑khata service centres across the five municipalities under its jurisdiction. The GBA is also exploring options to rent or lease premises to accommodate the new centres.

To date, 8.21 lakh e‑khata applications have been filed in the Greater Bengaluru area, of which 8.16 lakh have been approved. Despite the approvals, service centre operations are still needed to resolve the remaining issues.