The Hindu 21.09.2010
BDA to e-auction corner sites
Sharath S. Srivatsa
| Facility will ensure transparency, keep out cartels |
— A file photo 
E-initiative:BDA has some 3,000 corner sites, which will be put on the block depending on the market situation.
BANGALORE: Soon you can buy a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) site at the click of a mouse. The BDA's e-governance wing is all set to replace the existing system at least as far as corner sites are concerned.
The BDA has some 3,000 corner sites, which will be put on the block depending on the market situation. “The end-to-end process is e-enabled. Anyone sitting anywhere in the world can participate in the e-auctioning process,” M.N. Vidyashankar, Principal Secretary, Department of e-Governance, told The Hindu. The e-auctioning will also prevent bidders forming a cartel.
How it works
Each bidder will be given a fictitious name and password. All stages of the process, including payment of earnest money deposit and bids, will be carried out electronically.
“A significant increase in price for the site as well as competition in terms of bidders can be expected,” Mr. Vidyashankar said. Whether it is forward auction (to get highest bid) or reverse auction (to get lowest quote), the experience of the e-auctioning process in government departments has been good over the last two years, he said.
100-120 sites annually
A source in the BDA said that annually about 100 to 120 sites are auctioned, which is also dependent on the development of the area and the market condition. “The base price is fixed after officials make an informal survey of prices. So far in 2010, BDA has auctioned 80 sites,” the source said. About 20 to 30 people participate in each auction.
BDA Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena said the procedure for e-auctioning was being readied. “E-auctioning gives a lot of option for the bidders, who may be outside India also. It will also realise more value for the properties, which in turn benefits BDA.”
The sites, he said, would be auctioned depending on the market situation and also availability. “These (3000) sites will be sold as and when the area develops, and considering market conditions.”
