Road Width, FAR & TDR in Bengaluru: What Can You Build?
Road width decides FAR, premium FAR and TDR in Bengaluru. See worked figures for built-up area and floors by road width, and what to check before buying.
Written by
Justin
23 October 2026 · 8 minutes read
How Road Width Decides What You Can Build in Bengaluru: FAR, TDR and Floors
Short version: In Bengaluru, the road in front of your plot sets how much you can build. Under the Revised Master Plan 2015, base FAR for residential plots rises from 1.75 on roads up to 12 m to 3.25 above 30 m. Since 2025, plots on roads of 9 m and above can also add extra FAR through premium FAR and TDR, up to 0.6 × the base FAR. On paper, that can lift a 600 sq m plot on a 15 m road from about 3.5 floors to about 5.5. Setbacks, height caps and fire norms usually reduce those numbers, so always check with the planning authority.
If you’re buying a plot or a redevelopment site, the road matters as much as the land. Here’s how it works, with figures.
What is FAR and why does road width matter?
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the total built-up area allowed divided by the plot area. A plot of 1,200 sq ft at FAR 1.75 allows up to 2,100 sq ft of built-up area. Planning rules tie FAR to the road in front of the plot because wider roads can handle more people and traffic.
What is the base FAR by road width?
For Residential (Main) zones under the zoning regulations of RMP 2015:
Plot size | Max ground coverage | Base FAR | Road width |
|---|---|---|---|
Up to 360 sq m | Up to 75% | 1.75 | Up to 12 m |
Above 360 up to 1,000 sq m | Up to 65% | 2.25 | Above 12 up to 18 m |
Above 1,000 up to 2,000 sq m | Up to 60% | 2.50 | Above 18 up to 24 m |
Above 2,000 up to 4,000 sq m | Up to 55% | 3.00 | Above 24 up to 30 m |
Above 4,000 up to 20,000 sq m | Up to 50% | 3.25 | Above 30 m |
Plot size and road width are paired in this table, so a small plot on a wide road doesn’t automatically jump to a higher FAR. The Residential (Mixed) zone uses the same FAR steps with somewhat higher ground coverage. Commercial (Business) zones have their own table.
What are premium FAR and TDR?
Premium FAR lets you buy extra built-up area from the government. TDR (Transferable Development Rights) lets you load development rights from land given up for public projects. Karnataka notified the premium FAR scheme in February 2025 and amended it in April 2025 and February 2026. The Karnataka High Court Division Bench upheld the scheme on 15 June 2026.
Road width | Extra FAR allowed | How |
|---|---|---|
Up to 9 m | None | Not eligible |
9 m to under 12 m | Up to 0.6 × base FAR | Through TDR only (from 5 February 2026) |
12 m to 18 m | Up to 0.6 × base FAR | Premium FAR and TDR |
Above 18 m | Up to 0.6 × base FAR | Premium FAR and TDR |
Premium FAR is charged at 50% of the guidance value of the notional land, with a minimum of 28%. TDR is bought from holders of TDR certificates at market rates. Earlier caps were lower (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6), so many online guides are out of date. Check the latest notification.
How much can you build? Worked examples
These show the maximum on paper for typical plot sizes. Floors are total FAR ÷ ground coverage, which tells you how many full floors you’d get if you built to the maximum coverage.
Plot | Road | Base FAR | Extra FAR (max) | Total FAR | Built-up area | Approx. full floors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
223 sq m (40x60), up to 9 m road | Up to 9 m | 1.75 | 0 | 1.75 | About 4,200 sq ft | 2.3 |
223 sq m (40x60), 9 to under 12 m road | 9 to <12 m | 1.75 | 1.05 (TDR only) | 2.80 | About 6,700 sq ft | 3.7 |
600 sq m, 12 to 18 m road | 12 to 18 m | 2.25 | 1.35 | 3.60 | About 23,250 sq ft (base: 14,530) | 5.5 (base: 3.5) |
1,500 sq m, 18 to 24 m road | 18 to 24 m | 2.50 | 1.50 | 4.00 | About 64,580 sq ft (base: 40,365) | 6.7 (base: 4.2) |
3,000 sq m, 24 to 30 m road | 24 to 30 m | 3.00 | 1.80 | 4.80 | About 155,000 sq ft (base: 96,875) | 8.7 (base: 5.5) |
5,000 sq m, above 30 m road | Above 30 m | 3.25 | 1.95 | 5.20 | About 279,860 sq ft (base: 174,915) | 10.4 (base: 6.5) |
How to read it: for the 600 sq m plot, the base is 600 × 2.25 = 1,350 sq m. The maximum extra is 0.6 × 2.25 = 1.35, so total FAR is 3.60 and the built-up area is 2,160 sq m, about 23,250 sq ft.
What the table doesn’t show:
Setbacks and height caps mean the real maximum is often lower. Setbacks reduce coverage, which pushes the same built-up area into more floors, and a height cap can then block those floors.
Fire norms become stricter as buildings get taller.
Small plots. Premium FAR is unlikely to help plots like 30x40 or 40x60, because going higher means leaving larger setbacks. See our guide on 30x40 vs 40x60 plots.
Eligibility. I couldn’t confirm which plot sizes can use premium FAR or TDR in practice. Check with the planning authority.
Cost. Extra FAR has to be paid for, so run the numbers before you plan around it.
How do height, floors and units relate to road width?
Not in a simple table, as the arithmetic above shows. In January 2026, Karnataka eased norms so that plots of 200 to 360 sq m in Rings I to III can have apartments of up to six dwelling units. Reports say a minimum 9 m road is needed for apartments, and that the maximum height for small residential plots rose to 15 m with base FAR unchanged at 1.75. Check the notification for your plot.
Avoid statements like “a 12 m road means G+5”. Ask an architect to compute your plot’s FAR, coverage and setbacks.
What other road rules matter?
Layouts. Residential layouts need roads of at least 9 m, with every fourth road at least 12 m. Non-residential layouts need at least 12 m.
Master plan road widening. The road may be marked for widening, which can cut your frontage and change the road width used for sanction.
Corner plots. Plots facing two roads of different widths are generally assessed on the wider road, but confirm how your authority treats it.
Land use zone. FAR tables differ by zone. See our master plan zones guide.
What are the common myths?
Myth | What’s actually true |
|---|---|
FAR reaches 4.0 or 5.2 on wide roads | Base FAR tops out at 3.25. With the full extra FAR (0.6 × base), the totals reach 4.0 on an 18 to 24 m road and 5.2 on a road above 30 m. |
A 12 m road automatically means G+5 or G+6 | Height depends on FAR, coverage, setbacks and fire norms. |
9 to 12 m roads get only 20% extra | Under the February 2026 amendment, they can get up to 0.6 × base through TDR only. |
Premium FAR works on any road | It needs a road of 9 m or more. |
A wider road means a bigger building on any plot | Plot size, zone and setbacks apply too. |
What should I check before buying?
Measure the road width and confirm it in the layout approval or master plan.
Check whether the road is marked for widening.
Confirm the land use zone and that housing is permitted.
Get the FAR, coverage and setbacks for your plot size and road from the planning authority or an architect.
Ask whether premium FAR or TDR applies to your plot, how much you can load and what it costs.
Check for rule changes. Bengaluru’s rules were amended in 2025 and 2026.
Have a lawyer review title and approvals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FAR in Bengaluru by road width?
For Residential (Main) zones: 1.75 up to 12 m, 2.25 for 12 to 18 m, 2.50 for 18 to 24 m, 3.00 for 24 to 30 m and 3.25 above 30 m, paired with plot size.
What is premium FAR in Bengaluru?
A scheme under which you can buy extra built-up area, based on road width. It is charged at 50% of the guidance value of the notional land, with a 28% minimum.
How much extra FAR can I get with TDR?
Up to 0.6 × base FAR on roads of 9 m and above (through TDR only on 9 to under 12 m roads), under the February 2026 amendment as summarised by a law firm. Confirm with the latest notification.
How many floors can I build on a 600 sq m plot on a 15 m road?
On paper, about 3.5 at the base FAR of 2.25 and about 5.5 with the full extra FAR, before setbacks, height caps and fire norms.
What FAR applies to a 30x40 plot?
1.75 for plots up to 360 sq m, about 2,100 sq ft of built-up area, though setbacks and coverage usually limit it first.
Does a wider road always allow a taller building?
No. FAR, ground coverage, setbacks and fire norms also decide.