The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has completed 50 years since it was started in 1976. It was formed by Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs to replace the old Bangalore City Improvement Trust Board (CITB). The goal was to better plan and regulate the city's fast growth. Before BDA, CITB had created famous layouts like Jayanagar, once Asia’s largest planned residential area. BDA brought city planning and development under one roof for the first time. It introduced a lottery system for site allotments, breaking caste barriers and creating mixed communities. Over time, the BDA has developed nearly 70 planned layouts. However, critics say the BDA has failed to stop illegal layouts and unplanned growth. Historian Janaki Nair said, "Time has shown that the BDA in fact not only failed to check illegal and unplanned development, but has in many ways enhanced it." She added that the real estate market was already strong when BDA was formed, making strict planning less effective. Some accuse the BDA of focusing mainly on middle and upper-middle-class housing and missing economic needs of the wider city. Its recent projects have faced delays and legal issues, hurting its reputation. Filmmaker T.N. Seetharam recalled a protest by farmers against BDA’s formation in 1976. He quoted farmer leader M.D. Nanjundaswamy saying, "Everyone would buy a car and it would take half an hour in the next five years" to travel short distances. Today, the trip from Malleswaram to Gandhi Bazaar takes 1.5 hours, showing ongoing urban challenges. Despite its ups and downs, the BDA remains a key player in Bangalore’s housing dreams and city growth struggle.