Is construction-linked payment plan truly better for Bangalore?

Okay, I'll be honest — I'm so fed up of renting in Bangalore. My landlord raised the rent again, so I'm finally taking the plunge to buy something around Kogilu or Hosa Road. I'm looking at a few Nitesh Estates projects and others. I'm really confused about payment plans. Is a construction-linked payment plan always smarter than a bigger down payment? I'm worried about getting stuck if there are delays, but also don't want to block too much upfront. Also, is buying during a pre-launch actually a discount, or do they just add those costs back later with PLC and other charges? It feels like the EMI vs rent math is just the start, then all these extra costs pop up. What's the real all-in cost I should expect? Any hacks for negotiating or avoiding surprise charges at possession? Hope this helps someone else too.