PUNE, India – July 1, 2025 – In a significant move aimed at bolstering transparency and safeguarding buyer interests, the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has commenced a comprehensive, statewide verification of 2,600 Occupancy Certificates (OCs) submitted by real estate developers through its official online portal. This critical undertaking seeks to confirm the authenticity of these essential documents, preempt any discrepancies, and curb fraudulent practices.
The catalyst for this extensive scrutiny is the fallout from the notorious 2022 Dombivli scam, a major scandal involving the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC). In that case, developers allegedly resorted to fabricating documents—including bogus 7/12 land extracts, falsified building blueprints, and counterfeit MahaRERA registrations—to erect 65 illegal structures across numerous projects. The scandal led to the apprehension of 15 individuals, including developers and agents, and resulted in a Bombay High Court-mandated demolition drive that uprooted over 6,500 residents.
“We are cross-referencing numerous Occupancy Certificates uploaded by developers on the MahaRERA portal with the respective city planning authorities,” a senior MahaRERA official confirmed. The OC is fundamentally a project’s completion certificate, crucial for its legal occupancy.
Under the fresh directives, planning authorities are now mandated to validate these OCs within a specified timeframe. Should no response be received by the deadline, certificates will be presumed valid by default. However, any anomalies discovered later will hold the responsible authorities fully accountable. A MahaRERA official underscored the urgency: “Prospective homebuyers must have access to verified Commencement Certificates (CCs) and Occupancy Certificates before finalizing any purchase. This validation exercise is paramount for rebuilding confidence in Maharashtra’s real estate market.”
This initiative also aligns with a previous mandate from the state’s Urban Development Department (UDD). The UDD had directed that verified CCs, building plans, and OCs issued to developers must be emailed directly to MahaRERA if local authority websites aren’t integrated. While many authorities have complied with submitting CCs and building plans, it’s been observed that OCs are frequently not uploaded by developers.
Progress in this verification has been slow; only 136 OCs have been successfully validated thus far, with the vast majority still pending. Officials acknowledged that seamless integration between local authority websites and the MahaRERA portal would have significantly accelerated the process. “We’ve been advocating for website integration for months,” an official remarked. “Only Mumbai’s municipal corporation has achieved this; others cite technical hurdles, which the Maharashtra IT department is now addressing.”
MahaRERA is also meticulously examining whether the submitted OCs denote full or merely partial occupancy. This detailed check is vital, given past instances where developers allegedly misrepresented partial OCs as full approvals, thereby misleading potential buyers. “While developers provide these certificates, our aim is to ensure absolute certainty,” the official reiterated.
A common grievance among homebuyers is that despite readily available project details via MahaRERA registration numbers, OCs are often conspicuously absent. “Developers are diligent in uploading CCs and building plans, but often bypass uploading OCs, and local authorities often fail to follow up,” officials noted. Priya P., a first-time investor from Pune, voiced her frustration: “The developer claimed to have an OC, but I couldn’t find it on the MahaRERA website. It’s truly perplexing for buyers. The verification process needs simplification.”
Ultimately, MahaRERA views this verification drive as a cornerstone in bolstering regulatory compliance and shielding purchasers from potential fraud. Under MahaRERA’s operational guidelines, developers are required to register projects, submit quarterly progress reports, and upload verified OCs before they can access project funds from escrow accounts.
