Pune Region Takes Center Stage in MahaRERA Crackdown: 162 Projects Face Fines for Missing Registration Numbers
Pune, 7th November 2023: The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has cracked down on 370 housing projects across the state for failing to display their MahaRERA registration numbers and QR codes in their advertisements. In response to this violation, a collective fine of approximately 33 lakh rupees was imposed, of which 22 lakh and 20 thousand rupees have already been recovered.
This enforcement effort encompassed 173 projects in the Mumbai region, 162 in Pune, and 35 in Nagpur. Of particular concern were 89 projects in the Mumbai area that neglected to include their MahaRERA registration numbers, along with 84 projects that omitted QR codes in their advertisements, resulting in fines of Rs 14 lakh 75 thousand and Rs 5 lakh 60 thousand, respectively. Notably, MahaRERA has successfully recovered 11 lakh 75 thousand and 2 lakh 10 thousand rupees from these fines.
Following the Mumbai region, Pune faced action against 162 projects, which included western Maharashtra and the Khandesh region. A total of 101 projects incurred fines for omitting the registration number, with 4 lakh 10 thousand rupees having been recouped. Additionally, 61 projects faced penalties for not including QR codes, and 1 lakh 25 thousand rupees were successfully collected.
In the eastern Maharashtra area, encompassing Vidarbha and Marathwada, 35 projects were subject to action. A fine of 3 lakh rupees was imposed, and the entire sum was promptly recovered.
It is important to note that these advertising infractions extended beyond traditional newspaper ads, encompassing digital platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, websites, and YouTube.
Under the Immovable Property Act, any project exceeding 500 square meters or containing eight flats must register with MahaRERA. Moreover, developers are prohibited from advertising, selling, or registering houses in their projects without a valid Maharera registration number. Starting from August 1, the inclusion of QR codes containing comprehensive project details became mandatory. Despite these regulations, MahaRERA observed certain developers disregarding these requirements, resulting in the issuance of show-cause notices.
MahaRERA is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of homebuyers and investors within the real estate sector. To this end, the Real Estate Act, 2016 has been implemented, and MahaRERA serves as a fundamental regulator. MahaRERA urges consumers to invest only in projects with valid Maharera registrations, emphasizing the importance of making informed decisions in the real estate market.
