Mumbai, Sep 11: Maharashtra Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs Ashish Shelar on Thursday said that more than 25,000 buildings in the metropolis, which have long been denied Occupation Certificates (OC), will soon be regularised under a new government policy.
Major Relief for Lakhs of Residents
The move, which comes ahead of the upcoming civic polls, will be a huge relief to lakhs of Mumbaikars who have been living in these structures for years, but were technically considered “unauthorised occupants”.
Decision Taken at BMC Meeting
The decision was taken during a meeting of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), urban development department, revenue department and the co-operation department, he said.
New Policy Under Formulation
“A policy is being framed to grant OCs to buildings constructed under the Development Control Regulations of the BMC, as well as projects of MHADA, SRA and other authorities. For several reasons, these had not received the certificates,” Shelar said.
Past Loopholes and Developer Errors
These problems arose due to loopholes in past rules or mistakes committed by developers, he said. “The urban development department will implement a new policy from October 2 to resolve such issues and grant OCs in a simplified manner,” the minister added.
Relief for Technical and Administrative Lapses
Shelar said that buildings where OCs had been withheld due to technical or administrative lapses during construction, floor space discrepancies, “setback issues” or changes in regulations would now be eligible for relief.
No Penalty on Residents for Developers’ Faults
“Even in cases where developers have failed to hand over the required flats or spaces to the authorities, residents will not be penalised. The process will be transparent and conducted online,” he said.
Six-Month Window Without Penalty
The minister urged housing societies to take the initiative in applying for OCs. “Societies can apply jointly or individually for a part-OC under the new policy. If an application is submitted within the first six months, no penalty will be imposed. However, in cases of additional FSI (floor space index) usage, the applicable premium will have to be paid,” Shelar stated.
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Minister Thanks State Leadership
Thanking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and officials for taking the “pro-people” decision, he said, “I appeal to all Mumbaikars to avail of this opportunity from October 2 onwards.”
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