Delhi's Real Estate Regulatory Authority (D-RERA) has issued a stern warning to builders, insisting they promptly register their residential or commercial projects to avoid penalties. A directive, issued on September 4th, states that non-compliance could result in fines of up to 10% of the project's estimated cost, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
In an interview with PTI, Delhi RERA Chairman Anand Kumar highlighted numerous instances where builders in Delhi have failed to register their residential and commercial projects falling under the RERA's jurisdiction.
He explained that there are four specific project categories that necessitate mandatory RERA registration. The first category encompasses real estate projects intended for lease or sale, either partially or entirely, on plots exceeding 500 square meters. The second category includes projects planning the construction of more than 8 flats, apartments, floors, shops, commercial, or office units across all phases, on plots of any size, for the purpose of sale or lease," Kumar elaborated.
He further categorized the third group as projects involving the sale or lease of plots with land areas exceeding 500 square meters.
The fourth category, as clarified by Kumar, includes all ongoing projects that lacked a completion certificate before May 1, 2017, regardless of their initial launch date. For instance, if a builder had sold all ten units to buyers before May 1, 2017, without securing a completion certificate, they are still required to register the project today, or they will be subject to legal action.
A significant number of builders in Delhi refrain from applying for completion certificates because they incorporate both compoundable and non-compoundable deviations in their projects. This practice enables them to evade scrutiny by civic authorities. According to his perspective, it should be mandatory to obtain a completion certificate before permitting occupation.
Kumar emphasized that a completion certificate from civic authorities guarantees that a building adheres to the approved plan and is structurally sound. Allowing the occupation of any building without such a certificate not only fosters illicit modifications by builders but also jeopardizes the safety of occupants.
Furthermore, the three-member Delhi RERA has encouraged the general public to report unregistered real estate projects by emailing gerera.delhi@gmail.com or submitting a formal complaint to the RERA office.
Kumar mentioned that the Authority is actively urging municipal bodies to furnish Delhi RERA with information regarding such projects. This data will be instrumental in identifying those who violate regulations and subsequently imposing penalties.
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