PMRDA: Take steps to build houses at low cost
Business Business: The fee for regularisation of houses under the Maharashtra Gunthewari Development (Regulation, Upgradation and Control) Act has been reduced to speed up the approval process. So far, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has received 160 applications for regularisation, but only 40 have been approved. The fee reduction is aimed at encouraging more residents to submit their applications and reduce the financial burden on citizens, especially in the 23 villages covered under the PMRDA jurisdiction. However, it remains to be seen how effectively this initiative will attract new applications.
The Maharashtra government had earlier decided to regularise houses built before 2001 under the Gunthewari Act, responding to citizens’ demand for this change. To facilitate the regularisation process, the application deadline has now been extended.
Within the PMRDA limits, residents have built houses on one and two guntha lands. Common issues include inadequate common space and construction beyond the approved area limit. To address these issues, the PMRDA has accepted applications for regularization from July 26, 2023, to April 30, 2024. During this time period, 160 citizens submitted applications, of which 40 are currently approved. Some applications are still being processed, and applicants have been notified of any errors in their submissions. Eligibility: Regularization applies to constructions made using the Gunthewari method before December 31, 2020. Application timeline: Applications can be submitted until April 30, 2024.
Approval status: Of the 160 applications received, 40 have been approved so far, with additional applications under review. Historically, the state government has set significant fees for regularization Following requests for a fee reduction, a meeting was convened under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in which a proposal to reduce the fee was approved. Previous charges: Initially, the mitigation fee for regularization was three times the development fee. New charges: The revised mitigation fee will now cost only 4% of the land rate, a significant reduction aimed at making the process more accessible to citizens. Doubled fee under new norms: As per the revised norms, the mitigation fee will double if the approved drawing is not followed, which will financially impact residents if they exceed their approved construction area.
Mitigation fee: Previously three times the development fee, now reduced to 4% of the land rate. Excess construction: Initially fixed at 10% of the land rate and 10% for monthly intervals; now reduced significantly. Application process: The reduction in fee along with simplifying the application and approval process is aimed at encouraging more and more homeowners to regularize their property. The reduction in fee for regularization of houses under the Gunthewari Act is a significant step towards encouraging more residents to legalize their construction. Although the approval process has had limited success so far, the new fee structure aims to reduce the financial burden on citizens and speed up the regularization process. The effectiveness of this initiative will ultimately depend on the public response and the efficiency of the PMRDA in processing the applications.
