Delhi real estate regulatory authority asks builders to register projects

Delhi Real Estate Regulatory Authority (D-RERA) has warned all the builders against rule violations and asked them to get their residential or commercial projects registered with it immediately.

A directive, issued on September 4, has said that failure to comply with the directions will invite a fine up to 10 per cent of the estimated cost of the project or imprisonment up to three years or both.

Speaking to PTI, Delhi-RERA Chairman Anand Kumar said that there have been several cases in which builders in Delhi haven't registered their residential and commercial projects that fall within the purview of RERA.

According to him, four types of projects mandatorily require RERA registration.

"In the first category are those real estate projects which are being developed, either in part or full, for the purpose of lease or sale on plot size of more than 500 sq mts. In the second category are those projects which envisage construction of more than 8 flats, apartments, floors, shops, commercial or office units, in all phases on any size of plot for the purpose of sale or lease," Kumar said.

The third category, according to him, are projects in which plots are sold or leased on the land area of more than 500 square metres.

All ongoing projects, which did not have completion certificate before May 1, 2017, irrespective of their date of launch, constitute the fourth category.

"Let's take for instance a project in which a builder sold out all his ten units before May 1, 2017 to the buyers without obtaining a completion certificate then, the builder or the plot owner needs to get it registered even today or he will have to face action," Kumar clarified.

Most of the builders in Delhi don't apply for completion certificates as they make both compoundable and non compoundable deviations in the project and by doing so they avoid scrutiny of the civic authorities. In his opinion, obtaining a completion certificate must be made compulsory before allowing occupation.

"A completion certificate from the civic authorities ensures that a building is made according to sanctioned plan and is structurally stable. Allowing occupation of any building without a completion certificate not only encourages builders to make illegal improvements but also puts occupants' lives at risk," Kumar said.

The three-member Delhi RERA has also asked common people to inform them regarding non-registration of such real estate projects by sending an email at gcrera.delhi@gmail.com or writing a complaint letter to the RERA office.

Kumar said that the Authority is also asking the respective municipal bodies to provide Delhi RERA the details of all such projects based on which it will identify the violators to impose penalty.