MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has passed a landmark judgment on January 1, allowing stressed buyers who purchased houses in the 'Mandar Associates' real estate project situated at Virar to take over the project from builder and complete the pending building works.
In accordance with Section 7 and 8 of MahaRERA Act , the Authority can revoke the registration of a project and take such action as it may deem fit for carrying out the remaining development works.
Applauding MahaRERA judgment Advocate Godfrey Pimenta commented: "More such orders should be passed it will provide major relief to homebuyers who are stuck similarly for long period of time. It will bring some hope among the home buyers."
Interestingly, though the passed judgment will be helpful for homebuyers affected similarly in other housing projects, but in this particular case it lost its very purpose, as the project work has been already completed by the builder himself, says homebuyers.
One of the homebuyer speaking to the FPJ said, "This judgment of MahaRERA will be no use now, as the building work has already been completed and only one-two per cent of project work is remaining. Several people have already taken the possession of their flats." This homebuyer was promised possession of flat in 2016 however was provided keys in 2019.
Disappointed with MahaRERA's lackadaisical way of working, he questioned, "In the said order MahaRERA asks us (homebuyers) to come together and form an association and undertake the remaining project work. However, who will provide money to undertake the incomplete project work? From where we would (homebuyers) raised the money, when we already are paying home loan installments and have other financial responsibilities, if in case the builder not had completed the project. Moreover, if everything has to be done by homebuyers like forming an association, funding the remaining incomplete work from their own pockets than what is the purpose of approaching the authority for justice."
He stated that the job of MahaRERA is to provide relief to homebuyers but nothing was done before passing of this judgment. "We had to run from pillar to post as the one of builders associated with the project was absconding. Now after two years they have passed an order saying that we can take over the project from builder. This order should have been passed much before."
Another hombuyer too expressed similar kind of views on the passed judgment.
Interestingly, the Mandar Associates housing project in Virar is the same where Popular Indian singer Anuradha Paudwal too did an investment. However, a case was registered in April 2018 against the builder after complaints were received that same flats were sold to multiple buyers. The alleged accuse forged sales agreements and sold the same flat to many buyers duping them of lakhs of rupees.
