PUNE: Homebuyers across Maharashtra are expressing their dissatisfaction with the slow progress on recovery warrants issued against non-compliant builders by MahaRERA, with only 31% of cases resolved to date. Despite a directive from the state government to hasten the process, officials revealed that only ₹243 crore has been recovered from the ₹760 crore owed in 1,212 cases.
The slow recovery stands in stark contrast to revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s promise during the state budget session to eliminate the backlog within three months.
Recovery warrants, issued under Section 40(1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), authorize district administrations to attach and auction the properties of developers who have failed to meet project deadlines or refund buyers. Unfortunately, actual enforcement remains painfully delayed, leaving homebuyers in limbo for years. “Recovery through warrants is supposed to ease our troubles, but the ongoing delays only heighten our anxiety,” shared a Pune-based buyer who has awaited a refund for over three years.
While revenue officials have started proceedings, many say that the process frequently stalls. Another buyer noted that auctions often get prolonged, leaving families without funds.
Officials have acknowledged that procedural challenges persist, impeding progress even as buyers demand better enforcement. Once MahaRERA issues a recovery order, it is sent to the district collector for action, with Mumbai Suburban, Pune, and Thane comprising the highest backlog of cases.
“While improvements in execution rates have been noted, the volume of pending cases remains considerable, necessitating more proactive collaboration from revenue officials,” a senior MahaRERA official told TOI.
He also mentioned that additional collectors have been appointed in various districts to expedite cases, although the outcomes are not encouraging. This issue has even drawn attention from the Centre.
During a review meeting in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed disappointment over states focusing on the number of “disposed of” complaints instead of true resolutions for citizens. He raised concerns about whether states are genuinely holding themselves accountable for executing such orders.
In response, the Maharashtra chief secretary held a mid-June meeting with district collectors, urging them to boost recovery warrant execution, and additional revenue officers were appointed to aid enforcement teams.
For the buyers, however, the progress is not visible. Arun Seth, a retired entrepreneur, has been waiting since 2019 for his dues to be resolved, emphasizing, “About ₹78 lakh is stuck.”
