PUNE: The Maharashtra government’s effort to expedite the recovery of dues for distressed homebuyers is facing significant challenges. Despite assigning dedicated revenue recovery officers in critical districts five months ago, collections have only marginally increased by Rs10 crore.
According to data from the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA), total recoveries rose from Rs270 crore in December 2025 to roughly Rs280 crore now. This slow progress continues despite a state mandate urging faster enforcement of recovery warrants.
Concerns over the slow pace of recovery are amplified by the scale of the defaults. Since its launch in May 2017, MahaRERA has issued recovery warrants totaling nearly Rs792 crore for 1,291 complainants. Out of this, approximately Rs103 crore is currently tied up in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) due to corporate insolvency proceedings, while hundreds of crores remain uncollected outside this jurisdiction.
Under Section 40(1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, MahaRERA can issue warrants for compensation, interest, and penalties. However, actual recovery enforcement rests with district collectors, who are responsible for retrieving funds as “arrears of land revenue,” including the power to attach and auction a developer’s assets.
This year, the state appointed dedicated recovery officers for Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Thane, and Raigad—areas with the highest number of pending cases. Nevertheless, this increase in resources has not led to substantial improvements:
Mumbai Suburban tops the list of affected areas, with Rs352 crore owed across 482 warrants, but only Rs112 crore has been recovered.
Pune has managed to recover merely Rs47 crore against outstanding dues of Rs195 crore.
In Thane, only Rs23 crore has been recovered out of Rs74.63 crore due.
Raigad and Palghar districts combined have recovered less than Rs14 crore from a total of over Rs44 crore owed.
Many homebuyers continue to wait for relief, despite having received favorable MahaRERA orders years ago. One complainant from Pune stated, “We spent years fighting the case and paying for lawyers. Winning an order and actually receiving the money are two different things. There’s no clarity on when we’ll see our dues.”
Concerns are growing that the recovery efforts may further stagnate as district administrations shift focus to national priorities. A Thane-based homebuyer who secured a warrant in 2023 noted, “Every office tells us the matter is ‘under process.’ With the upcoming census and the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, we fear that recovery warrants will be deprioritized.”
