Maharashtra's Vertical Property Cards: A Game-Changer for Flat Owners

Pune: A revised proposal to introduce 'vertical property cards' for flat owners has been resubmitted to the state government and is expected to be reviewed by the cabinet in June, officials from the settlement commissioner's office told TOI on Saturday.

The proposal, which has been pending for nearly four years, was recently sent to the law and judiciary department after incorporating several suggested changes. 'It should be placed before the cabinet once the department clears it,' a senior official said.

If approved, Maharashtra will become one of the few states in India to implement such a system. The rollout is slated to begin with Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA)-registered projects and newly constructed buildings before being extended in phases to older properties.

The proposed vertical property cards will serve as an independent record of rights for individual apartments, detailing ownership, carpet area, share in the land, and any outstanding loans. Revenue officials believe the move will map the state's vertical growth and provide much-needed clarity. 'It will ensure cleaner property titles and make transactions significantly less risky,' a revenue official noted.

Currently, the state issues property cards for urban land and '7/12 extracts' for rural areas. However, there is no standalone document that formally establishes the ownership of an individual flat within a multi-storey building. To bridge this gap, the state has proposed new rules under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966.

State settlement commissioner Shailesh Nawal clarified the scope of the new system: 'Once implemented, the existing property card or 7/12 extract will remain the primary ownership document for the land, while the vertical property card will act as a supplementary record for the individual unit.'

While new buildings and MahaRERA-registered projects will be integrated automatically, existing housing societies will need to apply for the cards once the policy is finalised. Detailed guidelines regarding documentation, verification, and building mapping will be issued following the final notification.

The system is designed to reduce property disputes, simplify the resale process, and create a transparent ownership trail. Realty experts, who have been advocating for this change for years, welcomed the progress. 'This is a long-overdue move,' said one expert. 'Once implemented, it will lead to higher trust values, streamlined bank transactions for loans, and simplified inheritance processes.'