Mumbai's Property Tax Relief: New Scheme to Benefit 10 Lakh Residents Without Occupancy Certificates

In an official statement, released by his office, Eknath Shinde, who also holds the urban development and housing portfolios, said that the scheme would benefit more than 10 lakh residents who have faced legal and financial difficulties due to the absence of an OC.

The affected buildings were denied OCs because of minor deviations from approved plans. Representational Pic/File/Rane Ashish

The Maharashtra government on Thursday said that soon a revised Occupancy Certificate (OC) amnesty scheme will be announced to regularize nearly 20,000 buildings in Mumbai that have remained without the mandatory document for years. The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during the Maharashtra Assembly Winter Session in Nagpur.

Relief for over 10 lakh residents

In an official statement, released by his office, Eknath Shinde, who also holds the urban development and housing portfolios, said that the scheme would benefit more than 10 lakh residents who have faced legal and financial difficulties due to the absence of an OC. The affected buildings were denied OCs because of minor deviations from approved plans. Moreover, the residents have been paying double property tax, water charges, and sewerage tax, and the scheme would provide direct relief to over 2.5 lakh families, it said.

Benefits of the new scheme

The statement also listed benefits for the residents, it said:

- Residents will no longer pay double property tax due to the lack of an OC. - Access to home loans will become easier, and the resale market will see improvement as properties fetch proper value. - Residents will be able to utilise their full entitlement during redevelopment projects. - Proposals submitted for regularisation will receive 50 per cent concession on premiums for additional or fungible built-up area, based on ready reckoner rates. - Proposals submitted in the first six months will attract no penalty, while those between six months and one year will incur a 50% penalty. - A separate mechanism will allow individual flat owners to obtain OCs independently.

Broader impact

The amnesty scheme will also benefit hospitals and schools listed under unauthorised structures, providing relief to the health and education sectors. The government plans to implement similar policies in other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. Shinde stated that the Mahayuti government has been working for the past three-and-a-half years to transform Mumbai, prioritising the safety of existing residents and encouraging original families who moved out to return. He added that the government plans to implement similar policies in other municipal corporations across Maharashtra. He urged Mumbai residents to take full advantage of the revised amnesty scheme to resolve long-standing legal and financial issues.