Technical Issues Hinder Maharashtra's Online Deemed Conveyance Portal

Pune: Persistent glitches have marred the performance of the state's new online deemed conveyance portal, Pratyay MahaBhumi, launched by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in May. The portal was designed to digitize the process for housing societies, but many have been forced back to the deputy registrar's office due to technical issues.

Many societies in Pune and Mumbai have complained to the cooperation department about their inability to log in or proceed with applications. While some registrations did go through, housing federation members have reported that the system never really took off. It has failed to deliver on the promise of eliminating in-person visits.

Prashant Joshi, a committee member of a Hadapsar society, said, “We tried and failed to log in. Our society has been waiting for a deemed conveyance for over 10 years. The system was supposed to save us repeated trips to government offices.”

Officials have acknowledged the portal's issues. “We are aware of a technical glitch and are working to resolve it. Services will resume shortly,” a senior cooperation department official stated after a review meeting on Monday. The portal was designed to handle every stage of the deemed conveyance process, from document upload and scrutiny to hearing schedules and final orders, all online, with a six-month deadline for completion.

Maharashtra has 1.3 lakh registered housing societies, and 78,116 (62%) lack deemed conveyance, leaving them without legal ownership of the land they stand on. This dependency on builders or original landowners often hampers redevelopment, major repairs, and access to loans or development rights. Housing federations have also demanded that the eight required documents be reduced to five or six to simplify the process. The deemed conveyance provision was introduced in 2008, with rules notified in 2010, but uptake has remained low due to cumbersome procedures. Many societies either never initiated the process or abandoned it midway.

Despite the setbacks, the state government remains committed to resolving the issues and ensuring the portal functions as intended. The cooperation department is working closely with technical experts to identify and fix the glitches, with the goal of providing a seamless and efficient service to housing societies across the state.