The Maharashtra government is set to launch a new policy from 2 October 2025 aiming to provide Occupation Certificates (OCs) to around 25,000 buildings in Mumbai that currently lack them. These include cooperative housing societies under the jurisdiction of BMC, MHADA, SRA and other regulatory authorities.
An OC is a legal document issued by the municipal body confirming that a building has been constructed as per approved plans and is safe to occupy. Without it, residents face issues in accessing civic amenities, getting bank loans, redevelopment approvals, or even availing basic utilities.
Under the new framework:
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Many technical, regulatory or administrative lapses (such as discrepancies in sanctioned floor area, setback violations, or non-handing over of reserved flats/areas) will be reviewed and possibly regularised.
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Housing societies can apply jointly or individually; there will also be provision for partial OCs for compliant parts of buildings.
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For applications submitted within the first six months of policy rollout, no penalty will be imposed. However, if extra FSI (Floor Space Index) has been used, a premium must be paid.
This move is expected to relieve lakhs of Mumbai residents who, despite living in completed apartments, have been treated as “unauthorised occupants” due to lack of OC.
