The Maharashtra government is preparing a landmark policy to help approximately 25,000 housing societies in Mumbai acquire long‐pending Occupation Certificates (OCs), ending a longstanding legal and administrative bottleneck.
An Occupation Certificate is a formal approval issued by the municipal corporation, certifying that a building is constructed according to approved plans and is safe and fit for occupancy. Without it, societies can’t legally allow residents to occupy buildings, nor can they easily get access to essential services such as water, sewage, or bank financing.
The government intends to release a detailed Government Resolution (GR) in the first week of October, laying out the rules, processes and eligibility criteria for these societies. One of the centrepieces is an amnesty scheme, which will reduce or waive certain penalties for societies applying within a fixed deadline. Societies that have made modifications such as additional Floor Space Index (FSI) violations or alterations and even those without proper conveyance or completion certificates, will be eligible.
For societies that had carried out alterations or exceeded permitted FSI, there will be premium or penalty charges, but at a discounted rate. If successful, this policy could unlock legal clarity, ease redevelopment and facilitate loans, improving quality of housing governance across Mumbai.
