MahaRERA penalizes 628 projects for failing to display registration number, QR code

The MahaRERA has urged homebuyers to avoid transactions with housing projects that do not display the mandatory RERA registration number. Chairperson of MahaRERA Ajoy Mehta said punitive action against violators will continue.

To effectively enforce guidelines and identify violators, the MahaRERA collaborated with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). Given that advertisements now span various media formats, including digital platforms, this collaboration aims to identify violators across all media types.

The partnership, supported by artificial intelligence, has successfully identified violations in newspapers, websites, online video streaming channels, and social media. Interestingly, the rate of violations is notably higher on social media compared to traditional advertising formats, according to MahaRERA.

Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, any project in Maharashtra exceeding 500 square metres or involving more than eight apartments (including plots) must be registered with MahaRERA. Marketing and sales activities for such projects are prohibited without a registration number from MahaRERA.

Since August 1, 2023, developers are also required to provide detailed information about the project, such as the project’s name, developer’s name, registration renewal status, expected completion date, pending complaints, pending litigations, and any recovery warrants issued. A scan of the project’s QR code should reveal all this information.