Mumbai, July 9: In a major relief for residents of thousands of buildings without Occupancy Certificates (OC), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Standing Committee has approved a resolution to grant OCs to eligible buildings under a special Amnesty Scheme. The move aims to resolve long-pending issues affecting older buildings that were unable to obtain OCs due to minor technical deficiencies, incomplete documentation, or administrative delays.
Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde said eligible buildings will receive Occupancy Certificates after fulfilling prescribed conditions and paying the required fees. The decision is expected to ease property transactions, bank loan approvals, redevelopment projects, and access to various government services by providing legal recognition to affected properties.
Shinde credited the initiative to the guidance of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with the efforts of Information Technology and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MLA Ameet Satam, and former MP Gopal Shetty, who had consistently raised the issue.
According to Shinde, over 19,000 buildings in Mumbai currently lack Occupancy Certificates, affecting nearly one lakh families. These residents continue to pay higher property tax and water charges, resulting in a significant annual financial burden. The Standing Committee has unanimously approved the proposal, which will now be sent to the State Urban Development Department for final approval. Once cleared by the Maharashtra government, the scheme is expected to provide legal certainty to property owners, reduce additional tax liabilities, and accelerate stalled redevelopment projects across the city.
