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MahaRERA’s Hidden Agenda? Homebuyers Kept in the Dark After Abeyance Order

MahaRera, RERA

📌 What Happened

A recent investigative article published in the Times of India has exposed growing concerns around MahaRERA’s decision to block detailed project information for real estate developments placed under “abeyance.” Homebuyers trying to access the online portal now find that critical details like project status, bank account information, completion dates, and occupancy certificates are hidden. The only available message states that the “project is in abeyance and its bank account is frozen,” but no supporting documentation is visible.

🧾 Legal Concerns & Transparency Issues

Legal experts and activists have voiced sharp criticism. Advocate Godfrey Pimenta expressed concerns that this move effectively blocks buyers from accessing legal remedies. He pointed out that Section 4(2)(l) of the RERA Act mandates that information about registered real estate projects should be freely accessible to the public.

The lack of transparency, he warned, could result in thousands of buyers losing access to vital documentation needed to file complaints or seek refunds.

🛡️ MahaRERA’s Justification

Officials from MahaRERA claim the “abeyance” classification is applied only to non-compliant projects—those that have failed to submit regular progress reports. They argue the move is part of a regulatory framework aimed at freezing financial activity for delinquent developers.

While they assure the public that project documents can still be retrieved via formal written requests, many argue this defeats the purpose of digital public access, one of the cornerstones of the RERA Act.

🤔 Is There a Hidden Agenda?

🏦 Financial Shielding

The freezing of project bank accounts and removal of online data raises troubling questions:

  • Is MahaRERA shielding developers by reducing public scrutiny?
  • Are these delays intentional to limit legal action from buyers?

⚖️ Accountability at Stake

MahaRERA was designed to empower and protect buyers. However, this opacity may:

  • Tilt the balance in favor of errant developers
  • Limit access to justice for affected consumers
  • Create a perception of regulatory shielding instead of accountability

📊 Background: A Pattern of Abeyance

This isn’t the first time MahaRERA has deployed such measures. Earlier reports showed:

  • Over 1,750 lapsed projects were placed in abeyance mid-2024
  • This number jumped to 1,950 projects by January 2025, with frozen bank accounts and halted registrations
  • In each instance, buyers were kept in the dark with no real-time access to documents

These repeated actions show a trend—one that may be undermining the spirit of the RERA Act.

⚠️ Impact on Homebuyers

  1. Legal Roadblocks: Without open access to project history and legal documents, buyers may lose their ability to defend themselves in court.
  2. Investment Blindness: New buyers cannot verify if a project is stalled or suspended, potentially walking into financial traps.
  3. Delayed Recourse: The need to file written requests prolongs resolution timelines, while developers face less immediate pressure.

💡 What Should MahaRERA Do Next?

To restore trust and transparency, experts urge MahaRERA to:

  • Reinstate public access to essential documents for all projects, even those under abeyance
  • Maintain financial and operational restrictions, but not at the cost of transparency
  • Establish a digital transparency dashboard to clarify project status while protecting sensitive data

✅ Conclusion

MahaRERA’s enforcement of abeyance is a critical step in penalizing non-compliant developers—but the current lack of digital transparency contradicts its pro-buyer mission. By making essential information visible while enforcing necessary restrictions, MahaRERA can balance regulatory rigor with consumer rights, ensuring the system works for those it was designed to protect.

📚 References (Without Links):

Public statements by Advocate Godfrey Pimenta on buyer legal rights under RERA

Times of India report on MahaRERA blocking project data (July 2025)

Economic Times coverage of RERA compliance freezes

Hindustan Times articles on project abeyance orders and bank account freezes

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