RERA makes it mandatory for builders to follow directives
PATNA: Just weeks after the state government amended rules to give relief to flat owners facing problems in registration of flats constructed before August 30, 2018, owing to restrictions put by Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), Bihar, the regulatory authority has come up with a latest directive that promoters of ongoing or new projects as on May, 2017 will have to register under RERA or face penalty.
The regulatory authority has issued the order to dispel the notion among builders and flat owners that RERA provisions would not apply on constructions done on or before August 30, 2018 due to the recent government order. “We want to clarify that ongoing projects or new projects started after RERA came into existence from 1.05.2017 in Bihar would be guided by the central act and have to register with the body. There has been no dilution in any form in our stand,” said, Afzal Amanullah, chairman, RERA.
He said an impression had gone among certain section of builders that projects having been completed before August 30,2018 would not be guided by RERA provisions. “The registration department has issued the proviso only to allow registration of old flats in a bid to give relief to flat owners living in apartments constructed five to ten years back or even earlier. It has nothing to do with RERA as it concerns registration only,” he said.
Last year, the state government had amended rules imposing restriction on registration of flats in apartments that required RERA registration number as per provisions, leaving both promoters and flat owners in a tight spot. Even registration of old flats constructed five to 10 years back were affected as buildings did not have the occupancy/ completion certificates required to be taken by builders from municipal agencies. After long persuasion and pressure from builders lobby and flat owners, the government recently brought in amended rules to allow flat registration of apartments in which atleast one unit/ flat has been registered before the Bihar Registration (amendment) rules, 2018 notified on 30.8.2018 came into force.
Now, RERA would continue to crack down on builders who have not taken RERA registration of projects started either before or after the regulatory body came into force. “If we get complaints of half- finished projects by builders no matter it was handed over to occupants five to ten years back, we would take action against the errant promoters,” said R B Sinha, member, RERA.