Odisha RERA registration must for projects with over eight apartments, in 500 sq mtr

BHUBANESWAR: A housing or real estate project having more than eight apartments or developed in an area of over 500 square metre land is required to be registered with the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA). 

The Housing and Urban Development department has issued the order in a recent notification.

In its notification, the department has asked all urban local bodies (ULBs), development authorities (DAs), special planning authorities (SPAs) and regional improvement trusts (RITs) to issue completion or occupancy certificate in such projects only after they are registered with the ORERA. 

The fresh order was issued after it was found that some developers and builders of real estate firms are carrying out projects having more than eight apartments or developing those over 500 square metre land avoiding the registration with ORERA which has been mandated under the existing Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. 

The department has also stated that in absence of separate planning and building standard rules for rural areas, the block development officers (BDOs) should follow the procedure outlined under sections 17, 60, 61 and 62 of the Odisha Special Planning Authorities as well as the Regional Improvement Trust's Common Planning and Building Standard Rules, 2017 for issuance of completion or occupancy certificate to projects outside the jurisdiction of DAs, RITs and SPAs.  

Welcoming the notification, RERA activists pointed that the real estate regulatory authority of Odisha had also issued a notification in this regard in July last year.

The interpretation of the order, however, creates a notion that builders and developers are required to register with the regulatory authority only if they comply to both the conditions. A further clarification is needed from ORERA to this effect, said activist Bimalendu Pradhan.