Pune: PMRDA Introduces Amnesty Scheme With 50% Fee Reduction for Gunthewari Houses

Pune, 20th October 2024: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has made significant progress following the Maharashtra State Government’s approval of a fee reduction for the regularization of houses under the Maharashtra Gunthewari Developments (Regularisation, Upgradation, and Control) Act of 2001. The PMRDA has introduced an amnesty scheme, offering a 50% reduction in the regularization fee for Gunthewari houses, provided the proposal is submitted by 31st May 2025. This move is expected to bring considerable relief to citizens residing within the PMRDA’s jurisdiction, particularly those in 23 villages.

Previously, the Maharashtra Government decided to regularize houses built before 2001 under the Gunthewari Act, and recently, the government extended this deadline. The new deadline for regularizing such houses is now set for 21st December 2020. However, the fees for regularization were already determined by the Maharashtra Government.

While setting the fees, additional charges under the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) and the Ready Reckoner rates were applied, leading to high regularization fees that discouraged many citizens from proceeding with the process. In response, individuals such as Sudhir Kulkarni, president of the Civil Rights Organization, demanded a reduction in these fees.

On 18th October 2021, the Urban Development Department, led by Additional Secretary Prasad Shinde, reviewed the regularization rates. PMRDA was instructed to set the fees within the prescribed maximum limits. Following this, PMRDA proposed a reduction in the regularization rates for Gunthewari houses.

Last month, PMRDA’s Planning Committee, chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, approved the proposal to lower regularization fees. However, despite this decision, the relief provided to citizens has been considered insufficient by some.

For instance, if a 3,000 sq. ft. building is constructed on a 1,000 sq. ft. plot (Guntha) without proper permissions, the regularization process under the Gunthewari Act requires payment based on the ready-reckoner rate of the land. If the rate is ₹1,000 per sq. ft., development charges will be calculated at double that rate—₹2,000 per sq. ft.

For constructions exceeding 1,900 sq. ft., a reduced mitigation fee of 4% (₹40 per sq. ft.) will apply instead of the previous 10%. Similarly, for failing to maintain the required distance on all sides of the construction, the fine has been reduced from 10% to 4%.

Under the amnesty scheme, constructions within the permissible Floor Space Index (FSI) will be charged a regularization fee of ₹1,000, while constructions beyond the FSI limit will incur additional charges. Overall, the regularization fee will be reduced by nearly 50%.

To further incentivize compliance, the PMRDA has launched this amnesty scheme, which will remain effective until 31st May 2025. During this period, homeowners submitting regularization proposals will receive a 50% concession on the fees.