MahaRERA dues recovery slows down despite dedicated officers; only Rs10 crore collected in five months

Pune: The Maharashtra govt’s initiative to fast-track the recovery of dues for aggrieved homebuyers has hit a roadblock. Despite the appointment of dedicated revenue recovery officers in key districts five months ago, collections have increased by a meagre Rs10 crore.Data from the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) reveal that total recoveries, which stood at Rs270 crore in Dec 2025, have only crawled to approximately Rs280 crore to date. This sluggish pace persists despite a state mandate directing collectors to expedite the execution of recovery warrants.The slow progress is particularly concerning given the scale of the default. Since its inception in May 2017, MahaRERA has issued recovery warrants worth nearly Rs792 crore in favour of 1,291 complainants.Of this total, approximately ₹103 crore is currently tied up in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), where recovery proceedings are paused due to corporate insolvency processes. However, hundreds of crores remain outside the NCLT’s ambit, yet remain uncollected.Under Section 40(1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, MahaRERA has the power to issue warrants for compensation, interest, and penalties. However, the actual muscle for recovery lies with district collectors. These officials are tasked with recovering funds as “arrears of land revenue,” which includes the power to attach and auction a developer’s property.Earlier this year, the state approved dedicated recovery officers for Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Pune, Thane, and Raigad—districts that account for the lion’s share of pending cases. Yet, the additional manpower has failed to yield significant results:Mumbai Suburban is the worst-affected region, with Rs352 crore due across 482 warrants. Only Rs112 crore has been recovered.Pune has recovered only Rs47 crore against outstanding dues of Rs195 crore.Thane has recovered only Rs23 crore out of Rs 74.63 crore dues.Raigad & Palghar districts have recovered less than Rs14 crore against total dues exceeding Rs44 crore.For many homebuyers, however, the wait for relief continues despite obtaining favourable MahaRERA orders years ago.“We spent years fighting the case and paying for lawyers. But winning an order and actually getting the money are two different things,” said a complainant from Pune who has been waiting over two years for compensation from a delayed project. “There is zero clarity on when we will see our dues.”There are growing fears that the recovery process will stall further as district administrations pivot towards national priorities.“Every office tells us the matter is ‘under process.’ Now, with the upcoming census and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, we fear that recovery warrants will be pushed to the bottom of the pile,” said a Thane-based homebuyer who secured a warrant in 2023.