The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has granted an automatic four-month extension to eligible real estate projects affected by the ongoing West Asia conflict, following a directive from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
The order, issued by MahaRERA secretary Prakash Sable on Friday, comes a week after MoHUA asked housing regulators across the country to provide relief to projects facing delays due to force majeure. The provision applies when unforeseen events such as wars, natural disasters or pandemics disrupt contractual obligations.
This is only the second instance in MahaRERA’s history of a blanket extension being granted under force majeure provisions. The first came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the authority provided a six-month extension from March 15 to September 14, 2020, followed by another six-month extension in August 2021 for projects whose deadlines fell on or after April 15 that year.
The latest relief follows the Union Finance Ministry’s classification of the West Asia conflict as a state of “war” on April 29. MoHUA subsequently issued its directive on July 31 after receiving representations from the real estate sector.
Under the new MahaRERA order, developers do not need to file individual applications to receive the extension. The benefit will apply to projects whose original, revised or previously extended completion dates fall on or after February 28, when the conflict began.
“Projects registered on or after August 1 shall be excluded from this extension,” the MahaRERA order states.
The authority has not disclosed the number of projects in Mumbai or elsewhere in Maharashtra that will qualify for the extension.
Kamlesh Thakur, President, NAREDCO Maharashtra, said, “We welcome MahaRERA’s timely and pragmatic decision to grant an automatic four-month extension to eligible real estate projects under the Force Majeure provisions of the RERA Act. This is a balanced and industry-sensitive step that acknowledges the genuine disruptions caused by the prevailing geopolitical situation and its cascading impact on global supply chains, construction material availability, logistics and project execution.”
Thakur added that removing the requirement for separate applications would reduce procedural delays and provide developers with greater regulatory clarity. “This proactive approach will enable developers to focus on maintaining construction momentum while ensuring compliance with RERA norms,” he said.
Kaushal Agarwal, chairman of The Guardians Real Estate Advisory, said, “From a homebuyer’s perspective, the order brings greater clarity and consistency by applying a uniform extension across all eligible projects instead of requiring individual applications. This reduces uncertainty around revised completion timelines and reinforces transparency in the regulatory process.”
Source: Hindustan Times
