MahaRERA Pulls Up CIDCO Over Kharghar Project After Lottery Winner Flags Amenity Cuts, Area Mismatch

Mumbai, March 26: The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has directed the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to enhance transparency and upload complete project details for its housing project near Kharghar Railway Station in Navi Mumbai. The order came in response to a complaint filed by a lottery winner who alleged significant deviations from the project's advertised specifications.

The directive highlights the importance of transparency in public housing projects and reinforces the statutory obligations of promoters under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.

The Complaint: Amenities Cut, Lift Reduction, Area Mismatch

The homebuyer, who secured a unit through a CIDCO lottery, alleged that key features highlighted during the lottery advertisement were subsequently altered. The specific deviations flagged included:

Amenities: Reduction from 16 originally advertised amenities to fewer
Passenger lifts: Reduction from four lifts to two
Carpet area discrepancy: Advertised as 540 sq ft but later stated as 508 sq ft under RERA norms

The buyer also pointed out that CIDCO had not uploaded complete sanctioned plans on the MahaRERA portal, which is a mandatory requirement under the RERA Act.

CIDCO's Defense

In its submissions to MahaRERA, CIDCO attributed the changes primarily to Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) restrictions. The corporation stated that some originally proposed amenities fell within mangrove buffer zones where development is restricted by environmental regulations.

Regarding the reduction in lifts, CIDCO explained that the building design was revised in line with regulatory norms, including reducing the height and recalibrating lift requirements in accordance with the National Building Code (NBC) .

On the carpet area issue, CIDCO provided a detailed clarification:

RERA carpet area: 47.227 sq m (508 sq ft)
Actual carpet area: 50.942 sq m, which along with the enclosed balcony works out to 543.495 sq ft
The unit also includes a dry balcony area of 17.25 sq m and internal wall area of 26.78 sq ft, resulting in a total unit area of approximately 587.53 sq ft
The advertised 540 sq ft represents the actual carpet area including enclosed balcony, whereas the RERA carpet area is 508 sq ft as per the statutory definition

MahaRERA's Observations

In its order dated March 16, 2026, MahaRERA noted that the homebuyer, despite being a lottery winner, had not yet entered into a registered agreement for sale nor paid 10 per cent of the consideration amount. Consequently, the authority held that the complainant did not qualify as an 'allottee' under the RERA Act, and therefore the substantive claims regarding alterations could not be adjudicated at this stage.

However, MahaRERA emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in public housing projects. The authority observed that CIDCO had not placed sufficient material on record to justify the reduction in amenities conclusively.

Non-Compliance with Disclosure Requirements

A significant aspect of the MahaRERA order focused on CIDCO's failure to upload complete and clear sanctioned plans on the MahaRERA portal, as mandated under Section 11 of the RERA Act.

"MahaRERA has also noticed the grievance raised by the complainant (homebuyer) regarding non-uploading of complete sanctioned plans and revised plans on the MahaRERA website by the respondent (CIDCO), which is a statutory duty of the respondent, being the promoter of the said project, in terms of the provisions of Section 11 of the RERA," the authority stated.

MahaRERA's Directive

The authority directed CIDCO to ensure that all relevant approvals, sanctioned plans, and any subsequent revisions are uploaded on the MahaRERA website within 30 days from the date of the order. Specifically, CIDCO must upload:

All relevant approvals
Sanctioned plans, including plans reflecting the approved lift configuration
Any subsequent revisions to the plans
The final list of amenities proposed to be provided in the project, supported by the approved layout plan reflecting such amenities

Implications for Public Housing Projects

The MahaRERA order underscores that public development authorities like CIDCO are equally bound by RERA's disclosure requirements as private developers. The directive reinforces that:

Complete transparency is mandatory for all housing projects, regardless of whether they are developed by public or private entities
Sanctioned plans must be uploaded in their entirety on the RERA portal
Any deviations from advertised specifications must be clearly documented and justified
Prospective allottees have the right to access complete project information before committing to purchase

Outlook

With the 30-day deadline now in place, CIDCO is expected to upload the complete sanctioned plans and revised specifications for the Kharghar project. The order serves as a reminder to all promoters—both public and private—of their statutory obligations under RERA to maintain transparency and provide accurate project information to homebuyers.

For the lottery winners and prospective allottees of the Kharghar project, the forthcoming disclosures will provide clarity on the actual amenities, lift configuration, and area details, enabling them to make informed decisions about their investments.