Nod of 51% consent for housing society redevelopment in Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Government has decided to ease the procedure regarding redevelopment of Housing societies in the state. They have reduced the consent required from 70% to 51% now. This move by the State Government has come as a boost to several co-operative housing societies which intend to go for redevelopment. n

The cooperation department of the state government issued a government resolution (GR), laying down the procedures to be followed for redevelopment projects.

The GR stated, “The decision about going for redevelopment and its modalities should be agreed by not less than 51% of the society members. No approval, vote or opinion of an absent member will be taken into account during a vote on redevelopment project.”

The GR also said that the developer should deposit 20% of the total project cost with the society and should complete the project in three years.

According to a senior department official, “The government has received representation from builders and housing societies that many processes are stalled owing to the issue of consent. The idea was that if the majority votes in favour of the project, then it should not be stuck due to a minority. The government has taken such a stand for slum redevelopment and smaller housing societies earlier.”

Ramesh Prabhu, chairman of the Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MSWA), welcomed the decision and said, “It is a progressive decision and will help many housing societies going for redevelopment. When it was 70%, a group of people come together to stall the project. Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Palghar districts have a large number of societies. Of that, around 50% are going for full redevelopment, which means around 30,000 societies will benefit from the move.”

The department has also stressed on the “transparency” of the process followed in redevelopment projects of the housing societies.

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