Pune: The long-awaited proposal to introduce vertical property cards for apartment owners is likely to be discussed during the monsoon session of the state legislature beginning Monday. The initiative, which seeks to provide independent ownership records for flats, is currently awaiting final legal clearance, officials from the state settlement commissioner’s office told TOI.Senior officials confirmed that the proposal is currently with the law and judiciary department after undergoing multiple rounds of scrutiny and revisions.“There have been several rounds of correspondence and corrections. The proposal has now been submitted to the govt for final vetting,” a senior official said. “Since the implementation requires amendments to multiple statutes, including the Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act (MOFA) and the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, the matter is expected to be tabled for discussion during the assembly session.”The project, which has been under consideration for nearly four years, was championed by the revenue department as part of a broader effort to modernise land records and bring transparency to property ownership. While earlier indications suggested the proposal would go straight to the state cabinet, the need for legislative amendments has brought it back to the assembly floor.If approved, Maharashtra could become the first state in India to implement a comprehensive vertical property card system. Currently, property ownership in urban areas is linked to a general property card, while rural records rely on the 7/12 extract. However, there is no standalone govt record that establishes the ownership of an individual apartment within a multi-storey building.The proposed system addresses this gap by creating a separate revenue record for every flat. The existing land record (property card or 7/12 extract) will remain the primary document for the land itself, while the vertical property card will serve as the “record of rights” for the individual unit.The card will include the name of the individual owner, exact carpet area, proportionate share in the land, details of mortgages, loans, or other encumbrances.Under the proposed plan, the first phase will cover newly constructed buildings and MahaRERA-registered projects. Older housing societies will be integrated into the system in the second phase; these societies will be required to apply for the cards once the policy is officially notified.Revenue officials believe the initiative will drastically reduce ownership disputes, simplify resale and inheritance procedures, and make it easier for owners to secure housing finance.“The proposal has been under discussion for years. Currently, flat owners lack a specific govt record to prove ownership of their individual units,” said Jitendra Kothari, a housing society committee member in Kondhwa. “It is high time the govt implements this system.”Urban planning experts noted that the current land record system is ill-equipped for high-rise living. “A vertical property card will create a clearer ownership trail and make property transactions significantly more transparent,” an expert added.
