A landmark move to bring apartment ownership under Maharashtra’s land record system; committee to submit ‘Vertical Property Rules’ within a month
Mumbai, October 30, 2025:
In a landmark administrative reform, the Maharashtra government has decided to officially record individual flat owners’ names on property cards and 7/12 extracts — a move that will finally give apartment buyers clear ownership recognition in land records.
The Revenue and Forest Department has constituted a high-powered committee to draft ‘Vertical Property Rules’ to make this possible. The decision, issued through a government resolution dated October 30, 2025, seeks to end the decades-long ambiguity in how ownership of apartments within co-operative housing societies is documented.
Why this matters for apartment owners
Currently, Maharashtra’s land record system recognizes only land parcels and building ownership, not individual flats within multi-storey buildings.
While homebuyers possess registered sale deeds, their names never appear in the official land records — unlike owners of independent plots or bungalows.
This inconsistency often complicates property verification, inheritance transfers, and bank loan processing.
With this reform, the state aims to link apartment ownership with land records, creating a single, transparent record of ownership and usage for all residential units.
Who will make the rules
The government has formed a committee chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue), including senior officials from:
- Co-operation Department
- Urban Development Department
- Law and Judiciary Department
- Rural Development Department
- Inspector General of Registration & Controller of Stamps
- Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records, Pune
A Deputy or Under Secretary (Land Measurement) from the Revenue Department will serve as Member Secretary of the committee.
Committee’s mandate
The state has directed the committee to:
- Study how other Indian states have implemented similar systems.
- Draft Vertical Property Rules for recording flat ownership in land records.
- Define how ownership of common areas and underlying land should be represented.
- Examine prior proposals submitted by the Settlement Commissioner and Director of Land Records, Pune.
The committee must submit its report within one month.
What are ‘Vertical Property Rules’?
The proposed Vertical Property Rules will legally enable the entry of apartment-level ownership data within existing land record systems — essentially digitizing “ownership layers” in high-rise structures.
Each flat could eventually have a unique property identification number, helping buyers, developers, and government agencies verify ownership instantly.
Experts say this change will align Maharashtra with international real estate record-keeping standards and enhance the ease of doing property transactions.
Benefits for homeowners and the market
- ✅ Official proof of ownership in government records
- ✅ Simpler verification for banks, buyers, and developers
- ✅ Smooth transfer and inheritance of flats
- ✅ Transparent dispute resolution within housing societies
- ✅ Boosted buyer confidence in Maharashtra’s property market
For a state where over 90% of urban housing exists in apartment form, this step represents one of the most significant land governance reforms in years.
Looking ahead
The initiative is part of Maharashtra’s larger effort to digitize land and property records, bringing more transparency to the real estate sector. Once implemented, this reform could make Maharashtra the first Indian state to integrate apartment-level data with property cards, setting a new national benchmark for ownership clarity and governance.
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