BHUBANESWAR: Occupancy Certificate mandated under the Odisha Development Authority Act of 1982 and the Association of Allottees Certificate mandated under the Odisha Apartment (Ownership and Management) Act of 2023 are the two primary reasons for apartment registration coming to a standstill in the state.
The OC, a document that proves a building is fit to live in, was originally introduced in 1993. It remained on paper until the advent of Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA), but still, many buildings across the state do not have this very important certificate.
Similarly, the Association of Allottees Certificate, introduced in 2023, ensures that the common areas and facilities in an apartment or a building have been transferred to its occupants rather than being with the builder, which was the practice earlier.
Moving the Orissa high court, a Bhubaneswar resident filed a petition challenging the state govt and requested it to follow the rules while registering apartments. Following this, the HC passed an order in favour of the petitioner, and the registration came to a standstill since May 2022.
The registration of apartments resumed partially only in March last year after the enactment of the Odisha Apartment (Ownership and Management) Act of 2023, with new buildings coming up with the Association of Allottees Certificate as well as the OC.
However, resale has stopped since the older buildings, which are many in number, lack both certificates. Revenue minister Suresh Pujari, though, indicated a solution to the matter by April, but experts still believe that the problem will continue.
Pujari recently said revenue and disaster management department and the housing and urban development department will co-ordinate to come up with a resolution. “Necessary amendments to the existing Acts will be made in public interest,” Pujari said.
Real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan, however, said that there is still ignorance when it comes to the OCs. “The Supreme Court has already said that without an OC, a building is unauthorised. In the state, there are many such buildings,” said Pradhan, again asking for a regularisation scheme.
He said even today, people are in danger of being called out for staying in a building without an Occupancy Certificate. “The threat of demolition, possible disconnection of electricity and water keeps the apartment owners of old projects on the edge,” he said.
