Old buildings in Maharashtra must submit structural stability certificate for new water, drainage connections

The feasibility report will have to establish whether sufficient space is available within the building for rainwater harvesting and solid waste/bio-sludge management facilities. Representational Pic

Old buildings in Maharashtra seeking new water or drainage connections will now have to submit valid structural stability certificates and construction permits, along with provisions for rainwater harvesting and bio-sludge management systems, according to a government resolution (GR) issued on Monday.

The new directive, issued by the Urban Development Department, makes compliance with these environmental measures a key condition for granting new water, drainage, and other utility connections to older structures across municipal corporations, municipalities, and nagar panchayats in the state, reported PTI.

Move aimed at easing approvals for old buildings

The move has been introduced as part of the government's "ease of doing business and ease of living" reforms to ensure a uniform procedure for granting utility connections to old buildings.

According to the Urban Development Department, the procedure will apply to new water and drainage connections and similar utility services for existing buildings, subject to compliance with specified conditions and all relevant provisions of the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) and the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act.

Civic bodies to allow connections subject to conditions

All municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats will be required to grant permissions for old buildings seeking new water connections, drainage connections, and similar utility services, provided the stipulated conditions are fulfilled, the GR stated.

Applicants will have to submit the building's construction permit and a valid structural stability certificate, which will be examined by an engineer.

Feasibility report to assess rainwater harvesting, waste systems

The feasibility report will have to establish whether sufficient space is available within the building for rainwater harvesting and solid waste/bio-sludge management facilities.

It will also have to assess whether the installation of such facilities could pose any danger to the building or neighbouring structures, the GR stated.

MHADA amendment offers hope for redevelopment of 13,000 ageing buildings

Earlier in July, the Maharashtra government introduced a corrective amendment to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) Act to revive the stalled implementation of Section 79A, a key provision aimed at expediting the redevelopment of dilapidated structures.

Mumbai has more than 13,000 cessed buildings, many of them constructed before 1940. Redevelopment of several such structures has remained stalled for decades due to landlord-tenant disputes, prolonged litigation and refusal by some landlords to undertake reconstruction.

The urgency of the issue is underlined by official data. RTI information obtained by activist Jeetendra Ghadge shows that Mumbai recorded 345 incidents of full or partial building collapses between 2021 and August 2025, resulting in eight deaths.

The amendment, passed by both Houses of the state legislature, is now awaiting the Governor's assent.

It authorises officers empowered by MHADA to exercise powers under Section 79A and replaces the earlier reference to a "competent authority". The ambiguity over who constituted the competent authority had prompted the Bombay High Court to stay nearly 935 notices issued under the provision last year.

Sections 79A and 79B were introduced in 2020 following a series of fatal building collapses. The provisions empowered MHADA to intervene when landlords failed to redevelop dangerous structures and allowed tenants, with the consent of the majority, to undertake redevelopment.

A MHADA official said the authority had already submitted a special committee report to the Bombay High Court establishing that MHADA and its Building and Repairs Department were the competent authorities under the provision.

"Our special committee report submitted to the Bombay HC was self-explanatory, and we have proven how MHADA and the Building and Repairs Department [of MHADA] are the competent authorities. We hope the Supreme Court will also take the right decision," the official said.

(With PTI inputs)