Senior NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad claimed on Monday that a merger between the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party was "2,000 per cent" certain to happen, reported news agency PTI. The unification of the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar and the NCP, headed by the late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, was in advanced stages, he said. The MLA visited the NCP office in Thane to pay floral tributes to the departed leader. ‘Merger date fixed for February 12’ "It is 2,000 per cent true that the merger of the two NCPs was going to happen. While such high-level matters are for the leadership to discuss, I can say with absolute certainty that this unification was imminent," Jitendra Awhad told reporters. He hailed the administrative acumen of Ajit Pawar, describing his death in a plane crash as an irreparable loss to Maharashtra's governance. Awhad praises Ajit Pawar’s administrative grip Awhad noted that he had not seen a leader in 40 years with such a strong command over the administration. He praised the late leader for his lightning-fast decision-making, stating that during Ajit Pawar's tenure, "no file was ever stalled in the ministry," reported PTI. Sharad Pawar fuels speculation over merger talks The unification speculation gained momentum after Sharad Pawar last week claimed that it was his late nephew Ajit Pawar's wish to unite both factions, and gave a February 12 timeline for the merger. "Now we feel his wish should be fulfilled. Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Jayant Patil had initiated the talks about the merger of the two factions. Even the merger date had been fixed - it was scheduled on the 12th (February). Unfortunately, Ajit left us before that," he had said, reported PTI. Fadnavis dismisses claim, NCP leaders play down possibility Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had virtually dismissed Sharad Pawar's claim, saying if the merger talks were really in progress, then Ajit Pawar would have shared details with him, reported PTI. Leaders of NCP have, however, indicated that such a unification is a remote possibility, further deepening the political intrigue. (With inputs from PTI)
03 February,2026 11:25 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra minister Nitesh Rane has triggered a major controversy after warning that development funds would be withheld in areas where candidates of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) emerge victorious in the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, reported news agency PTI. Funds linked to poll symbols, says minister at Sindhudurg rally Addressing an election rally in the Fonda constituency of Kankavli in Sindhudurg district on Sunday, Rane said the release of funds depended on the poll symbol of the winning candidate. “If I see the lotus or the bow and arrow, funds are sanctioned immediately. But if the flaming torch appears, I will even stop funds that have already been approved,” he said, referring to the symbols of the BJP, Shiv Sena and Sena (UBT), respectively, reported PTI. Rane, who was campaigning for a Shiv Sena candidate, claimed a similar strategy had been adopted during recent gram panchayat elections. He alleged that sarpanches were warned that no funds would be released unless they aligned with the ruling side, following which they “quickly switched over”. Opposition calls remarks misuse of power, violation of oath The remarks drew sharp reactions from the Opposition. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Akhil Chitre said the state treasury was public money and not a personal reserve of any minister. He described Rane’s comments as an open admission of misuse of power and said they violated the oath of impartiality taken by a minister. Chitre questioned whether the chief minister and the governor would act against Rane or remain silent, which, he claimed, would amount to tacit approval of such statements, reported PTI. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that Maharashtra, under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, was witnessing the erosion of democratic values. He claimed the government was attempting to weaken the Opposition and undermine constitutional principles. Local body polls scheduled for February 7 As many as 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis across Maharashtra are scheduled to go to polls on February 7, with counting slated for February 9. Rane, Bawankule trade barbs with Sena (UBT) over fund allocation Rane further claimed that the local body elections were becoming one-sided, asserting that voters were questioning the relevance of rival parties. He said the polls were being contested under the leadership of MP Narayan Rane and expressed confidence that Sindhudurg district would remain under his leadership for the next five years, reported PTI. Taking a swipe at the Shiv Sena (UBT), Rane said the party was “barely visible” on the ground during the campaign and claimed that its candidates would eventually have to approach the ruling dispensation for funds after the elections, reported PTI. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule also weighed in, alleging that when Uddhav Thackeray was chief minister, officials were instructed not to release funds for projects recommended by him. He said those decisions were now rebounding politically. Nitesh Rane has been at the centre of multiple controversies in recent months. During the civic poll campaign in January, he made inflammatory remarks targeting a particular community, drawing widespread criticism. In another instance, responding to comments by an AIMIM corporator about “painting Mumbra green”, Rane said the area would be “painted in saffron” and claimed that every inch of land belonged to a “Hindu Rashtra”, reported PTI. At a rally in Vasai last month, he also warned against disruptions during Hindu festivals and said those raising slogans other than “Jai Shri Ram” should be sent “to their fathers in Pakistan”, remarks that further escalated political tensions. (With inputs from PTI)
03 February,2026 11:11 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThree members of a family were injured after a high-speed Mercedes, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy, crashed into vehicles inside the Mumbai Coastal Road tunnel in south Mumbai, police said on Monday, reported news agency PTI. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday when the luxury car, travelling towards south Mumbai, struck another vehicle from behind inside the tunnel. The impact caused the Mercedes to ram into a second car ahead, an official from D B Marg police station said, reported PTI. As a result of the collision, three occupants of one of the cars—including an elderly woman—sustained injuries and were taken for medical treatment, police said. Following an investigation, police registered a case against a businessman from the Agripada area, who owns the Mercedes, his 18-year-old granddaughter, and her 17-year-old male friend, who was allegedly driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, reported PTI. Police said preliminary findings indicate that the minor lost control of the car while driving through the tunnel, leading to the accident. Further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is underway. Driver trapped after Thane truck collision, rescued by fire brigade In another incident, one person was injured after a heavy truck collided with another vehicle near Kharegaon Toll Naka in the Retibandar area of Kalwa, Thane (West), early Tuesday morning, officials said. According to the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation, the accident occurred around 6.02 am on the road leading towards Mumbra. A heavy Ashok Leyland truck (MH 04 KU 2012), carrying debris and garbage from Mulund Dumping Ground to Mumbra, rammed into an unidentified vehicle moving ahead of it. The truck was owned by Rupesh Talwar and driven by Rajkumar (32), a resident of Taloja. Following the collision, the driver was trapped inside the vehicle. Fire brigade personnel, including a divisional officer and sub-station officer, rushed to the spot with a fire engine and a rescue vehicle. Teams from the Disaster Management Cell, city traffic police and staff from Kalwa Police Station were also deployed, along with an ambulance. The trapped driver was successfully rescued from the cabin. He sustained serious injuries to his leg and was admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, traffic police personnel were engaged in clearing the accident site by shifting the damaged vehicle to the side of the road to restore traffic movement. (With inputs from PTI)
03 February,2026 10:53 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 72-year-old senior citizen was killed after being run over by a heavy vehicle allegedly driven by a drunk driver at the busy Chikuwadi traffic junction in Borivali West on Sunday night. The accused tried to flee the spot but was caught by the Borivli police with the help of alert passers-by. The deceased has been identified as Nitin Babulal Shah, a resident of Mahavir Nagar, Borivali West. Shah, who was riding a two-wheeler, suffered fatal head injuries after the wheel of an Eicher tempo allegedly ran over his head. As per the police and a complaint filed by the victim’s son, Parag Nitin Shah, a car dealer, the accident occurred around 9.30 pm on February 1 near the RM Bhattad Road-Chikuwadi junction. Parag Shah stated that the family was returning home after visiting a relative in Borivli East. Around 9 pm, his father left ahead on his Suzuki Access scooter. Minutes later, Parag received a call from a friend informing him about the accident. “When I reached the spot, my father was lying unconscious in a pool of blood with severe head injuries,” Shah told the police. He was rushed to Shatabdi Hospital with the help of police personnel, where doctors declared him dead on arrival at around 10 pm. Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the Eicher tempo, allegedly being driven rashly, was turning towards New Link Road and hit Shah’s scooter from the right. The impact threw him onto the road, after which the vehicle reportedly ran over his head. The accused driver, identified as Kripashankar Muralishankar Yadav, 35, a resident of Goregaon West, allegedly attempted to escape but was apprehended shortly after. Preliminary investigations suggest he was under the influence of alcohol at the time. He has been arrested, and the tempo seized. “A case has been registered for causing death by negligence and other relevant sections. Further investigation is underway, including confirmation of the intoxication report,” a Borivali police officer said.
03 February,2026 10:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanMumbai woke up to cold and hazy conditions on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, with smog blanketing several parts of the city, once again highlighting concerns over deteriorating air quality that have persisted since the onset of winter. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city is expected to witness mostly clear weather through the day, with temperatures ranging between 23 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius. While temperatures have remained largely stable in recent days, air pollution levels have continued to fluctuate, raising health concerns among residents. Data from the Sameer app indicated that Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 137 on Monday morning, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. Pollution levels varied significantly across locations, with Bandra Kurla Complex recording an AQI of 136, Borivali East 130, Byculla 157, Andheri East 185, Chembur 118, Colaba 128, and Deonar 147. Ghatkopar registered an AQI of 158, Kandivali East 125, Malad West 122, Mazgaon 133, while Mulund West reported the highest reading among key areas at 131. On Tuesday, Mumbai’s AQI was recorded at 141, continuing to remain in the ‘moderate’ category and indicating little change from the previous day’s readings. Officials noted that PM10 remains the dominant pollutant, primarily driven by construction-related dust and vehicular emissions, contributing significantly to the city’s air quality concerns. Dense fog covers parts of Delhi, air quality in 'poor' category Meanwhile, several parts of the national capital experienced dense fog on Tuesday morning. The Air Quality Index stood at 256 at 7 am, placing air quality in the poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Several monitoring stations across the city reported AQI levels in the poor-to-very poor range. Ashok Vihar stood at 287. Bawana reported an AQI of 239, Burari 234, and Chandni Chowk 324. Dwarka Sector 8 recorded 293, ITO 248, while Mundka recorded 297 and Wazirpur recorded 316. Okhla Phase-2 logged an AQI of 310, Rohini 281, Punjabi Bagh 295, and RK Puram 300. Lower readings were recorded in Narela (168) and Alipur (212), according to the CPCB. The temperature in the city was around 12 degrees Celsius at 7 am, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In a Facebook post, Gandhi read messages from citizens, and in a self-made video, he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare air pollution a national health emergency.
03 February,2026 09:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOne person was injured after a heavy truck collided with another vehicle near Kharegaon Toll Naka in the Retibandar area of Kalwa, Thane (West), early Tuesday morning, officials said. According to the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation, the accident occurred around 6.02 am on the road leading towards Mumbra. A heavy Ashok Leyland truck (MH 04 KU 2012), carrying debris and garbage from Mulund Dumping Ground to Mumbra, rammed into an unidentified vehicle moving ahead of it. The truck was owned by Rupesh Talwar and driven by Rajkumar (32), a resident of Taloja. Following the collision, the driver was trapped inside the vehicle. Fire brigade personnel, including a divisional officer and sub-station officer, rushed to the spot with a fire engine and a rescue vehicle. Teams from the Disaster Management Cell, city traffic police and staff from Kalwa Police Station were also deployed, along with an ambulance. The trapped driver was successfully rescued from the cabin. He sustained serious injuries to his leg and was admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, traffic police personnel were engaged in clearing the accident site by shifting the damaged vehicle to the side of the road to restore traffic movement. Fire breaks out in electric duct of Thane residential building, two injured In another incident, a fire broke out in an electric duct on the 10th floor of a residential high-rise in Thane West early Tuesday, leaving two residents injured and prompting the evacuation of dozens of people, officials said. According to the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the incident was reported at around 4.14 am at Milan Hill Building, a ground-plus-18-storey structure located near Shastri Nagar Naka in Shastri Nagar. The information was initially relayed to civic authorities by a journalist. Fire brigade personnel, along with officials from the Disaster Management Cell, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and the Mahanagar Gas Company, rushed to the spot. The emergency response included one fire engine, one rescue vehicle and a utility vehicle. The blaze damaged the electric duct between the 10th and 13th floors. The main doors of two flats on the 10th floor—Room No. 1005, owned by Pushparaj Mendhan, and Room No. 1006, owned by Vidya Jadhav - were also charred. Heavy smoke from the fire trapped nearly 60 to 70 residents inside the building. Of these, four occupants in Room No. 1005 and three in Room No. 1006 were stranded on the 10th floor. All were safely evacuated by fire brigade personnel and disaster management staff as a precautionary measure, officials said. Two residents sustained burn injuries in the incident. A 74-year-old woman, Ruchira Deshmukh, a resident of Room No. 1104, suffered burns to both hands and was admitted to Jupiter Hospital. Another injured resident, Vivek Pradhan (62), who lives in Room No. 1502, sustained burns to his hand and leg and was admitted to Bethany Hospital. The fire was brought under control and completely extinguished by around 5.30 am. Officials said the situation is now stable and under control.
03 February,2026 09:36 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA fire broke out in an electric duct on the 10th floor of a residential high-rise in Thane West early Tuesday, leaving two residents injured and prompting the evacuation of dozens of people, officials said. According to the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the incident was reported at around 4.14 am at Milan Hill Building, a ground-plus-18-storey structure located near Shastri Nagar Naka in Shastri Nagar. The information was initially relayed to civic authorities by a journalist. Fire brigade personnel, along with officials from the Disaster Management Cell, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and the Mahanagar Gas Company, rushed to the spot. The emergency response included one fire engine, one rescue vehicle and a utility vehicle. The blaze damaged the electric duct between the 10th and 13th floors. The main doors of two flats on the 10th floor—Room No. 1005, owned by Pushparaj Mendhan, and Room No. 1006, owned by Vidya Jadhav—were also charred. Heavy smoke from the fire trapped nearly 60 to 70 residents inside the building. Of these, four occupants in Room No. 1005 and three in Room No. 1006 were stranded on the 10th floor. All were safely evacuated by fire brigade personnel and disaster management staff as a precautionary measure, officials said. Two residents sustained burn injuries in the incident. A 74-year-old woman, Ruchira Deshmukh, a resident of Room No. 1104, suffered burns to both hands and was admitted to Jupiter Hospital. Another injured resident, Vivek Pradhan (62), who lives in Room No. 1502, sustained burns to his hand and leg and was admitted to Bethany Hospital. The fire was brought under control and completely extinguished by around 5.30 am. Officials said the situation is now stable and under control. Charging battery of electric two-wheeler explodes, triggers fire in flat In another case, the battery of an electric two-wheeler exploded while being charged inside a flat in Diva area near Thane on Monday, triggering a fire, civic officials said. While the explosion caused extensive damage to the house, nobody was injured in the incident that occurred after 4 PM in a room on the third floor of Siddhant Regency Building No. 1. The fire rapidly spread through the living room, said Yasin Tadvi, chief of the Disaster Management Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). "A battery used to charge an electric two-wheeler exploded in the house, causing a fire. The sofa, furniture, and electrical wiring in the house were completely burnt and damaged. However, the fire has been completely extinguished. No one was injured," he added. Firefighters managed to bring the situation under control and extinguish the flames by 4:40 PM.
03 February,2026 09:07 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA section of the MNS has blamed alliance partner Shiv Sena (UBT) for the party’s poor performance in the recently held BMC elections. However, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has rejected the charge and asked party workers to stop making excuses and instead introspect on their own preparedness. Raj held a closed-door meeting with senior party leaders and select workers at the MIG Club in Bandra on Monday. According to party insiders, several office-bearers complained that Shiv Sena (UBT) workers did not campaign as expected. Last year, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray set aside their rivalry and joined hands on issues of Marathi identity and Maharashtra’s pride. Under the seat-sharing arrangement, Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 163 seats, while MNS fought 53. Sena (UBT) won 65 seats, the MNS managed to secure only six. When MNS leaders blamed the alliance partner, Raj came to the defence of his cousin and rejected the argument. “Why blame others? How well were you prepared for the polls?” he reportedly asked. A senior MNS leader argued that the party did not get seats where it was organisationally strong. Raj, however, dismissed the explanation, asking why the party failed to perform even in 2017 when it had contested independently. Raj has also rubbished the reports of MNS supporting BJP in BMC. “MNS is not going to support the BJP,” MNS chief clarified. ‘Focus on real work instead of theatrics’ Raj Thackeray also warned party workers against focusing on theatrics instead of real political work. In a veiled reference to recent incidents involving assaults on non-Marathi-speaking individuals, he said making videos of such acts and sharing them would not benefit the party. He urged workers to strengthen booth-level organisation and reconnect with local civic issues.
03 February,2026 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena registered their respective corporators separately on Monday for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) general body. Each party now has separate group leaders in the BMC. While the Shiv Sena group leader is two-time Matunga corporator Amey Ghole, the BJP group leader is Ganesh Khankar, the corporator from Dahisar. Khankar is set to become group leader in the House (general body), as BJP is the single largest party, leading the entire 227-member body of elected representatives in the BMC. According to information from the office of the municipal secretary, the Congress party has already nominated Ashraf Azmi as its group leader, while the MNS has nominated Yashwant Killedar, corporator from ward 192 in Dadar, and AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) has nominated Vijay Ubale from ward no. 140 as its group leader. Ubale is the only corporator among AIMIM’s eight elected representatives who is not from the Muslim community. Notably, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) have not yet registered their elected representatives for BMC, amid speculation that both parties are set to support the Shiv Sena in the general body. The election for the BMC mayor will be held on February 11. The process of filing nominations for the post will begin on February 6. With BJP’s 89 corporators and Shiv Sena’s 29 corporators elected to BMC on January 16, the Mahayuti alliance is in a position to nominate a member — who must be a female corporator who contested from a general category seat — for the position. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has 65 corporators, while the MNS has six, NCP has three, NCP-SP has one, and Samajwadi Party has one. What separate registrations mean? A joint registration by the top parties in the Mahayuti alliance means both parties would have a single whip in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and would bargain for joint sharing of chairmanship of key posts for various statutory committees and leader of the House. However, according to party leaders, while sharing of the posts of chairmanship for key committees is likely, both parties will now lobby separately for the posts.
03 February,2026 07:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MSWill a merger of the two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions mean that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP will back or even join the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre and the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra? As speculation over a possible reunion gains momentum in political circles, leaders from the Ajit Pawar faction have publicly questioned the intent and direction of such a move. State NCP president Sunil Tatkare said those speaking about a merger must first clarify which faction would merge into the other. Stating that his party is firmly aligned with the BJP-led NDA, Tatkare posed a pointed question to leaders from the Sharad Pawar camp. “Does this proposed merger mean that the other NCP faction is ready to join the NDA or extend support to it?” Tatkare asked, adding that he had no knowledge of any formal proposal. He also claimed that the late Ajit Pawar had never discussed such a plan with him. Echoing Tatkare’s view, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said, “We are with the BJP. If a merger happens, does that mean we are no longer with the BJP?” Meanwhile, NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appeared to trade barbs over the merger narrative. Following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on January 28, Sharad Pawar claimed that discussions on uniting both NCP factions had taken place and that a reunion was expected on February 12. Responding to the claim, Fadnavis dismissed the speculation, saying Ajit Pawar had never mentioned any such plan despite sharing a close working relationship with him. “Ajit and I shared good equations and spoke often. He never spoke about the two NCP factions coming together,” Fadnavis said. According to media reports, Sharad Pawar later suggested that Ajit Pawar may have deliberately avoided sharing sensitive political plans, hinting at a lack of complete trust in Fadnavis. New DCM at work Maharashtra’s newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Monday visited Karad in Satara district, where she paid tribute at the memorial of Maharashtra’s first Chief Minister, Yashwantrao Chavan, regarded as the political mentor of NCP founder Sharad Pawar. Later, she travelled to Phaltan to meet the family of Ajit Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, who died along with the late NCP chief in the Baramati air crash last week.
03 February,2026 07:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev ShivadekarIn a significant ruling reinforcing the rights of homebuyers, the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has directed a Mumbai-based developer to restore the originally allotted car parking spaces to a flat purchaser and restrained the developer from creating any third-party rights over the said parking. The Authority held that unilateral alteration of parking allotments after possession amounts to an unfair practice under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). The order was passed by MahaRERA Member II Ravindra Deshpande in Complaint No. CC006000000292217, filed by Preeti Dharnidharka against CCI Projects Pvt. Ltd., Cable Corporation of India Ltd., and White Spring A Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. The dispute relates to a residential project named “Whitespring” at Rivali Park in Mumbai. Fight over parking allotment According to Advocate Godfrey Pimenta, who represented Dharnidharka, the dispute centred on two car parking spaces originally allotted to the complainant, Parking Nos A-76 and A-77 on Parking Level 1. The complainant had paid Rs 8 lakh for the parking spaces as part of the flat purchase. Dharnidharka took possession of her flat in April 2018 and had been continuously using the allotted parking spaces without objection. The same parking spot shown with different numbers after renumbering by developer, which MahaRERA held, cannot extinguish buyer’s rights However, in June 2019, the developer issued a fresh allotment letter unilaterally assigning different parking spaces, Nos. P1-4A and P1-4B. The complainant objected, stating that the revised allotment was never agreed to. She maintained that she had only temporarily used alternative parking during construction activities based on assurances given by the developer. Despite this, the developer later renumbered the original parking spaces as Nos 388 and 387, allegedly attempting to treat them as newly created slots. The complainant alleged that the renumbering was carried out with mala fide intent to resell the original parking spaces to third parties at higher rates, despite her settled possession, Pimenta said. MahaRERA rejects objection The developer raised a preliminary objection, arguing that the complaint was not maintainable before MahaRERA due to the presence of an arbitration clause in the Agreement for Sale executed prior to the enactment of RERA. The Authority rejected the contention, reiterating that RERA is a special welfare legislation with overriding effect under Section 89. Relying on judgments of the Supreme Court, MahaREAT, and the Bombay High Court, MahaRERA held that statutory remedies under RERA cannot be ousted by private arbitration agreements. It further observed that the developer had voluntarily submitted to MahaRERA’s jurisdiction and had participated in conciliation proceedings, thereby waiving its right to raise jurisdictional objections at a later stage. Unilateral change illegal On merits, the Authority found that the complainant’s rights over the originally allotted parking spaces stood crystallised through the Agreement for Sale, payment of consideration, long-standing use, and issuance of parking stickers by the housing society. MahaRERA ruled that once possession is handed over and the society is formed, the promoter has no authority to alter or re-allot parking spaces without the allottee’s consent. The Authority categorically held that mere renumbering cannot extinguish vested rights, particularly when the allottee continues to occupy the same physical parking spaces. The developer’s conduct was termed arbitrary, illegal, and amounting to unfair practice and deficiency in service under Section 18(3) of RERA. Key directions by MahaRERA Allowing the complaint partly, MahaRERA issued the following directions:>> Quashing of the allotment letter dated June 13, 2019, which sought to re-allot different parking spaces.>> Permanent protection of possession of the originally allotted parking spaces A-76 and A-77, now renumbered as 388 and 387.>> Restraint on the developer from creating any third-party rights over the said parking spaces.>> Direction to issue a fresh allotment letter confirming the renumbered parking spaces as a continuation of the original allotment.>> Award of Rs 25,000 as litigation costs payable by the developer to the complainant. Broader significance The order reinforces a key principle under RERA that builders cannot unilaterally alter parking allotments after possession, especially where consideration has been paid, and possession is settled. The ruling also sends a strong message against attempts to commercially exploit parking spaces at the cost of existing allottees. Legal experts say the decision strengthens consumer confidence by affirming that original parking rights must be protected, irrespective of internal rearrangements or renumbering by promoters. What they say Advocate Godfrey Pimenta said, “This case highlights a recurring issue in real estate practice where developers alter allotments without consent. The Authority found that the respondent produced no evidence of the complainant’s consent. On the contrary, the record showed continuous objections, establishing that the change was imposed. Claims that the original parking spaces no longer existed or required federation approval were rightly rejected as vague and self-serving. Such assertions cannot override vested contractual and statutory rights after years of settled possession.” Complainant speaks “I am extremely satisfied with the MahaRERA order as it acknowledges and protects the rights of flat buyers. The developer sold the flat along with a dedicated parking space, creating legitimate expectations. After payment, the developer attempted to allot my parking space to another buyer, possibly for higher consideration,” said Dharnidharka.
03 February,2026 07:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonADVERTISEMENT
