RERA 2.0: Future beckons

By: Vishesh Prakash, Head, R&R Rise Infraventures 

New Delhi, June 20, 2023: Real estate continues to be one of the biggest sectors of the Indian economy, feeding the demand for over 250 ancillary industries, and employing more than ten per cent of India’s workforce. To make the sector poignant and transparent, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016 (RERA), was brought into effect. A landmark decision, RERA helped improve the real estate sector’s operational performance, while instilling higher transparency and trust and re-building buyers’ confidence.

RERA has proved to be a great trust builder for the consumers as they feel empowered and foster deep faith in its dispute redressal mechanism. Talking about the impact RERA has had since its inception, the Act has resolved over 1,00,000 disputes; the estimated value of the cases resolved is around Rs 50,000 crore; and another Rs 20,000 crore worth cases are set to be resolved soon, which include cases of delayed delivery, penalties, changed plans, quality and refunds.

A game-changer for the real estate sector in India, RERA is evolving further ahead, and is expected to play a crucial role in India’s growth story where the country aims to be a 5-trillion economy. While the demand and delivery of quality and affordable real estate was a prime concern for both, government as well as the industry, RERA has been exemplary in revolutionizing the way real estate sector operates in India.

The genesis of RERA to address the homebuyers’ concerns of trust and accountability is well-begun, but is definitely a work in progress. After the stupendous success of RERA, the real estate sector is hopeful about its evolution into RERA 2.0, which is expected to give a further impetus to the sector. It is time now to have far-reaching discussions and campaigns to further up the introduction on RERA 2.0.

RERA 2.0 is expected to have an improved grievance redressal system, bringing landowning, and sanctioning authorities under the provisions of the Act, which will further increase the ambit of the Act.

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With improvised version and introduction of new clauses and increased ambit, RERA 2.0 is envisaged to look at bigger challenges and address the needs of all stakeholders with the underlying principles of trust and transparency. RERA 2.0 is expected to bring in new zeal into the sector. Creation of a national-level body, with representations from state RERA authorities, can be beneficial in creating best practices, while also ensuring an improvised real estate sector.

Key expectations from RERA 2.0:

∙       Defined clarity on legal standpoints based of judgments and precedents

∙       Unified RERA courts to curb forum shopping and discrepancies

∙       Far-reaching discussions and campaigns to up the awareness about RERA 2.0 to facilitate homebuyers in making informed decisions 

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∙       Make RERA redressal process seamless and user-friendly

∙       Wise use of AI to enhance RERA effectiveness and ensure deeper penetration

∙       State-level initiatives to fast-track grievance redressal 

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