Housing Minister chairs review meeting of RERA

Urban Development and Housing Minister Rajesh Dharmani today chaired a review meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). He said that keeping in view the geographical conditions of the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, the government was promoting planned development to provide affordable, environment-friendly and better housing facilities to the people within the state.

The Minister said that RERA plays a crucial role in protecting the interests of consumers in the real estate sector and in resolving property-related disputes. RERA ensures transparency by providing homebuyers with essential information related to real estate projects, thereby strengthening consumer confidence.

 It was informed in the meeting that at present, 269 real estate projects and 159 real estate agents are registered with RERA in the state. Out of 194 complaints received, 144 have been resolved. Hearings of complaints are being conducted online through WebEx by leveraging information technology. An amount of Rs. 1.2 crore has been deposited in the state treasury by RERA, while nearly rupees seven crore has been refunded to homebuyers.

The Minister said that RERA was playing an important role in empowering homebuyers and ensuring the timely execution of projects. He added that it was mandatory for developers to provide details of project plans, layouts and the materials proposed to be used in construction. This ensures better quality projects for buyers. He said that through geo-tagged photographs and videos of projects submitted by executing agencies, the concerned departments will be able to ensure quality construction.

The Minister stated that by resolving complaints and addressing project-related issues, RERA was further strengthening trust between buyers and developers.

Discussions were also held during the meeting regarding the constitution of a Building Safety Council.

Chairman RERA R.D. Dhiman Member Vidur Mehta and senior officers of various departments were present in the meeting.