Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), approves an Occupation Certificate (OC) Amnesty Scheme for buildings that are already occupied by residents but lack the required OC. The move covers thousands of buildings and is intended to regularise cases where approvals were not obtained due to minor deviations, documentation issues, or other procedural gaps.
According to reports, the scheme is placed before the BMC General Body for final approval after standing committee approval in July. While corporators across parties support the proposal, some Opposition members raise concerns about loopholes and implementation, including whether developers and architects who did not secure OCs could be contacted for required No Objection Certificates, and whether approvals would apply to buildings with missing fire-fighting systems or other non-compliances. Ruling parties and BMC leadership argue the policy provides relief to residents and state that fire-safety norms and rules around unauthorised floors will not be compromised.
Reports also state the scheme applies to certain building sizes and construction years, and is not limited to residential properties, with eligibility extended to schools and hospitals under relevant state directions.
