After the exit of Somesh Kumar as chairman of Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), the key body has remained headless for close to a month even as several projects are in limbo, waiting for registration.
According to official data, the last project approved for registration was on January 4 before Somesh Kumar was sent back to Andhra Pradesh as per the Telangana high court’s order. With the state government not appointing an in-charge chairman, property developers and real estate players are at their wits’ end.
“The municipal administration department should have made alternate arrangements as RERA gets two to five applications for registration every day. Only chairman or in-charge head has powers to approve the projects for registration. Unless a project is registered, it cannot go to market for sale,” a member of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) and developer told.
While the government has issued a notification for filling up chairman and two member posts (last date for submitting applications is February 17), the entire process will take at least two months. “At a time when many real estate firms are coming up with pre-launches and offering undivided land share, the government should have appointed a temporary chairman immediately,” a GHMC official said.
The government has also not issued a notification for appointing RERA appellate tribunal with a judicial officer as chairman and another member. If builders and developers are aggrieved with RERA’s decision, they can approach the appellate tribunal.
