Major Relief For Urban Flat Owners in Maharashtra: Vertical Property Card; Flat Owners Names To Appear On 7/12 Records

State becomes first in India to formalise ownership of flats with separate property records, improving transparency and reducing fraud

In a major and historic move, the Maharashtra government has approved the Vertical Property Card rules, creating an official system to record ownership of flats, buildings, and commercial complexes. This makes Maharashtra the first state in India to introduce such a structured framework for urban property ownership.

Separate Identity For Every Flat

Under the new rules, every flat owner will receive an individual Vertical Property Card. Until now, government records largely recognised land parcels, but did not maintain clear, separate entries for individual flats within buildings.

With this change, each flat will now have a distinct and official government record, bringing clarity to ownership in urban areas.

Flat Owners’ Names On 7/12 Land Records

One of the most significant changes is that flat owners’ names will now be included in the 7/12 extract (land title record) of the property.

Earlier, ownership rights were effectively limited to the flat space. Now, the owner’s share in the land beneath the building will also be officially recorded, for example in formats like Group No. 574/2, Share 1/120.

This marks a major shift in recognising flat ownership as linked to land rights.

Key Details Included In The Property Card

The Vertical Property Card will contain crucial ownership and structural details, including:

• Total area of the building
• Individual flat owner’s share based on carpet area
• Digital signature for authentication
• QR code for quick verification

These features will make property verification faster, more reliable, and digitally accessible.

Strong Check On Property Frauds

Officials say the move will significantly reduce fraud in real estate transactions.

Cases such as selling the same flat to multiple buyers or taking multiple loans on one property will become harder, as each flat will now have a traceable and verified government record.

Improved Transparency In Transactions

With construction records becoming officially available, the system will bring greater transparency for:

• Buyers
• Sellers
• Banks and financial institutions

This is expected to make processes like buying, selling, mortgaging, and inheritance simpler and more secure.

56 Lakh Urban Properties To Benefit

Currently, Maharashtra has around 56 lakh property cards in urban areas, while rural regions rely on 7/12 extracts.

The new system bridges this gap by bringing urban properties into a structured and verifiable record system, similar to rural land documentation.

Implementation Roadmap

The rollout of the Vertical Property Card system will happen in phases:

Draft Stage:
The government will release draft rules for public objections and suggestions.

Pilot Projects:
Initial implementation will begin in selected urban and rural areas after final approval.

Survey Process:
Each building will be surveyed by the Land Records Department, starting with manual verification.

Digitisation:
All records will later be integrated into an online system for easy access and updates.

Major Relief For Urban Flat Owners

This decision is expected to benefit lakhs of flat owners across cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Thane by:

• Giving legal clarity to ownership
• Linking flats directly with land records
• Increasing security in property dealings

Overall, the Vertical Property Card system marks a significant step towards modernising urban property governance in Maharashtra and ensuring safer, more transparent transactions.