Andhra Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority

The department looks after the subject of planning and development in urban and rural areas. The development is achieved through Master Plans prepared for the urban centers and rural areas by way of Master Plans and indicative Land Use Plans. Development Plans for Mandal Headquarters are prepared by the department. The planned development is achieved through approval of layouts and by regulating the developments through building rules and zoning regulations and approval of industrial institutions.

The Directorate of Town and Country Planning has two distinct functions, one under urban front and the other on the rural front. Inspect of urban area particularly the Municipal towns are planned and regulated under the provisions of APTP Act,1920 under the provisions of local body acts, viz., Municipal Corporation Act, Andhra Pradesh Municipalities act and A.P Urban Areas (Development)Act and A.P. Cinematography Act. In respect of Rural Areas, the developments are regulated under the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act,1992 in respect of approval layouts and granting permissions for industries and installations.

The department assists the Government in all Town and Country Planning matters as well as in coordinating with various departments involved in area development like A.P. Housing Board, A.P. State Housing and Urban Development Corporations. A.P. Industrial and infrastructure corporation, Industries Department etc.

Various schemes involving area planning and development Environmental Improvement schemes are formulated and monitored by the department. The department provides technical assistance to various departments involved in planning and development.

This department offers technical remarks to the Government in the matters like change of land use proposals, alienation of lands and any relaxation of rules.

This department is able to achieve a fairly reasonable level of developments in most of the urban centers in the growth centers in the rural areas by way of suggesting and implementing layouts and regulating the industries and other buildings as per the norms. Apart from the above, the department is also suggesting and getting implemented various Environmental Improvement Schemes, Remunerative Schemes and Road widening Schemes at various levels.

The department of Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh is the nodal department for the implementation of RERA Act in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

All sections of the Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016 came into force with effect from 1^st May, 2017. The Andhra Pradesh Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Rules, 2017 was approved by Government of Andhra Pradesh and notified on March 27, 2017.

 About The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016

The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016 is considered as one of the landmark legislations passed by the Government of India. Its objective is to reform the real estate sector in India, encouraging greater transparency, citizen centricity, accountability and financial discipline. This is in line with the vast and growing economy of India as in future many people will be investing in real estate sector.

The key objectives of the Act are:

• Ensuring Transparency & Efficiency in real estate sector in regards to sale of plot, apartment, building or real estate project.
• Protecting the interest of consumers in real estate sector.
• Establishing adjudicating mechanism for speedy dispute redressal.
• Establishing Appellate Tribunal to hear appeals from the decisions, directions or orders of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

The Salient Features of this Act are:

• It establishes the State Real Estate Regulatory Authority as the government body to be approached for redressal of grievances against any builder.
• This law vests authority on the real estate regulator to govern both residential and commercial real estate transactions.
• This law makes it mandatory for developers to post all information on issues such as project plan, layout, government approvals, land title status, sub-contractors to the project, schedule for completion with the AP Real Estate Regulatory Authority (APRERA) and then in effect pass this information on to the consumers.
• The maximum imprisonment term for a developer who violates the order of the appellate tribunal of the RERA is three years with or without a fine.
• Currently, if a project is delayed, then the developer does not suffer in any way. Now, the law ensures that any delay in project completion will make the developer liable to pay the same interest as the EMI being paid by the consumer to the bank back to the consumer
• The developer can not make any changes to the plan that had been sold without the written consent of the buyer.
• Every project measuring more than 500 square meters of site area or more than eight apartments will have to be registered with the RERA.