MUMBAI, Oct. 14 -- To curb illegal construction and protect home buyers from being cheated, the state government has decided to stop the registration of sales agreements and documents related to unauthorised buildings built in violation of approved plans. The decision follows complaints about buildings constructed without necessary permissions, violations of zoning regulations, non-registration under Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) and the sale of flats with areas exceeding those approved in plans. Officers said that such irregularities were reported in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Haveli, Mulshi, Nagpur and other urban areas. Taking serious note of such illegalities, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis asked revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule to act against them, and accordingly, a government resolution was issued on Monday, directing all sub-registrars to comply with the new rules. Under the new rules, first-sale flats in projects requiring MahaRERA registration must include registration certificate or occupancy certificate and the approved building plan. For projects that do not require MahaRERA registration, developers must submit commencement certificate issued by competent authority, approved building plan, zoning certificate and measurement plan. "Flats in unauthorised buildings that violate the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR), Development Plan or Regional Plan cannot be sold directly. Such buildings must first be regularised. Buildings that cannot be regularised will remain illegal and may face demolition," the GR states. The government has also warned that sub-registrars who knowingly register documents of unauthorised constructions will face departmental inquiries. Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, "Many people buy flats in good faith but later discover that the properties are unauthorised. We have taken this decision to put a permanent stop to such malpractices."...