Maharashtra Mandates Stability Certificates and Bio-Sludge Checks for Old Building Utilities
The Urban Development Department of Maharashtra issued a government resolution on Monday, introducing a state-wide uniform process for granting new utility connections to existing buildings. Under the new directive, owners of old buildings seeking new water, drainage, or other utility connections must furnish valid structural stability certificates and original construction permits to municipal authorities.
The newly established procedure applies across all urban local bodies in the state, including municipal corporations, municipalities, and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra.
Under the state framework, permissions for new water and drainage connections will be granted only after applicants fulfill all prescribed safety and environmental conditions. Applicants are required to demonstrate full compliance with the provisions of the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) and the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act.
The procedure requires building owners to submit the original construction permit alongside a valid structural stability certificate. Every application and its accompanying documentation will undergo scrutiny by a concerned engineer before any utility connection can receive official approval.
In addition to structural verification, local authorities will conduct a detailed feasibility assessment of the building premises. Authorities will examine whether the property contains adequate physical space for the installation of rainwater harvesting facilities and dedicated systems for handling solid waste and bio-sludge management.
The feasibility evaluation will specifically assess whether setting up rainwater harvesting and waste management systems could pose any structural or safety risk to the building itself or to neighbouring structures nearby.
The state government framed this measure as part of its ongoing "ease of doing business and ease of living" initiatives. All urban local bodies across Maharashtra have been directed to process applications for new utility connections to old buildings once all mandatory criteria and structural checks are satisfied. The policy aims to standardise approval workflows across urban bodies while ensuring structural safety and environmental compliance.
