The Maharashtra government, in a first of its kind initiative, will involve private players in launching model sub-registrar offices to register property-related documents such as sale and purchase transactions, mortgage deeds, conveyance agreements, gift deeds and power of attorney.
The inspector general of registration and controller of stamps has awarded a consortium led by VFS Global, in partnership with WE Excel Software Pvt Ltd, a five-year contract to modernise property registration services across the state. The model sub-registrar offices will be operated on the lines of the Passport Seva Kendra model. The offices will offer state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, digital tokens, air-conditioned premises, Wi-Fi-enabled lounges and service delivery teams to those who wish to register their documents there.
While private players will operate these offices and provide infrastructure, amenities, front-end and support staff, the department of registration and stamps will depute its staff, such as sub-registrar and senior clerk, for completing the registration and regulatory formalities. Services like data entry will, however, be managed by employees deputed by the private player.
Rajendra Muthe, joint inspector general of registration, said they planned to launch 60 such model offices in phases in about 18 months. “Five such model sub-registrar offices will be launched in the first phase, namely, two in Mumbai and one each in Pune, Thane and Nagpur,” he informed.
This will, however, be an optional service for high network individuals, foreign investors and top-end developers, who want to avoid the queues at government offices and are willing to pay a premium. Services at these model sub-registrar offices will cost an extra Rs 5,200, including taxes. Muthe said the prints of the documents that are registered will be given to the parties concerned on the same day instead of the present system where it takes a couple of days. The move is also expected to reduce footfalls in the department’s offices.
The department of registration and stamps has over 500 offices across the state. It is the second-largest contributor to the state exchequer after Goods and Services Tax (GST). In 2025-26, the department garnered revenues of Rs 61,816.81 crore as against the target of Rs 63,500 crore. It also registered over 4.6 million documents during the period.
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