Mumbai [India], September 25: Property registration in Maharashtra is set to undergo a technology-driven transformation with the launch of three new Model Sub-Registrar Offices (SROs) in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur. The initiative is aimed at making the registration of property-related documents faster, more transparent and more convenient for citizens.
The new centres have been established at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai, Mahape in Navi Mumbai and North Ambazari Road in Nagpur. They follow the launch of Maharashtra’s first Model Sub-Registrar Office in Pune. The initiative is being implemented by the Maharashtra Government in partnership with VFS Global and WE Excel Software Pvt. Ltd.
The new Model SROs will handle registration of documents including sale deeds, lease deeds, gift deeds, powers of attorney and wills. Unlike conventional government offices, the new centres have been designed around a more modern service-delivery model, with digital infrastructure, trained staff and facilities intended to make the registration process more convenient for applicants.
The offices will have spacious and air-conditioned waiting areas, Wi-Fi connectivity and trained executives who can guide applicants through the registration process. Water dispensers and refreshments are also among the citizen-oriented facilities planned at these centres.
The Maharashtra Department of Registration and Stamps has been working towards greater digitisation of property registration services. Under the new Model SRO system, applicants can complete their Public Data Entry (PDE) and pay the applicable fees through the department’s online system before booking an appointment through the e-Step In token booking facility.
The Model SROs are expected to reduce the amount of time citizens spend waiting at registration offices by moving several parts of the process into a structured digital workflow. The objective is not only to improve convenience but also to bring greater consistency and transparency to the delivery of property registration services.
According to Ravindra Binwade, Inspector General of Registration (IGR), Government of Maharashtra, the expansion is intended to provide a faster and more transparent property-registration experience through modern infrastructure, digital systems and streamlined service delivery. He also described the initiative as part of the state’s broader effort to modernise registration services.
An important point for property buyers, sellers and other applicants is that these Model SROs are optional service centres. Existing government Sub-Registrar Offices will continue to operate, meaning citizens will still have access to the regular registration system.
The expansion is part of a much larger plan. In early 2026, VFS Global, in consortium with WE Excel Software, received a five-year contract from the Inspector General of Registration and Controller of Stamps, Government of Maharashtra, to establish 60 Model Sub-Registrar Offices across the state in phases. The three newly opened centres in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur are therefore part of a wider statewide modernisation programme.
The centres currently operate from 10 AM to 6 PM. Applicants using the Model SRO service can complete the required online formalities and book a suitable appointment slot before visiting the centre.
For Navi Mumbai, the opening of the Model SRO at Mahape is particularly relevant as the area is one of the region’s major commercial and technology hubs. Property transactions across Navi Mumbai involve residential, commercial and industrial properties, making faster registration services potentially useful for buyers, sellers, developers and other stakeholders.
The broader reform comes at a time when property registration is increasingly moving towards online documentation, appointment-based services and digital processing. Maharashtra currently has hundreds of Sub-Registrar Offices operating under its Registration and Stamps Department, and the department’s official office directory lists 504 Sub-Registrar Offices across the state.
The new Model SROs are therefore not a replacement for the existing registration network but an additional service model designed around technology and citizen convenience. If the phased expansion proceeds as planned, more districts and cities in Maharashtra could eventually have access to similar modernised registration facilities.
For citizens planning a property transaction in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai or Nagpur, the new centres provide another option for completing registration-related formalities in a more structured environment. The initiative also indicates a broader shift towards technology-enabled government services in one of the state’s most important public-facing administrative processes.
