Bengaluru: In a healthy pointer to a strong real-estate project pipeline and also to homebuyer engagement with the grievance-redressal system, Karnataka figures among India’s active real estate regulatory markets — both in terms of complaints filed and disposal. A growing number of projects comes with its share of disputes, as reflected in Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (Rera) complaints across key property markets. According to the latest Rera track status report released on March 9 which tracks data from 2016 to 2026, Karnataka ranks fourth nationally in complaints, recording 12,772 cases. Of this, 10,322 were disposed of, translating to a disposal rate of over 80%, almost in line with the national average. Ramachandra CH, joint secretary, Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (Credai) national chapter, said: “The delay in a project occurs mostly because of market conditions, worker shortages and clearances. These days, due to awareness among homebuyers, Rera filings are up. However, this does not mean the builder is always wrong.” Though the case-disposal rate is good, execution lags. MS Shankar, general secretary, Forum for People’s Collective Efforts, said: “Even a Rera ‘victory’ often feels hollow. Disposal rates in states like Uttar Pradesh (86%), Maharashtra (81%) and Karnataka look strong on paper, but the real hurdle is execution — getting money in the bank or keys in hand. In Karnataka, the main bottleneck is the district administration. After K-Rera issues a recovery certificate, buyers must physically pursue the tahsildar or DC’s office to initiate recovery as arrears of land revenue, but this follow-through is often slow.” Odisha is the only state to introduce both a dedicated apartment ownership framework and a formal project closure policy under Rera. Karnataka announced plans for a closure policy, though many states are yet to act. “Recovery rates remain low — 16–17% in Mumbai and 12% in Karnataka. In Karnataka, over 1,500 execution applications were filed but only 292 saw recovery. In Odisha, only 4 of nearly 500 cases sent to the collector were executed. Though Supreme Court said execution should be completed within six months, lack of infrastructure and limited police powers mean many favourable Rera orders still fail to reach their logical conclusion,” said Bimalendu Pradhan, general secretary, All Odisha Home Buyers’ Federation.At the national level, Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 60,021 complaints filed and 52,047 disposed of followed by Maharashtra, Haryana-Gurugram.Among the major states, the lowest complaint activity is seen in West Bengal, which recorded 61 cases, with 51 disposed of. This is followed by Himachal Pradesh with 154 filings and 144 disposals, Goa with 542 filings and 458 disposals, and Jharkhand with 552 cases filed and 412 disposals.Union territories present a mixed picture. While Delhi saw a steady stream of cases (2,995 filed; 1,779 disposed of), several smaller UTs continue to record limited regulatory activity. Across the eight UTs, 3,039 cases were filed, with 1,822 disposed of.RankState/UTCases FiledCases Disposed1Uttar Pradesh60,02152,0472Maharashtra33,72727,5013Haryana – Gurugram17,78416,6584Karnataka12,77210,3225Madhya Pradesh10,1555,802Grand Total (All India)1,90,9011,56,552Source: RERA
