By the end of April, citizens will be able to register land or property documents at any sub-registrar office, irrespective of the property's location. This initiative is part of the one state, one registration scheme, which was recently announced by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to Ravindra Binwade, the inspector general of registration and stamps, who shared this information. Binwade explained that a resident of Mumbai will no longer need to travel to Pune to execute a sale deed for a property. They will be able to visit their local sub-registrar office instead. He added that the aim of this change is to reduce congestion in registration offices and shorten processing times. The registration and stamps department is working against time to meet the CM’s 100-day deadline, focusing on upgrading both hardware and software. The department is collaborating with the National Informatics Centre to improve its systems, with plans to ensure that all 519 sub-registrar offices across Maharashtra can handle documents from any location, Binwade said after leading a meeting with officials to ensure adherence to the project’s timeline. E-registration for first-sale properties by builders is already operational, and the department plans to extend its digital services to reduce foot traffic in offices. Binwade added that they are assessing office utilisation patterns and that underperforming offices might be closed, while districts with insufficient facilities will receive new ones. Property experts have praised the initiative but raised concerns. A member of a real estate brokers’ association commented that while this will end the need to travel long distances and book hotels, it is important to maintain robust checks. The same sentiment was shared by Meena Kaushik, a resident of Satara, who owns property in Pune. She noted that the initiative would significantly reduce unnecessary crowding at offices. Binwade, who recently succeeded Hiralal Sonawane as the IGR, mentioned that the department is reviewing existing procedures and regulations. He stated that necessary amendments would be made to ensure a smoother process and eliminate corruption. Another official highlighted that the initiative aligns with the CM’s vision of implementing faceless technology to simplify document registration, marking a significant step in the revenue department’s modernization. In a separate development, senior registration officials revealed that discussions on whether the ready reckoner rates should be increased or decreased are underway at the district level with input from all stakeholders. The data will be submitted to IGR Binwade by the end of February, who will then present a consolidated report to the state government. The state last revised the ready reckoner rates in 2022. The final decision on whether to adjust the rates or maintain the status quo will be made by the state government, sources from the registration department confirmed.