Nashik Grapples with Massive Unauthorized Property Crisis
The town planning department of the Nashik Municipal Corporation is facing a significant regulatory challenge as data reveals a staggering number of residential properties operating without proper authorization. According to official figures, at least 45,700 unauthorized residential properties continue to be occupied across Nashik city despite owners failing to obtain mandatory building completion certificates and occupancy certificates.
Properties Operating Without Mandatory Clearances
Despite the lack of these essential clearances, which are required by law to ensure structural safety and compliance with building regulations, these properties remain in active use by residents. A civic official confirmed that "the civic body's property tax department has now levied property tax on all such properties" as part of efforts to bring them into the formal regulatory framework.
Geographical Distribution of Unauthorized Properties
The distribution of these unauthorized properties varies significantly across Nashik's municipal divisions:
- Nashik Road division leads with approximately 10,400 unauthorized properties, representing the highest concentration in the city.
- Panchavati division follows closely with about 9,800 such properties operating without proper certification.
- Cidco division accounts for roughly 9,000 unauthorized residential units that lack the required clearances.
- Satpur division has approximately 7,800 properties that have not obtained completion or occupancy certificates.
- Nashik East division contains around 7,300 unauthorized properties currently in use despite regulatory gaps.
- Nashik West division has the fewest with nearly 1,400 properties operating without proper certification.
Comprehensive Survey Reveals Extent of Problem
An NMC official explained that the civic body conducted a thorough city-wide property survey approximately four years ago. During this extensive exercise, municipal authorities identified approximately 57,000 properties that were subsequently brought under the property tax assessment system. The official noted that "a majority of these properties were found to be in use without obtaining building completion certificates and occupancy certificates" and that "most of the unauthorized properties currently under utilization were identified during this survey and subsequently taxed."
Rapid Property Growth in Nashik City
Currently, Nashik city boasts approximately 6.22 lakh registered properties distributed across its six municipal divisions. The Panchavati and Cidco divisions together account for nearly 48% of all properties in the city, highlighting their significant contribution to Nashik's residential landscape.
The Cidco division has experienced particularly dramatic growth, recording a sharp 54% increase in property numbers. This surge has seen properties rise from 97,517 in the 2017–18 period to approximately 1.49 lakh properties in the current 2025–26 financial year.
Overall, Nashik has witnessed substantial urban expansion with the total number of properties increasing by 46% over the last seven years. This represents growth of nearly two lakh additional units, expanding from 4.26 lakh properties in 2017–18 to the current 6.22 lakh properties recorded today.
The combination of rapid urban development and regulatory challenges has created a complex situation where thousands of properties operate without proper certification while still contributing to municipal revenues through property taxation.
