Uttarakhand RERA 2026: map-stage watch and reserve fund for Dehradun flats

Uttarakhand RERA says it now tracks housing projects from the map application stage and has brought in a reserve fund, after the Arcadia Hillocks case in Dehradun.

What happened

Uttarakhand's Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) has tightened its rules for builders in steps through 2026. The latest step was reported by Amar Ujala on 1 August 2026. Much of the push follows fraud cases in Dehradun where flat buyers paid in full and never got a registry.

Watching projects from the map stage. Amar Ujala reported on 1 August that RERA will now keep watch on residential projects from the moment a promoter applies for map approval, not only after RERA registration. RERA has linked the email systems of all the state's development authorities to its own. When a promoter files a map application for a housing project, RERA is told. The report said the aim is to act at once if anyone tries to sell flats or plots in a project that is not registered with RERA. The report did not name the officials behind the change or say how many projects are covered.

A reserve fund. The same report said rules for a reserve fund have also been brought in. A part of the money paid by buyers must sit in a separate account. The promoter cannot withdraw it for five years after the project is complete. It is to be used for refunds or delay interest that a buyer cannot recover from the promoter, and for fixing defects the builder leaves undone. Amar Ujala had first reported on 8 May 2026 that RERA approved the idea in principle at its 36th meeting, under chairman Naresh C. Mathpal. We did not find a formal notification or the exact share of buyer money that must go into the fund.

Bank accounts in the newspaper. At the same May meeting, according to Amar Ujala, RERA decided that promoters must publish their project bank account details in one national and one state-level newspaper before starting a project. The account must also appear on project boards, hoardings and brochures. Extensions of a project's timeline and changes to its registration must be announced publicly too, with buyers' objections heard. Amar Ujala linked the decision to the cases of builders Pushpanjali and Shashwat Garg, who it said had taken money through several undisclosed accounts.

The Arcadia Hillocks case. On 22 January 2026, Amar Ujala reported that a RERA bench under Naresh Mathpal stopped the sale and purchase of nine flats in the Arcadia Hillocks project on Mussoorie Road until further orders. The buyers said they had paid the full price but the flats had not been registered in their names. In July, Rajpur police attached the builder Shashwat Garg's house on Sahastradhara Road under a court order. ETV Bharat and Doon Horizon gave the date of the attachment as 22 July. Both reported that the passports of Shashwat Garg, his wife Sakshi Garg and his father Praveen Garg had been cancelled, and that a lookout circular had been issued. Amar Ujala said Garg had been absconding with his family for nine months. The police case was filed on 21 November 2025 at Rajpur police station. None of the reports gave a total amount lost. They said only "crores".

RERA's own numbers. Samachar UP UK reported on 11 June 2026 that Uttarakhand RERA had registered 689 projects since 2017, and had resolved 86% of the 1,342 complaints it received.

What it means for buyers and sellers in Dehradun

This section is our view.

Check the RERA number yourself. Map-stage tracking makes it harder to sell an unregistered project quietly. It does not replace your own check. Look up the project on the Uttarakhand RERA website before you pay a token. Our guide on buying a flat in Dehradun lists what to look for on that page.

Pay only into the published project account. If the builder asks you to pay into a different account, in cash, or to a relative's name, stop. Match the account number against the one on the RERA page, the brochure and the site board. Keep every receipt.

Do not delay the registry. The Arcadia Hillocks buyers paid in full but had no registry. A paid flat that is not in your name is the weakest position to be in if the builder disappears. Get the sale deed registered as soon as the flat is ready, and ask your lawyer to check the title first.

Know what the reserve fund will not do. It may help with refunds or defects after completion. We do not yet know how much will be held. It is not a guarantee that your money is safe in a project that never gets built.

If you are looking at ready flats and houses, you can browse property for sale in Dehradun on ILA Infra. For other fraud patterns, read our post on the 2026 Dehradun land fraud cases.

Questions people ask

What is the RERA reserve fund in Uttarakhand?

It is a separate account where a part of buyers' money must be kept, with no withdrawals for five years after completion. Amar Ujala reported that it will pay for refunds, delay interest or defects the builder does not handle. The exact share has not been reported.

Can I complain to Uttarakhand RERA if my builder delays possession?

Yes. RERA hears complaints from allottees against registered projects. In the Arcadia Hillocks case, buyers who had paid in full went to RERA, which stopped the sale of nine flats.

How do I know a Dehradun project is RERA registered?

Ask the builder for the registration number and search it on the Uttarakhand RERA website. Check that the promoter's name, address and bank account match what you are being told.