RERA Shield: Why Amit Shah’s Push Matters Most for Women
High rise under construction in Delhi. (Image Bhawana Malik)
From delayed payments to intimidation, women homebuyers say RERA is their strongest legal safeguard against rogue builders
By Bhawana Malik
New Delhi, January 13, 2026 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s strong endorsement of the RERA Act as a safeguard for homebuyers has struck a chord—especially among women property owners, who often face systemic delays, harassment, and coercion from builders.
Addressing CREDAI’s National Conclave on December 19, 2025, Shah underlined that the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 has ushered in structural reforms, ensured transparency in transactions, improved construction quality, and strengthened buyer protection.
For Garima Uppal (name changed), a single woman homeowner in Delhi, those words brought relief—but also pain. After selling her multi-storeyed house following her father’s death, her builder delayed the full and final payment due in May 2025 without any contractual basis. While a partial payment arrived in October, the bulk remains unpaid.
“My agreement has no clause linking payment to a freehold certificate, yet the builder refuses to clear dues,” she says. Meanwhile, the property is occupied by the builder’s labourers, leaving her financially stranded and mentally distressed.
A similar ordeal haunts Sushma Patel (name changed), who inherited a commercial property in South Delhi. During the Covid pandemic, the builder’s estate manager blocked access to her office and allegedly demanded money. Her ailing father, under severe medical stress, passed away in 2021. Despite Patel paying property taxes regularly, her premises remain inaccessible, and she claims she is being subtly threatened to give in or lose her property.
RERA, applicable to both residential and commercial projects, mandates registration of builders and agents, allows buyers to file complaints, and empowers authorities to cancel licenses and blacklist violators.
The timing is crucial. Women homeownership is rising sharply—registrations crossed 1.29 lakh in 2024, a 14% jump. Surveys show 52% of women now see real estate as the best investment, yet many still feel vulnerable.
“Single women buyers are often taken for a ride,” Garima and Patel say in unison. Their message is blunt: RERA must be enforced ruthlessly, violators publicly named, and penalties ensured—especially when women buyers are at stake.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
