A technical failure in the MahaIT verification system is disrupting applications for 4,462 MHADA homes in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, with more than one lakh applicants reportedly unable to complete document verification despite holding valid records.
Applicants for the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority’s housing lottery have said that residence certificates, income-tax returns and income certificates issued by tehsildars are repeatedly failing barcode verification on the online system. The failure is forcing applicants to upload the same documents multiple times and, in several cases, visit the MHADA office for assistance.
MHADA officials said the problem originated in MahaIT’s computer system and not on the housing board’s website. The system is used to verify barcodes on documents submitted with applications, including residence certificates, ITRs and tehsildar-issued income certificates.
The housing lottery was advertised on August 26, with the application deadline initially fixed for September 30. MHADA later extended the deadline to October 15 after applicants reported difficulties obtaining and verifying the documents required for submission. The extension, however, has not removed the technical hurdle, according to complaints cited in the report.
The disruption has created a time-sensitive problem for applicants because the extended deadline is approaching while the verification process remains unreliable. Applicants have reported spending days attempting to resolve the issue, leaving them with less time to complete their submissions and correct any document-related problems.
The episode also highlights how access to public housing increasingly depends on the functioning of interconnected digital and administrative systems. Although the application is made through MHADA’s platform, document authentication is handled through a separate technology system, creating a point of failure outside the applicant’s control.
In response to the complaints, MHADA has deployed separate staff to address grievances. Its IT department and other employees have been assigned to assist applicants who are unable to complete verification or require help with their submissions.
MHADA officials said they had reported the technical problem to the concerned MahaIT department. MahaIT has indicated that the glitch will be resolved soon, but no specific resolution time was provided in the report. The October 15 application deadline remains the next immediate milestone for applicants seeking homes through the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad lottery.
