How to Select a PMC for Society Redevelopment in Maharashtra

The PMC will often prepare the first serious document that tells members what their redevelopment may be worth. That report can influence expected carpet area, tender terms, developer eligibility, corpus, rent, parking, specifications and the shortlist placed before the General Body.

For that reason, PMC selection is not an administrative purchase. It is an independence and competence decision.

If you first need the role explained, read PMC for Redevelopment in Mumbai: Role, Scope and Responsibilities.

The Maharashtra selection process: what the 2019 directions say

The Government Resolution dated 4 July 2019, issued under Section 79A of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, sets the standard redevelopment framework for cooperative housing societies.

Before the initial redevelopment Special General Body Meeting, the managing committee is expected to obtain quotations from at least three eligible Architects/PMCs for preparation of the redevelopment project report. The GR refers to Council of Architecture-registered architects and Project Management Consultants on Government/local-authority panels.

The Special General Body Meeting then considers the redevelopment decision and selects the Architect/PMC, while also determining the work, terms and conditions. After selection, the secretary is to issue the appointment letter within 30 days and the society is to execute an agreement on the terms approved by the General Body.

What the 2026 Bombay High Court decision adds

In Dudhsagar Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. on 24 August 2026, the Bombay High Court considered a dispute that included the PMC appointment. The Court reiterated earlier authority that the 2019 GR is directory rather than a rigid mandatory code, and described it as providing standard guidelines for redevelopment.

That does not mean a society should treat PMC selection casually. The same judgment specifically noted the GR's three-quotation framework, selection in the SGBM, the 30-day appointment-letter requirement and the need for an appointment agreement. It also recorded the society's due-diligence process: proposals were considered, discrepancies discussed, expert input taken, projects visited and the appointment deliberated in the General Body.

The practical lesson is straightforward: a selection backed by documented information and a valid General Body decision is much stronger than an opaque appointment followed by explanations later.

A defensible PMC selection process

1. Define the scope before asking for fees.
   If each PMC prices a different scope, the quotations are not comparable.
2. Invite at least three eligible candidates.
   Verify the professional/entity details stated in the quotation rather than relying on a brochure.
3. Issue one common request for proposal.
   Give every candidate the same property information, expected deliverables and fee format.
4. Check the actual project team.
   Identify who will sign the feasibility report, attend meetings, prepare the tender and monitor construction.
5. Verify relevant projects.
   Completed projects matter more than a long generic client list.
6. Run conflict checks.
   Ask for written disclosure of developer, contractor, broker and related-party relationships.
7. Score technical capability before fee.
   Use a pre-agreed matrix so the committee cannot change criteria after seeing the bids.
8. Interview the shortlisted PMCs.
   Ask them to explain your plot—not redevelopment in general.
9. Conduct reference calls and site visits.
   Speak to committee members from completed and delayed projects.
10. Present comparable information to the SGBM.
    Members should see strengths, weaknesses, scope and fees—not just names.
11. Record the resolution properly.
    Keep the quotations, scoring, presentations, attendance, questions and decision in the redevelopment record.
12. Execute a detailed appointment agreement.
    Do not rely on a one-page quotation once the society has selected the consultant.

1. Verify eligibility and legal identity

The first screening question is not “How many projects have you done?” It is “Who exactly are we appointing?”

Ask each bidder to identify:

• the legal entity that will sign the PMC agreement;
• the lead architect/engineer/project manager assigned to the society;
• professional registration details relevant to the proposed role;
• Government/local-authority empanelment claimed under the redevelopment framework;
• PAN, GST and entity-registration details;
• professional indemnity insurance, if carried;
• the address and team from which the project will actually be serviced.

Do not score a company using the experience of an individual who will not work on the project, or the turnover of an unrelated group entity unless the relationship and responsibility are clearly documented.

2. Test redevelopment experience—not generic architecture experience

A consultant may be an excellent architect and still be weak at cooperative-society redevelopment. The society needs competence in the entire decision chain:

• title/conveyance coordination;
• FSI/TDR and redevelopment-rule interpretation;
• member entitlement schedules;
• feasibility and project economics;
• developer tender drafting;
• technical and commercial bid comparison;
• approval strategy and design review;
• construction monitoring and certification, if included.

Ask for a project list separated into completed, under construction, tender stage and abandoned/terminated. A consultant who discloses difficult projects and explains what went wrong is often more useful than one claiming a perfect record.

3. Speak to past societies yourself

Reference checks should be conducted by the society—not routed only through the PMC.

Ask previous societies:

• Was the original feasibility realistic?
• Did the PMC disclose planning or title constraints early?
• Were the tender bids genuinely comparable?
• Did the consultant appear independent of the developer?
• Who actually attended society meetings?
• Were reports delivered on time?
• Did the PMC remain responsive after the developer was selected?
• How were design changes and cost/quality disputes handled?
• Would that society appoint the same PMC again?

4. Ask how the PMC will build the feasibility—not what number they promise

The 2019 GR expects the Architect/PMC to survey the building and land, gather conveyance information, consider the applicable MHADA/SRA/municipal rules, determine available FSI/TDR and prepare a realistic project report considering member requirements. It contemplates submission of the report within two months of appointment.

During the interview, ask each PMC to explain:

• which title documents they need before giving an FSI opinion;
• which development regulation they believe may apply and why;
• what assumptions they will verify with the planning authority;
• how they will reconcile member areas;
• how they will treat parking, common areas and amenities;
• how they will present alternative redevelopment scenarios;
• which assumptions will be labelled provisional rather than confirmed.

A candidate who gives a spectacular FSI number before reviewing the property record is not demonstrating speed. It may be demonstrating poor control.

5. Test tender independence

The PMC has substantial influence over the tender. Under the GR framework, the PMC helps prepare the tender, scrutinises received bids and prepares the comparative statement considering factors such as quality, reputation, experience and competitive terms.

That makes independence critical. Require written answers to these questions:

• Have you received any fee, referral payment or assignment from a developer likely to bid?
• Do you routinely work for any of the likely bidders?
• Will you receive any success fee linked to developer appointment?
• Will any broker or intermediary participate in the tender process?
• Do you accept marketing, liaison or design appointments from the selected developer after selection?
• Who pays for tender documents, bidder meetings and presentations?

A practical 100-point PMC scorecard

The following is a Rudh Systems best-practice scoring model, not a statutory formula. The society can adapt the weightings before opening quotations.

Score technical proposals first. Open or compare the commercial fee only after members understand the technical differences. This reduces the tendency to reward the cheapest quotation before scope quality is understood.

How should PMC fees be compared?

PMC quotations can be structured in several ways: lump sum, phase-wise fixed fees, percentage of project cost, per-square-foot rates or a combination. The problem is not the format by itself; it is ambiguity.

Make every bidder fill the same fee schedule showing:

• feasibility/project report fee;
• tender and developer-selection fee;
• agreement/design-review support fee;
• approval coordination fee, if included;
• construction-monitoring fee and duration assumptions;
• handover/OC/defect support fee;
• GST;
• travel, printing, testing, survey and third-party reimbursables;
• fees for extra SGBMs or redesigns;
• extension fees if construction exceeds the assumed duration.

A low initial fee can become expensive if every meaningful deliverable is later treated as an extra.

What the appointment agreement should contain

The 2019 directions expressly contemplate a PMC agreement after appointment. Use it to convert the proposal into measurable obligations.

15 questions to ask every shortlisted PMC

1. Which three Maharashtra redevelopment projects most closely resemble ours?
2. Who personally prepared the feasibility on those projects?
3. Who will be our lead person from appointment through developer selection?
4. Which property documents do you require before giving an FSI/TDR opinion?
5. What are the top three planning risks you would test on our plot?
6. How do you prevent developer offers from becoming incomparable?
7. What financial and technical checks do you perform on developers?
8. Will you disclose all current or recent assignments with likely bidders?
9. Do you receive fees or referrals from developers, brokers or contractors?
10. How do you handle a developer proposal that looks financially unrealistic?
11. What reports will members receive and how often?
12. Who attends site meetings during construction?
13. How do you certify quality and progress if construction monitoring is included?
14. What work is excluded from your quoted fee?
15. Give us two society references where the project faced serious delay or dispute.

PMC red flags a society should not ignore

• Guaranteed FSI before document review. Planning potential should be evidence-based.
• No named team. The impressive presenter may disappear after appointment.
• Only successful projects are disclosed. Ask for delayed, terminated and litigated assignments.
• Developer introductions presented as the main value. The society needs independent advice, not brokerage.
• Success fee tied to a developer appointment. This can create a structural conflict.
• Vague construction scope. “PMC till completion” means little without site frequency, reports and certification duties.
• No ownership of project files. Society data should remain accessible if the PMC is replaced.
• Lowest fee with major exclusions. Compare total expected cost, not the cover-page number.
• Resistance to member questions. The PMC works for the society as an institution.
• Unverifiable references or credentials. Verify independently.

What members should see before voting

Before the SGBM selects the PMC, members should receive a concise comparison pack containing:

• candidate legal name and lead professional;
• eligibility/registration summary;
• relevant project count and references;
• scope comparison;
• fee comparison on the same basis;
• conflict declarations;
• technical score and reasons;
• major exclusions and deviations;
• committee recommendation, if any;
• copies or access to the original quotations.

This should become part of the permanent redevelopment record. Maharashtra's 2019 directions also emphasise redevelopment transparency and member access to notices, minutes and the PMC report. See Does Section 79A Require a Redevelopment Website?

Does the Registrar approve the PMC appointment?

The society should not confuse procedural communication with an administrative approval regime. Maharashtra's 4 November 2025 circular directed Registrars not to issue redevelopment “No Objection” approvals and reinforced the General Body's decision-making role.

PMC selection should therefore be defensible because the society followed its governance process and made an informed decision—not because someone expects the Registrar to validate a weak appointment later.

The decision rule

The cheapest consultant is expensive if the feasibility is wrong. The most famous consultant is weak if the assigned team is junior. The technically strongest consultant is risky if it is financially tied to the developer. Selection works only when competence, independence, scope and accountability are evaluated together.

Frequently asked questions

How many PMC quotations are required?

The 4 July 2019 Maharashtra directions contemplate quotations from at least three eligible Architects/PMCs before the initial redevelopment SGBM.

Must the society select the lowest quotation?

No lowest-bidder rule is stated in the redevelopment directions for PMC appointment. The SGBM selects the professional. The society should use comparable scope and documented technical/commercial criteria.

Can members suggest a PMC?

The 2019 directions allow members to submit names of experienced eligible Architects/PMCs known to them before the meeting, subject to the consultant expressing willingness to undertake the work.

How quickly should the PMC receive the appointment letter?

The 2019 directions state that the secretary should issue the appointment letter to the selected Architect/PMC within 30 days of the SGBM and the society should execute an agreement on the approved terms.

How long should the feasibility/project report take?

The 2019 directions contemplate the Architect/PMC submitting the project report within two months of appointment. Complex title or planning issues may still require proper verification; a society should not reward speed at the expense of accuracy.

Can the PMC choose the developer?

The PMC can scrutinise bids and prepare comparisons, but the developer appointment is a General Body decision under the redevelopment process.

Should the PMC be retained after developer selection?

Often yes, particularly for design review and construction monitoring, but the exact post-selection scope must be expressly contracted. Do not assume every PMC quotation includes supervision through possession.

Authoritative sources and further reading

1. Government of Maharashtra — 4 July 2019 redevelopment directions under Section 79A.
2. Department of Co-Operation, Marketing and Textiles — 4 November 2025 redevelopment NOC circular.
3. Dudhsagar Co-operative Housing Society Ltd. v. Mukund Vaman Patankar & Others, Bombay High Court, 24 August 2026.
4. Rudh Systems — PMC for Redevelopment in Mumbai: Role, Scope and Responsibilities.
5. Rudh Systems — Section 79A Redevelopment in Maharashtra: What Housing Societies Need to Know.