Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) has rolled out key reforms to protect homebuyers and strengthen its role in the state's growing real estate market. A major change mandates district collectors to include RERA enforcement in monthly reviews, integrating local administrative machinery with ORERA operations. The housing department will now collaborate with the revenue and disaster management departments to enforce penalties under the Orissa Public Demands Recovery Act. ORERA Chairperson Asit Kumar Mohapatra emphasized institutional strengthening and state coordination as top priorities. He also highlighted the importance of raising public awareness to ensure the success of these reforms and improve buyer confidence.Read more

Telangana's Indiramma housing programme is facing hurdles as the Centre withholds PMAY-Gramin funds due to missing Aadhaar-based live facial authentication for 19.5 lakh rural beneficiaries. The biometric process is a key eligibility step under revised PMAY-G norms. Despite launching construction for 1.5 lakh homes, Telangana must complete these uploads by month-end to restore central funding. Meanwhile, the state is using its own funds to continue work, with INR 1.5 lakh earmarked per unit. In contrast, Telangana's PMAY-Urban progress remains strong-1.13 lakh units were approved and INR 1,500 crore released earlier this year, contributing to its broader five-year goal of 20 lakh homes.Read more

Redevelopment has begun in Shanthipuram Colony, Kochi, where 197 families will receive new homes under the "Pocket Homes" model, replacing unsafe dwellings. Each compact cluster will house eight units on 0.75-cent plots, with homes costing INR 10 lakh each. The Kerala government is contributing INR 4 lakh per unit via the LIFE Mission scheme, while Kochi Corporation secured CSR funds from BPCL (INR 1 crore) and Sobha Group (INR 50 lakh) to cover the rest. Beneficiaries will receive registered land titles. Phase I includes 16 homes, supported technically by Azadi Group's engineering college. Earlier upgrades to roads and drainage have laid the foundation for this community transformation.Read more

Telangana RERA has fined Countryside Realtors INR 38.59 lakh for serious violations at its long-delayed Westend Greens villa project in Mokila, Ranga Reddy. Out of 117 planned villas, only 20 have been delivered-missing key amenities like roads, sewage systems, and a clubhouse. Buyers accused the developer of misleading promotions and unauthorized layout changes, while also alleging threats against dissenting residents. RERA found the firm guilty of false advertising, unauthorized modifications, and failing to register the project. Further sales are banned until fresh approvals and registration are secured. If violations continue, the developer must refund buyers with compensation for delays and distress.Read more

Pop superstar Taylor Swift recently established a new real estate record in Cape Cod by selling her former Hyannis Port mansion for USD 12.3 million. This property, once connected to her past romance, was acquired for USD 4.8 million in 2012 and later sold for USD 5.675 million after renovations, before its latest record-breaking transaction. The sale contributes to Swift's extensive real estate portfolio, reportedly valued over USD 150 million. Her escalating influence in luxury markets, now intertwined with partner Travis Kelce's own property ventures, highlights their growing stature as a prominent cultural and lifestyle force.Read more

Meghalaya's Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) has begun actively overseeing registration of all real estate projects, developers, and agents in the state. Located at the Urban Affairs Complex in Shillong, the RERA office serves as the central hub for enforcing the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. The Act mandates transparent project disclosures, dedicated escrow accounts for buyer funds, and accountability for timely project delivery. With a full-time chairman and two members, the Authority has urged all stakeholders to comply or face penalties. This move aims to protect homebuyers, streamline dispute resolution, and promote greater professionalism in Meghalaya's growing property market.Read more

Mumbai's real estate and infrastructure landscape is set for a major upgrade with the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension nearing completion. Scheduled to open in July 2025, the final phase includes a striking 90-degree cable-stayed bridge over the Western Express Highway, creating a seamless, signal-free east-west route. Led by MMRDA, the project will ease congestion across Kurla, Chembur, Kalina, and BKC, and improve access to Mumbai Airport. Real estate interest, especially in Chembur, is rising, echoing past price surges seen after earlier infrastructure rollouts. The extension is expected to boost connectivity, reduce travel time, and enhance overall urban liveability.Read more

Bhopal is set to roll out a major upgrade to its Sampada 2 platform, allowing homebuyers to register both sale deeds and mortgage documents in a single digital appointment. This eliminates the need for separate visits and streamlines the entire property registration process. Users will receive final documents in PDF format, reducing paperwork and in-person collection. The system will auto-link sale and loan records, with future plans for Aadhaar-based eKYC and digital payments. Part of a wider national move toward digitised land records, this reform supports faster, transparent transactions and benefits buyers, banks, and real estate developers alike.Read more

A consumer forum in Ghaziabad has held a cooperative bank liable for losing a borrower's original property documents despite full loan repayment. The documents went missing during the bank's branch relocation from Ghaziabad to Noida. The borrower, who sought the return of his papers much later, was told they were untraceable. The commission has directed the bank to pay INR 25,000 for mental distress and INR 5,000 for litigation expenses. The bank must also assist in obtaining certified copies of the lost deed. This case reflects increasing regulatory pressure on lenders to maintain stringent safeguards over customer documents.Read more

Delhi authorities have ramped up efforts to evacuate the structurally unsafe Signature View Apartments in Mukherjee Nagar, where only 85 of 336 flats have been vacated despite repeated warnings and a High Court demolition order. Originally built between 2007 and 2010, the complex showed severe structural damage within years. A 2022 IIT Delhi audit declared it uninhabitable. In response, the DDA will now provide monthly rent compensation-INR 50,000 for HIG and INR 38,000 for MIG flats-on a flat-wise basis from January 2025. Police deployment and service disconnections are being considered as last resorts. Reconstruction planning, compensation logistics, and investigations into construction lapses are ongoing.Read more

Godrej Properties has acquired a 48-acre land parcel in Doddaballapur, North Bengaluru, for a plotted housing project spanning 1.1 million sq ft of saleable area. The outright purchase aligns with the company's strategy of investing in high-growth corridors to develop planned communities. This acquisition follows recent deals in Raipur, Bannerghatta, Whitefield, and Sarjapur Road, highlighting its aggressive expansion in the plotted and mixed-use development space. Demand for plotted homes has surged post-COVID, driven by consumer preference for larger, customizable living spaces. Godrej Properties also posted a record FY 2024-25, with bookings exceeding INR 29,400 crore and 14 successful new project launches.Read more

The Ejari system, established by RERA in 2010, was designed to regulate rental contracts and protect both tenants and landlords in Dubai. While it remains a mandatory legal tool for registering tenancy agreements, its complexity has made it susceptible to misuse. Landlords have been known to manipulate property categorisation, restrict registration routes, inflate rent figures, and force agent-mediated processes. Meanwhile, tenants often remain unaware of their right to self-register or the consequences of inaccurate data in the system. A clear understanding of responsibilities is essential to avoid falling prey to these loopholes.Read more

Ashwin Sheth Group has acquired development rights for a four-acre land parcel in Goregaon West, Mumbai, with an estimated revenue potential of INR 3,800 crore. The project, spanning approximately 12 lakh sq ft of RERA carpet area, is set to rise on land owned by MHADA and includes tenant rehabilitation. The rights were secured after a re-tendering process, following a failed earlier agreement with a previous builder. Goregaon West remains a hot real estate zone with over INR 1,961 crore in sales last year, driven by strong connectivity and Metro Line 2A. Ashwin Sheth Group currently has over 7 million sq ft under development.Read more

Ravi Agarwal, chairman of Lloyd Realty, along with Lloyd Group chairman Babulal Agarwal, has purchased six ultra-premium apartments in Kalpataru Prive, a high-end residential tower located on Altamount Road in South Mumbai. The transaction, valued at INR 227 crore, involves units spanning the 18th to 23rd floors with a total carpet area of 17,908 sq ft, at a rate of INR 1.26 lakh per sq ft. The deal also includes 24 car parking spaces.Read more