PNT Reporter

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India has attached a commercial complex worth over Rs 252 crore (around $33 million) located in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged bank fraud case against the Ambience Group. The immovable property, called Ambience Tower, belongs to a company called Ambience Towers Pvt Ltd, which is a firm of the Ambience Group promoted by Raj Singh Gehlot. The ED has issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to attach the commercial building.Read more

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed a bill amending the Revenue Act, settling decades-long dotted land disputes in the state. The move benefits thousands of farmers, as it grants titles to those who have possessed the lands for over 12 years. The new guidelines also promote urban development and generate additional government revenue by allowing municipal bodies to levy property taxes and the registration department to collect stamp duty. The resolution of these disputes will streamline land transactions, as the estimated 100,000 pending applications related to dotted land issues are addressed.Read more

PNT Reporter

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has expressed its concerns about the inaction and evasive responses of officials in Gurgaon regarding the alleged use of diesel generators (DG sets) and the dumping of waste in the city. The order was made after hearing a petition filed by a Gurgaon resident, Raman Sharma, who alleged that 10 DG sets were being run from a green belt in Malibu Town, Sector 47, and that construction and demolition waste was regularly dumped in the residential colony.Read more

The government of Maharashtra has recently revised its guidelines for the permitted carpet area of apartments to be built and sold under the High-Income Group (HIG) and Middle-Income Group (MIG) categories through a lottery mechanism of the Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (MHADA). This decision was taken by the government in order to make the housing schemes more affordable for the middle-class and to provide more opportunities for housing.Read more

PNT Reporter

In a recent development, the Bombay High Court has directed MHADA to issue an occupancy certificate (OC) to a builder for the free-for-sale Ekta Tripolis towers within two weeks. This decision has come as a relief to flat buyers in the free-for-sale component of Goregaon's Patra Chawl redevelopment project. The project involves the redevelopment of 672 tenements on MHADA land by Guru Ashish Construction, a subsidiary of HDIL which was first made in 2008. However, the project has been marred by several delays, litigations and alleged money laundering case connected to the redevelopment.Read more

The Government of the Andhra Pradesh has taken a significant decision that would allow government employees to purchase house sites in urban development authorities anywhere across the state. This decision has been made following several rounds of discussions with employees in the last two months. The state government has removed the "local" clause that earlier limited employees to purchase house sites only in their district.Read more

PNT Reporter

The Supreme Court of India has given Amrapali homebuyers hope that they will not have to sacrifice the facilities and common areas that were promised to them at the time of booking their flats. Earlier this week, the court indicated that common areas approved earlier should not be disturbed and asked the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to give a proposal on unused floor area ratio (FAR).Read more

PNT Reporter

At a review meeting on incomplete projects in the state, UP-RERA officials revealed that many projects have not received occupancy or completion certificates and that the developers have not sought extensions of their deadlines. As a result, UP-RERA issued summons to 18 developers who failed to attend hearings. The regulatory authority warned that it would freeze their bank accounts and blacklist them if they continued to be non-compliant.Read more

PNT Reporter

Avarsekar Realty Pvt Ltd was recently prohibited by the Bombay High Court from selling any of its unsold apartments as of date in a luxurious 42-story high-rise project at Mahim and its other projects until further orders. An attorney and his wife who had reserved a unit in Mahim's Shrishti Sea View in January 2012 petitioned the court for a civil contempt order, which the court granted and postponed to March 27.Read more

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has finally found two parcels of land in north Delhi that are eligible for development by a consortium under the land pooling policy. According to a DDA official, landowners in Zone P-II, Sector 8B have expressed interest in pooling their land and have met the policy's eligibility conditions. The land developer can now prepare a layout plan for a group housing society or plotted real estate, depending on feasibility.Read more