The Bombay High Court has directed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and state government to file affidavits in response to PIL filled seeking clarification on the inclusion of Mahim Nature Park, a protected area, in the plans of the Dharavi redevelopment project. In October this year, the state government released a tender inviting entities to bid for the redevelopment of the 600acre slum located in the heart of the city. Mumbai based Adani Group bagged the project after offering the highest bid of Rs 5,069 crores. Activists who have filled the PIL fear the Park will be unlawfully redevelopment along with the rest on the area.Read more

Earlier this month the Supreme Court took a decision to revoke its 10 June 2020 order which had a set a fixed 8 per cent rate of interest in debts for land supplied on lease to various builders. With the new order, builders will now have to pay up pending dues related to their land allotments. Builders believe this decision is likely to result in the many filling for bankruptcy and the postponement of registration of over 1.6 lac properties in Noida and Greater Noida as issuance of occupancy and completion certificates is directly dependent on payment of debts.Read more

To file an appeal in response to a ruling by the Assam REAT, the RERA Tribunal has directly M/s Arya Erectors India Pvt Ltd to deposit a sum of Rs 32 lacs in an escrow account with them. The company is challenging the order passed by the REAT which stated that the company must pay Rs 1.5 crores to a disgruntled homeowner who had purchased a villa from them for delayed possession. The REAT also slapped an additional penalty of Rs 1.5 lacs on the company for other charges. Section 43 of the RERA Act 2016 requires a promoter to first deposit with the Appellate Tribunal at least 30 per cent of the penalty or as determined by the Appellate Tribunal before challenging any penalty imposed by them.Read more

After air pollution levels reached a worrying height of 407 AQI this Sunday, the Centre’s air quality panel directed authorities in Delhi NCR to ban all non-essential construction work as envisaged under stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). AQI levels above 400 are deemed hazardous. A meeting was held on Sunday to review the air quality in the region along with forecasting meteorological conditions and the air quality index of Delhi.Read more

Earlier this week the President of India signed off on the proposed amendments to the MAHDA Act 1976, paving the way for owners and tenants to initiate development of a building once categorised by the civic body as dangerous. Presently over 50 building in Mumbai has been declared dangerous. Society members of these building were unable to start the redevelopment process but were being made to pay CESS for the same. With this new development tenants and owners can now apply for redevelopment easily, reducing the time otherwise spent procuring requisite permissions and cooperation from other entities.Read more

The state of Maharashtra has developed an online web portal that will allow citizens to make changes to land records from the comfort of their own home. The website offers ten services including applications for corrections, new name additions and heirship. Once submitted, an application ID is generated which can be used to check the status of the request. The entire process from application to the changes being reflected on the website takes approximately forty days.Read more

Conversations are underway to allocate an additional Rs 28,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G), this fiscal year to ensure states meet their construction targets within the stipulated timeframe. The amount will be allotted over and able the Rs. 20,000 crores already allocated for PMAY-G scheme in the 2022-23 Budget. The additional funds will be used to complete construction of 8.9 million houses that remain from their target of 29.5 million rural pucca houses.Read more

Last week, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) conducted a computerised lottery for its housing schemes in Kalamboli, Taloja, Kharghar and Dronagiri. They offered over 4,000 apartments for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category. In August 2022, CIDCO announced a mass housing lottery scheme under the PMAY scheme’s directives. Over 4,000 apartments have been allotted under the scheme to the EWS category and general public. In October the scheme received 16,000 applicants. CIDCO has now included the sale of 245 commercial shops at its various housing complexes, commercial premises, and railway stations in the scheme.Read more

The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has ordered the demolition of a restaurant, a shower, a fountain, a vehicle porch, a security cabin and a basement that were discovered to be built between 200 and 500 metres from the high tide line, violating the existing zoning regulations. As it appears, none of the entities had procured the requisite construction approvals. Action was taken after three individuals including former Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao and the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum complained about the illegal projects.Read more

While speaking at an event organised by the rural development department at YB Chavan Centre, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis announced the state government’s intentions to create its own housing to ensure Maharashtra becomes the first state in the country to provide ‘housing for all’. Through the PMAY Rural scheme, the government has allotted over 10 lac homes till date. The new scheme coined Awaas Plus intends to create an additional 3.5 lac homes for those who are not eligible for PMAY and other housing schemes.Read more