About 1,500 students in the English-medium section of a Colaba municipal school have been shifted to virtual classes, following a BMC infrastructure team's ruling that two school buildings are structurally unsafe. While approximately 1,300 students from other language sections were relocated to nearby schools, English-medium students remain online due to lack of space. Parents and activists are urging phased demolition and interim solutions. Authorities continue exploring options, including rentals, amid mounting pressure to restore classrooms.Read more

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to send a fresh recommendation to the state government on granting heritage status to Savarkar Sadan in Dadar, following a directive from the Bombay High Court. This development comes after it was revealed that earlier files related to the 2010 heritage tag proposal were destroyed in the 2012 Mantralaya fire. A PIL filed by Abhinav Bharat Congress raised concerns about possible redevelopment and the delay in heritage notification. The court has now stayed any construction on the site and has sought an affidavit from the civic body.Read more

In an effort to prevent structural mishaps during the monsoon, Jaipur's municipal bodies initiated the demolition of nine buildings deemed critically unsafe. The civic action, which took place earlier this week, followed repeated notices to property owners who failed to respond. A broader inspection of the city revealed widespread civic issues such as blocked drains, encroachments, and deteriorating infrastructure. The authorities are now focused on sealing, vacating, or removing dangerous buildings, while also addressing sanitation and public safety concerns across key city zones in both Jaipur Heritage and Greater areas.Read more

In a significant push towards urban transformation, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) approved a series of building bylaw amendments and housing initiatives during a board meeting held this past week. The decisions included permitting housing development on government roads narrower than nine metres, launching group housing projects, and shifting commercial land allotment to a first-come, first-served model. Other proposals sanctioned include a modern transport terminal at Charbagh, e-vehicle charging stations, and digital preservation of land records. Affordable housing continues to be a key priority, with registrations underway for nearly 1,832 units.Read more

The Karnataka government has initiated a large-scale digitisation programme aimed at delivering e-khata documents directly to rural households under the Eswathu to doorsteps campaign. With over 97 lakh property records already digitised through the Panchatantra 2.0 platform, the initiative targets the remaining manually maintained land records to ensure complete digital integration. A dedicated citizen helpdesk is also being established to guide villagers through the e-khata application process and address complaints. This approach is expected to streamline land transactions and remove the necessity of visiting gram panchayat offices.Read more

The Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) imposed significant penalties on two developers earlier this week for breaching project norms and misleading homebuyers. One developer was penalised for unauthorised construction and failure to deliver promised amenities, while another faced action for selling plots without RERA registration. The authority directed both developers to refund amounts with interest and to carry out necessary rectifications at their own cost. These actions highlight the regulator's growing emphasis on accountability and consumer protection within the real estate industry.Read more

The Delhi Development Authority has initiated rent disbursals to residents evacuated from Signature View Apartments, with payments structured according to flat category. Delays in past disbursements had fostered mistrust among residents, leading to reluctance in vacating. However, rent is now being released flat-wise upon confirmation of vacancy. The move aligns with court directions aimed at expediting evacuation, demolition, and eventual redevelopment of the deteriorating housing complex.Read more

Haryana RERA's Gurugram division has issued a show-cause notice to Ramprastha Promoters & Developers Pvt Ltd, warning of possible civil imprisonment over failure to comply with refund orders worth nearly INR 3 crore. Despite directives to return funds to homebuyers and disclose attachable assets, the developer has not acted. This follows the Enforcement Directorate's recent arrest of the company's directors in a money laundering case involving INR 1,100 crore collected for stalled projects like Edge, Skyz, Rise, and Ramprastha City. ED findings include diverted funds, seized luxury assets, and attached property worth over INR 681 crore. HRERA has scheduled the next hearing for early next week.Read more

The Karnataka government has introduced new building setback norms for Bengaluru, which came into effect on August 1st.The new rules, part of the Revised Master Plan 2015, aim to provide clear guidelines on the minimum open space required around a building. The regulations specify setback requirements based on plot size and building height, and also provide clarity on the height of stilt parking. This move is designed to address contentious issues that have arisen from the city's rapid vertical growth and to streamline the construction and approval process for new buildings.Read more

A parliamentary panel has urged the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to establish a dedicated ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) oversight body to actively combat greenwashing and penalize fraudulent ESG claims. This recommendation is part of a broader call to amend the Companies Act, 2013, to explicitly integrate ESG objectives into the fiduciary duties of company directors. The committee also recommended creating a transparent oversight system for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and strengthening institutions like the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to tackle financial crimes.Read more