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 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

Karnataka's land digitisation drive has converted over 320 million pages of records into secure digital formats, aiming for 1 billion pages by year-end. The initiative, accessible via the Bhu Suraksha portal and local offices, ensures faster, tamper-proof access to land documents. Category A and B records are now digitally available, with rural Bapuji Seva Kendras set to be included soon. A multi-tier review process and encrypted storage with audit logs uphold accuracy and security. While rural districts like Belagavi and Vijayapura show strong progress, Bengaluru Urban lags behind. Once complete, the system will ease delays and protect landowners from fraud and document loss.Read more

Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has taken strong action against public space encroachments, penalising 4,890 individuals and contractors for leaving construction materials like sand and debris on footpaths and roads. The six-month campaign, led by Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, covered all ten city zones and collected INR 1.16 crore in fines-INR 93.16 lakh from individuals and INR 23.20 lakh from builders. Laxmi Nagar saw the most violations. Under civic rules, materials left in public areas must be cleared within 48 hours or face fines of INR 2,000 (residents) and INR 10,000 (builders). Additionally, over 7,000 were fined for blocking roads with temporary structures. The drive aims to reclaim safe, usable public spaces.Read more

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has made it mandatory for all future town planning schemes to reserve at least 5% of land for green spaces, with 1% specifically for Miyawaki forests. The initiative aims to boost biodiversity and align with WHO's recommended green cover of 9 sqm per person. Tree-cutting now requires planting 10 saplings per tree, with survival conditions and a refundable deposit of INR 5,000. New guidelines call for tree-lined footpaths, green road dividers, rain gardens, and rooftop parks. An Urban Greening Advisory Committee and ward-level Green Committees will oversee implementation. The policy tackles rising pollution and heat levels through sustainable urban afforestation.Read more

The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has temporarily halted its online building map approval system to implement the recently revised building bylaws issued by the Uttar Pradesh government. During this transition phase, all building plan approvals will be processed manually, significantly increasing the turnaround time from a few days to nearly a month. This move is expected to impact GDA's monthly revenue, which averages around INR 34 crore. The revised bylaws allow for higher floor area ratios and reduced plot size requirements for group housing projects, aiming to promote vertical development.Read more

The Tamil Nadu government has revamped property valuation rules to enhance transparency and align with market realities. A key change is the formal definition of 'composite value' which now includes both the built-up area and undivided land share of a flat's resolving past ambiguity in multi-storey building valuations. Valuation committees can now revise guideline values year-round, instead of only in October. New rules also factor in property quality, location, road access, and amenities under the Tamil Nadu Apartment Ownership Act, 2022. District registrars have been instructed to implement the changes immediately, with updated guideline values to be published online shortly.Read more

In a major boost for Bengaluru property owners, the Karnataka Cabinet has approved the regularization of B-Khata properties issued by BBMP up to September 30, 2024, granting them A-Khata status. This shift enables access to civic amenities, bank loans, and legal transactions. B-Khatas, issued for properties with minor norm deviations or incomplete approvals, had long faced legal and service restrictions. Properties with valid government circulars will now be treated as compliant, while others may be regularized under forthcoming guidelines. The cabinet also moved to resolve land acquisition anomalies and approved five new municipal corporations-ushering in wide-reaching reforms in Bengaluru's urban governance and property framework.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

Karnataka has introduced a comprehensive regulatory mechanism for groundwater extraction, making charges and digital metering mandatory for all user categories. Rates vary from INR 1 to INR 35 per cubic metre, depending on usage and groundwater zone classification. Residential, commercial, and industrial users must obtain NOCs and install approved meters. Tanker operators face strict volume caps. Penalties for non-compliance range from INR 5,000 to INR 200,000. Revenues will fund recharge and conservation projects to help reverse decades of groundwater overuse. The move marks a decisive shift toward sustainable and accountable water management in the state.Read more