The Maharashtra Cooperation Commissioner, Deepak Taware, has clarified that registrars and sub-registrars do not have the authority to issue no objection certificates (NOCs) to housing societies for redevelopment projects. The order emphasizes that the general body of each cooperative housing society is the highest decision-making authority in such matters. Citing a 2019 government resolution and a Bombay High Court petition, the commissioner noted that the role of registrars and cooperative departments is limited to supervision, with no statutory provision under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, granting them power to issue NOCs.Read more

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved 21 key decisions spanning infrastructure, education, housing, health, and governance. It decided to dissolve Maha ARC Ltd after the RBI denied it a licence, and approved a state guarantee for a INR 2,000 crore HUDCO loan to fund land acquisition for the Virar-Alibaug Transport Corridor. Grants were sanctioned for new postgraduate courses at Nagpur's Laxmi Narayan Institute of Technology, and land regularisation under PMAY in Solapur will enable 30,000 homes. Other approvals covered Guru Tegh Bahadur's 350th martyrdom commemorations, judicial expansions, healthcare reforms, and regularisation of long-term leases. A Bandra land parcel was leased to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam for community facilities.Read more

The Gujarat Urban Development Department has announced that Kalol, Sanand, Savli, Bardoli, and Hirasar will be developed as new satellite towns under their respective urban development authorities, as part of the state's strategy to promote planned urbanisation and balanced regional growth. A high-level committee led by the Principal Secretary of Urban Development, along with municipal commissioners and officials from key departments, will oversee planning, financing, and implementation to align infrastructure with adjoining metropolitan standards. The government has allocated INR 50 crore for the project�s first phase, with urban authorities directed to assess manpower and resource needs. Each location has distinct potential-Sanand as an emerging semiconductor and industrial hub near Ahmedabad, Kalol's industrial-residential growth near Gandhinagar, Savli's ongoing expansion under Vadodara, Bardoli's inclusion in the Surat Growth Hub, and Hirasar's development around Rajkot's new international airport.Read more

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) enforcement wing, HYDRAA, carried out the demolition of a five-storey residential building located in Miyapur after it was found to have been built illegally on government land. The developers, Bhanu Constructions, had purchased a plot within an approved layout but encroached onto additional HMDA property using falsified Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) documents and a forged demand draft. Following an inspection that confirmed the violations, HYDRAA executed the demolition and filed a first-information report with the local police against the developers involved.Read more

Around 20,000 villagers from 11 villages in Himmatnagar taluka of Sabarkantha district participated in a protest rally at Kanknol village, demanding that the government withdraw its decision to establish the Himmatnagar Urban Development Authority (HUDA). The proposed body involves acquiring about 7,600 acres of farmland, impacting nearly 9,000 farmers. Protestors have been holding demonstrations for over 40 days, alleging that the plan threatens agricultural livelihoods. They have given a 15-day ultimatum to the state, warning of an indefinite fast if their demand is ignored.Read more

The state government of Kerala issued sweeping amendments to its building regulations earlier this week, introducing a streamlined permit system that allows self-certification for residential buildings up to 300 sq m and commercial buildings up to 250 sq m. The changes remove pre-construction inspections for many projects, delegate greater authority to local bodies, ease setbacks for small-plot owners and relax parking norms. These reforms aim to accelerate construction approvals, reduce bureaucratic delays and enhance transparency in the regulatory process.Read more

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has approved monthly rent compensation for residents of Signature View Apartments, who vacated their homes after severe structural damage was discovered. HIG flat occupants will receive INR 50,000 per month, while MIG residents will get INR 38,000, with a 10% annual increase starting July 2024. Arrears will be paid monthly. The DDA also cleared key urban projects, including redevelopment of old staff quarters in Safdarjung and Old Rajinder Nagar, a multi-sports stadium in Narela, and Delhi's first TOD housing project in Karkardooma. These initiatives reflect the DDA's push to modernise housing, enhance infrastructure, and support displaced residents fairly.Read more

The Uttar Pradesh Stamp and Registration Department has announced that property registration services in Noida and Ghaziabad will be suspended from 8 to 11 November as the online portal transitions from the NIC-operated Meghraj cloud to the National Govt Cloud (NGC). The move aims to improve system reliability, speed, and data security. Assistant Inspector General Brijesh Kumar said legal professionals and the public were notified in advance to plan their activities. With around 1,300 registrations processed daily across both cities, the two working-day halt is expected to affect revenue. Sub-registrar staff will remain on duty during the migration to assist with testing and system reactivation.Read more

The Punjab Cabinet, led by the Chief Minister, has approved the Punjab Unified Building Rules 2025, introducing a streamlined and transparent framework for urban construction. The new rules, applicable across all urban sectors, permit stilt-plus-four-floor buildings on plots of 250 sq yd and above, raising height limits from 15 to 21 metres to encourage vertical growth and optimise land use. They also unify multiple departmental regulations, simplify approvals through third-party self-certification, and relax FAR, parking, and setback norms. The framework includes provisions for EWS and affordable housing, mixed-use development, and multilevel parking. Complementary reforms include stricter de-addiction centre regulations, administrative restructuring, and stamp-duty amendments to improve governance and ease of doing business.Read more

The Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has begun a large-scale fire safety inspection drive across schools, hotels, hospitals, and other commercial and institutional buildings under its jurisdiction. This move came in the wake of recent fire incidents reported from Kharghar and Kamothe, prompting the civic body to undertake preventive measures. Over the next six months, two inspection teams will operate across six key nodes � Panvel, New Panvel, Kamothe, Kalamboli, Rodpali, and Taloja � to assess fire safety compliance, verify the validity of NOCs, and update safety records. Establishments will also be encouraged to undertake self-rectification based on feedback from the PCMC�s fire-brigade department.Read more