The Odisha Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (REAT) has rejected a public-sector bank's plea to auction a stalled housing project near Bhubaneswar. The project, mortgaged in 2014 for a loan of INR 4.6 crore, was taken over by the bank under the SARFAESI Act after repayments stopped, and auction notices were issued in 2020. Homebuyers had already paid significant amounts but never received their flats. REAT ruled that once the bank assumed control, it effectively became the promoter and remained bound by RERA regulations. The tribunal directed ORERA to find a way to complete the project, offering long-awaited relief to affected allottees.Read more

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) carried out a demolition drive in the Belapur ward earlier this week after the property owner failed to act on an earlier notice issued under MRTP Section 53(1A). Acting on directions from the civic chief and in compliance with an order of the Additional District Court, the encroachment department removed an unauthorised sheet structure at a residential unit in Kukreja Estate, Sector 11. Senior officials, engineers, labourers, police personnel, and support staff were deployed, using technical equipment and manpower to execute the operation.Read more

The Ministry of Environment has warned the NGT about unchecked construction along the Uttarkashi-Gangotri highway, citing threats to the region's fragile ecology. A monitoring committee has been formed to enforce Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone rules, overseeing hotels, resorts, and waste management projects. This follows the early August Dharali disaster, which destroyed over 100 houses and caused multiple casualties. The BESZ, covering 4,179.6 sq km, has been amended several times to ensure eco-friendly development. The committee has legal authority to act against violations and ensure compliance with environmental safeguards.Read more

Panchkula's municipal corporation has begun work on the NAKSHA Urban Land Survey Programme, a central government effort to modernise and digitise urban land records. Special NAKSHA teams are conducting on-ground checks and using drones and high-resolution cameras to map residential and commercial land parcels across all wards. They are meeting property owners to verify documents such as sale deeds and mutation papers, and residents have been urged to cooperate. Authorities say the new GIS-based records will offer reliable ownership details, support better urban planning, reduce disputes, and simplify transactions and taxation. The initiative mirrors similar drone-mapping programmes already adopted in several states.Read more

Bengaluru's civic authorities have introduced a rule requiring plinth-line marking and a foundation certificate before any construction can begin. Approved plans must be digitally accessible to ward engineers and field staff for verification, and inspections will monitor compliance. A formal complaint and inspection system has been established for unauthorised construction. Confirmed violations trigger time-bound demolition orders, with costs charged to property owners. Officials allowing illegal construction face departmental action, and appeals will not delay enforcement unless a court stay is obtained, aiming to ensure orderly and transparent urban development.Read more

The Central Government has resolved to develop Belgaria Township in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, into a model township to rehabilitate families displaced by underground coal-mine fires and land subsidence. As many as 1.4 lakh families remain in hazardous zones, but only about 4,000 have been relocated so far. The proposed model township will deliver essential services: water, electricity, security, livelihood opportunities and civic infrastructure. The plan has been reinforced under the revamped Revised Jharia Master Plan (JMP) - backed by a ?5,940.47 crore budget - which envisages sustained rehabilitation, safe relocation, community services and long-term livelihood support for affected residents.Read more

Goa's town-planning authorities have decided to extend their digital Building Plan Approval Management System (BPAMS) to cover small residential projects comprising up to four apartments. The change, coming into effect earlier this week, shifts such projects from manual scrutiny to mandatory online submission, including applications for technical clearances and completion orders. Larger residential and commercial developments will continue under the offline regime. Officials indicated that the move is intended to reduce delays, improve transparency and streamline workflows, marking another step forward from the system's earlier rollout for single-dwelling homes.Read more

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Mumbai, earlier this past week, dismissed the INR 1,080 crore bid submitted by Brookfield-backed Chronos Properties for acquiring IL&FS's flagship Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) property. The tribunal upheld IL&FS's contractual authority to revise the consideration under the court-approved resolution framework, accepting the company's move to increase the valuation to INR 1,481 crore. It also noted that updated valuation reports placed the property's fair-market value at around INR 1,722 crore. The order additionally clarified the status of Chronos's performance guarantee obligations under the bidding conditions.Read more

The Odisha government has instructed district collectors to speed up the allocation of house-sites to landless families eligible under rural housing schemes. The direction follows a review where hundreds of sanctioned beneficiaries under PMAY-G and PM-JANMAN were found waiting for land. Data from the 2024 Awaas+ survey identified around 2.01 lakh landless households in the state, highlighting the urgency. The government has also asked block and revenue officials to continue mandatory monthly meetings to clear pending cases. The focus is on beginning site allotments even as fresh house sanctions are awaited.Read more

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's standing committee has reviewed proposals for 17 new high-rise projects across Bodakdev, Thaltej, Ambli-Bopal, Science City Road, Gota and Shilaj, reflecting growing demand for residential, commercial and mixed-use spaces in the city's expanding western corridors. Together, these projects will add about 2,000 homes and 2,300 commercial units, while AMC has already earned nearly INR 250 crore through permissions and related charges. This year, AMC also issued its first Building Use certificate for a residential tower exceeding 100 metres on Science City Road, signalling Ahmedabad's shift toward vertical growth. The cluster of seven skyscraper proposals in Bodakdev further reinforces its emergence as a major high-rise development hub.Read more