In a significant step towards formalising housing access for the economically weaker sections, Odisha�s Housing and Urban Development Department has introduced a structured plan to allot affordable homes on priority to urban poor currently staying in transit shelters across Bhubaneswar. The move, detailed under a newly released SOP, outlines eligibility criteria, verification norms, financial contributions, and prioritisation mechanisms, particularly favouring slum dwellers with no pucca homes and individuals with disabilities. This initiative aligns with the broader push under PMAY-Urban 2.0 and dovetails with 43 recently approved housing projects across 42 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), aiming to boost urban inclusivity and housing equity.Read more

The BMC�s first attempt to lease out three prime land parcels�at Malabar Hill, Worli, and near Crawford Market�for long-term revenue has faced setbacks. The Malabar Hill plot was withdrawn after objections from BEST and local residents citing its designation as a public garden. At Crawford Market, Central Railway requested a portion for a skywalk-linked passenger outlet, complicating the full-site tender. Meanwhile, the RBI showed interest in the Worli parcel but didn�t submit a bid. BMC is evaluating the received bids, aiming to raise funds for major projects like the Dahisar�Mira Bhayander coastal road and Mulund�Goregaon tunnel by monetising dormant land.Read more

MahaRERA has directed Godrej Properties to refund the full booking amounts paid by seven buyers in its Chembur-based Godrej RKS project-formerly the Raj Kapoor studio site-without imposing interest or penalties. The regulator found that bookings were made before the project was officially registered, but held that such advances still fall under RERA's jurisdiction as the project remains incomplete and lacks an occupancy certificate. MahaRERA rejected the developer's justification for withholding funds, reinforcing that all pre-registration payments count as part of the total consideration and cannot be unfairly retained.Read more

The Supreme Court has backed the Bombay High Court's order for the demolition of 17 unauthorised multi-storey buildings in Thane's Shil-Dighar area. Built without approvals on privately owned land, these structures have been linked to underworld encroachment and municipal negligence. The Court warned of dangerous precedents if such violations continue unchecked, applauding the High Court's tough stance. Though the demolition affects over 400 flats, the bench emphasised that buyers cannot claim rights over illegal constructions. In a related matter, the Court granted a one-week stay on the demolition of a nearby unauthorised dargah, urging legal compliance while respecting religious sensitivity.Read more

The Municipal Corporation of Panchkula has launched a multi-pronged enforcement drive to tackle illegal hotels, commercial outlets, mobile towers and farmhouses operating without Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions, particularly in its rural belt. A dedicated survey team has been deployed to seal properties until dues are cleared, while demolition notices have been issued to around 45 unauthorised farmhouses hosting illicit parties. The crackdown also includes efforts to recover INR 3.62 crore in pending fees from telecom towers and a push to remove overhead cables and illegal advertising boards. These actions aim to curb unauthorised urban sprawl and reinforce compliance in the city's growing commercial zones.Read more

Bengaluru's civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), will soon require e-Khata details for every online building-plan application, including those on its Nambike Naksha platform. Launching in early July, the new system links BBMP's E-Aasthi property database with the online building plan approval portal. Applicants must enter their electronic Property ID, allowing instant verification of ownership and tax payments and ending the need for paper documents. More than five lakh e-Khata records are already digitised, and the backend can process about 3,000 applications daily, many within two to three days. Automatic "deemed approvals" will penalise officials who delay decisions, boosting transparency and speed for developers and homeowners.Read more

The Goa government has introduced two significant bills aimed at regularising unauthorised structures on comunidade land and digitising urban land records to improve ownership clarity. One of the proposed bills focuses on providing legal status to homes and buildings built without permission on comunidade land prior to 2020, a move that could impact thousands of properties across the state. Simultaneously, a digital initiative has been launched to modernise urban land records, enhancing accuracy and reducing disputes. Together, these reforms aim to address long-standing land ownership issues and improve regulatory oversight in Goa's urban planning framework.Read more

The Central government has commended Haryana's strides in modernising land records, highlighting initiatives like the Tatima Updation Project by HARSAC, which maps individual land parcels for transparency. During a recent review, Union Secretary Manoj Joshi recognised projects under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), including the NAKSHA and IGR systems. Haryana officials showcased key developments like the HaLSMP drone surveys covering over 38,000 sq. km and the digitisation of 39.80 crore revenue record pages under the MRRR project. Equipped with advanced scanning and climate-controlled storage, all 22 districts now have modern revenue record rooms, ensuring preservation, access, and improved land governance.Read more

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has identified 501 buildings as structurally unsafe in its 2025-2026 safety survey under Section 264 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act. Of these, 51 are marked as 'C-1'-critically dangerous and unfit for occupation-requiring urgent evacuation and demolition. Another 51 fall under 'C-2A' (to be vacated and repaired), 297 under 'C-2' (repairable without vacating), and 49 under 'C-3' (minor repairs). The list is publicly available on the NMMC website. Residents of C-1 buildings have been issued notices, with water and electricity cut-offs planned. The civic body warns that failure to vacate may lead to severe consequences during the monsoon.Read more

The Noida administration recently demolished an unauthorised farmhouse and swimming pool built on 2,000-sqm of panchayat land in Dalelpur village, valued at around INR 2.2 crore. The land has now been reclaimed for constructing a panchayat office and a polling booth. The demolition is part of a larger anti-encroachment drive across Noida, including crackdowns on illegal structures in the Yamuna floodplains and other rural zones, with authorities reclaiming nearly 10,000 sqm of notified land in earlier actions.Read more