24 Mar 2026

A fraud case linked to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has surfaced in Vadodara, where 16 individuals were allegedly duped of around INR 40 lakh by a person posing as a civic official. The accused promised affordable housing units under the government scheme and collected money under the guise of processing fees and allotment procedures. Victims were provided forged documents, including fake receipts and fabricated municipal approvals. The incident highlights persistent vulnerabilities in affordable housing awareness and verification mechanisms, as demand for subsidised housing continues to attract fraudulent intermediaries exploiting first-time homebuyers.Read more

Mumbai News Desk

24 Mar 2026

The Maharashtra government has ordered a detailed inquiry into alleged financial irregularities of around INR 1,000 crore in a housing project undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The decision follows concerns over potential procedural lapses, fund misallocation, and deviations from approved norms in the execution of the project. Authorities are expected to examine key aspects including tendering processes, contractor appointments, and utilisation of public funds. The probe comes amid heightened scrutiny of large-scale civic housing initiatives in Mumbai, where redevelopment and public housing projects form a significant part of urban planning. The outcome of the investigation is likely to influence governance practices and compliance standards in similar projects.Read more

24 Mar 2026

The Supreme Court has allowed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to remove more than 45,000 mangroves for the proposed Versova-Bhayandar coastal road project in north Mumbai, which carries an estimated cost of INR 18,263 crore. The decision, delivered in the past week, upholds earlier approvals while directing the civic body to undertake compensatory afforestation and submit annual compliance reports to the Bombay High Court for a decade. The project forms part of the northern extension of Mumbai's coastal road network and is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Versova and Mira Bhayandar. The ruling balances infrastructure development with environmental safeguards, mandating restoration measures alongside project execution.Read more

24 Mar 2026

The central government is evaluating a policy framework that would allow entities based in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) to register ships overseas under a calibrated model similar to the Indian Controlled Tonnage scheme. The proposal would permit a "one-in-one-out" approach, enabling companies to register one vessel abroad and the next under the Indian flag. The move follows representations from the International Financial Services Centres Authority seeking regulatory relaxations to strengthen GIFT City as a global ship leasing hub. At the same time, the government is balancing concerns from domestic shipowners about potential loss of Indian tonnage and policy advantages linked to cargo support mechanisms such as the Right of First Refusal.Read more

24 Mar 2026

The Telangana High Court is set to hear a petition challenging the demolition of houses built on Bhoodan land in Khammam district, where around 20 daily wage workers claim their homes were razed without prior notice. The petitioners state that the land had been allotted to them by the Bhoodan Yagna Board and that valid pattas were issued. Authorities, however, have classified the occupants as encroachers and initiated possession proceedings. The case highlights ongoing legal disputes over Bhoodan land ownership and enforcement, raising concerns around due process, rehabilitation, and property rights for economically vulnerable residents.Read more

24 Mar 2026

The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-RERA) has imposed penalties of INR 5 lakh each on three real estate projects for promoting and selling units without mandatory registration under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. The action, taken during the authority's 198th meeting, involved projects in Noida and Lucknow, including Estate 105, Sobha Rivana, and Avikalp Estate. Investigations revealed that these developments were marketed and, in some cases, sold prior to obtaining regulatory approval. UP-RERA noted that developers failed to provide satisfactory responses to notices issued earlier, prompting enforcement action. The move forms part of a broader crackdown on unauthorised real estate activities to enhance transparency and safeguard homebuyer interests.Read more

24 Mar 2026

Gujarat is integrating its RERA-registered real estate projects with the PM Gati Shakti platform to improve monitoring, approvals and urban planning efficiency. The move will allow authorities to align projects with infrastructure networks, enhance geospatial visibility of housing clusters and enable cross-verification of land parcels with environmental and regulatory zones. By linking town planning data with real estate registrations, the initiative is expected to streamline inter-departmental coordination and reduce approval timelines. The integration reflects a broader push towards data-driven governance in real estate, improving transparency while supporting infrastructure-led development and more efficient service delivery across rapidly growing urban areas.Read more

Ahmedabad News Desk

24 Mar 2026

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has demolished 20 residential houses and four shops in the Narol area to facilitate the development of an 18-metre-wide road under Town Planning Scheme 60. The action, carried out after prior notices to occupants, cleared approximately 3,510 square metres of land required for a 195-metre road stretch. Officials stated that the structures were obstructing the approved road alignment and had not been voluntarily removed despite warnings. The demolition was executed in the presence of police to ensure compliance and maintain order. The move forms part of the city's broader infrastructure push aimed at improving urban mobility and implementing planned development layouts across emerging corridors in Ahmedabad.Read more

23 Mar 2026

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified the Income-tax Rules, 2026, which will come into effect from April 1 and operationalise the new Income-tax Act, 2025. The rules retain the existing house rent allowance (HRA) exemption structure, allowing salaried individuals in eight major cities including Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru to claim up to 50 per cent of salary, while others remain eligible for 40 per cent. However, the framework now mandates disclosure of landlord-tenant relationships for claiming HRA benefits. The revised rules introduce over 150 forms, tighten provisions around capital gains and foreign income tax credits, and expand auditor responsibilities. The new regime is aimed at simplifying compliance while strengthening reporting and verification mechanisms across taxpayers and institutions.Read more

23 Mar 2026

The Union government has approved an allocation of INR 33,660 crore under the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA) to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across India. The scheme is aimed at strengthening manufacturing, attracting investment, and reducing setup delays by offering ready infrastructure and pre-approved land. States will support implementation by providing land and facilitating development. The programme is planned over six years, with parks ranging from 100 to 1,000 acres, and smaller thresholds set for hilly and North Eastern regions to account for terrain constraints.Read more