25 Nov 2025

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached a commercial plot valued at around INR 108 crore belonging to Vatika Limited as part of an ongoing money-laundering investigation linked to investor complaints. The case began after several FIRs were filed in 2021 with the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing, accusing the company and its promoters of misleading investors and failing to complete multiple projects. About 659 investors are reported to have invested nearly INR 248 crore in four projects that remain incomplete without conveyance deeds. The ED had earlier attached assets worth INR 68.59 crore in the same matter.Read more

24 Nov 2025

Mumbai's civic authority has stated that construction and industrial activity in any locality will be stopped if the Air Quality Index (AQI) stays above 200 despite required mitigation measures. This step forms part of the city's GRAP-4 actions and builds on the 28-point pollution-control guidelines announced in October 2024. The BMC has created flying squads for every ward to monitor on-ground compliance, waste burning, dust emissions and fuel usage. Officials have been instructed to ensure strict implementation as several areas recently reported higher-than-usual pollution levels.Read more

24 Nov 2025

The Maharashtra government has formed a new committee, led by the PWD's additional Chief Secretary, to process compensation claims for accidents or deaths caused by potholes or open manholes on roads under its control. Families of victims may receive up to INR 6 lakh, while injured individuals can get INR 50,000 to INR 2.5 lakh based on severity. The committee must convene within seven days of a reported case and meet every 15 days, with powers to act on applications or even suo motu based on media reports. Compensation paid by the PWD will be recovered from those responsible for poor maintenance, including contractors or officials. The move follows Bombay High Court directives stressing accountability and timely repairs.Read more

24 Nov 2025

The Supreme Court accepted the definition of the Aravali Hills and Aravali Range submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It stated that a hill must have a minimum height of 100 metres and be located within the notified Aravali districts, while ranges are formed when two or more such hills lie within 500 metres of each other. The Court also said that the lowest contour line around a hill, including its slopes, will be counted as part of the Aravali area. It has stopped new mining leases across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat until the Sustainable Mining Plan is finalised.Read more

24 Nov 2025

A road stretch in Shimla's Bhattakufar area caved in recently, reportedly linked to ongoing tunnel construction for the Kaithlighat-Dhalli four-lane project. A schoolgirl fell into the pit and was rescued, and a Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus was stuck at the spot. The district administration stopped construction, sought detailed reports from senior officials and raised concerns with the State Disaster Management Authority. Residents had earlier complained about cracks in their homes. The administration plans to involve the Survey of India, while police have registered a negligence case against the project contractor.Read more

24 Nov 2025

Telangana has introduced the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation Policy (HILTP) 2025, allowing 9,292 acres of ageing or underused industrial land within and around the Outer Ring Road to be converted into multi-use zones. These areas can now be redeveloped for housing, offices, hospitals, schools and IT parks. Applicants must pay a one-time Development Impact Fee, set at 30% of SRO value for plots on roads under 80 ft and 50% for those on wider roads. Approvals will be processed swiftly through the TG-iPASS portal, with decisions expected within two weeks. A quarter of the collected fees will be used to upgrade local infrastructure, while the rest will help develop new industrial parks outside the ORR.Read more

24 Nov 2025

The Karnataka High Court has upheld the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) attachment of Flat 7A in Kingfisher Towers, Bengaluru, finding that the property legally remains with United Breweries Holdings Ltd (UBHL) and not with the purchaser. The court rejected the claim that an unregistered agreement to sell conferred title, ruling that ownership had not passed without a registered sale deed. It agreed with the ED that the flat could be treated as 'proceeds of crime' under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reinforcing the agency's long-running asset-recovery effort in the Vijay Mallya case.Read more

24 Nov 2025

During pre-Budget discussions, tourism and hospitality representatives urged the government to streamline licensing through a single-window system, grant industry status uniformly across states, and clarify GST norms for hotels under INR 7,500. They highlighted challenges caused by fragmented regulations, which limit access to finance and incentives. The industry also proposed forming an independent National Tourism Board with private-sector involvement to guide long-term strategic growth and promotion. These measures aim to enhance foreign tourist arrivals and strengthen the sector's overall development.Read more

24 Nov 2025

MHADA has submitted a detailed proposal to the state government to boost affordable rental housing across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The plan, presented by MHADA CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal, recommends cost-reducing incentives such as 0.5 additional FSI in Mumbai city and 0.3 in the rest of MMR, along with a 50% share of development charges for societies to use as a corpus fund. Key tax benefits include full property-tax waiver for five years, reduced tax for the next five, INR 500 stamp duty, and complete state GST waiver. The proposal also suggests low-interest financing and income-tax exemptions. MHADA estimates the framework could enable over 50,000 rental units by 2030.Read more

23 Nov 2025

The Delhi government is preparing to restructure the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) to improve the condition of the Walled City and restore its historic identity. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reviewed current issues in Old Delhi and directed officials to speed up civic upgrades, including the addition of women's toilets in Chandni Chowk. She plans to bring heritage experts into the SRDC to guide conservation-focused work. Senior officials and local representatives agreed that redevelopment has been delayed for years due to inactive systems and overlapping jurisdiction among agencies.Read more