Mumbai News Desk

17 May 2026

The Bombay High Court has set aside the Maharashtra government’s decision to classify multiple land parcels in Ambernath as private forest land, giving relief to property owners after a prolonged legal dispute. The court observed that authorities had not properly followed the legal process required under the Maharashtra Private Forests Act before applying the classification. The ruling is significant for landowners and the real estate sector as such tags restrict development activity and reduce land usability. The judgment also adds to a series of recent court observations questioning procedural lapses in similar forest land disputes across Maharashtra.Read more

17 May 2026

Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India has decided to relocate its annual convention NATCON 2026 from Amsterdam to an Indian destination, citing support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to reduce non-essential overseas travel and conserve foreign exchange amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia. The 23rd edition of the convention, originally planned in Amsterdam for August 2026, will now be hosted in India, with the new venue yet to be announced. NATCON is Credai’s flagship annual industry gathering and attracts more than 1,000 participants, including developers, investors, policymakers, architects and consultants. The move comes as industry bodies and businesses respond to the Centre’s call for prudent economic measures, including reduced foreign travel and greater domestic spending.Read more

17 May 2026

The Union government has approved infrastructure projects worth INR 1,290 crore for Pune, covering water supply augmentation in newly merged areas and flood mitigation works across the city. The approval was granted during the first apex committee meeting under the Urban Challenge Fund chaired by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Of the total allocation, INR 890 crore has been sanctioned for a drinking water project covering 12 merged villages in the Khadakwasla-Nanded belt, while INR 400 crore has been earmarked for flood control measures at 335 flood-prone locations in Pune. The water project includes a 200 MLD treatment plant, transmission and distribution pipelines, and smart metering infrastructure intended to serve nearly 7.78 lakh residents until 2052. The projects come amid continued concerns over water quality, uneven civic infrastructure in merged areas, and recurring urban flooding during the monsoon season.Read more

17 May 2026

• Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) has announced fresh land auctions for nearly 11 acres in Hyderabad’s Raidurg Knowledge City area.
• The upset price has been fixed at INR 139 crore per acre, with the government expecting revenue of nearly INR 2,000 crore from the auctions.
• The land parcels are located in one of Hyderabad’s most active commercial and IT corridors near HITEC City and Financial District.
• The auctions follow last year’s record land sales in Raidurg, where bids touched nearly INR 177 crore per acre.
• Developers are expected to show strong interest again due to increasing demand for mixed-use and commercial developments in the micro-market.Read more

17 May 2026

The Delhi government has made it compulsory for all construction and demolition sites across the capital to use green dust-control nets with a minimum thickness of 100 GSM to curb pollution caused by construction activity. The move follows recent assessments that found thinner nets ineffective in stopping dust particles from spreading into surrounding areas. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee has directed all project proponents and civic agencies to implement the rule with immediate effect. The government is also expanding digital monitoring of construction sites through Dust Portal 2.0 to improve compliance, tracking and enforcement of anti-pollution measures across Delhi.Read more

17 May 2026

• Maharashtra’s Vision 2047 tourism plan targets INR 1 lakh crore investment and 18 lakh jobs.
• The roadmap includes PPP tourism projects, MICE infrastructure, cruise tourism and heritage circuits.
• Proposed MMR projects include island tourism, waterfront developments and coastal infrastructure.Read more

17 May 2026

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has reported increased usage of its WhatsApp chatbot service launched on mobile number 8291920504, as citizens increasingly access municipal services, property tax payments and civic information through digital platforms. The civic body stated that over 113 services, including birth and death certificates, property tax, water charges and construction-related permissions, are now available online through integrated systems. According to NMMC, more than three lakh citizens have received property tax notifications through the chatbot platform, while over 7,000 users have completed payments using WhatsApp payment links. The municipal authority also stated that approximately INR 10 crore was collected following digital message campaigns conducted in March 2026. The chatbot service supports both Marathi and English languages and functions as part of NMMC’s broader digital governance and citizen service delivery strategy.Read more

Nagpur News Desk

16 May 2026

A district court in Nagpur has upheld the eviction proceedings initiated by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation over a prime 15,000 sq m land parcel located on Subhash Road near Agyaram Devi Square, dismissing multiple civil appeals filed against the civic body’s notices. The disputed land had originally been leased to Abhyankar Smarak Trust in 1937 for charitable purposes, but the lease expired in 1967 and was not renewed thereafter. According to the court order, portions of the land were subsequently sublet to commercial establishments without municipal approval. The ruling clears the way for the civic authority to proceed with repossession of the site for a proposed public development project and reinforces municipal powers relating to occupation of public land after expiry of lease agreements.Read more

16 May 2026

The Income Tax Department has detected discrepancies worth nearly INR 45,000 crore in real estate transactions after conducting searches and verification exercises at sub-registrar offices in Gurugram and Mohali. The investigation focused on possible irregularities in reporting high-value property deals, including suspected undervaluation and incomplete disclosures. Officials are examining transaction records, registration data and financial filings to identify mismatches. The findings come amid tighter scrutiny of the real estate sector, where authorities have been increasing monitoring of property transactions to curb tax leakage, cash dealings and reporting irregularities across major markets.Read more

16 May 2026

The Reserve Bank of India is anticipated to transfer its highest-ever dividend to the government, offering a strong fiscal support at a time when global uncertainties, including the Middle East situation, are affecting economic planning. Last year, RBI’s dividend stood at INR 2.69 lakh crore, significantly higher than the previous year’s INR 2.11 lakh crore. The upcoming decision is expected in the RBI board meeting scheduled later this month. Alongside this, strong profitability from public sector banks and other financial institutions is expected to support higher-than-budgeted non-tax revenue for the government in the coming fiscal year.Read more