10 Apr 2026

The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at seven locations linked to Kolkata-based Merlin Group as part of a money laundering probe. The investigation relates to alleged land grabbing using forged ownership documents and raising funds by projecting false ownership claims. Authorities suspect that investors were misled into funding real estate projects built on disputed land. The case is also linked to earlier legal disputes, including a stalled INR 600 crore project and a demolition order in another development. The probe is ongoing, with officials examining financial records and land documents.Read more

10 Apr 2026

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has recommended introducing project-wise insolvency in the real estate sector to better safeguard homebuyers and ensure timely project completion. The proposal suggests treating each project as a separate unit during insolvency proceedings instead of including the entire developer entity. This is expected to prevent financially stable projects from being impacted by stressed ones. The recommendation comes in response to delays and fund diversion issues seen in past cases and aims to improve resolution efficiency and protect buyer interests.Read more

Noida News Desk

10 Apr 2026

The Noida Authority has lifted restrictions on four stalled Sports City projects, permitting developers to submit revised layouts for approval and restart long-delayed construction. The decision follows compliance with a Supreme Court directive issued late last year, which mandated a structured revival framework for the projects. Spread across nearly 800 acres, the developments collectively account for around 32,000 residential units and were halted in 2021 after regulatory and audit-related irregularities were flagged. Developers, including Lotus Greens, Logix Infra, ATS Homes and Xanadu Estate, must now present updated plans aligned with original policy requirements, particularly the provision of sports infrastructure. The move is expected to facilitate completion of pending units, enable registrations, and address concerns of thousands of homebuyers affected by prolonged delays.Read more

Lucknow News Desk

10 Apr 2026

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) halted a demolition drive targeting an unauthorised residential colony in Chinhat after facing resistance from builders and their associates. The enforcement action, carried out in the past week near the Kisan Path corridor, was aimed at clearing illegal plotting spread across nearly seven acres. Officials withdrew from the site after disruptions escalated into stone-pelting, raising safety concerns. The authority has stated that the drive will be resumed with police protection. The incident highlights operational challenges faced by planning authorities in enforcing development regulations amid on-ground opposition. It also reflects ongoing efforts by the LDA to curb unauthorised colonies and ensure compliance with approved layout plans in expanding urban zones of Lucknow.Read more

Ahmedabad News Desk

10 Apr 2026

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has intensified enforcement of its Good Construction Practice Policy by sealing three construction sites in the Gota area in the past week for failing to implement mandatory dust mitigation measures. The projects Evera, S Plus and Solo Bliss 2 were found non-compliant with requirements such as green netting and barricading to control particulate emissions. One of the sites was additionally fined INR 1 lakh for spilling construction material onto a public road, creating a traffic hazard. The crackdown extended to other parts of the city, with additional penalties imposed in Bodakdev and Thaltej for pollution and safety violations. The drive also included removal of encroachments along a key service road to ease traffic movement.Read more

Ghaziabad News Desk

10 Apr 2026

The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has increased development charges, building permit fees, and mandatory inspection costs for the current financial year, with revised rates coming into effect from the start of the month. The revision, implemented under state government directives, involves an average increase of around 4% across multiple approval stages. The changes also include higher infrastructure-linked levies such as metro and elevated road cesses. The move is expected to raise input costs for developers, which industry stakeholders indicate may be passed on to homebuyers, affecting overall housing affordability in Ghaziabad and adjoining National Capital Region markets.Read more

10 Apr 2026

Malkapur Municipal Council in Satara district has become the first C-class urban local body in Maharashtra to issue Transferable Development Rights (TDR) certificates for acquiring private land for public infrastructure. The certificates were distributed to six landowners in the past week for approximately 19,000 sq ft of land earmarked for a Development Plan (DP) road project aimed at easing traffic congestion. The move introduces a mechanism typically used in larger cities, allowing the council to secure land without direct monetary compensation. Landowners can monetise these certificates by selling them to developers, who can use them to increase permissible built-up area. The initiative comes amid rising land values and growing infrastructure requirements in the town, which lies along a key highway corridor.Read more

10 Apr 2026

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced a city-wide survey to identify residential buildings being used for commercial purposes without approval, in compliance with a recent Supreme Court directive. The exercise will cover colonies, apartment complexes and housing societies across the city, with ward-level teams tasked with mapping violations such as offices, shops, clinics and guesthouses operating in residential zones. The court, while hearing a case related to an illegal commercial structure in Chennai, directed municipal bodies in state capitals to conduct detailed inspections and submit reports. The move addresses long-standing concerns over land-use violations that have led to congestion, infrastructure strain and disruption in residential neighbourhoods.Read more

10 Apr 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the strategic importance of India's maritime sector in supporting economic growth, trade and logistics connectivity, marking National Maritime Day in the past week. In a public message, he acknowledged the contribution of stakeholders across shipping and port ecosystems, noting their role in strengthening the country's economic framework. The statement also reaffirmed the government's commitment to further developing maritime infrastructure and leveraging the sector's potential for future growth. The remarks come amid ongoing policy emphasis on port modernisation, coastal infrastructure, and expansion of shipping capacity as part of India's broader infrastructure and logistics strategy.Read more

09 Apr 2026

The Himachal Pradesh government has revised and reduced recently proposed vehicle entry tax rates for out-of-state vehicles after protests along its borders with Punjab and Haryana. The decision, notified in the past week, introduces a uniform INR 100 levy for passenger vehicles with up to 12+1 seating capacity, while fixing rates for commercial vehicles at INR 320 for light categories and INR 570 for larger trucks. The rollback follows sustained agitation by transporters and political representatives who had opposed earlier steep increases. The move aims to ease commuter burden and restore cross-border movement while retaining a revised taxation framework intended to support state revenues and infrastructure funding under the Himachal Pradesh Tolls Act, 1975.Read more