Mumbai News Desk

02 Apr 2026

The Bombay High Court has directed Indian Railways to implement clear safety announcements on all long-distance trains, warning passengers about stops and non-stops along the route. The move comes after a passenger was injured while attempting to alight from a moving train, with the court awarding INR 80,000 compensation. The bench emphasized that unlike suburban trains, most long-distance services lack clear information for travellers, which increases the risk of accidents. It recommended adopting a system similar to Vande Bharat Express trains to improve safety awareness and reduce boarding-related mishaps.Read more

Lucknow News Desk

01 Apr 2026

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has introduced a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme aimed at enabling defaulters to clear outstanding dues linked to residential, commercial, and institutional properties. The initiative, aligned with a broader state-level policy, allows waiver of penal charges while requiring payment of principal and simple interest. The scheme is expected to benefit thousands of allottees and help recover significant pending revenue. It will remain open for a limited period, with structured payment options and incentives for early settlement. The move is intended to regularise delayed accounts, improve cash flows for the authority, and address long-pending allotment cases across multiple housing and development schemes in Lucknow.Read more

01 Apr 2026

Durg district in Chhattisgarh has retained the top position in the latest performance rankings under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), achieving a score of 89.5% across key indicators. Surajpur and Raipur continue to hold the second and third ranks, while Koriya has shown notable improvement. In contrast, southern districts such as Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur continue to lag, with Bijapur recording the lowest score of 50.2% and a house completion rate of 24.6%. The state's overall completion rate stands at 70.2% against a target of 26.27 lakh houses. The data highlights regional disparities in rural housing delivery and implementation efficiency under the central government's flagship scheme.Read more

Chennai News Desk

01 Apr 2026

The Madras High Court has issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government on a public interest litigation challenging a recent government order that allows urban planning authorities to approve housing layouts in hill regions without clearance from the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA). The petition, filed by an activist, argues that the order weakens long-standing environmental safeguards governing development across 597 notified hill villages. The court has directed the state to respond within four weeks. The case raises regulatory concerns over land-use approvals in ecologically fragile zones and highlights tensions between development permissions and environmental oversight frameworks in Tamil Nadu's hill areas.Read more

01 Apr 2026

Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) approved 1,060 housing projects around the festive period of Padwa, reflecting strong activity in the real estate sector. The approvals include 486 new project registrations, 426 extensions, and corrections in 148 projects. A significant number of applications were processed just before the festival, with the authority working continuously to meet demand. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune accounted for the majority of projects. The trend highlights the continued importance of festive periods like Padwa for project launches and homebuying decisions in Maharashtra.Read more

01 Apr 2026

A housing fraud case has been reported in Thane where 11 residents were cheated after being promised low-cost flats under a government housing scheme. The accused collected around INR 5,000 from each victim and later misused their personal documents to open bank accounts and carry out financial transactions. A case has been registered against three individuals for cheating and forgery. Police suspect a wider network and are checking if more people were targeted. The incident highlights rising misuse of trust in affordable housing schemes and the need for proper verification.Read more

01 Apr 2026

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Mumbai bench, ruled in favour of a taxpayer involved in a redevelopment project. The taxpayer surrendered tenancy rights and received a redeveloped flat valued at INR 11.7 crore. The Income Tax Department had considered this amount as taxable income from other sources and denied exemption under Section 54F. The tribunal observed that tenancy rights are a capital asset, and their exchange for the flat constituted a transfer of a capital asset, allowing the taxpayer to claim exemption. The decision provides clarity for similar redevelopment transactions.Read more

Mumbai News Desk

01 Apr 2026

The Bombay High Court has ruled that properties attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cannot be claimed by banks as secured assets, establishing that anti-money laundering provisions take precedence over recovery laws such as SARFAESI and the RDB Act. The decision arose from a dispute involving banks seeking to enforce security interests on properties already attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with alleged proceeds of crime. The court set aside an earlier tribunal order that had favoured the banks, holding that the state's right to confiscate tainted assets overrides creditor claims. The ruling clarifies the legal hierarchy governing such disputes and has implications for lenders dealing with stressed assets linked to criminal investigations.Read more

Mumbai News Desk

01 Apr 2026

Two directors of Mumbai-based Ajanta Airawat Infrastructure LLP have been arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for allegedly defrauding a non-resident Indian (NRI) investor of around INR 10.5 crore. The case relates to investments made over several years in a real estate project in Bhandup, Mumbai, where the complainant had initially invested INR 1.5 crore and later extended a loan of INR 6 crore. A subsequent settlement agreement promising repayment with interest or allocation of flats was not honoured. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody. The case highlights recurring risks in informal real estate financing arrangements and disputes linked to project-level obligations and investor protection.Read more

01 Apr 2026

MMRDA has achieved top rankings in Maharashtra's governance programs, highlighting its commitment to efficiency, transparency, and citizen-focused services. The authority was awarded first place in the 150 days Sevakarmi Plus Program and ranked fourth in the E-Governance Reform Program, with evaluations based on personnel development, service rule compliance, and innovative digital governance. The commendations were presented by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee. This recognition underscores the team's dedication, innovation, and leadership in shaping a more digitally connected and efficient Mumbai Metropolitan Region.Read more