Latest StoriesRegulatory

Bombay HC urges Thane civic body to act on illegal structures

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has instructed the Thane municipal commissioner to engage with senior officials from electricity supply companies to identify power connections provided to illegal constructions. The court also called for an investigation into civic officers who enable water supply to these unauthorized edifices. Justices Girish Kulkarni and Arif Doctor remarked that providing electricity to illegal buildings represents a “national loss” while noting that granting water to such constructions significantly exacerbates the public’s struggles during water scarcity. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) reported compliance with earlier court orders, resulting in the demolition of 21 illegal structures using “sophisticated…

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SC Approves Adani Cementation’s Removal of 158 Mangrove Trees

(Representative Image) The Supreme Court has upheld the Bombay High Court’s decision allowing Adani Cementation to remove 158 mangrove trees for the construction of a jetty project along the Amba River in Maharashtra’s Raigad district. This project, which occupies an area of 1.26 hectares within the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) designated for mangrove forests, is intended to facilitate the transportation of cement and other materials via waterways, alongside a conveyor corridor and access road to support a cement grinding and fly ash processing unit and a backup storage unit in Shahapur and Shahabaz. It aims to meet the increasing cement…

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HC Orders Residents to Vacate 18-Floor Building in 2 Weeks

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has labeled residents of the top 18 floors of the 34-storey Willingdon Heights building in Tardeo as “selfish” for ignoring the need for an occupation certificate (OC). The court has ordered these occupants to vacate their flats within two weeks. A bench led by Justices Girish Kulkarni and Arif Doctor criticized the residents for their “brazen illegality” in occupying flats without the necessary OC. The court instructed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take action if the order is not followed, stating that these affluent residents are knowingly violating building regulations while evading legal consequences.…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

783 CRZ Buildings Notified, 44 Demolished: Maharashtra Minister

MUMBAI: A total of 783 buildings in coastal regulation zone (CRZ) areas across 10 civic wards have been served showcause notices, with 44 structures already demolished, according to state revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Some cases are currently in court. A statement presented to the legislative council regarding the forged map scandal, brought to light by citizen Vaibhav Thakur, revealed that the special investigation team (SIT) formed at the request of the Bombay High Court has arrested 23 individuals, with three more still at large. Of those arrested, 12 are private citizens, two are officers, seven are employees, and two are…

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Bombay HC Rejects PIL on Salt Pan Land for Dharavi Rehab

File Photo MUMBAI: On Thursday, the Bombay High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that contested the allocation of 250 acres of salt pan land for the rehabilitation of individuals affected by the Dharavi redevelopment project. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne stated, “It goes without saying that the state government must consider environmental issues while executing the project.” Advocate and activist Sagar Devre questioned the state’s decisions from August 7 and September 30 regarding the transfer of 255.6 acres of salt pan land in Mulund, Bhandup, and Vikhroli for housing projects for Dharavi’s affected individuals. He…

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Maharashtra CM to Seek Bombay HC Nod for Slum Rehab on Forest Land

File Photo MUMBAI: The state government is planning to petition the Bombay High Court for permission to undertake slum rehabilitation on portions of forest land currently occupied by slums. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Wednesday that any remaining land will be dedicated to forest regeneration. This statement came while he addressed queries concerning the implementation of postpaid smart meters for electricity consumption during a motion in the state legislative council. BJP’s Pravin Darekar highlighted that numerous slum households situated between Goregaon and Dahisar, as well as in Thane, occupy forest land, including private forest areas. He noted that these…

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Bombay HC questions BMC on buildings lacking fire NOC

Bombay High Court MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has requested the BMC to clarify its plans regarding buildings in Mumbai lacking a fire no-objection certificate (NOC). The court posed a pointed question: “Will you ignore this issue, or will you take action? We expect a detailed affidavit stating the required steps when a fire NOC is not present. If this is omitted, we will interpret it as tacit approval, suggesting that it is the municipal corporation’s policy to allow occupancy without a fire NOC, thereby endangering lives,” remarked Justices Girish Kulkarni and Arif Doctor. This discussion arose during a hearing…