Latest StoriesResidential

Hingoli to Require Earthquake-Resistant Homes in Seismic Zones

Representative AI image CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: In a proactive step, the Hingoli district administration has mandated that all new constructions, including those under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), be designed to withstand earthquakes in specified seismic zones. This decision follows a notable increase in seismic activity, with the district experiencing 36 earthquakes in recent years. District collector Rahul Gupta stated that Hingoli will be the first district in India to enforce earthquake-resistant building standards for PMAY beneficiaries in areas susceptible to frequent seismic events. The administration has consulted the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, to establish suitable construction guidelines.…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Uttarakhand HC Halts HRDA’s Plotting on Agricultural Land

DEHRADUN: On Wednesday, the Uttarakhand High Court instructed the Haridwar-Roorkee Development Authority (HRDA) to revoke its permission for plotting and group housing on agricultural and orchard land within a week. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging that the development authority was flouting previous High Court and Supreme Court rulings. They warned that non-compliance could lead to contempt proceedings. The PIL, filed in 2023 by Haridwar resident Atul Kumar Chauhan, referenced a High Court order from June 19, 2018, which prohibited such developments on agricultural and…