Tag: Surat

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Surat accelerates land acquisition for transport hub project

SURAT: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) is expediting the acquisition of private land necessary for the Multi-Modal Transport Hub (MMTH) project located near the GSRTC building and the Khand Bazaar railway underbridge. Phase 1 of the project is advancing rapidly, with the GSRTC Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) nearing completion—42% of the work on the east side of Surat railway station has been finished. The elevated road corridor under Phase 2 is approximately 25% complete. To assess progress, municipal commissioner Shalini Agarwal conducted a site inspection, urging officials to hasten the acquisition of private land for the elevated road. She also…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Dumas Seaface Developer Penalized for Dust Pollution Issues

SURAT: The agency responsible for the Dumas Seaface project has been fined Rs 5 lakh after inspections revealed insufficient measures to control dust pollution at the site. Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal visited the site to assess the progress and observed that dust suppression systems and waste management protocols were not adhered to. This penalty is part of the Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) intensified measures against construction sites non-compliant with pollution control regulations. Since Thursday, SMC teams have scrutinized 266 construction projects throughout the city, fining 184 of them and totalling Rs 56 lakh in penalties. On the first day of…

Housing FinanceLatest Stories

Home Loans Rise 14%, Buyer Growth Only 7% in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: While Gujarat’s housing finance numbers are on the rise, homebuyer sentiment remains stagnant. According to SLBC data for the September 2025 quarter, housing loan disbursements have increased by 14% year-on-year, climbing from ₹14,266 crore to ₹16,264 crore. However, the number of borrowers has only grown by 7%, from 95,532 to 1.02 lakh. This disparity highlights a healthy flow of credit but a lack of purchasing momentum, particularly among mass-market buyers. Banking sources indicate that most lending occurs in major cities such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot. “Despite substantial lending activity, there is a notable decline in demand for…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Surat: SUDA, JICA Assess Town Planning Initiatives

Representative AI Image SURAT: Surat Urban Development Authority (SUDA) officials, along with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), convened on Friday to discuss the upcoming model town planning (TP) schemes for the bullet train station development area. Over the past year, five TP schemes—61, 62-A, 62-B, 62-C, and 63—have been crafted with guidance from state and central governments and technical insights from JICA. Among these, schemes 61 and 63 have received initial approval from the state government, while scheme 61 (Kosmada-Oviyan-Chedcha) has been proposed as a Preliminary Town Planning Scheme. The other three schemes incorporate innovative urban planning ideas, such…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Navsari Civic Body Issues Notices to 40 Illegal Sites

Representative image created by AI SURAT: The Navsari Municipal Corporation (NMC) has initiated a crackdown on illegal constructions, issuing notices to 40 sites—both commercial and residential—that lacked valid permits. In the last week, the NMC’s town planning department evaluated around 200 under-construction sites, identifying 40 that failed to obtain necessary approvals. These sites are required to submit valid construction documents within five days, with officials cautioning that structures without permissions could face demolition. This marks the first significant enforcement action since Navsari became a municipal corporation. The city is now divided into 13 wards, with elections anticipated soon. Ward-10 reported…

IndustryLatest Stories

Gujarat’s 5 districts draw ₹5.03 lakh crore in real estate investments

AI-generated Representative Image AHMEDABAD: Since the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) was implemented in 2017, Gujarat’s real estate sector has attracted investments totaling ₹5.03 lakh crore. Notably, 94% of this investment is concentrated in five key districts: Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot. This concentration is largely attributed to rapid urbanization, improved infrastructure, and heightened demand for residential and commercial properties. In stark contrast, the remaining 28 districts—home to nearly two-thirds (64%) of Gujarat’s population—have garnered only 6% of the total investments. Experts express concerns about this uneven distribution of resources and emphasize the need for balanced infrastructure…