Following a tragic building collapse in Satya Niketan that claimed five lives, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has ordered the immediate sealing of all illegal constructions with more than four floors and vowed strict action against negligent officials.
As we brace for unprecedented rates of urbanisation, it is crucial to ensure that illegal constructions and unauthorised land use are curbed, asserts Amit Kapoor.
An under-construction seven-storey building in Hyderabad collapsed, killing two workers and injuring two others. The incident highlighted issues of illegal construction near a drain and violations of mandatory setbacks. Authorities revealed the building was seized four months prior, but construction resumed, leading to the collapse. Investigations into the owner's role and demolition of similar illegal structures are underway.
An 'illegally' constructed mosque within the Saharanpur district collectorate complex was demolished following a court order, drawing strong condemnation from opposition parties who accused the government of engaging in 'politics of hate' and undermining social harmony.
The Supreme Court has issued a directive to the Bihar government, ordering the removal of all unauthorised structures and encroachments along the Ganga river banks between Nauzar Ghat and Nurpur Ghat in Patna within six weeks. The court expressed concern over illegal constructions and noted the lack of action despite previous orders, warning of strict views on any laxity. The directive came during the hearing of a plea against a National Green Tribunal order regarding encroachments on eco-fragile floodplains.
The Supreme Court has raised concerns regarding Bengaluru's Premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR) scheme, questioning its impact on urban infrastructure. The court cited Gurugram's infrastructure collapse during rains as a cautionary tale, contrasting it with Greater Noida's planned development. The scheme allows property owners to purchase additional construction rights, but petitioners argue it strains existing infrastructure and could regularise illegal constructions.
Authorities in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar demolished illegal constructions belonging to AIMIM corporator Matin Patel, who is accused of harbouring Nida Khan, wanted in connection with a Nashik TCS case.
Amroha Police demolished an alleged illegal construction belonging to an accused in a minor rape case, identified as Farman, as part of their zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and girls. The structure was found to be illegal after verification by the revenue department.
Authorities in Gurugram demolished the property of a criminal, Indrajit, built on encroached government land in Badshahpur village. The demolition was ordered after it was found that the construction was illegal and built without permission.
A Delhi court has remanded the building owner's son, a PG operator, and a contractor in police custody following the collapse of a five-storey structure in Satya Niketan that resulted in seven deaths. The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into the Sunday incident, with authorities probing the role of alleged illegal constructions.
The Mumbai civic body has initiated demolition of unauthorised constructions in a posh Prabhadevi high-rise, Rustomjee Crown, following complaints from an RTI activist. The action targets illegal alterations, amalgamation of flats, and conversion of common spaces into habitable areas, with the drive expected to continue over several days.
The removal of unauthorised construction at Union minister Narayan Rane's bungalow in Mumbai's Juhu area started on Thursday, a civic official confirmed.
Gurugram police demolished the illegal property of criminal Ravindra alias Sarkar, who was involved in more than a dozen serious crimes, in Taj Nagar village, Farrukhnagar.
Tope said action would be taken against those buildings where FSI more than four had been utilised. There are 588 such buildings. He, however, said the government would soon make the roads free of encroachment.
Authorities in southwest Delhi demolished illegal constructions allegedly linked to drug peddling in the Najafgarh area. The action was conducted in areas under Baba Haridas Nagar in Dwarka, where structures outside residential houses were being used for illegal sale and distribution of narcotics.
Following a building collapse in Delhi's Saket area that resulted in six fatalities, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has pledged stringent measures against unauthorised constructions and the officials responsible. She has ordered surveys of unsafe buildings and assured support for the affected families.
Eight engineering students from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, were killed in Thrissur, Keralam, when their car, travelling at high speed, rammed into a lorry illegally parked on NH-66. The accident occurred near a diverted section of the highway, leading to immediate fatalities and a police investigation into the lorry driver.
An illegally constructed house belonging to a drug peddler was demolished in Srinagar as part of the Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyaan.
Gurugram police demolished illegal structures belonging to two habitual offenders, Shahrukh and Arshad, on government land in Peer Colony, Sohna. The structures were allegedly used as a base for criminal activities, with Shahrukh facing 34 theft cases and Arshad facing six theft cases and one NDPS case.
Gurugram police demolished illegal structures belonging to two habitual offenders, Shahrukh and Arshad, on government land in Peer Colony, Sohna. The structures were allegedly used as a base for criminal activities, with Shahrukh facing 34 theft cases and Arshad facing six theft cases and one NDPS case.
A building collapse in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University, has prompted student and teacher organisations to demand a comprehensive safety audit of paying guest accommodations across the city. The incident has highlighted concerns over structural compliance, fire safety, illegal constructions, and inadequate living conditions for students.
Authorities in Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh, have demolished the three-storey house of Naushad, the main accused in a cracker factory blast that killed 13 people, including 11 children. The demolition followed the arrest of Naushad and two women, with police also suspending nine personnel for negligence and seeking other absconding suspects.
The Beed Municipal Council has issued notices regarding an unauthorised construction linked to Prahlad Kulkarni, a key accused in the NEET-UG paper leak case.
Delhi Police have registered an FIR in connection with the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven people, alleging that the owners constructed additional floors on an old structure despite concerns over its load-bearing capacity and that further construction work was underway.
Civic authorities in Beed, Maharashtra, have ordered the demolition of an under-construction building allegedly linked to P V Kulkarni, the kingpin of the NEET paper leak case, due to violations of local construction regulations.
Gurugram Police demolished illegal encroachments on government land in Pataudi, allegedly constructed by associates of jailed gangster Kaushal Chaudhary, as part of an ongoing effort to dismantle criminal networks' financial support.
Gurugram police demolished an illegal property belonging to a criminal, Narendra alias Pawwa, in Budhera village as part of a crackdown on land mafias.
Authorities in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, have initiated demolition proceedings against the Mughal Banquet Hall in Kairana after it was found to be an unauthorised structure and allegedly served beef at a wedding reception. Four individuals, including the groom and hall owner, have been arrested in connection with the case, with a car also seized.
The apex court directed the CBI, which is already probing the case, to file its status report in the matter within three months.
Haryana is institutionalising drone technology as a key governance tool, deploying AI-powered surveillance and high-resolution geospatial mapping. This initiative aims to detect illegal constructions, monitor mining activities, map civic infrastructure, and track pollution across the state. The Chief Secretary reviewed progress on various projects, including an AI-powered Change Detection Application and digital mapping of municipal assets, highlighting the state's commitment to evidence-based governance and improved public service delivery.
Police in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir, have attached a residential house and seized cash, collectively valued at over Rs 21 lakh, allegedly acquired through the illegal trade of drugs and narcotics. The action was taken under the NDPS Act against an individual named Farooq Ahmad Shah.
Authorities in Chhattisgarh's Durg district demolished an illegally constructed shop belonging to the brother of a suspended BJP leader arrested in connection with opium cultivation.
Security forces in Manipur have destroyed 23 illegally constructed bunkers in Ukhrul district and seized 18 IEDs in Tengnoupal district during separate operations.
A labour contractor has been apprehended in connection with the collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi's Satya Niketan, which resulted in seven deaths. The building owners are in judicial custody, and investigations are scrutinising construction work and a controversial rent agreement that disclaimed liability for tenant casualties. Authorities are also planning new policies to regulate PGs and ensure safety.
The Calcutta High Court has ordered a status quo on the demolition of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's constituency office in South 24 Parganas. The court's directive prevents further demolition until a new hearing or the end of July, following a petition by Leaps and Bounds Private Limited, a company Banerjee is CEO of. The district administration had initiated demolition citing alleged construction without an approved plan.
The Supreme Court will consider issues related to the Satya Niketan building collapse, which killed seven students, and has called for a time-bound inspection and safety audit of PG accommodations and similar establishments across Delhi. The court noted the overlap with its ongoing pan-India monitoring of unauthorised constructions and safety violations.
The Bombay high court on Monday rued that for long illegal constructions have been mushrooming but time has now come to change the attitude that nothing will happen to such structures.
Ghaziabad authorities have sealed two illegal madrasas in Indirapuram and Loni, citing lack of registration, NOCs, and inadequate facilities. This action is part of an intensified crackdown on unrecognised institutions, which gained momentum following the recent killing of a teenager in the area.
The Gauhati high court has questioned the legality of the demolition of 21 dwelling units on private agricultural land in Goalpara, saying the action appeared prima facie illegal and unauthorised and may have involved misuse of the Disaster Management Act.
An allegedly illegal cafe, Aranayer Kule, owned by Imran Molla, son of TMC leader Saokat Molla, was demolished in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district. The demolition followed repeated notices from the district administration regarding the structure's encroachment on Matla river's sandbank, which the family failed to remove.
