The High Court has ordered Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, along with the Ministry of Defense, to survey illegal constructions near the ammunition factory in Khadki. This decision, prompted by a PIL filed by two Pune residents, addresses concerns over residential buildings in restricted zones and encroachments on Defense Ministry premises. Urging swift completion of the survey due to a pending Supreme Court matter, the bench stressed proactive measures to tackle encroachments. Dissatisfied with previous responses, the court convened a meeting involving relevant authorities to devise a solution, warning of strict action if the issue remains unaddressed. The PIL seeks to halt further construction in the restricted area, prompting the ordered survey in the Darugola region.
The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has intervened in a case involving Godrej Greenview Housing Private Limited, a subsidiary of Godrej Properties, directing them to refund a homebuyer who cancelled a booking for an apartment in the Godrej Emerald project in Thane, near Mumbai. The homebuyer initially booked a flat worth Rs 92.17 lakh in June 2019 but cancelled due to difficulties in securing a promised loan for stamp duty and registration. Despite Godrej Properties forfeiting the entire earnest amount of Rs 5 lakh, MahaRERA ruled in favour of the homebuyer, directing the developer to deduct only 2% of the total consideration value and refund the remaining amount.
Homebuyer complaint highlighted his inability to secure the promised loan amount in full, leading to his decision to cancel the booking. Despite an amnesty scheme offered by the developer in 2021 to address delayed interest, Dabhade opted for cancellation, resulting in the forfeiture by Godrej Properties. MahaRERA's ruling, issued on March 11, 2024, deemed the developer's forfeiture of the entire amount as illegal, citing provisions under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). The authority clarified that while the booking application form permitted forfeiture of up to 5%, the action taken by Godrej Properties exceeded the legal limit, prompting the directive for a partial refund to the homebuyer.