Building Near a Defence Site in Malad or Kandivali? What the New Military NOC Order Means for Your Flat

If you've booked a flat in Malad or Kandivali, or you're about to, this is a week to slow down and read the fine print. For many families, an under-construction flat is the biggest cheque they will ever write. So when a news report says that construction near defence sites "must stop" if a project lacks a military NOC, even with BMC approval, it is natural to feel worried.

I want to walk you through what has actually been reported, what is still unclear, and the few calm, practical steps I'd take if this were my money.

What did the Defence Ministry order?

According to a Free Press Journal report updated on 6 November 2026, the Defence Ministry has directed an immediate halt to construction near defence establishments on projects that do not have a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local military authority, even where the BMC or other government bodies have already approved the plans.

The report says Maharashtra's Urban Development Department has written to the BMC commissioner to implement the order, and that the letter says construction on projects approved without a local military NOC "must be stopped immediately."

The report also explains the background. Last month, Additional Chief Secretary Aseem Kumar Gupta had argued in a letter that approvals under the current development control regulations count as "committed development", and that no NOC is needed unless a law such as the Works of Defence Act, 1903 requires it. Per the report, the ministry rejected that view and said its NOC guidelines still apply.

How many projects in Malad and Kandivali could be affected?

The 170+ figure in the headlines comes from one estimate. Yomesh Rao, President of the Practising Engineers, Architects and Town Planners Association (India), told the paper there are "120+ projects in Malad-Kandivali alone" under construction, and "at least 50 more are in the pipeline."

That is an industry estimate, not an official list. No official list of affected projects appears in the reports we checked, and the report itself says developers and homebuyers are "awaiting clarity on the way forward." My reading is that nobody should assume their project is caught, and nobody should assume it's safe, until they have checked.

Why Malad and Kandivali, and why now?

These suburbs have defence land close to dense residential pockets. This isn't the first time the issue has come up. A May 2024 Free Press Journal report described an objection from the Central Ordnance Depot in Kandivali to a large residential project on a plot it said was within 500 metres of the depot. That report cited the Union government's May 2011 guidelines: no construction within 100 metres of a defence establishment, and buildings of up to four storeys within 100 to 500 metres after a Defence Ministry NOC.

The November 2026 report adds that in 2024 the BMC declined to issue a stop-work notice to that project, despite the depot's objection. It also notes that in January 2023 the Defence Ministry had relaxed the restricted zone near naval installations, including in Mumbai, from 500 metres to 50 metres, a relaxation that was later "kept in abeyance."

So the rules have moved back and forth for years. I'd treat this week's order as the Centre drawing a firmer line, with the state and the BMC now expected to act on it.

Is my under-construction flat at risk?

Here's how I'd think about it, step by step:

• Where is the plot? If your project is not near a defence establishment, this order should not touch it. If it is near one, keep reading.
• What does the approval file say? Ask the developer, in writing, whether the project needed a defence NOC and whether it holds one. A clear written answer, with the NOC reference if there is one, is worth more than any verbal assurance at a site office.
• What does MahaRERA show? Look up the project on MahaRERA. Our guide on checking MahaRERA registration before booking shows you where to look.
• Has the developer written to buyers? A responsible developer should tell buyers whether work is affected. Silence is not an answer, so ask.

What if construction on my project is stopped?

A stop on work usually means delay, and delay is where buyers need to know their rights. Under RERA, a buyer facing a delayed possession may have the right to interest for the delay, or in some cases to withdraw with a refund. Our explainer on MahaRERA delay interest and possession covers how that works, and our RERA helpdesk page can help you get started.

What I'd avoid is a panic move: stopping instalments without advice, or selling a booking in a hurry at a loss. Both can cost more than the problem you're trying to escape.