Ghaziabad: Traders Protest UPI Charges While RERA Approves Major Housing Push
Ghaziabad commercial heartbeat is under pressure from two directions: local traders are pushing back against proposed UPI merchant discount rates by posting cash-only notices ahead of an October deadline, while the state real estate regulator has approved twelve major housing projects totaling over Rs 1,664 crore including developments in Ghaziabad. As the city transitions into autumn, air quality readings in the Delhi-Ghaziabad belt have begun to deteriorate, signaling the onset of the region annual smog season.
🏢 Ghaziabad Traders Put Up Cash-Only Notices Over Proposed UPI Fees
NDTV Profit reports that traders across Ghaziabad have begun posting notices announcing they will accept only cash starting October 15, in a pointed protest against the proposed introduction of merchant discount rates on UPI transactions. UPI — the Unified Payments Interface — has been the backbone of digital payments in India for several years, prized by small businesses precisely because it carries no transaction fee. The proposed MDR would change that calculus, forcing shopkeepers to absorb a percentage charge on every digital payment they receive. Ghaziabad trading community, which includes thousands of small and mid-size retail operations, argues that any such charge would hurt margins already squeezed by inflation and post-pandemic competition. The notices put up in shop windows represent a form of collective action: a signal to consumers and to policymakers that the business community is watching and prepared to revert to cash if the fees go into effect. The issue has reverberated nationally, with industry associations in other cities taking similar positions. Critics of the MDR proposal argue it would undo years of progress toward financial inclusion by pushing merchants back to cash and discouraging informal-sector adoption of digital payments that UPI helped achieve. The debate remains active in government and fintech circles as the October date approaches. [9]
🏢 UP RERA Clears 12 Housing Projects Worth Rs 1,664 Crore Across Six Districts
The Times of India reports that UP RERA — the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority — has given its clearance to twelve residential and mixed-use projects valued at approximately Rs 1,664 crore, spread across six districts including Lucknow, Ghaziabad, and Hapur. The approvals signal that the state real estate pipeline remains active even as buyers in tier-two markets exercise greater caution. RERA clearance is a prerequisite for project launches in India, requiring developers to register project details, timelines, and financial specifics before marketing to buyers — a framework introduced to protect homebuyers from the delays and insolvencies that plagued the sector in the pre-RERA era. For Ghaziabad specifically, fresh RERA-approved projects add to an already busy development market driven by the city proximity to Delhi and its relatively lower land prices. The district has seen sustained interest from both end-users and investors looking for alternatives to Delhi increasingly expensive real estate. The projects cleared in this round span residential towers, plotted developments, and group housing societies. Industry observers note that the pace of RERA approvals in western Uttar Pradesh reflects a broader rebound in buyer confidence following the resolution of several stalled legacy projects through the SWAMIH distress fund in recent years. [2]
🗳️ Smog Returns to Delhi-Ghaziabad Belt as AQI Begins Seasonal Climb
Hindustan Times reports that air quality index readings have begun rising across the Delhi-Ghaziabad corridor, with photographs showing vehicles moving through a visible haze that marks the start of the region notoriously difficult winter air season. Ghaziabad has historically ranked among the most polluted cities in India during the October-to-January period, when a combination of crop stubble burning from neighboring Punjab and Haryana, declining wind speeds, falling temperatures, and vehicle and industrial emissions creates hazardous smog. This year early uptick in AQI figures has prompted authorities to renew advisories urging residents to limit outdoor exposure and wear masks during peak pollution hours. Schools in the region have standing contingency plans for shifting to online classes when air quality crosses severe thresholds. Environmental advocates in Ghaziabad and Delhi have long argued that structural solutions — a transition away from crop burning, stricter industrial emissions controls, and expanded public transit — are needed rather than annual emergency measures. Civic groups have been pressing the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation and the UP government to implement more aggressive real-time monitoring and to enforce compliance with anti-dust regulations on the city many active construction sites, which contribute significantly to particulate pollution each winter season. [6]
🎓 Jaipuria Ghaziabad Releases CUET-PG 2026 Cutoffs for UP Applicants
Shiksha.com has published the CUET-PG 2026 cutoff scores for Jaipuria Institute of Management in Ghaziabad, providing critical information for Uttar Pradesh students seeking admission to one of the region better-regarded MBA and management programs. Jaipuria Institute, a private management school with a campus in Ghaziabad, draws applicants from across UP and the broader NCR region, and its CUET-PG cutoffs serve as a benchmark for students calibrating their application strategies. The Common University Entrance Test for postgraduate programs has become a standardized gateway to a growing number of private and deemed universities, and schools like Jaipuria are increasingly using CUET scores alongside their own selection processes to assess candidates. For students from Ghaziabad, Noida, Meerut, and surrounding cities, Jaipuria accessible location and national-level accreditation make it an attractive option for those who do not gain admission to IIMs or other premier institutions. The 2026 cutoffs released on Shiksha.com cover multiple specializations within the MBA program, including finance, marketing, and human resources. Counselors advise prospective students to cross-reference these figures with their CUET scores early to identify realistic options and plan for group discussion and personal interview rounds that typically follow the entrance exam phase in the selection process. [4]
Sources: [9] NDTV Profit · [2] The Times of India · [6] Hindustan Times · [4] shiksha.com