Archives September 2025

– By Anil Pharande, Chairman of Pharande Spaces

Experienced real estate investors recognize that anticipating obstacles is equally important as identifying opportunities. Ignoring possible dangers might reduce profitability and jeopardize long-term objectives. Let’s look at eight of the most pressing challenges, as well as concrete measures for protecting your returns.

1. Rising cost of capital – reduces real returns

Borrowing costs influence both your financing expense and the benchmark yield you seek to outperform. India’s policy repo rate rose from 4.0% in January 2020 to 6.75% in August 2025, a 2.75 percentage point increase, while consumer inflation averaged 5.1% yearly throughout the same period. When your mortgage interest rate or other cash returns equal or surpass inflation, your ‘real’ profit approaches zero.

Strategy: Get fixed-rate loans when borrowing costs are low. Also, choose micro markets with above-average rental and capital appreciation.

For example, Moshi, Punawale, Ravet, Wakad, Pimpri, and Pimple Saudagar in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) have all delivered above-average rental yields of about 4-5% and capital appreciation of 8-12% CAGR over the last three years, thanks to PCMC’s metro and superior highway connectivity, proximity to IT/industrial hubs, and rapid infrastructure upgrades. In another scenario, in 2024, rentals in Hyderabad’s IT corridor increased by 7.8%, compared to a national average of 4.6%.

2. Taxes – a predictable drag if not managed

Stamp duty, registration fees, annual property taxes, and capital gains taxes can all devour 15-30% of your overall earnings. For example, buying a Mumbai property for Rs 1.2 crore in 2015 and selling for Rs 2.4 crore in 2025 results in a 20% tax on half of the profit, reducing your net gain to just 24% over 10 years.

Strategy: Consult a tax professional to maximize potential deductions including first-time homebuyer stamp duty refunds, Section 80C principle deductions, and Section 24(b) interest write-offs. Consider adding Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to reduce pass-through tax rates.

3. Regulatory surprises and compliance risks

Land-use regulations, environmental approvals, and registration requirements may change rapidly. In 2023, Maharashtra’s RERA rule required projects to refile documents within 90 days or face suspension; one Pune developer saw resale prices drop 12% within two months of their RERA registration expiring.

Strategy: If you have invested in land for development, consult with a legal expert before registering for RERA or obtaining land titles. Also, keep an eye on local planning boards for rezoning requests or infrastructure plans that may affect growth possibilities.

4. Oversupply and changing demand patterns

What’s blazing hot today may cool tomorrow. Bengaluru’s Whitefield corridor added 15,000 units between 2021 and 2024, exceeding demand and resulting in a 9% price reduction in early 2025. Meanwhile, CBD office demand fell 14% as hybrid work gained hold, while peripheral business parks experienced 6% annual value improvements.

Strategy: Monitor absorption rates; less than six months of inventory indicates good demand. Favour mixed-use complexes that combine residential, retail, and office space to diversify income streams. Integrated townships are excellent investments from this standpoint.

5. Sales and liquidity constraints

Real estate is inherently illiquid, and forced transactions frequently result in 10-to-20% discounts. During Pune’s 2020 COVID shutdown, ‘urgent sale’ listings sold at significant discounts. If debt commitments or situations necessitate a speedy leave, discounts can deplete equity.

Strategy: Maintain cash reserves that cover 12-18 months of expenses and financing charges. Maintain loan-to-value (LTV) ratios below 60% to decrease refinancing risks.

6. Natural Disasters and Safety Risks

Floods, earthquakes, and cyclones may all devastate property values overnight. Thane’s low-lying suburbs had major monsoon floods in September 2022, resulting in an 8-10% value decrease and Rs. 250 crore in insurance claims. While ordinary plans cover structural losses, they rarely address market depreciation or company interruptions.

Strategy: Avoid high-risk floodplains and earthquake zones whenever possible. Invest in comprehensive, flood-adjusted insurance riders and set up emergency maintenance funds.

7. Opportunity cost of capital

A Rs. 5 crore investment in a Mumbai property yields a net rental yield of roughly 4% per year, whereas an identical amount invested in, say, a data centre or a luxury property in a popular vacation destination earns 7-8% for a comparable credit risk. Failure to compare other assets may lock you into inferior allocations.

Strategy: Conduct thorough opportunity-cost evaluations, comparing predicted internal rates of return (IRR) for various asset categories, including residential, industrial warehouses, REITs, and infrastructure loans. To maintain flexibility, consider allocating a portion of your portfolio to liquid securities such as REIT units or bonds.

8. Macroeconomic and geopolitical shocks

Interest rate changes, currency volatility, and political tensions all have an impact on the real estate market. The 2022-2023 China-Taiwan impasse reduced foreign direct investment in India’s housing industry by 15% while delaying project launches by 10%. Crude oil price spikes frequently drive central banks to hike borrowing costs, putting pressure on both developers and buyers.

Strategy: For large projects, prefer local currency financing and consider interest-rate swaps. Also, stay up to date on global developments and shift your focus to resilient segments such as logistics parks if cross-border threats worsen.

Developing a Strong Investment Plan

No one flaw will shipwreck every transaction, but the cumulative effect of these risks can be disastrous. Always calculate ‘real’ net gains after deducting all taxes and inflationary effects. Diversify across asset classes and markets, combining residential holdings with commercial, industrial, and alternative assets to smooth returns.

Maintain prudent leverage and liquidity, and if you are serious about your real estate investments, always seek expert advice – work with chartered accountants, legal experts, and local market analysts to negotiate complexity and avoid issues.

By incorporating these risk-mitigation measures into your investment strategy, you ensure that your real estate holdings not only expand, but also withstand changing market cycles and unexpected shocks.

Anil Pharande is CMD of Pharande Spaces, a leading real estate construction and development firm famous for its township projects in Greater Pune and beyond. Pharande Promoters & Builders, the flagship company of Pharande Spaces and an ISO 9001-2000 certified company, is a pioneer of townships in the region. With the recent inclusion of Puneville Commercial into one of its most iconic townships, Pharande Spaces taken a major step towards addressing Pune’s current and future requirements for fully integrated residential-commercial convenience.

Chennai, September 10, 2025 – Kruu, the Chennai-based Edu-tech company has earned international acclaim with its win at The PIEoneer Awards 2025, receiving the honour for Progressive Education Delivery at a ceremony held at London’s historic Guildhall. The prestigious award recognises education programs that innovate teaching methods and make learning relevant to the 21st-century student journey.

The PIEoneer Awards celebrates innovation and excellence across 24 rigorous categories, attracting hundreds of entries worldwide. This year, among hundreds of entries, 148 finalists were shortlisted featuring several standout nominees from India alongside Kruu, by an independent panel of industry experts, with the winners honoured in the presence of global leaders and innovators shaping the future of education.

Receiving the award, Director of Kruu, Mr. Rahul Ramachandran said “We sincerely thank the PIE team for recognising our work done so far, and a special thanks to our professors and teacher across the world. This award motivates the team to push boundaries and achieve even more in the journey ahead.”

Prof. Anil Srinivasan, Founder & CEO of Kruu, said – “We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition. This award reflects our mission to make education more inclusive, impactful, and globally connected; ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

Kruu’s success at the PIEoneer Awards 2025 marks not only a milestone for the organisation but also a moment of pride for India, as its education innovators continue to make their mark on the world stage.

The meeting was called by Chairman CBIC, to discuss the GST reforms, rate rationalisation and their implementation. The objective is to ensure their smooth implementation, address technical queries and ensure wider dissemination of these reform measures. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) has submitted a detailed representation to the Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), highlighting few concerns and clarifications required on GST- 2.0

The Chamber welcomed the Government’s continued focus on simplifying GST compliance and strengthening ease of doing business, while emphasizing the urgent need to resolve several practical challenges being faced by stakeholders across sectors.

Key Issues Submitted by PHDCCI

1. Accumulated Compensation Cess – Large unutilized balances of Compensation Cess remain in the hands of distributors and retailers in the automobile and beverage sectors, requiring a policy resolution.

2. Inverted Duty Structure in Food & Pharma Industries – Refund of input services and capital goods is presently disallowed, leading to working capital blockage.

3. Anti-Profiteering Applicability – Practical difficulties in implementing anti-profiteering provisions at the distributor and retailer level need reconsideration.

4. Unutilized Cess Credit in Automobile and other Sector – Significant Cess balances remain unutilized, and proposed amendments have led to a slowdown in vehicle purchases. Clarification is required on the treatment of these balances to avoid taxpayer losses.

5. Accumulated ITC due to GST Rate Reductions – With reductions in GST rates, ITC accumulation has become a cost burden on companies. Refund of such ITC should be permitted, since mandatory benefit passing to consumers often leads to financial strain.

6. Passing GST Reduction Benefits – The mechanism for passing benefits should allow flexibility beyond MRP relabeling, such as through discounts or equivalent measures, duly substantiated.

7. Impact of ITC Reversal on Exempt Goods – Clarification is sought on the treatment of costs arising due to ITC reversal and blockage on goods that have newly become exempt.

Clarifications Requested on Post-Sale Discount Issues

In line with the GST Council’s earlier recommendations, PHDCCI has requested the CBIC to issue a comprehensive circular on post-sale discounts to remove ambiguity and litigation. The Chamber has sought clarity on the following matters:

· Non-reversal of Input Tax Credit (ITC) where discounts are passed through financial/commercial credit notes.

· Treatment of post-sale discounts as additional consideration in dealer–customer transactions.

· Whether post-sale discounts given in lieu of promotional or marketing activities by dealers are to be treated as taxable consideration.

PHDCCI reiterated its commitment to work closely with the Government in ensuring GST 2.0 becomes more industry-friendly, transparent, and growth-oriented. The Chamber expressed confidence that with timely interventions and clarifications, the GST framework can further strengthen India’s competitiveness, attract investments, and reduce compliance disputes.

India, 10 September 2025: GenXAI, a leading AI powered Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) solution has recently announced the strategic acquisition of Veear Projects and Tech Private Limited. The strategic move strengthens GenXAI’s commitment to enable enterprises with efficient and long-term scalability through advanced AI, automation and specialized R&D services.

Veear Projects and Tech Pvt. Ltd. has built a strong foothold in delivering staff augmentation and specialized technology resources. It provides expert staff augmentation solutions which can help companies find, attract, hire and retain industry-best talent that expertly matches their project needs and business objectives. Through this acquisition, GenXAI envisions to build a robust, AI-driven business performance system.

Additionally, GenXAI aims to integrate the deep expertise of Veear Projects and Tech Pvt. Ltd. in talent augmentation and niche technology services. The company uses EPM platform to offer enterprises a holistic ecosystem for driving business scalability, operational efficiency and digital transformation.
Commenting on the announcement of the acquisition, Rakesh Agarwal, Founder & Executive Chairman of GenXAI said, “This acquisition marks a pivotal step in our journey to redefine enterprise performance management. With the capabilities of Veear in AI, NLP and automation-led staffing solutions, we will not only enhance our technology depth but also empower organizations with the right talent to unlock their next phase of growth.”

Delighted with the alliance, Shivraj Khaware Promoter & Director of Veear Projects and Tech Pvt. Ltd. said, “Joining hands with GenXAI opens exciting opportunities for us to scale our services and create greater impact. Together, we look forward to delivering future-ready solutions by combining the potential of AI with human expertise.”

With significant resources of Veear Projects and Tech Pvt. Ltd, the acquisition will solidify GenXAI’s positioning as a comprehensive enterprise enabler that brings together AI-integrated EPM solutions and talent augmentation services to help businesses accelerate transformation in a competitive landscape.

National.10th September 2025 ,Juicy Chemistry, the homegrown organic skincare brand known for marrying the purity of nature with the precision of science, introduces its newest powerhouse innovation the 3% Ceramide Complex + Copper Peptide Face Serum. Crafted as a blueprint for stronger, healthier, and more youthful skin, this next-generation formulation works at the very foundation of skin health: the barrier.Over time, external stressors such as pollution, UV exposure, and lifestyle fatigue weaken the skin barrier, leading to dullness, dryness, sensitivity, and visible signs of aging.

 The 3% Ceramide Complex + Copper Peptide Serum is designed to repair what the skin loses with age and stress, restoring its natural balance and resilience. At the heart of this formulation is a potent concentration of ceramides that replenish essential lipids, helping the skin lock in moisture while preventing transepidermal water loss. This is paired with Copper Tripeptide-1, a clinically proven peptide that stimulates collagen and elastin production, bringing firmness and vitality back to the skin. Supporting these star ingredients are Phytosphingosine, a calming active that soothes redness and irritation, and botanical extracts of Gotu Kola and Cucumber, which deliver hydration, clarity, and antioxidant protection.

The result is a serum that not only strengthens and restores the skin barrier but also works on fine lines, wrinkles, and visible damage, leaving skin smoother, plumper, and visibly radiant. Its lightweight, biocompatible texture makes it suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and ensures that it layers seamlessly into any skincare routine.

To use, simply apply a few drops on cleansed, damp skin, patting it gently until absorbed. Follow up with your favourite moisturiser and sunscreen. With regular use, skin feels more resilient, calm, and youthful from within.

Like every Juicy Chemistry creation, the 3% Ceramide Complex + Copper Peptide Serum is completely free from alcohol, parabens, silicones, sulfates, artificial fragrances, PEGs, and petrochemicals

The serum is now available on 100% Organic & Natural Fac making it as clean as it is effective.e, Skin, Hair & Body Care Products, Amazon, Nykaa, and other leading marketplaces

Metamorphosis 2025, flagship of India Blockchain Tour, Set to host India’s Premier Web 3 x AI Conference

Gurugram, September 10th, 2025: Metamorphosis 2025, flagship of the India Blockchain Tour, is set to take place on September 27–28, 2025, at Le Méridien, Gurugram. Widely recognized as India’s Premier Web 3 X AI conference, the event will convene the brightest innovators, developers, investors, policymakers, and thought leaders from around the world to collectively shape the future of technology, decentralized systems, and the digital economy.

Over the years, Metamorphosis has successfully hosted 25+ editions, engaged with 2,000+ attendees, and featured 200+ global speakers, building a legacy of shaping conversations on emerging technologies. The 2025 edition aims to elevate this impact with a more diverse, global, and powerful lineup of changemakers.

This year’s speaker lineup features some of the most influential voices in the ecosystem, including Rama Devi, Former Director of Emerging Technologies, Government of Telangana; Dilip Chenoy, Chairman, Bharat Web3 Association; Vikas Gupta, Country Manager – India, Bybit; Rajesh Dhuddu, Partner – Emerging Tech, PwC; and Thomas Vaic, International Expansion Manager, Trezor; and many others.

Speaking about the upcoming edition, Anupam Varshney, Founder of Octaloop, said, “We are really excited about Metamorphosis 2025. Each year has been a step forward, but this year we’re aiming to go bigger than ever before with more global voices, more startups, and more groundbreaking conversations at the intersection of AI and Web3. Our vision is to make Metamorphosis not just a conference, but a launchpad for ideas and collaborations that will place India firmly at the center of the world’s digital transformation.”

A major highlight of this year’s edition will be the Founder Demo Day, offering a rare opportunity for early-stage startups to pitch their ideas to some of the most influential venture capital firms, including New Tribe Capital and Tykhe Ventures. This initiative aims to accelerate the growth of promising ventures and open doors to critical industry partnerships.

Adding to this, Vikas Gupta, Country Manager – India at Bybit, remarked, “We see tremendous potential in India’s rapidly evolving tech ecosystem, and Metamorphosis 2025 reflects that momentum. Bybit is proud to support a platform that brings together builders, investors, and leaders to unlock new possibilities.”

Metamorphosis 2025 is expected to host over 1,500 participants, 100+ startups, making it one of the largest Web3 x AI gatherings in Asia this year. With sessions spanning AI governance, blockchain scalability, DeFi innovations, metaverse applications, and cross-border digital collaboration, the event promises to set the stage for the next decade of technological breakthroughs.

Mumbai, September 10, 2025: Zepto, India’s fastest-growing quick commerce company, conducted a mass awareness training programme for its food handlers that included last mile delivery partners and pickers under the Zepto Sankalp Programme- A Food Safety Initiative by Zepto Private Limited.

The session, held at The Rangaswar Hall, Yashwantrao Chavan Center, Nariman Point, brought together hundreds of food handlers across Zepto’s Mumbai operations. The training was led by Chinmayee Deulgaonkar, Managing Director, Food Chain ID India and Sumedha Jalgaonkar, Consultant, Auditor and Trainer Food safety systems where Zepto food handlers were sensitised on key aspects of food safety, including hygiene protocols, appropriate food storage temperatures, and compliance best practices critical to ensuring safe delivery of essentials to customers.

Speaking on the initiative, Vikas Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, Zepto, said, “At Zepto, trust is built on the assurance of quality and safety in every order we deliver. We are deeply grateful to FSSAI for supporting this initiative and empowering our food handlers with the right knowledge and practices. This training is a vital step towards strengthening our safety commitments and ensuring that every Zepto user receives their order in the safest possible manner.”

The session was graced by Pritee Chaudhary, IRS, Regional Director, FSSAI, Western Region who addressed the participants and emphasised the importance of compliance and collective responsibility in safeguarding food safety.

Ms. Pritee Chaudhary shared, “Ensuring food safety is a shared responsibility, and initiatives like Zepto Sankalp Programme play a vital role in bridging the gap between regulation and execution. By equipping food handlers with the right knowledge and practices, we are collectively strengthening the food ecosystem and safeguarding consumer health.”

This training is part of Zepto’s continuous efforts to build a culture of compliance and responsibility across its operations. Backed by robust internal audit systems, regular inspections, and proactive engagement with regulatory authorities, Zepto ensures that food safety is embedded at every step — from sourcing and storage to last mile delivery. Zepto has already trained nearly 10,000+ foodhandlers nationwide, with over 2500+ people fostac certified, underscoring the company’s commitment to setting new standards of safety and trust in quick commerce.

Through initiatives like Zepto Sankalp Programme, Zepto continues to reinforce its commitment to innovation, compliance, and customer-first experiences, while setting benchmarks for food safety standards in the quick commerce sector.

Bangalore, Sept 10, 2025: Changemakers who are redefining possibilities for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) enabling independence, dignity, and inclusion through groundbreaking Assistive Technologies, now have the chance to gain national recognition for their innovations and initiatives.

AssisTech Foundation (ATF), which has already touched over 1 million lives of PwDs, proudly presents the ATF Awards 2025, fifth edition of India’s first and only awards dedicated to Assistive Technology. Returning this year at a more impactful scale, the awards felicitation will be hosted at the prestigious Bengaluru Tech Summit, organized by the Government of Karnataka, from November 18–20, 2025.

Applications are now open for startups and ecosystem enablers who are driving transformative change in the AT space.

ATF Awards presents 10 awards in 3 categories to recognize start-ups, corporates, NGOs, governments, educational institutions and investors that have leveraged the power of Assistive Technology (AT) to drive change in lives of PwDs.

The Award Categories are:

1. Emerging Startups – This category recognizes young, innovative startups that show exceptional promise in creating assistive technology solutions with the potential for far-reaching impact. The Best AT Startup for Innovation (Product/Technology) Award under this category will celebrate the groundbreaking efforts of these trailblazing entrepreneurs.

2. Established Startups – The category commends established AT startups that have already made significant strides in positively impacting the lives of persons with disabilities. The awards under this category include:

1. Best AT Startup: Jury’s Choice Award
2. Most Impactful AT Startup Award
3. Women Ahead: Best Woman-led AT Startup Award
4. Best AT Startup: People’s Choice Award.

3. Enablers – This category encompasses awards for Government Organization, Corporate CSR, Educational Institutions, NGOs and Investors. Awards include:

• Best Government Assistive Technology (AT) Initiative Award,
• Assistive Technology (AT) CSR Initiative of the Year Award,
• Best Assistive Technology (AT) Initiative among Educational Institutes Award,
• Best Assistive Technology (AT) Investor of the Year, and
• Best Assistive Technology (AT) Initiative among NGOs Award.
   

The Deadline for submission of applications is September 21, 2025 | 17:00 IST.

Gurugram, September 10, 2025 – JSW MG Motor India today announced that its innovative EV charging platform, eHub by MG app, has reached a major milestone by crossing 100,000 downloads. This achievement underlines eHub by MG app’s position as one of India’s fastest growing and most trusted electric mobility applications, offering the country’s largest unified and interoperable EV charging network.

 The eHub by MG app connects users to over 12,500+ fast charging points across India through partnerships with 33 leading charge point operators, including JioBP, Shell, Adani, Chargezone, Zeon, Statiq, and BPCL. The eHub by MG app features ratings and reviews for charging stations, allowing EV users to share peer insights and improve the overall charging experience.

By enabling seamless location, reservation, and payment for EV charging sessions on a single platform, the eHub by MG app effectively helps users in planning trips in their EVs, making the EV experience, even more memorable. Since its launch, the app has facilitated the dispensing of over 1.3 million kWh energy, supported more than 382,000 green trips, and planned upwards of 176 million green kilometers, playing a key role in promoting sustainable and convenient EV travel.

Commenting on this feat, Neha Jain, Head of EV Ecosystem, JSW MG Motor India, said, “The growing adoption of our eHub by MG app reflects Indian consumers’ readiness to embrace a comprehensive EV ecosystem. Customers find this app intuitive and easy to use, helping them undertake EV trips with confidence, echoing our message of ‘EV Sahi Hai’. Our focus on building the widest and most interoperable charging network while prioritizing user convenience demonstrates our commitment to accelerating EV adoption and fostering a cleaner, greener future.”

Recently, JSW MG Motor India officially kicked off its distinctive EV awareness campaign, ‘EV Sahi Hai’, aimed at fostering public confidence in electric mobility by strategically emphasizing the benefits of EV ownership. The campaign highlights the savings generated using an EV and the growing charging infrastructure through a two-phase approach.

The significant milestone of the eHub by MG app crossing 100k downloads complements JSW MG Motor India’s strong sales momentum in the EV segment. This sustained demand has helped grow JSW MG Motor’s market share in the passenger EV segment from 28% in the first quarter of 2025 to 32% in the second quarter, with overall EV wholesales rising by 28%.

Gurugram, Haryana, September 10th, 2025 – The cumulative urban built-up footprint has grown 2x in India’s top-eight cities, as per online real estate portal Square Yards latest report, ‘Cities in Motion – Tracing 30 Years of Urban Expansion in Key Indian Cities’. A total of 2,136 sq.km. of urban built-up footprint was added since 1995, with the current built-up area reaching 4,308 sq.km. in top-eight cities of India. The analysis covers urban areas of top-eight cities of India which are also amongst largest urban agglomerations and real estate markets in the country including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCR (Delhi, Gurugram, Noida & Greater Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad), Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai MMR, Pune.

The urban built-up footprint is defined as the total land area within a city or settlement that is physically covered by human-made structures such as buildings. It represents the visible spatial extent of urbanization, separating developed land from open or natural areas.

The urban built-up footprint is defined as the total land area within a city or settlement that is physically covered by human-made structures such as buildings. It represents the visible spatial extent of urbanization, separating developed land from open or natural areas.

Tanuj Shori, CEO & Founder, Square Yards, “India is stepping into the biggest urban transformation in its history. Around the world, cities drive more than 80% of GDP, and for India too, the journey to becoming a developed economy runs through its urban centres. By 2050, India will add more than 330 million people to its urban population, the equivalent of absorbing the entire population United States into its urban fabric. This unprecedented migration means close to 100 million new homes must be built, alongside massive investments in transit, infrastructure, and services. We’re already seeing this play out in major cities of India where skyscrapers, dense cores, and thriving business districts are reshaping how we live and work. Our latest report shows just how dramatic this change has been. The urban built-up footprint across the top-eight cities has doubled since 1995 to 4,308 sq km in 2025. And while metros continue to dominate, the real excitement is also in Tier 2 and 3 cities, where better infrastructure and capital flows are powering the next wave of growth.”

Key Highlights

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad’s built-up area expanded by 102%, growing from 141 sq. km. in 1995 to 285 sq. km. in 2025, an increase of 144 sq. km. This growth reflects the city’s economic diversification from an industrial base to include finance, IT, and automotive sectors, with visionary projects like GIFT City acting as a key driver.

Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s built-up area grew by 186%, the second-highest rate among the cities. Its footprint expanded from 174 sq. km. to 489 sq. km., an increase of 315 sq. km. This expansion has been fuelled by sustained growth in the technology sector and strategic infrastructure investments like the Namma Metro.

Chennai: Chennai experienced 137% growth in its built-up area, expanding from 197 sq. km. to 467 sq. km. and adding 270 sq. km. The city’s diversified economic base, including its established automotive sector, a growing IT industry, and a prominent medical tourism hub, has driven this steady urban development.

Delhi NCR: Delhi NCR added the largest quantum of urban built-up land area at 400 sq. km., resulting in a 71% increase from 567 sq. km. to a total of 967 sq. km., the largest footprint among the cities. This development reflects its evolution into a polycentric economic region, supported by large-scale infrastructure projects connecting its various industrial, tech, and financial hubs.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s built-up area increased by 95%, growing from 267 sq. km. to 519 sq. km., an addition of 252 sq. km. The report links this expansion to supportive government policies that have cemented its status as a premier destination for the technology and pharmaceutical industries.

Kolkata: Kolkata’s built-up area grew by 87%, expanding from 328 sq. km. to 611 sq. km. and adding 283 sq. km. of urban built-up footprint. The city’s role as Eastern India’s primary IT hub has anchored this growth, which is further supported by the development of planned townships and critical infrastructure upgrades.

Mumbai MMR: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region recorded a 43% expansion, the lowest among the eight cities, growing from 412 sq. km. to 588 sq. km. and adding 176 sq. km, despite being second most population region India. This figure reflects the region’s high-density, vertical development model, where growth is managed through upward construction and major infrastructure projects designed to improve connectivity.

Pune: Pune recorded the highest rate of urban expansion at 332%, growing from 86 sq. km. in 1995 to 373 sq. km. in 2025 and adding 287 sq. km. of built-up area. This significant growth is attributed to the city’s successful transition from a manufacturing base to a global hub for the IT and start-up sectors.