Balaji Rao

16 May 2026

India's data centre boom is currently being headlined by the world's largest technology companies, but it may ultimately be won by real estate developers. The reason is simple: in a sector where access to land, robust industry networks and local expertise determine outcome, decades of building townships and IT parks turn out to be surprisingly good preparation.Read more

16 May 2026

• Ganesh Real Estate Management Institute has received approval from the All India Council for Technical Education, becoming Gujarat’s first AICTE-approved institution focused exclusively on real estate education and management.
• The Ahmedabad-based institute, supported by Ganesh Housing Corporation Limited, is expected to begin academic operations from August 2026 with an inaugural batch of nearly 70 students.
• The institute has been established under the Mahamati Skill and Education Foundation and will offer a postgraduate certificate programme in real estate development and management.
• GREMI aims to build an industry-oriented academic ecosystem centred on urban development, planning, governance, finance and technology, while also pursuing deemed university status and a proposed 100-acre integrated campus in Ahmedabad.Read more

16 May 2026

• The Goa government has designated more than 82 lakh sqm of land as No Development Zones (NDZs) to restrict construction activity in ecologically sensitive regions across the state.
• The decision, approved by the Town and Country Planning Board, covers hill slopes, mound areas, sand dunes, islands, and other environmentally vulnerable locations including Majorda, Gonsua, Vagheri Hill, and Sao Jorge Island.
• Authorities stated the move aims to prevent hill cutting, land flattening, and unregulated development amid growing urbanisation and tourism-led construction pressure in Goa.
• Separately, the Union environment ministry has approved Goa’s proposal to declare nearly 6,729 hectares along the Mandovi and Zuari riverbanks as eco-sensitive zones.
• The state government indicated that additional ecological protections for rice fields and low-lying areas may also be considered in the next phase of land preservation measures.Read more

16 May 2026

The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) held a stakeholder consultation in Amaravati to discuss draft Sustainable and Green Public Procurement Guidelines aimed at promoting low-carbon and environmentally responsible infrastructure development. Supported by the World Bank programme, the proposed framework focuses on integrating sustainability into public procurement through life cycle costing, use of low-carbon construction materials, energy-efficient building practices, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Officials, industry representatives, consultants, and technical experts also discussed pilot projects and inclusion of green materials in the State Schedule of Rates to support wider adoption across upcoming projects in Amaravati.Read more

16 May 2026

• The first phase of Pune Metro Line 3 connecting Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar is expected to begin operations by the end of June, subject to mandatory safety clearances.
• Around 12 stations on the 23.2-km elevated corridor are likely to become operational initially, while work on the remaining stations is targeted for completion later this year.
• The corridor is being developed by Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited under a public-private partnership model involving the Tata Group and Siemens.
• Officials stated that trial runs across the full route have already been completed and the project has achieved over 95 per cent physical progress.
• The metro line is expected to improve connectivity between Pune’s central business district and the Hinjewadi IT hub, where large-scale residential and commercial development has taken place in recent years.Read more

16 May 2026

The Centre has approved INR 257 crore under the Urban Challenge Fund to support major infrastructure works in Nashik ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027. The projects, proposed by the Nashik Municipal Corporation, are part of a larger INR 1,900 crore development plan focused on roads, water supply, sewerage systems, river rejuvenation and urban mobility. The funding comes as Maharashtra accelerates preparations for the religious gathering expected to attract millions of devotees. Along with civic upgrades, authorities are also focusing on sustainability, traffic management and long-term urban infrastructure improvements across Nashik and Trimbakeshwar.Read more

16 May 2026

The Karnataka government has reopened the tender process for the proposed Mangaluru IT Park after the initial round received no bidders. The project, planned on a 3.2-acre KEONICS land parcel in Derebail, Mangaluru, is being developed under a public-private partnership model with a long-term lease structure. The initiative is part of the state’s broader effort to expand IT development beyond Bengaluru under its “Beyond Bengaluru” programme. Despite structured lease terms and planned infrastructure support, the lack of participation has led authorities to invite fresh bids from developers.Read more

16 May 2026

Nature-oriented wedding destinations and farmhouse communities near Delhi NCR are increasingly influencing tourism activity and real estate demand along emerging expressway corridors such as the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway. Locations like Naugaon, situated near the Aravalli belt, are witnessing growing interest from families seeking destination-style wedding venues within driving distance of Delhi. Industry stakeholders indicate that buyers and event organisers are increasingly prioritising open landscapes, lower-density environments and experiential gatherings over conventional large-format urban venues. According to Vijay Ram Rattan, Chairman of Ram Rattan Group, demand is shifting towards spaces that combine accessibility, privacy and extended social experiences. The trend is also supporting growth in elevated farmhouse communities, weekend home developments and hospitality-linked real estate formats across peripheral regions connected through new infrastructure corridors.Read more

15 May 2026

• Bombay High Court questioned BMC’s demolition of a Malad West structure over alleged procedural lapses under Section 351 proceedings.
• The petition challenges demolition of a 15-room property near Mith Chowky Metro Station in Mumbai.
• The court directed BMC to explain the action, warning that restoration orders could follow if due process violations are established.Read more

15 May 2026

• HG Infra Engineering has secured a highway construction contract worth INR 3,931.11 crore from Welspun Enterprises for a major road project in Maharashtra.
• The project involves six-laning of the Pune–Shirur section of NH-753F, including partially elevated stretches and upgrades to the existing corridor.
• The total project length is around 53.40 km and the company has been given 36 months to complete the construction work.
• The order is expected to strengthen HG Infra Engineering’s order book and improve long-term revenue visibility amid rising highway development activity across India.
• The project is also expected to improve traffic movement and connectivity in one of Maharashtra’s key industrial and logistics corridors.Read more

15 May 2026

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has undertaken a large-scale barricade removal and monsoon preparedness exercise across multiple metro corridors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region ahead of the 2026 monsoon season. More than 1.14 lakh metres of barricades have already been removed from completed viaduct stretches to restore road space and improve traffic movement. The exercise covers Metro Lines 2B, 4, 4A, 5, 6, 9, 12 and parts of 7A. Along with easing congestion and improving road accessibility, MMRDA has also directed contractors and project teams to strengthen emergency preparedness systems, including deployment of dewatering pumps and dedicated response teams across project sites.Read more

15 May 2026

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) recently participated in the World Economic Forum-linked Davos Baukultur Alliance Annual Meeting in Bern, Switzerland, highlighting Mumbai’s growing position in global urban development discussions. Representing MMRDA, Metropolitan Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee engaged with international policymakers, infrastructure experts and World Economic Forum leadership on future-ready metropolitan planning, sustainable urbanisation and mobility-led growth. The discussions focused on integrated infrastructure, climate resilience, multimodal transport and investment-ready development models. The visit also strengthened MMRDA’s ongoing collaboration with the World Economic Forum and opened further discussions on expanding long-term institutional partnerships beyond 2026.Read more

15 May 2026

Teams from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank reviewed ongoing infrastructure and urban development works in Amaravati during a visit to the capital region. The delegation inspected road projects, smart city systems, labour welfare facilities and environmental safeguard measures being implemented by the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority and associated agencies. Discussions also focused on sustainable urban development, employment opportunities for local youth and financing requirements for the next phase of Amaravati’s development. Meetings with banking institutions and advisory teams additionally examined long-term infrastructure funding strategies, PPP opportunities and project execution models for future expansion works.Read more

Neha Mahendra

15 May 2026

India needs to roughly triple its data centre capacity just to match China — and the capital, estimated at USD 20–25 billion over the next decade, has to land somewhere. Behind every gigawatt of compute is land, power, and connectivity, making this deficit one of the most consequential infrastructure stories in Indian real estate today.Read more

15 May 2026

Warehousing and industrial real estate platform Welspun One has signed a Letter of Intent with state-owned Balmer Lawrie & Co to sublease nearly 65,000 sq ft of Grade A+ warehousing space at WTC Nhava Sheva in the JNPA special economic zone near Mumbai. The agreement marks the first partnership between Welspun One and a central public sector undertaking across its portfolio. The facility is expected to become operational by early 2027 and will support Balmer Lawrie’s expansion into SEZ warehousing and port-linked logistics operations while strengthening its existing logistics and freight handling network at JNPA.Read more

15 May 2026

Nxt-Infra Trust has reported its unaudited financial results for the quarter and half year ended 30 September 2025 while separately announcing plans to acquire an additional road asset, Calicut Expressway Private Limited (CEPL), from Actis Roadways Holdings Limited. The infrastructure investment trust reported total income of INR 3,143.84 million for the half year ended September 2025 and approved a distribution of INR 3.3128 per unit to unitholders. The InvIT, sponsored by Actis Highway Infra Limited, currently holds five road infrastructure subsidiaries and one joint venture acquired in 2024. The proposed CEPL acquisition forms part of the trust’s ongoing expansion of its operational road asset portfolio. The acquisition remains subject to execution of definitive agreements, fulfilment of conditions precedent and regulatory approvals.Read more

15 May 2026

Authorities have accelerated plans to widen a key stretch of the Nashik-Pune highway as part of infrastructure preparations for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela. The INR 221 crore project will expand the busy 6.4-km corridor from six lanes to ten lanes and add service roads and footpaths to improve traffic flow and pedestrian movement. The stretch is considered one of Nashik’s most congested routes and is expected to witness a sharp rise in vehicle movement during the religious gathering. The project is also linked to broader road, mobility and urban infrastructure upgrades currently underway across Nashik.Read more

15 May 2026

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has delayed the opening of the Bhande Plot-Dighori flyover in Nagpur despite the structure nearing completion and earlier assurances that the corridor would become operational by the end of April 2026. The 2.2-km flyover forms part of the INR 998 crore Indora-Dighori elevated corridor project aimed at easing congestion across eastern Nagpur. NHAI has cited pending safety audits as the reason for withholding traffic movement on the corridor, although load testing on key spans has already been completed. Residents and commuters have raised concerns over worsening traffic congestion on Umred Road and questioned why partially completed stretches cannot be opened to reduce pressure on surface roads. The broader project, considered one of Nagpur’s largest urban infrastructure developments, remains scheduled for completion by June 2026.Read more

15 May 2026

• The Maharashtra government is drafting a new Land Titling Act that proposes mandatory property cards for all land parcels across the state, including official valuation details.
• Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that the proposed legislation is expected to be finalised by July and introduced during the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature.
• The initiative aims to create a uniform and legally recognised ownership documentation system covering both urban and rural properties across Maharashtra.
• The proposed framework will supplement existing land records such as property cards and 7/12 extracts while also supporting the rollout of vertical property cards for apartment ownership documentation.
• The reform is intended to improve title clarity, reduce disputes, simplify property transactions, and strengthen transparency in the state’s real estate ecosystem.Read more

15 May 2026

• Delhi has operationalised its second Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less toll plaza at Mundka-Bakkarwala on the Urban Extension Road-II corridor.
• Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the project earlier this week as part of the Centre’s wider push for automated toll collection.
• The system uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras and FASTag technology to allow vehicles to pass without stopping at toll booths.
• NHAI plans to expand the MLFF system to 17 toll plazas across nine states during the current financial year, with over 108 additional plazas planned by March 2027.
• The government expects the technology to reduce congestion, lower fuel consumption, improve highway efficiency and cut toll collection costs significantly.Read more