Ravi Sinha: All said and done, land acquisition bill is going to be a reality. What are the issues that make you so critical of it? Is it just the fresh cost of acquisition?
Track2Realty Exclusive: West Zone Analysis–The cumulative take-up levels recorded between Q1-Q3 2012 in Mumbai and Pune were the lowest when measured up against transaction activity recorded during similar time frame since 2009. In Mumbai, the first three quarters of 2012 witnessed a total take-up of 2.4 million sq ft which was approximately 44% lower when compared to 2011. Similarly, transaction activity registered in Pune were in 2012 were down by 36% during the same time frame.
Ravi Sinha: The point here is how feasible are the wishful thoughts of the sector in 2013?
Sunil Dahiya: The commercial essence of our product has been taken out. Now the consumer is saying let me wait for something, and he is waiting in eternity for something better to come. What he is waiting for, we also don’t know. So, the consumer has been loaded with confusion, and we are loaded with a product which is dead.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Moderation in new supply brought the vacancy down
During 2012, the new supply dropped by a whopping 40% y-o-y to 18 million sq ft, as across many cities, the slow adjustment of supply with the changing demand patterns took effect. Bangalore was the only exception to this, where the new supply rose by a whopping 35% y-o-y, as a number of developments which had been fast tracked in response to the sharp recovery in demand in the city since 2010, got completed during the period.
Track2Realty Exclusive:
India Offices 2012
Markets remained cautious but poised for an upturn
The year 2012 began on a cautious note, in the wake of a slowdown in domestic economic growth and a tepid outlook on the performance of the world economy. So far during this year (Q1 2012 to Q3 2012), the overall performance of the office real estate market in the country remained mute compared to the same period in 2011.
I welcome all the panelists in the final roundtable for Track2Realty Focus 2013. As we come to the end of 2012, it is time to look in & look ahead as far as the prospects of the realty sector are concerned. In this discussion, we would try to wrap up the year 2012, and see where the sector has been heading to in 2013. So, when you look at the year Mr Sharma, don’t you think “oh! what a waste.” So much was expected this year but nothing has moved forward, be it in terms of administrative reforms, fiscal reforms or land reforms; nothing has gone right for the sector.
Trck2Realty Exclusive: Western suburbs of Mumbai are bursting at its seams, and its infrastructure facilities are outdated. Draining systems built in the times of the British era are still prevalent in the city. There is a dire need to overhaul this system.
Track2Realty: The real estate sector has welcomed the Union Housing Minister Ajay Maken’s move to accord infrastructure status to affordable housing on expected lines. The industry body CREDAI has nevertheless called for extending similar treatment to the entire housing sector again on expected lines. However, the market dynamics defy any dreams of mass housing or cheap housing even for the economically weaker sections.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Slow economic growth affecting housing market
The recent Indian economic growth has been hampered by several domestic and global factors, resulting in the GDP growth plunging to 3 years low at 5.3% in 2QFY13[1]. Factors such as weak global economy, high interest rates, high inflation, high fiscal deficit, and lack of reforms were the primary reason affecting the GDP growth.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Kolkata stands out as a case study in land prices suddenly hitting northwards. It has defied the overall slowdown in the real estate sector and exorbitant land prices are pushing housing prices in Kolkata.