Track2Realty Exclusive: The problem remains that many SEZs are seen as real estate scams. Lack of clarity on the country’s land acquisition policy is also a major stumbling block for SEZ projects. EAS Sarma, former Secretary to the Government of India has alleged that most of the SEZs in the country have become real estate ventures lined to money laundering.
A closer look suggests it is just the first step…
Track2Realty: “To give the much needed fillip to Real estate and infrastructure sector in India, ‘Renegotiation’ clause should be inculcated while awarding the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Projects to industry. This would help remove the major impediment to PPP projects, i.e the huge gap in the government’s mind set on one hand and the aggressive and ambitious strategies of the private sector on the other”,
CapitaLand’s developments underway in India include 17.9 million sq ft of business park space in Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Pune when completed. Another 7.2 million sq ft through forward purchases have been signed up and are under construction. This includes IT parks in Mumbai and Hyderabad, a seventh warehouse at Arshiya Free Trade Warehousing Zone, Panvel, near Navi Mumbai, and BlueRidge 3, an IT/ITES Special Economic Zone development in Hinjewadi Phase 1 in Pune. CapitaLand is also building up a logistics asset portfolio in India with 4.3 million sq ft planned for development.
The uncertainty regarding the continuity of fiscal incentives is an area of growing concern among various stakeholders of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Although, more than 40.0 million sq ft of new supply is scheduled for completion by 2020, which is currently mandatory to qualify for the companies to get income tax benefits in SEZs, it seems unlikely for all the projects to complete construction by then.
Track2Realty Exclusive: In 2014, India elected a new Central Government with absolute majority after three decades. The absolute majority helped in the formation of the strong government capable of taking decisive steps without much opposition. Likewise, several pro-business reforms were introduced to propel the infrastructure growth and to infuse a positive sentiment for the future of the real estate sector including revitalising Special Economic Zones (SEZs), development of several industrial corridors, creation of 100 smart cities, relaxation in FDI norms in real estate, supporting affordable housing sector, introduction of REITs and InVITs etc
Track2Realty-Agencies: Following relaxation in SEZ norms, debt-laden property developer HDIL has decided to scrap plan to sell the 70-acre land parcel at Kochi Special Economic Zone and is now looking to construct IT infrastructure there.
Track2Realty-Agencies: Shriram Properties the Bangalore-based realty arm of the Shriram Group, is understood to have up lined up discussions with key global players including Mapletree and Ascendas to sell its Gateway SEZ, a 1.3 million square feet information technology special economic zone in Chennai for $150 million.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The remarkable difference in export performance of China vis-à-vis India over the last two decades compelled India to look at its northern neighbour for successful strategies. One of the key strategies leading to the Chinese success was setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) since 1980. SEZs became the drivers of China’s massive export surge and today, the 5 major Chinese SEZs account for a cumulative FDI of approx. $70 billion, generate 20 per cent of China’s total exports and provide direct employment to over 8 million people.
Track2Realty-Agencies: IDFC Alternatives, real estate arm of Infrastructure Development Finance Corp. Ltd (IDFC) has bought assets worth about Rs. 250 crore in Pune’s real estate developer Paranjape Schemes (Construction) Ltd’s Hinjewadi Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for information technology (IT) and information technology-enabled services (ITeS) firms and luxury residential space.