Track2Realty: India faces shortage of fresh supply of houses, the Technical Group on the Estimation of Housing Shortage projects the total shortage of dwelling units in urban areas in 2012 to be 18.78 million, said a report by Knight Frank Research.
Track2Realty: The commercial property market has slowed down, considering it has a strong correlation with global and economic factors and performance. The office segment has seen a pronounced dip, with absorption levels in the two major markets of Mumbai and Delhi-NCR seeing a year-on-year slump of 47% and 26% respectively, as per industry sources.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Some analysts maintain that the government needs to understand that in order to meet the infra needs we are left with no option but to transform the city.
Track2Realty Exclusive: A large section of realty players categorically say that the redevelopment process may be a step in the right direction, it is yet not going to change the demand-supply dynamics, nor will it bring down the prices.
Track2Realty-Agencies: After some neglect in the past several years, the realty industry in India finally saw some reforms that had a direct and indirect impact on its fortunes and which led to the some development of the sector in 2012. The prospect of a revival looks brighter once the central bank keeps it promise of cutting interest rates to spur overall growth.
Track2Realty Exclusive: What are the challenges for redevelopment of a project in the urban centres? Ram Makhecha, Director, Vakratunda Group believes 80 per cent of the buildings in a city like Mumbai are dilapidated. Most of the other 20 per cent new buildings are better because that got constructed under the redevelopment scheme in recent years.
Track2Realty Exclusive: With most of the urban centres across the country having depleted buildings in prime localities, redevelopment is the only way forward. However, policy hurdles added with resistance by some vested interests causing developers’ reluctance comes in the way of an urban makeover. Track2Realty noted that the collective consciousness of the policy makers, developers and majority of residents is increasingly shaping up for redevelopment and that spells a new business opportunity for realtors across the country.
Track2Realty: President of India Pranab Mukerjee on Friday, Dec 7, urged the private sector to come forward to meet the housing shortage in the country. He was inaugurating the two day convention on Sustainable Housing For Masses organised by National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO).
Track2Realty: Responding to Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s suggestion for reducing the price of housing stock, Confederation of Real Estate developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) has asked its 8,000 plus members across the country to seriously consider the proposal to sell in maximum numbers.
Track2Realty-Agencies: The Union Government will push the states to give bankable property rights to urban slum dwellers and is in the process of creating a legislation for the same, said the newly-appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken.