Society redevelopments drive Mumbai’s housing pipeline as land scarcity grows

Society redevelopments drive Mumbai’s housing pipeline as land scarcity grows

Mumbai’s housing pipeline is becoming increasingly dependent on redevelopment as vacant land for greenfield projects runs out. With plots nearly exhausted, housing societies have emerged as the main source for fresh launches. Developers including Puravankara, DLF and Prestige Estates are betting heavily on multi-building redevelopments in prime neighbourhoods such as Breach Candy and Pali Hill, often targeting premium buyers.

A Knight Frank India report estimates that by 2030, society redevelopment projects in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) region will deliver 44,277 new homes worth Rs 1,305 billion. Since 2020, around 910 housing societies have signed development agreements, unlocking nearly 326.8 acres of land. The report also highlights that about 160,000 societies are over 30 years old and eligible for redevelopment.

The Western Suburbs from Bandra to Borivali are expected to contribute 73% of this stock, with 32,354 homes. Central Suburbs will add 10,422 units, Central Mumbai 1,085 and South Mumbai 416. The state government is projected to earn around Rs 6,500 crore from free-sale components and another Rs 6,525 crore in GST revenues over the next five years.

Vivek Rathi, National Director – Research, Knight Frank India said redevelopment is set to drive supply, as “vacant land availability in the Island City and much of the suburban district is very limited, making redevelopment an important channel for new projects.” Greenfield opportunities, he added, are now restricted to select pockets with larger land parcels.

On similar lines, Ajay Sharma of Colliers India said, “Mumbai has about 330,000 units under construction under development as of 2025 under Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). This supply is expected to come up in next five years across Mumbai. New supply in last one year is 37,800 units. Of the unsold stock nearly 300,000 are under different stages of development and remaining are nearing completion. Nearly 75 percent of this supply is from redevelopment and remaining from greenfield.”

Developers’ pipeline

For developers, redevelopment has become a parallel growth engine. “Redevelopment has now emerged as a key pillar, playing a role as significant as our traditional greenfield launches,” said Rajat Rastogi, Chief Executive Officer – West and Commercial Assets, Puravankara. The company has secured rights for eight societies in Chembur, spanning 1.2 million sq ft with a GDV of Rs 2,100 crore. Its broader Mumbai redevelopment portfolio covers 4.25 million sq ft valued at about Rs 10,500 crore.

Rastogi noted that more than a fifth of Puravankara’s sales in Q1 FY26 came from homes priced above Rs 2 crore. “This demonstrates strong market demand for high-end redevelopment projects,” he said, adding that the Rs 10,500 crore pipeline could evolve into a “distinct business vertical over time.”

Other large players are following suit. DLF has completed the first phase of a major slum rehabilitation project and is advancing Phase 2, while Prestige Estates has entered Mumbai through the Jijamata Nagar redevelopment, a mixed-use precinct with luxury retail, offices, residences and hospitality.

According to Rathi, listed developers enjoy financing and brand advantages that appeal to societies. But Sharma noted that many of them now prefer taking over projects mid-way instead of starting afresh, “as a lot of time and effort is required in getting pre-construction approvals.” Partnerships with local developers, he said, have helped reduce risks.

Rathi added that redevelopment has “shifted the basis of land valuation from outright plot purchases to an FSI-driven model” that accounts for rehabilitation, premiums and TDRs, while Sharma pointed out that core Mumbai land is largely exhausted, leaving redevelopment as the “only way forward.”

Expanding to other metros

While Mumbai dominates, redevelopment is gradually spreading to other cities. Rathi noted opportunities in older Delhi Development Authority (DDA) colonies and housing societies in Gurugram and Noida.

"Pune has already seen activity in older precincts and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas where redevelopment is supported by ageing stock and infrastructure upgrades. Bengaluru has been slower to adopt this model due to younger housing stock," he said.

Further, Sharma added that developers see higher margins in central areas of Pune, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. “Authorities are also pushing higher FSI norms for such projects to ensure better revenue realisation for both local bodies and projects,” he said.