Author name: dreamspersqftmagazine

Gurugram, 3rd September 2026: Gurugram’s recurring flooding and waterlogging have raised questions over whether the city’s existing approach to infrastructure planning and funding is sufficient to deal with the scale of its rapid urban growth. Despite investments in drains, pumps and diversion channels, several parts of Gurugram continue to face severe waterlogging during intense spells of rain. The issue was highlighted again on August 24, when around 80 mm of rainfall led to heavy waterlogging on Sohna Road and adjoining areas, with traffic coming to a standstill and several school buses getting stuck. The problem is not limited to the absence of drainage infrastructure. Officials and experts have pointed to gaps in the existing network, blocked road gullies, disrupted natural water channels and the way the city has expanded over the years. In one recent instance, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) found that gaps in a gate at the junction of Leg 3 of the Badshahpur drain and Leg 4, the stormwater drain along the Southern Peripheral Road, along with a delay in fully closing the gate, contributed to flooding on Sohna Road. The Leg 4 drain had been constructed at a cost of more than Rs 100 crore to divert excess water. At Subash Chowk, blocked road gullies prevented water from entering the drainage system. The master stormwater drain also takes a sharp turn because of an underpass, creating another bottleneck for water movement, according to the report. The recurring flooding has also prompted the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to undertake catchment and drain mapping in areas including Subash Chowk, internal sectors and licensed colonies. The exercise is aimed at understanding how rainwater moves through the drainage network and identifying locations where drains require repairs or additional capacity. The MCG is also working on a simulation model to identify drainage bottlenecks. Officials are considering measures including rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, injection wells and additional stormwater lines in narrow lanes and low-lying areas. Technical experts from IIT Gandhinagar are also being consulted, while 273 locations have been identified for rainwater harvesting systems. However, the scale of the infrastructure required raises another question: how should Gurugram pay for it? The city’s development has been driven significantly by private real estate investment, with large residential, commercial and office developments expanding across the region. At the same time, major infrastructure such as roads, drainage, sewage and water systems remains largely dependent on public agencies. One possible approach is a greater role for public-private partnerships (PPPs), where developers contribute towards infrastructure that serves larger urban catchments instead of limiting infrastructure investments to individual projects. Such a model could involve developers in a particular cluster contributing towards a common stormwater system or paying infrastructure impact charges linked to the additional pressure their projects place on existing roads, drainage and other civic infrastructure. Another option is the use of municipal bonds to raise funds for large infrastructure projects. Municipal bonds could potentially be used to finance projects such as stormwater drainage systems, detention ponds, sewage networks, water infrastructure and other long-term civic projects. However, such borrowing would require clearly defined projects, reliable revenue sources and systems to ensure that the funds are used for the intended infrastructure. The funding question becomes more important as Gurugram continues to expand. The city’s flooding problem is not simply about adding more drains, but about ensuring that the different components of its drainage network work together. Experts have also suggested that Gurugram needs to look beyond conventional concrete drainage infrastructure and restore natural water channels, ponds and other areas that can absorb and retain rainwater. Urban planners have pointed towards a combination of so-called blue-green infrastructure and conventional drainage systems. This includes ponds, wetlands, rain gardens, bioswales and permeable surfaces that can allow more rainwater to be absorbed into the ground instead of immediately entering stormwater drains. The approach is particularly relevant because rapid construction and concretisation have reduced the natural areas through which rainwater historically moved. Gurugram’s location below the Aravalli ridge also means that the city’s natural runoff patterns need to be considered while planning its drainage network. The recent flooding has therefore exposed a larger infrastructure challenge for Gurugram. The city has continued to add roads, buildings and commercial developments, but its drainage and water-management systems have struggled to keep pace. The answer may require a combination of public funding, private participation and long-term borrowing, along with better coordination between agencies such as the MCG and GMDA. For Gurugram, the immediate challenge remains preventing roads and key corridors from turning into flood zones during heavy rain. But the longer-term issue is ensuring that future development does not repeat the same infrastructure gaps. The city’s flooding crisis, therefore, is increasingly a question not only of drainage capacity but also of planning, coordination and how infrastructure for a rapidly expanding urban area is financed

Pune, 1st September 2026: Pune-based real estate company Jhamtani has appointed Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador. The company made the announcement during a press event in Pune on Tuesday. The association comes as Jhamtani marks 16 years in the real estate sector. The company has developed residential and commercial projects during this period and said the partnership with Singh will be part of its next phase of growth. The company has positioned the association around its brand philosophy, ‘The Name is a Promise’. Speaking about the partnership, Ranveer Singh said, “I’ve always believed that the strongest associations are built on shared values and a common vision for the future. That’s what makes this association with Jhamtani so meaningful.” Jhamtani Managing Director Anup Jhamtani said Singh’s energy, ambition and individuality were among the factors behind the decision to bring him on board. “For us, ‘The Name is a Promise’ is a philosophy that has to be lived, not just communicated,” said Meenakshi Jhamtani, Executive Director, Jhamtani. She said the association would help the company take its brand message to a wider audience. The company has not disclosed details of the financial terms of the association. The announcement comes as Jhamtani enters the next phase of its business after 16 years in Pune’s real estate sector.

Bandra, 1st September 2026: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed a ₹5.10 crore makeover of Raosaheb Patwardhan Park in Bandra, nearly two years after withdrawing its controversial underground parking project at the site following opposition from local residents. The proposed revamp is expected to take around 11 months and will include repairs, new recreational facilities, landscaping and improvements to several existing structures within the park. However, the redevelopment plan notably leaves out the plot that was earlier earmarked for the underground parking facility. Located on Road No. 32 in Bandra, Patwardhan Park is proposed to receive a new entrance along with repairs to its security room, walls, toilets, pathways and steps. The BMC also plans to demolish the existing dilapidated RCC bridge as part of the work. The project will also introduce new play equipment and outdoor gym equipment, along with seating areas, cobbled pathways and information boards. Electrical works and landscaping have also been included in the proposed makeover. The decision comes after the BMC withdrew its tender for an underground parking project at Patwardhan Park in September 2024. The parking proposal had faced sustained opposition from residents and activists, who raised concerns over the impact of excavation and construction on the park’s green cover. The civic body eventually withdrew the tender following protests and legal challenges. The latest redevelopment plan does not include the same plot that had been identified for the parking project. This exclusion has also drawn attention because the adjacent annex area has previously been used by residents for activities including sports and community events, with locals seeking clarity over its future. For the current facelift, eight firms submitted bids, with M/s H & H Associates emerging as the lowest bidder at 34% below the BMC’s estimated cost. The civic body has proposed awarding the contract to the firm, with the proposal now before the BMC Standing Committee for approval. If approved, the project will focus on upgrading the park’s existing facilities rather than introducing the underground parking infrastructure that had previously become a point of contention in the neighbourhood. The proposed makeover comes as the BMC continues to undertake upgrades of public recreational spaces across Mumbai, with Patwardhan Park’s redevelopment now centred on basic infrastructure repairs, landscaping and recreational amenities, while the previously proposed underground parking plot remains outside the current scope.

Uttar Pradesh, 28th August 2026: The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) Western UP has opposed Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority’s (UP RERA) four-month extension for eligible real estate projects, stating that the conditions attached to the relief could exclude a majority of developers. More than 400 developers under CREDAI Western UP have resolved to oppose UP RERA’s August 21 order, according to the association. CREDAI has also written to the UP RERA secretary seeking withdrawal or reconsideration of the order. The dispute follows an advisory issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on July 31, 2026, asking state RERA authorities to provide a four-month extension to the registration and corresponding completion timelines of eligible real estate projects affected by disruptions arising from the situation in West Asia. The Centre had treated the West Asia situation as a force majeure event, citing its impact on global supply chains and construction material availability. The advisory said the extension could apply to projects whose completion date, revised completion date or extended completion date falls on or after February 28, 2026. CREDAI Western UP, however, has argued that the central advisory did not prescribe a cut-off date for projects to qualify for the relief. According to the association, UP RERA has limited the extension to projects with completion deadlines between February 28 and October 31, 2026. The developers’ body has also raised objections to additional requirements concerning the validity of approved building plans, submission of quarterly progress reports and payment of RERA penalties. CREDAI said these conditions further narrow the number of projects that can benefit from the extension. CREDAI Western UP President Dinesh Gupta and Secretary Nikhil Hawelia said the central government had treated the West Asia situation as force majeure and that projects should therefore have received the four-month extension without additional conditions. The association also pointed out that RERA authorities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Haryana have granted four-month extensions without attaching similar additional conditions, and has sought a personal hearing before UP RERA. UP RERA had granted the four-month extension on August 25, citing the impact of the West Asia crisis on real estate projects and disruptions in construction material supplies. However, the authority clarified that the extension applies only to the project’s registration validity and the completion period recorded with the regulator. It does not change the contractual rights and obligations of developers and homebuyers under an existing Agreement for Sale. CREDAI is now seeking a revised order that provides uniform and easily accessible relief to eligible projects. The association’s objection puts the focus on how the Centre’s force majeure relief is being interpreted and implemented differently across states.

Pune, 27th August 2026: Actor Manoj Bajpayee has purchased a 4.45-acre land parcel in Pune’s Mulshi taluka for ₹1.37 crore, according to property registration documents accessed by real estate data analytics firm CRE Matrix. The transaction was registered on August 25, 2026. The property, measuring approximately 1.80 hectares, is located in Tailbail village in Mulshi and was purchased from Vimalchand Khimraj Jain. The purchase adds to Bajpayee’s existing real estate holdings, which include residential and commercial properties in Mumbai. In October 2023, Bajpayee and his wife Shabana Raza Bajpayee purchased four commercial office units in Mumbai’s Oshiwara for ₹32.94 crore. The properties had a combined carpet area of 7,620 sq ft and included nine parking spaces. The couple later leased two office units in the Veera Desai Road area to Barcode Influencer Marketing Pvt Ltd in April 2025. The five-year lease started at a monthly rent of ₹10.94 lakh, with a 5% annual escalation, according to documents accessed by CRE Matrix. Bajpayee and his wife had also purchased an apartment in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi in 2013 for ₹6.40 crore. The 1,247-sq-ft apartment was sold in August 2024 for ₹9 crore. The latest purchase comes amid a series of high-value land transactions involving celebrities in Mulshi. In April 2026, actor Ranbir Kapoor acquired four adjoining land parcels spanning around 25.7 acres in Pimpri village, also in Mulshi taluka, for a combined ₹16.42 crore, according to property registration documents accessed by CRE Matrix. Bajpayee’s Mulshi transaction was registered for ₹1.37 crore, with the land measuring approximately 4.45 acres.