Mumbai: Infrastructure has evolved from being a supporting factor to a central driver shaping India’s next real estate cycle. Expressways, rapid rail, airports, logistics corridors, and urban transit systems are increasingly determining where cities expand, where jobs concentrate, and where capital flows.
According to Colliers, India’s real estate sector could expand to USD 5–10 trillion by 2047, contributing 14–20% to GDP, underscoring the economic relevance of infrastructure-led growth. Unlike past cycles driven by organic urban sprawl, the current phase is guided by planned connectivity. Infrastructure is no longer reacting to real estate demand—it is actively shaping the geography of India’s future growth corridors.
Improved transport infrastructure is also diminishing the traditional constraints of travel time. New expressways, metro networks, regional rapid transit systems (RRTS), and airport-led corridors are compressing commute durations and extending city boundaries. This has given rise to “60-minute urban regions”, where previously peripheral locations are now viable for both living and working. Colliers notes that such connectivity-driven planning is unlocking fresh growth corridors beyond saturated city cores, enabling decentralized and balanced urban development.
The National Capital Region (NCR) exemplifies this shift. Corridors such as Dwarka Expressway, Southern Peripheral Road, New Gurgaon, and the Noida–Greater Noida Expressway are emerging as independent real estate markets. As connectivity improves and project timelines gain clarity, these corridors often witness capital appreciation exceeding established city averages, particularly as end-user confidence strengthens near project completion. Early-mover advantages are attracting developers and investors to infrastructure-aligned locations at a much earlier stage of the growth cycle.
Dr. Gautam Kanodia, Founder, KREEVA and Kanodia Group, said, “In NCR, Gurugram’s real estate evolution is now being driven by micro-markets rather than city-wide narratives. Infrastructure upgrades across New Gurgaon, SPR, and Golf Course Road Extension are creating differentiated pockets of demand. Buyers now expect both location efficiency and lifestyle quality, and developers are responding with design-led, planned developments.”
Similarly, Salil Kumar, Director – Marketing & Business Management, CRC Group, noted, “The Noida–Greater Noida region is at a crossroads, with infrastructure acting as the defining growth lever. The Noida International Airport, coupled with expressway expansions, is transforming the region into a multi-sector hub. Residential, commercial, and retail demand are rising in tandem, driven by strategic connectivity rather than speculative activity.”
Infrastructure-led corridors are also reshaping demand across real estate asset classes. Homebuyers are gravitating towards integrated townships, larger residences, and lifestyle-focused communities in well-connected outskirts, prioritizing space and livability without sacrificing access. Office demand, projected at 70–75 million sq ft annually, is increasingly shifting toward secondary business districts near transit nodes, while retail is following rooftops along expressways and metro corridors.
Karan Malik, Regional Director, Realistic Realtors, said, “Infrastructure is shaping residential demand, not just price appreciation. In Gurugram, improved road capacity, planned transit links, and last-mile connectivity are driving buyers toward newer corridors offering better space efficiency, planned layouts, and liveability, while remaining connected to employment centers.”
Ashwani Kumar, Pyramid Infratech, added, “Gurugram illustrates how infrastructure can integrate peripheral locations into the city’s urban fabric. Expressways and transit upgrades are catalyzing planned development at scale, with absorption supported by livability rather than hype. Corridors like Dwarka Expressway will define Gurugram’s sustainable growth over the coming decade.”
As India enters a multi-decade phase of urban expansion, real estate growth will increasingly favor markets where connectivity, planning, and genuine demand converge, signaling a fundamental shift in how cities evolve and where capital flows.
