Mumbai: In a move that recognises Ekatva Group’s transformative role in the emergence of Thane as a formidable commercial hub, the organisation’s MD Hiren Chheda has been designated as the president of MCHI Thane’s Commercial Development Committee. The vision underscoring this appointment is to leverage Mr Chheda’s strategic insights and expansive expertise to redefine Thane’s commercial real estate landscape so as to better meet the evolving needs of businesses and strengthen the local community.
Speaking about his role, Mr Chheda elaborated, “Our mission is to foster a sustainable ecosystem that promotes economic growth and amplifies the business experience. With thousands of budget, semi-premium and premium residential project developments by leading developers of the city, as well as the country, coming up in Thane, we are faced with a tremendous opportunity to bolster the growth of the commercial real estate sector. The right planning and appropriate product mix of office spaces can prove to be a game-changer for Thane.”
True to the developer’s overarching vision for all their projects, Mr Chheda is planning to encourage all Thane developers to develop small-to-medium sized corporate and business hubs in various residential hubs of Thane that enable employees to ‘Walk to Work’, generating employment at the local level. Under his stewardship, MCHI Thane will collaborate with various government entities, urban planners and industry stakeholders to advocate for effective policies, enhance infrastructure, and develop thriving micro-markets in Thane. A key priority will be to attract investments in sectors such as IT/ITeS, BFSI, healthcare, logistics, and co-working spaces, creating integrated commercial zones for professionals, large enterprises and SMEs.
By promoting innovation, streamlining project approvals and supporting infrastructure upgrades, Mr Chheda aspires to position Thane as the leading destination for commercial growth in not just MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region), but on a pan-India level. Instead of competing directly with established markets, their approach will be to leverage Thane’s strategic location, ready infrastructure, affordability, and a high quality of life and position the city an attractive alternative for businesses looking to increase operational efficiency, close to residential zones providing skilled and partially skilled manpower to the entire Mumbai city. Elaborating more on his plan of action, Mr Chheda highlighted that he will lead the MCHI to collaborate closely with local authorities to foster a more efficient and investor-friendly environment for commercial development in Thane. By functioning as a liaison through the MCHI Thane Commercial Development Committee, the body will facilitate dialogue with municipal and state agencies, aiming to identify challenges and secure timely clearances for key projects.
“Sustainability is a priority, and we will align our goals with government policies on green building, ESG compliance and energy efficiency. Our liaisons with public entities will ensure that commercial growth supports sustainable urban development,” Mr Chheda continued. In a similar vein, the body is positively motivating the local government to increase connectivity through city buses and other shared transport mediums to the CBD area to enable ease of movement for the thousands of staff who will be working in these new commercial buildings.
Ultimately, their aim is to merge private and public sector efforts to create a vibrant and responsible Thane.
