Developers acquire land for future housing

7,714 acres transacted for residential projects across India in five years

Property Pulse

Developers are continuing to build land banks for future housing projects, with 7,714 acres transacted for residential development across India between January 2021 and March 2026. The transactions indicate a sustained focus on securing land well ahead of future project launches. Across residential, office, logistics, industrial, data centre and other real-estate segments, more than 18,158 acres changed hands during the period. 

The transactions covered more than 880 deals across 33 cities and could support potential future development of about 1.4 billion sq ft. Outright purchases accounted for 10,910 acres, while 4,405 acres were secured through joint venture or joint development agreement structures and 2,520 acres through lease arrangements. Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam were among the cities covered by the analysis. Hyderabad’s continued demand for housing is being supported by its IT and GCC ecosystem as well as pharma, life sciences and infrastructure expansion.

Rising land prices in established western locations such as Kokapet, Narsingi, the Financial District and Gachibowli can encourage developers to examine emerging corridors and peripheral locations for future supply. Large land parcels provide developers with options for gated communities, townships, mixed-use developments and other large-format projects. Joint development structures can also allow landowners and developers to participate without relying solely on outright acquisition.

Land acquisition, however, does not automatically translate into an immediate project launch. Approvals, land development, planning, financing and construction can take time. The current land-buying activity therefore points more to future housing supply than to an immediate increase in completed homes. As developers continue to secure land across major growth markets, the scale of these transactions suggests that a significant pipeline of residential development is being assembled for the coming years.

LAND BANKS

• 7,714 acres transacted for residential projects.

• 18,158 acres transacted across real-estate segments.

• 880+ transactions across 33 cities.

• 1.4 billion sq ft potential future development.

• 10,910 acres through outright purchases.

• 4,405 acres through JV/JDA arrangements.

• 2,520 acres through lease arrangements.

• Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam among the cities covered.