The Maharashtra government approved the acquisition of Mumbai's iconic Air India building at Nariman Point for Rs 1,601 crore. The decision, made during a cabinet meeting, includes waiving around Rs 250 crore in unrealized income and interest on the property. With the government owning the land, the move aims to transform the building into the state's new office space, addressing space constraints following the 2012 fire at Mantralaya. The 23-storey building, designed by architect John Burgee, will provide essential office space for various departments, showcasing a forward-thinking approach to repurposing iconic structures and utilizing Mumbai's architectural legacy strategically.Read more

NDTV has secured a lease for 1,28,000 sq ft in Max Square, a project by Max Estates Limited. Max Square has already leased out 50% of its office space within six months of its completion. Located on Noida Expressway, the development has a total leasable area of 700,000 sq ft, with New York Life Insurance Company as a 49% partner. The high demand for this premium space has led to a rental premium of 25%-30% over the prevailing market rate. Despite challenging financials in H1 FY24, Max Estates has strategically acquired land parcels, signaling its intent for potential future developments in the Delhi-NCR region.Read more

Kinnteisto LLP, led by accomplished investor Rekha Jhunjhunwala, completes a significant real estate transaction in Mumbai. The acquisition includes over 1.94 lakh square feet of commercial office space in the prominent business areas of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Chandivali, valued at approximately 740 crore rupees. This comprises 1.26 lakh square feet in BKC's 'The Capital' and 68,195 square feet in Chandivali's Boomerang building. The properties were purchased from Wadhwa Group Holdings Pvt Ltd and Kanakia Spaces Realty Pvt Ltd, respectively. The acquisitions, part of Jhunjhunwala's long-term investment strategy, also provide access to 234 parking slots, enhancing their overall value.Read more

Ipsita Dasgupta, the Managing Director of HP India, recently purchased a luxury apartment in Mumbai's prestigious Worli locality for over Rs 22.50 crore. She acquired the 2,964 sq ft flat on the 4th floor of the super-premium project, Raheja Artesia, from K Raheja Corp Homes. The deal, completed on October 26, includes exclusive access to three car parking slots. Notably, the same building has seen other high-value transactions with prices averaging around Rs. 1.25 lakh per sq.ft. Mumbai's property market remains robust, with over 1.04 lakh property registrations in the first ten months of 2023.Read more

The Maharashtra government is aiming to improve the accuracy of Ready Reckoner (RR) rates in 2024 by implementing Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping for all land parcels. The GIS data, integrated with the registration website, will enhance the assessment of value zones before announcing RR rates. The mapping work, in collaboration with the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC), is in progress, covering 19 districts already. This geospatial technology will enable the administration to scientifically estimate RR value zones based on accurate property locations. Citizens will have access to RR rates and property information through a geoportal.Read more

Netflix's Indian subsidiary has extended its lease for a 137,000-square-foot office space in Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex for five years, with a total value exceeding Rs 280 crore. The lease covers the 11th and 12th floors of Godrej BKC's commercial tower. Rental fees will be nearly Rs 4.30 crore per month, with a provision for annual rental increases of 5 percent. Netflix had originally leased the space in 2019 from D Decor Properties LLP. India has become a vital content hub for Netflix, with substantial investments in the Indian market. In Q3 2022, India's office space leasing market reached a six-quarter high, absorbing 10.37 million sq. ft.Read more

Akshara Haasan, daughter of actor Kamal Haasan, recently acquired a luxurious 2,354-square-foot apartment in Khar, Mumbai, for a staggering Rs15.75 crore. The apartment, located in the high-end Ekta Verve tower on 16th Road, offers opulent living with three parking spaces and a range of amenities. Ekta Verve, developed by Ekta World, boasts 18 apartments and a duplex, featuring 4, 5, and 7-bedroom luxury residences. Akshara Haasan, a Bollywood actress herself, is following in her family's footsteps. Khar, a rapidly growing neighbourhood near Bandra, remains a hotspot for celebrity real estate investments, further enhancing its appeal.Read more

Mumbai's property tax billing for the 2023-24 fiscal year has been delayed due to the BMC's retrospective tax assessment. To address the issue, the civic body plans to send provisional bills with a 10% hike to taxpayers next month. The problem arose from the BMC's adoption of the capital value system for property tax calculations, retrospectively from 2010. In 2019, the Bombay High Court invalidated certain rules related to retrospective taxation. Though the BMC approached the Supreme Court, it got no relief and was asked to create new rules and issue fresh bills. BMC would need to refund significant amounts to affected taxpayers.Read more

Tata Motors has won a significant compensation award of Rs 766 crore plus 11% annual interest from an arbitration tribunal for its losses in the halted Singur manufacturing plant. The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (WBIDC) has been directed to pay the compensation. Government sources hint at challenging the tribunal's decision in the High Court. The Singur case, a pivotal test case for Indian land acquisition and industrial development, traces back to 2006 when Tata planned to build the "people's car," Nano. Protests led to the project's abandonment and the relocation of the plant to Sanand in Gujarat. Subsequent legal battles culminated in the recent arbitration verdict in Tata's favour. This case underscores the need to protect industrial projects from populist politics and work in a manner beneficial to all stakeholders.Read more

HDFC Bank has acquired a ten-floor office tower spanning 2,84,567 square feet in South Delhi's Nauroji Nagar for Rs 1,130 crore from NBCC (India) Ltd. This was NBCCs 21st auction for the sale of commercial space in the World Trade Centre. This marks the highest single auction sale since the launch of the World Trade Centre (WTC) in New Delhi in 2017. The WTC, which covers 3.4 million sq ft of saleable area including 12 commercial towers, is part of Nauroji Nagar redevelopment. The government had announced redevelopment of seven housing colonies in Delhi, of which three—Nauroji Nagar, Netaji Nagar and Sarojini Nagar—were assigned to NBCC. NBCC funds this redevelopment from the sale of commercial units at WTC.Read more