Mumbai has 77% tall buildings in India, ranks 17th globally: report

Mumbai ranks 17th worldwide and 14th in Asia for tall buildings, with 100 buildings over 150m in height. The city dominates the Indian skyline with 77% of tall buildings. A report by CBRE South Asia also found that 89% of tall buildings in India are residential, compared to 6% for office use. The report highlighted that Mumbai's lower Floor Space Index makes office buildings less viable, as they rely on rental revenue. The report called for unified building codes and guidelines for sustainable vertical growth.

Mumbai: With more than 100 tall buildings — height of 150m and above — Mumbai ranks 17th worldwide and14th in Asia, according to a report.

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The city dominates the Indian skyline with 77% share of tall buildings and is 70th in the index of global financial centres, according to a report by CBRE South Asia which was released at a CII conference on construction and project management on Wednesday.

The report “Sky is the limit – Rise of tall buildings in India” was presented by Gurjot Bhatia, managing director, project management — India, SE Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, in a first of its kind assessment of tall buildings in the country.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), a Chicago-based non-profit, defines a tall building as a structure higher than 150m, and defines buildings above 300m as super tall and above 600m as mega tall.

The report said nearly 89% of the completed tall buildings in India were residential, while only 6% were for office. About 4 % were mixed use structures while hotels made up only 1% of them.

The report delved into factors behind why more tall buildings are residential than office, unlike the trend globally.

The lower Floor Space Index in Mumbai does not make it viable for office buildings, which depend on rental revenue, the report said.

“Tall buildings are material and energy intensive structures and require more energy than would be necessary at lower heights,” the report said.

“Water and electricity usage is much higher in tall buildings as water has to be pumped to the highest occupied floor and all the floors have to be artificially lit and mechanically ventilated.

“In case of an office building, the cumulative water and electricity requirement per head per day is much higher than a residential building due to higher number of occupants.” added the report.

The report pointed out that limited land resources and an exponential increase in urban population were the primary reasons for Mumbai’s vertical growth compared to other Tier I cities. (Refer to pie chart)

The report also attempted to map the spread of tall buildings in Mumbai as the decentralised growth led to expansion of real estate micro-markets like Malad, Goregaon, Powai, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg in the eastern and western suburbs.

However, despite the expansion, Central and South Mumbai have remained the hubs for high-rise clusters due to high land prices and high demand due to their premium locations. (Refer to mapping of tall clusters)

The report said Usha Kiran, a residential building with a height of nearly 80m, which was completed in 1961 was the first tall building in India. In the 1970s, Subhash Chandra Bose Tower in Kolkata, and Oberoi Trident and Air India Buildings in Mumbai came up. The construction of tall buildings accelerated in the country only after 2000.

By 2016, tall buildings in Mumbai numbered more than 10. By 2019, the number touched 20, and by the first half of 2023, the figure had crossed 70 with 60 buildings above 150m and nearly 10 buildings above 200m height slated for completion, said the report.

Anshuman Magazine, chairman and CEO - India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, said, “The current trend in major Indian cities allows for outward expansion. However, it is important to recognise that this approach may not be a sustainable solution in the long term.

“As a result, it becomes imperative for developers, architects, planners and policymakers to embrace a vertical growth strategy. Mumbai has already demonstrated the success of such an approach in some locations, but other cities still heavily rely on horizontal development.”

He said Hyderabad has been in the past few years eyeing vertical growth with developers trying to capitalise on favourable Floor Space Index regulations in Telangana.

Gurjot Bhatia, managing director, project management - India, SE Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, said, “The urban sprawl has challenges such as limited institutional capacities and fragmented government regulations creating hindrances in implementing a robust infrastructure network and facilitating efficient distribution of resources.

“Tall buildings in such a scenario provide holistic urban solutions. The tall structures not only help reduce carbon emissions by creating compact environments with efficient mobility features, but they also offer branding opportunities, high-quality living standards, and presence in prime locations, attracting investors.

“Research also shows that densely populated areas have an additional cost advantage in providing basic services.”

The report called for framing of unified building codes and guidelines for use of construction materials, vertical transportation, design and construction methods etc for sustainable vertical growth and planning guidelines for integrating tall buildings into existing urban pattern