AHMEDABAD: Since the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) was implemented in 2017, Gujarat’s real estate sector has attracted investments totaling ₹5.03 lakh crore. Notably, 94% of this investment is concentrated in five key districts: Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot. This concentration is largely attributed to rapid urbanization, improved infrastructure, and heightened demand for residential and commercial properties.
In stark contrast, the remaining 28 districts—home to nearly two-thirds (64%) of Gujarat’s population—have garnered only 6% of the total investments. Experts express concerns about this uneven distribution of resources and emphasize the need for balanced infrastructure development across Gujarat’s smaller towns.
Recent data from the Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (GujRERA) indicates that these five urban centers account for 86% of all registered projects and 89% of the housing units in the state.
Ahmedabad stands out, attracting ₹2.1 lakh crore, or 42% of the total investment, reinforcing its status as Gujarat’s real estate capital. The city also represents 31% of registered projects and 35% of housing units.
“Ahmedabad has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing cities due to rapid infrastructure improvements and job creation,” stated Dipak Patel, president of CREDAI Gujarat. “The rise in education levels and urban migration are key factors driving real estate expansion in larger cities. In smaller towns, however, plotting schemes allow individuals to construct their own homes, which often aren’t reflected in RERA data. Additionally, many smaller projects in these areas remain unregistered with RERA, potentially skewing the actual figures.”
Despite these developments, the disparity in growth concentrated in urban centers remains evident. According to 2011 Census data, only 36% of Gujarat’s population resides in its top five districts, which dominate the real estate landscape.
The remaining 64%, living in smaller towns and rural areas, have witnessed only a fraction of the investment and project activity.
The report notes, “All other districts collectively contribute to just 16% of project activity, 6% of investments, and 11% of total units, indicating a modest yet dispersed contribution from these regions.” This highlights a growing regional divide in terms of infrastructure development and economic opportunity.
Since the introduction of RERA, Gujarat has seen the registration of 15,260 projects covering a total area of 13.11 crore square meters, resulting in 18.20 lakh housing units, of which over 8,400 projects have been completed.
