Tall dreams meet ground realities

Rapid urbanisation, population density, and economic growth are the primary motivations for constructing tall buildings, and while several Indian cities are already on a vertical ascent, they don’t yet match other global cities. The iconic form of the Empire State Building, he writes, was “a global beacon for American entrepreneurial and engineering prowess… and other cities seek to imitate its magic by erecting their version, be it the Shanghai Tower, the Burj Khalifa, or Taipei 101.” However, as Barr told HT, these towers also have an economic rationale: “For countries, especially in Asia, it is a signal that they are open for business and eager to receive foreign direct investment.” Going by India’s per capita GDP, the vertical growth in its cities “is exactly where we would predict it to be.” But India, Barr pointed out, is “yet to employ them in the same manner as other Asian countries like the UAE, China, or Malaysia.” Mumbai: The early riser The vertical growth in urban India was led by Mumbai, where high-rises became a necessity due to the rise in population, affluence, and geographical constraint. A 2023 report by the Confederation of Indian Industry and CBRE, an international property consultancy, states nearly 77% of India’s tall buildings are in Mumbai and the city will continue to grow vertically. That’s why, experts say, Indian cities will follow a mixed trajectory for now — expanding both vertically and outwards, subject to land prices, construction costs, and FSI regulation.