India’s leading cities present a substantial opportunity for transit-oriented development (TOD), with an estimated 106 million square feet of real estate potential concentrated around major transport hubs, according to a recent report by CBRE South Asia. The report, titled Billions in Transit: Assessing the Impact of Transit-Oriented Development on Indian Cities, highlights Delhi-NCR as the region with the highest TOD potential, estimated at 32 million square feet. This growth is driven by the region’s rapidly expanding metro network, inter-state bus terminals, and city railway stations. Key planned projects such as Dwarka ISBT, Aerocity ISBT, and Jewar International Airport, alongside existing hubs like Sarai Rohilla and Hindon Airport, are expected to catalyze development opportunities for residential and commercial real estate.
Mumbai ranks second in TOD potential with 20 million square feet, followed by Chennai at 13 million square feet. In Mumbai, railway stations such as Bandra and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport form critical nodes for development. Chennai’s TOD potential is concentrated around Chennai Airport, Maduravoyal Expressway, and the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road. Other cities including Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Pune are witnessing TOD-linked real estate activity, driven by the expansion of mass transit networks.
TOD is increasingly shaping integrated live-work-play environments in Indian cities. By aligning residential, commercial, and retail developments with major transit hubs, TOD corridors encourage pedestrian-friendly, walkable communities with enhanced accessibility and reduced reliance on private vehicles. This model allows developers to optimize land use, improve operational efficiency, and generate higher footfalls for retail and commercial projects.
Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO of CBRE India, South-East Asia, Middle East, and Africa, emphasized that transit-oriented development (TOD) promotes vibrant, mixed-use communities that combine commercial viability with sustainability. He noted that as metro networks and transport hubs expand across urban India, TOD will be crucial in shaping inclusive, accessible, and future-ready cities. Realizing this potential, however, requires addressing challenges such as land acquisition, financing, skill availability, and outdated land-use regulations.
Ram Chandnani, Managing Director of Leasing Services at CBRE India, highlighted that TOD is emerging as a transformative factor for India’s urban growth. Developers are increasingly adopting TOD principles to create integrated ecosystems that meet the changing needs of urban professionals. This approach is designed to enhance accessibility for homebuyers, increase footfalls for retailers, and improve operational efficiency for logistics operators, while also unlocking higher value for commercial developers.
The CBRE report draws on global case studies to showcase how TOD successfully integrates infrastructure with real estate development. To support India’s TOD ambitions, CBRE recommends several regulatory, design, and financial measures. These include the establishment of unified transport authorities, simplified land-use rules, flexible zoning, enhanced walkability, and financial tools such as land-value capture and recurring revenue streams to fund transit infrastructure.
Several Indian states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, have already introduced TOD-specific policies to encourage development along transit corridors, reflecting growing institutional support for this model. As cities continue to expand their mass transit networks, TOD is expected to play a defining role in India’s next phase of urban development.
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