Urban Footprint Of India's Eight Major Cities Doubles In 30 Years: Report
The analysis covers urban areas of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCR (Delhi, Gurugram, Noida & Greater Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad), Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai MMR, and Pune
Rapid urbanisation has resulted in almost doubling of the urban built-up area in the last three decades in India's eight major cities to 4,308 square km, according to Square Yards.
On Wednesday, real estate consultant Square Yards released a report titled 'Cities in Motion — Tracing 30 Years of Urban Expansion in Key Indian Cities'.
"A total of 2,136 square km of urban built-up footprint was added since 1995, with the current built-up area reaching 4,308 square km in the top eight cities of India," Square Yards said.
The analysis covers urban areas of Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCR (Delhi, Gurugram, Noida & Greater Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad), Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai MMR, and Pune.
The consultant defined the urban built-up footprint as the total land area within a city or settlement that is physically covered by human-made structures such as buildings.
It represents the visible spatial extent of urbanisation, separating developed land from open or natural areas.
Tanuj Shori, CEO & Founder of Square Yards, said, "India is stepping into the biggest urban transformation in its history. Around the world, cities drive more than 80 per cent of GDP, and for India too, the journey to becoming a developed economy runs through its urban centres." By 2050, he said, India will add more than 330 million people to its urban population.
"This unprecedented migration means close to 100 million new homes must be built, alongside massive investments in transit, infrastructure, and services. We are already seeing this play out in major cities of India where skyscrapers, dense cores, and thriving business districts are reshaping how we live and work,' Shori said.
As per the report, Pune recorded the highest rate of urban expansion, growing from 86 square kilometres in 1995 to 373 sq km in 2025.
Delhi-NCR urban built-up area increased from 567 sq km to a total of 967 sq. km.
Hyderabad's built-up area increased by 95 per cent, growing from 267 sq km to 519 sq km.
Kolkata's built-up area grew by 87per cent, expanding from 328 sq km to 611 sq km.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region recorded a 43 per cent expansion, growing from 412 sq km to 588 sq km.
In Chennai, the built-up area expanded from 197 sq km to 467 sq km.
Bengaluru's footprint jumped from 174 sq km to 489 sq km during the past three decades.
Lastly, Ahmedabad's built-up area grew from 141 sq km in 1995 to 285 sq km in 2025.
