India Urged to Adopt AI-Led Real Estate Oversight as Urban Population Set to Hit 80 Crore by 2050

Futuristic Indian cityscape with AI data dashboards overlaying real estate developments

In a significant push toward modernizing India's real estate regulatory framework, Kuldip Narayan, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), has called for the adoption of artificial intelligence-led oversight in the country's property sector. Speaking at the NAREDCO conclave held at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi, Narayan highlighted the urgent need to move beyond the current PDF-based systems that underpin RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) operations.

The Scale of India's Urban Challenge

India's urban population is projected to surge dramatically — from approximately 50 crore today to nearly 80 crore by 2047-2050. This means that more than half of the built environment that India will need in the coming decades hasn't even been constructed yet. The sheer scale of this urbanization challenge demands a fundamentally different approach to oversight and regulation.

"We need to transition from static, document-based compliance to dynamic, data-driven oversight," Narayan emphasized during his address. The current RERA framework, while a landmark reform when introduced, relies heavily on PDF-based reports and manual processes that are increasingly inadequate for the sector's complexity.

Why AI-Led Oversight Is Critical

The case for AI in real estate regulation rests on several compelling factors:

  • Land costs exceed 50% of total project budgets in many Indian cities, making transparent pricing and fraud detection essential
  • RERA data remains static and PDF-based, limiting real-time analysis and cross-referencing capabilities
  • Machine-readable reports would enable automated compliance checking and early-warning signals for project delays or financial irregularities
  • Interoperability across state RERAs is needed for a unified national view of real estate activity

Narayan advocated for machine-to-machine digital integration — a system where regulatory bodies, developers, banks, and buyers can exchange verified data automatically, reducing both fraud and bureaucratic delays.

Political Will and Industry Support

The conclave was also attended by Union Housing Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, signaling strong political backing for digital transformation in the sector. NAREDCO (National Real Estate Development Council), which organized the event, has been a vocal advocate for technology-driven reforms in Indian real estate.

Industry leaders at the event echoed the sentiment that regulatory technology — or RegTech — is no longer optional for a sector that contributes significantly to India's GDP and employment.

The Road Ahead

Moving from PDF-based compliance to AI-powered oversight won't happen overnight. It will require:

  • Standardized data formats across all state RERAs
  • Investment in digital infrastructure at the regulatory level
  • Training for regulatory staff on AI-assisted tools
  • Privacy and data protection frameworks for sensitive property and financial data

But the direction is clear. As India prepares for what could be the largest urbanization event in human history, the tools used to regulate and oversee this growth must match the scale of the challenge. AI-led oversight isn't just a technological upgrade — it's an institutional necessity.

Sources: Tribune India, ANI News, NAREDCO