Beautification is key for developing smart cities: Parvesh Verma

New Delhi: Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said beautification is key for developing smart cities in the country, insisting that the Indian infrastructure space has evolved over the years.

He was speaking at the fourth Naredco Mahi convention in Delhi on Friday.

Addressing the gathering, Union Housing and Urban Affairs D Thara stressed the need for looking beyond developing the buildings and housing complexes and aiming for integrated infrastructure management in order to achieve a sustainable habitat.

The annual convention for 2025 was themed on 'Rise & Build: Women Transforming Real Estate for a Sustainable Tomorrow'. MAHI was established in 2021 and was developed by the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) with a vision to empower women entrepreneurs and encourage participation of women in the real estate sector and allied fields.

"I want to look at what we can do together for Delhi. The Delhi government is also working on developing a Yamuna riverfront, so what more can we do in that project? Beautiful cities would be a key part of smart cities, and I think women and NAREDCO MAHI can play a key role in achieving beautification of our cities," the minister said.

Thara also called for sustainable measures in real estate development and emphasised the potential role of women in sustainable growth.

"There is a need to transcend beyond housing and focus on associated sectors like water supply and green space. It's high time to move from real estate to integrated infrastructure management," she added.

In a bid to mitigate floods, Thara suggested that, along with green spaces, developers should come up with "green tanks" to fill excess water, which would also help in water conservation.

She asked developers to hand over documents citing the green measures and water availability in housing complexes in a bid to increase awareness and sustainability and build accountability.

Highlighting the expansion of NAREDCO Mahi and the growing participation of women in the sector, Smita Patil, President, Mahi, NAREDCO, said India’s housing future must be built with policy, shaped by industry, and guided by inclusive values — especially empowering women and emerging leaders.

"Under our initiative, Saswat Nirman, we are focusing on sustainable real estate development. It aims to integrate environmentally friendly construction practices, energy efficiency, and green building principles into the real estate sector in India. We are committed to being a bridge — supporting women in the sector, nurturing young talent, and working in sync with the government for a stronger urban India."

Highlighting the need for women to join India's growing real estate space, Dr Niranjan Hiranandani, Chairman, NAREDCO, said that skilling would be the key pivot toward the women-led real estate sector.

"Real estate is the second largest employer in India. However, it is short of skilled workers, which, if filled by skilled women, would not only lead to employment generation and women empowerment, but would give a boost to economic growth and help achieve the vision of tripling the size of the economy," Dr Hiranandani said.

Observing that home loans in India have the lowest non-performing assets globally, he said that the feat has been achieved on the back of the economic deftness of women in the Indian households. "There is a big role played by women," he said.

Noting that a lot needs to be done on women empowerment and having women stakeholders in key positions, Mr Hari Babu, President, NAREDCO, said that there are immense opportunities that can be leveraged. "Grab it, if you don't grab it, nobody will give it to you," said the NAREDCO President, encouraging more women participants in India's booming real estate space.

The daylong event also had sessions on subjects like 'Women of Substance, Journey Accomplishments', 'RERA: Successes, Challenges, and The Road Ahead' and “Indian Real Estate: Pivoting to a USD 1 Trillion Market', with participation from key stakeholders and policymakers across the country.