UP-RERA Anticipates Over 400 Housing Project Approvals in 2026 Amid Infrastructure Boom

Uttar Pradesh’s real estate market is witnessing accelerated expansion across emerging cities, with the state’s real estate regulator expecting project approvals to cross 400 during 2026 amid sustained infrastructure-led growth and rising investor activity.

Speaking at a real estate summit organised by industry body FICCI in New Delhi earlier this week, Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-RERA) Chairman Sanjay R Bhoosreddy stated that the property market in the state is no longer concentrated only in major urban centres such as Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, and Lucknow.

According to Bhoosreddy, real estate development activity has gained momentum in several Tier II and Tier III cities including Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Jhansi, Hapur, Bareilly, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Gonda, driven largely by infrastructure upgrades and enhanced regional connectivity.

He highlighted a sharp rise in project registrations over the past few years. UP-RERA sanctioned 197 projects during calendar year 2023, which increased to 259 projects in 2024 and further rose to 308 projects in 2025. The authority has already approved 108 projects so far during 2026 and expects the total approvals to exceed 400 by the end of the year.

Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, developers are required to obtain RERA registration before launching projects for sale, making project approvals a key indicator of organised real estate activity.

Bhoosreddy stated that the implementation of the RERA framework has helped establish a more balanced ecosystem between developers and homebuyers by improving transparency and accountability within the sector.

He also pointed to western Uttar Pradesh as one of the strongest-performing regions in terms of price appreciation, attributing the rise to large-scale infrastructure investments, including the development of the Noida International Airport at Jewar. According to him, areas connected through expressway networks have consistently witnessed stronger real estate growth and increased buyer demand.

The summit also saw participation from several industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities, who underlined the growing maturity of India’s real estate market.

Anand Kumar, Chairman of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority for the National Capital Territory of Delhi, stressed the importance of honesty and transparency among all stakeholders. He stated that both buyers and developers require greater awareness regarding provisions under the RERA Act to improve market efficiency.

Sandip Somany, Past President of FICCI and CMD of Somany Impresa Group, observed that India’s real estate sector has entered a fresh growth phase supported by stronger investor confidence and resilient end-user demand.

Raj Menda, Chairman of the FICCI Committee on Urban Development and Real Estate and Chairman of the Supervisory Board at RMZ, stated that India’s real estate sector has emerged as one of the country’s most significant growth engines. He noted that sustaining long-term momentum would require deeper digital integration across the entire project lifecycle rather than limiting technology adoption to front-end processes.

Vipul Roongta, Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd and Co-Chairman of the FICCI Committee on Urban Development and Real Estate, stated that residential housing continues to account for nearly two-thirds of India’s overall real estate market. He added that the country’s young and aspirational population is expected to sustain long-term housing demand, while the growth of the mortgage industry will remain closely linked to broader economic expansion.