A report by CBRE has been found that Mumbai has 77 percent of all the tall buildings in India and ranks 17th and 14th globally and in Asia respectively for the number of tall buildings. Mumbai has 100 buildings which are more than 150m in height and many more are expected to be constructed in the years to come. Mumbai also has premium prices that makes construction of tall buildings economically possible.

A report by CBRE South Asia also found that 89 percent of tall buildings in India are residential, compared to 6% for office use. According to the report, Hong Kong has one of the highest numbers of tall buildings in the world. Shenzhen, New York City, Dubai, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Tokyo also rank high on the Global Financial Centres Index.

India has about 250 tall buildings that are completed or under construction. Mumbai is followed by Hyderabad, where planners are keen to grow vertically. Of the 10 tallest buildings in India, 5 are complete and 5 are under construction.

The lower Floor Space Index in Mumbai does not make it viable for office buildings, which depend on rental revenue, the report said. For this reason, there are more taller residential buildings rather than commercial or office spaces which is unlike the global trend which is vice-versa.

“Tall buildings are material and energy intensive structures and require more energy than would be necessary at lower heights. Water and electricity usage is much higher in tall buildings as water has to be pumped to the highest occupied floor and all the floors have to be artificially lit and mechanically ventilated."

Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Noida account for 8 percent, 7 percent, and 5 percent of the tall buildings in India, respectively. Gurgaon, Bengaluru and Chennai closely follow them, each contributing 1 percent to the country's tall building landscape

The report “Sky is the limit – Rise of tall buildings in India” was presented by Gurjot Bhatia, managing director, project management — India, SE Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, in a first of its kind assessment of tall buildings in the country.