SUKHRAJ NAHAR took charge as CREDAI-MCHI’s 18th President in the presence of
CM Devendra Fadnavis, unveiling Mission CARES to shape Mumbai’s real estate future.
CREDAI-MCHI’s 18th Change of Guard inauguration with the ceremonial lamp lighting in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis

Unveiling The Mission CARES Manifesto during CREDAI-MCHI’s 18th Change of Guard

On the eve of Independence Day, a contingent of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR)’s real estate developers gathered at the Jio World Centre to usher in Sukhraj Nahar as the 18th President of CREDAI-MCHI, their apex body, during the change of guard ceremony. The ceremony conferring the Nahar group chairman of the 2025-2027 Presidency was attended by the Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, along with prominent Past Presidents, the current administrative team and other key members of CREDAI-MCHI.

An emerging Zeitgeist

In keeping with tradition, the event began with a lamp-lighting ceremony, symbolically passing the proverbial torch from Dominic Romell, Director of Romell Group, to Sukhraj Nahar and igniting the visionary path of urban transformation within Mumbai’s real estate community. Dominic Romell’s 2023-2025 tenure as president was marked by several key initiatives, including the Ease of Doing Redevelopment report and strong advocacy for affordable housing and tax incentives. These actions were aligned with the core principles of Mission GROWTH, which stands for Green Construction, Reform, Opportunity to build a New India, Women Empowerment, Transparency, and Housing for All.

Nahar’s upcoming Mission CARES appears to be a rejuvenated successor initiative of Romell’s Mission GROWTH, which encountered obstacles such as transfer of environmental clearance authority from State SEIAA to Central MoEFCC for housing projects within five kilometres of Eco-sensitive zones.

MCHI CARES Unveiling by Hon’ble Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Mission CARES – An ambitious initiative

Central to the ceremonial appointment of Sukhraj Nahar as President of CREDAI-MCHI was the launch of the Mission CARES Manifesto, an initiative pledging to transform the real estate culture in Maharashtra and India through responsibility, resilience, and regeneration. It calls for a collaborative approach among the government, civil society, and developers within the urban ecosystem to promote sustainable urban planning.

Shri Devendra
Fadnavis,
Hon’ble Chief
Minister of
Maharashtra,
addressing
the gathering

The CARES framework is built upon five core pillars that guide the organisation’s commitments for 2025-2027:

• Compassion through CSR and social welfare for construction workers, women, children, and underserved communities.
• Affordability in Housing through policy reforms and innovative development models.
• Reforestation & Urban Greening to offset the carbon impact of construction and improve city liveability.
• Empowerment through PropTech to drive transparency, digital transformation, and economic growth.
• Skilling of 10,000+ workers annually to power India’s infrastructure boom with capable hands and secure livelihoods.

The five pillars are closely aligned with India’s national vision—Housing for All, Skill India, Digital India, and Net Zero 2070—and play a direct role in advancing multiple UN SDGs.

Recognition from Key Policymakers

Notable political and administrative figures attended the inauguration of Sukhraj Nahar’s presidency. They also expressed their support for the Mission CARES Manifesto.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, in the event, expressed what an “indispensable partner” CREDAI-MCHI family had been in shaping Mumbai’s real estate future. He stressed the collaborative efforts of the developers and the government in spearheading the country’s most successful RERA implementation, improving business facilitation, and creating the Mumbai Development Plan.

“Today, Mumbai stands at the cusp of a massive transformation — from Asia’s largest urban renewal at BDD Chawls to slum-free, technology-driven redevelopment, and the creation of the Third and Fourth Mumbai as new economic growth engines,” he said. Envisioning Mumbai as an upcoming Innovation City, he opined that with world-class infrastructure, high-speed connectivity, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build cities that rival global hubs like Dubai. “Over the next 10 years, we can transform Mumbai and the MMR into a global benchmark for urban living. The government is fully committed to working hand-in-hand with the real estate sector to make this vision a reality.”

Mr. Domnic Romell, Immediate Past President, CREDAI-MCHI, extended his full support to the new leadership. He said, “Over the last two years, we’ve set the stage for deeper collaboration between government bodies, developers, and civil society. I am confident that under Mr. Nahar’s leadership, CREDAI-MCHI will now scale new heights—not just in construction, but in conscience as well.”

Entrusting his responsibilities to his successor, Mr. Romell further stated, “Our tenure was about turning challenges into opportunities and building a more transparent, inclusive ecosystem. Mission CARES is the natural evolution of that journey — a moral compass for the next era of real estate, ensuring that growth and responsibility go hand in hand.”

Mr. Dhaval Ajmera, outgoing Secretary of CREDAI-MCHI, highlighted how developers embody the role of healers and emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts within the urban ecosystem. “Mission CARES is not just a vision — it is a call to action for governments, civil society, and every stakeholder in the urban ecosystem to create a future where development is measured by the dignity, equity, and sustainability it brings. Real change in our sector comes from consistent, well-calibrated policy interventions. Mission CARES strengthens our resolve to embed inclusion, green growth, and technology adoption into the governance framework, ensuring that ambition transforms into action.”
Domnic Romell passes the Change of Guard baton to Sukhraj Nahar in the presence of Hon’ble Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

A Word from the Incoming Committee

Speaking on his vision for 2025–2027, Sukhraj Nahar, President of CREDAI-MCHI, emphasized that the real estate sector must lead not by scale, but by soul. He shared, “Our sector has always built Mumbai’s skyline. Now, we must also build its soul. Mission CARES is our declaration to the government, home buyers, and our own conscience—that we will develop with empathy, digitise with purpose, green our cities with urgency, and ensure every home is accessible and dignified. This is a pivotal moment to move beyond rhetoric and deliver real, measurable impact.”

Rushi Mehta, Secretary, CREDAI-MCHI, asserted, “The real estate sector touches lives in every square foot it creates. We are not just asking the government to act—we are showing them that the industry is ready to co-create better policies, embrace tech, and uplift every worker, homebuyer, and citizen. Mission CARES represents CREDAI-MCHI’s renewed commitment to building with compassion, ensuring access for all, restoring green spaces, driving economic growth through innovation, and skilling the workforce that shapes the region’s skylines. The five pillars will guide all member initiatives over the next two years.”

Reflecting on the fact that Mumbai developers pay high approval costs (₹54,221 per square meter), which comprise 35%–40% of the total project cost and effectively act as an obstacle to affordable housing, Keval Valambhia, Chief Operating Officer of CREDAI-MCHI, declared, “At CREDAI-MCHI, we are pushing for single-window clearances, rationalized premiums, and tech-led approvals. Prop Tech will enable AI-driven project tracking and blockchain-backed compliance, making the process faster and more transparent. The shift from paperwork to real-time systems is critical. Every rupee saved in friction is a rupee that builds scale, trust, and better homes. Because at the end, building better homes is about building a stronger India together.”

Forging the Road Ahead

Sukhraj Nahar, President of CREDAI-MCHI, sharing his vision for MMR’s future growth, emphasised a new journey forward—one that not only prioritises the present but also future generations. The new committee leading its 2,200 members has designed a determined blueprint for the next 24 months.

To accelerate innovation, 70% of its member developers will establish at least one Prop Tech. Affordable housing being a priority, they plan to build 10,000+ homes through member projects by 2026. Striving to empower people, they plan to mentor 10,000 construction workers across MMR. With an openness to policy reform, the committee will consult with the state to bring greater balance to development premiums and stamp duties. Finally, the reforestation agenda aims to plant 1 million trees across 50 urban zones by 2026.

Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani with other dignitaries at the Change of Guard Ceremony.

WHEN YOU DON’T JUST MARKET, YOU REIMAGINE THE MARKET

The Ghost on Kolshet Road

Thane’s Kolshet Road has long been the battleground of India’s most powerful real estate brands. Lodha, Oberoi, and Godrej tower over the micro-market, setting benchmarks for scale and aspiration. In their shadow, however, stood a project that no one dared to speak of.

Three towers, nine hundred homes, launched with much fanfare nearly a decade ago. But conceived in the pre-RERA era, its design was stuck in another time—cookie-cutter flats, each 380 sq. ft., identical in size and soul. Ownership changed hands, promises were made and broken, brochures were printed and forgotten. What was supposed to be a kingdom for the common man had decayed into a carcass of concrete.

For seven long years, the towers stood abandoned—rejected by buyers, ignored by brokers, and shunned by the market. In a city where land is scarce and homes sell overnight, this project became the symbol of what no developer wants: failure.

The Last Throw of the Dice

When the promoters finally approached Brand Acres, it wasn’t with the expectation of a miracle. It was desperation. Multiple agencies had tried, armed with discount offers, freebies, and glossy ads, yet none had cracked the code. The project was on life support.

But where others saw a lost cause, Brand Acres saw a deeper story. To them, this was not a project problem—it was a positioning problem. “If we tried to sell this as another affordable housing block, it would never work,” recalls one of the strategists. “We needed to change not the floor plan, but the soul.”

The Wazir’s Move: Creating a Kingdom

The breakthrough came with a bold question: what if this wasn’t housing at all? What if the concrete towers were reframed as the foundation of something larger—a movement, an identity, a cultural statement?

That’s how Yuvarajya was born. Not as a project, but as an idea: India’s First Housing Movement for Millennials.

The very name carried the weight of reimagination. No longer a stuck relic, it became the Kingdom of Youth, a space that promised identity, freedom, and aspiration to a generation priced out of branded homes.

From a Stuck Project to Millennial Revolution

Once the name was coined, every element of marketing was re-engineered. The pitch wasn’t “Buy a flat.” It was “Claim your freedom.” Yuvarajya promised what the youth craved: not just four walls, but a lifestyle that understood them. The same project once dismissed as “unsellable” was now defining the micro-market’s conversation.

The Campaign That Became a Culture

What made Yuvarajya different was that it refused to rest after launch. Instead of brochures, there were Youth Housing Carnivals with music, art, and ideas. Instead of discount schemes, there was the Azadi Campaign: Azadi from rent. Azadi from insecurity. Azadi to build. Instead of dull launches, there was a Yuva Rap, written and performed by the youth themselves, turning the project into a cultural moment.

For the first time, a housing project in Thane didn’t look like real estate. It looked like a movement.

The Market Turns

The results were staggering. Within forty-five days, 1,200 expressions of interest poured in—a number unheard of for a stuck property. On launch day, over 700 channel partners gathered, not out of obligation but out of curiosity for the buzz they could no longer ignore.

They left astonished. In just ten hours, one hundred homes were sold. In three months, sales crossed three hundred units. Within a year, Yuvarajya had achieved what the branded developers dominating Kolshet had not anticipated: it outsold them in momentum.

Brand Acres ensured momentum stayed alive. The “Pura Thane Ghoom Liya” campaign turned Yuvarajya into a household name across the city. From tea stalls to tech parks, the name echoed. Channel partners regained faith. Buyers took pride. Yuvarajya was no longer just a project. It was an anthem.

The Lesson: Strategy Over Discounts

Yuvarajya’s success was not luck. It was a case study in the power of positioning. Where others tried to sell flats, Brand Acres sold identity. Where others cut prices, Brand Acres built pride. The wazir’s move was not in advertising spend but in imagination—seeing beyond what the market saw.

The Legacy of a Kingdom

Today, Yuvarajya is recognised as India’s first true millennial housing success story. More importantly, it is proof that real estate revival is not about brick and mortar but about meaning and storytelling.

For Brand Acres, the project stands as a defining moment. It is the story they tell when asked who they are. Because Yuvarajya wasn’t just a rebrand. It was a resurrection.

And in that resurrection lies the mantra of Brand Acres: “We don’t just build campaigns. We build movements.”