Nearly 70% of companies now prioritise commute and connectivity when choosing office space in India, according to CBRE’s 2026 India Office Occupier Survey.
About 18% of occupiers said they would pay a premium for office assets with access to public transport, while traffic congestion and lengthy commutes ranked among the biggest infrastructure challenges. In an earlier release from the same survey, 95% of occupiers flagged traffic congestion and commute as a threat to operations and employee experience.
Occupiers are also weighing urban infrastructure beyond transit. Around 50% named poor air quality (AQI) as a major threat to operations and employee experience, and 31% flagged water availability and quality. CBRE’s report described poor air quality as “a major infrastructure threat to business operations and employee experience.”
The survey linked upcoming transit projects to leasing shifts, citing Mumbai metro lines 2B, 4 and 6 by 2027, Chennai’s Peripheral Ring Road, Pune’s Purandar Airport and Delhi-NCR’s Golden Line. Each is expected to open new commercial submarkets as it comes online.
Site selection now overlaps with talent and attendance strategy. Well-connected offices affect hiring reach, daily commute times and return-to-office plans. Demand remains firm: 77% of occupiers expect their India office portfolios to grow over the next two years.
As metro and road projects come on stream through 2027, connectivity is set to shape where companies lease and how they plan workplace and hiring strategies. TPB has tracked related shifts, including how occupiers read AI’s effect on office leasing and record GCC-led office demand.
