70% of Firms View Commute as Most Crucial Consideration When Selecting Office Spaces: CBRE
New Delhi, September 15, 2026: Commute infrastructure has emerged as one of the most decisive considerations in corporate real estate, with about seven in ten occupiers stating that commute and connectivity is their top criteria while selecting office space within a chosen city, according to CBRE South Asia Pvt. Ltd.’s 2026 India Office Occupier Survey. Traffic congestion and lengthy commute times also surfaced as top infrastructure-related challenges for occupiers. Access to commute infrastructure proved to be the most important facet, with about 18 percent stating they would pay a premium for an asset with access to public transport.
Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, said, “As India’s cities grow denser and commutes grow longer, occupiers are effectively counting it in their leases. Infrastructure access now sits at the centre of where and how corporates choose to locate their businesses. For developers and city administrations alike, this is a clear signal that connectivity investment and commercial real estate value are now inseparable.”
Ram Chandnani, Managing Director, Leasing Services, India, CBRE, said, “Commute has moved from being a convenience factor to a non-negotiable one. Occupiers are telling us clearly that access to transit, talent, and reliable last-mile connectivity, now shapes real estate decisions as much as rent or location prestige. In several transactions we are advising on, transit proximity is being weighed at the shortlisting stage itself, well before commercial terms are discussed.”
While commute times and transit connectivity dominate site-selection decisions, the survey highlighted that corporate occupiers are increasingly viewing urban infrastructure through a holistic liveability lens. Beyond transit, 50 percent of occupiers identified poor air quality as a major infrastructure threat to operations and employee experience, while 31 percent flagged water availability and quality concerns. Furthermore, 29 percent of organizations expect waste management and sanitation challenges to disrupt daily workplace productivity. Consequently, state governments are undertaking targeted infrastructure initiatives, from expanding metro networks to upgrading road infrastructure.
In Mumbai, the planned completion of Metro lines 2B, 4, and 6 by 2027 is expected to spark leasing growth across Worli, BKC, and Powai. In Delhi-NCR, the upcoming Golden Line and the proposed Yamuna Pushta elevated expressway are driving heavy occupier pre-commitment interest. In Southern India, Chennai’s six-lane Peripheral Ring Road, scheduled for completion by late 2026, alongside Pune’s airport expansions, is unlocking new submarkets for technology Global Capability Centers.
