GMADA hikes property base rates for 2025–26; rise to hit buyers as realtors warn of slowdown impact

According to the official notification signed by Chief Accounts Officer Ajay Mittal, the base rate for properties in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) has seen a substantial upward revision. For instance, plots in sectors 53 to 71 will now cost Rs 71,500 per sq yard instead of Rs 65,000, while those in sectors 76 to 80 will cost from Rs 63,400 to Rs 70,000. Similarly, rates of plots in the IT City and Eco-City zones have jumped from Rs 51,500 to Rs 65,000 per sq yard, marking a sharp hike of Rs 13,500.

The most dramatic increase is seen in sectors 90–91 and Aerotropolis (Blocks A–D), where the base rate has surged from Rs 46,200 to Rs 65,000, a jump of nearly Rs 18,800 per sq yard. Industrial plots in Sector 57-A now stand at Rs 45,000 per sq yard (up from Rs 39,600), while SCO sites (100–200 sq yards) in Industrial Sector 101 have been raised from Rs 1,99,600 to Rs 2,25,000. Even smaller single-storey shops (60 sq yards) in the same area have risen from Rs 1,33,100 to Rs 1,50,000 per sq yard.

While GMADA officials say the revised rates are aimed at “bringing uniformity and updating market-linked valuations”, the move has drawn sharp criticism from local property experts, who call the decision “anti-people” and “commercial in nature”.

Former president of the Mohali Property Consultant Association (MPCA), Shalinder Anand, told The Indian Express, “GMADA, which was originally created to provide convenience and affordable housing, has now turned into a property dealer itself. By increasing rates every few months, it is putting unbearable financial pressure on the common man.”

Anand added that the hike would also push up transfer fees and extension charges, resulting in an additional burden of Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000 per sq yard on property owners. He alleged that GMADA is “no longer focused on public welfare but on revenue generation”, claiming that “the money it collects isn’t being invested back into the city’s development but diverted elsewhere”.

According to real estate analysts, the latest rate hike will make buying homes and registering plots in Mohali even more expensive, at a time when the property market is already facing a slowdown. Experts warned that the move could further dampen market sentiment and delay investments in new housing projects.

“This increase will make home purchases and plot registrations costlier,” Anand said. “At a time when the real estate market is struggling, such steep hikes will only worsen the slowdown.”