The Hindu Business Line : `Market for architects, engineers may grow 30%'

Creating demand
Makeover of New Delhi for Commonwealth Games
Design opportunities in metro stations, airports
Boom in hospitality, retail, IT and ITeS sectors

Bangalore May 14 The boom in the realty market has triggered a massive demand for architects and civil engineers.

The current fiscal will add over 1,000 architects and 5,000 civil engineers across the country, according to a study by EMA Partners, a global executive search firm.

"Overall economic growth with surge in demand will witness at least 15-20 per cent rise in the pay packages for architects and design and civil engineers in India," said Mr K. Sudarshan, Managing Partner, EMA Partners India.

"The recent trends have indicated that this demand for realty sector professionals will reach a new high in the years to come."

He added: "The market for architects and civil engineers is expected to grow by more than 30 per cent by 2007-end, compared to 20 per cent in 2006."

Mr A. Balakrishna Hegde, President of the Karnataka Ownership Apartments Promoters Association, said that there are a lot of opportunities for architects and engineering professionals in the real estate sector.

"Design outsourcing opportunities for architects are aplenty," he added.

Growth triggers

According to EMA Partners, the growth triggers are the planned makeover of New Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games; design opportunities in metro rail stations, privatisation and modernisation of airports and public utilities; the booming IT and ITeS sectors, with many MNCs setting up offices in India and the planned makeover of Mumbai as an international financial centre.

The study also points to other triggers such as emerging boom in the hospitality sector, with many new properties coming up in metro and non-metro locations; emergence of the organised retail sector with new investments planned by existing retail majors and entry of new players resulting in the construction of malls in all metros and tier-2 cities; and higher disposable incomes resulting in a real estate boom in the residential sector.

Commenting on the EMA study, Mr Sanjay Srinivasan, Director of Edifice Architects, an architecture and interior design firm, said: "Edifice plans to add 300 professionals to cope with the growing demand from our clients to create commercial spaces.

"We have already seen global architecture firms heading towards India. In the next two years, we expect significant consolidation in the sector."

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