Ingka Centres breaks ground on its first IKEA anchored meeting place in India

Construction starts on €400 million mixed-use meeting place which will bring a vibrant mix of retail, green community areas and workspaces to Gurugram and New Delhi Ingka Centres’ first meeting place in India will support growth of Haryana region bringing around 2,500 new jobs and attracting 20 million visitors annually The development is set to champion sustainable construction techniques

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@ Vikash Sharma | Sr Journalist

Gurugram: Ingka Centres, part of the Ingka Group (which also includes IKEA Retail and Ingka Investments), today welcomed Mr. Manohar Lal Khattar, the hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Klas Molin the Ambassador of Sweden in India to mark the start of main construction works on its exciting new IKEA anchored ‘meeting place’ in Gurugram, a city southwest of New Delhi, in the state of Haryana.

With a total investment of about €400 million (Rs. 3500 crores), the Ingka Centres meeting place will become Gurugram’s newest landmark with dynamic retail, green areas, workspaces, as well as spaces for community events. Once open, it is expected to generate around 2500 jobs and create a sense of belonging amongst Gurugram and Delhi National Capital Region’s growing population.

The total building area of the Gurugram new meeting place will be around 1,700,000 sq. ft over nine floors. The state of the art development will deliver a vibrant mix of food and beverage and edutainment learning spaces, alongside a wide retail offer anchored by IKEA and with a combination of global and local brands.  320,000 sq. ft of high-class office space will also sit atop the retail area, offering workspaces with an independent entry and a direct connection to the food and entertainment offer.

Planned to open in late 2025 with an expected annual footfall of 20 million, the new meeting place has been designed to encourage relaxation, mental and physical well-being to meet the needs of more than two million busy local people across Gurugram. Developed to act as a community hub, it will feature dedicated spaces to celebrate and host a programme of activities and events throughout the year – including a landscaped sky roof garden, amphitheatre for public events and an inner garden connecting the two levels of retail and food & beverage outlets.

Sustainable construction techniques will be used throughout the development and the building pursue an LEED Gold pre-certification, maximising the use of renewable energy, aiming for 100 per cent water recycling and pursuing efficient waste management and recycling initiatives. This reflects Ingka Centres’ global people and planet positive strategy, which balances economic growth and positive social impact with environmental protection and renewal.

Shri Manohar Lal, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana said: “I am delighted to support Ingka Centres and IKEA to begin construction of what will become a world-class retail and leisure destination to meet the needs of consumers in the State and the region. The project will significantly boost employment and investments in the region. Our government has implemented number of measures to enable ‘Ease of Doing Business in the state and this project is yet another validation of our development plans for the region.”

Cindy Andersen, Ingka Centres Managing Director, commented: “Today marks the start of an exciting journey for us in India, as we accelerate our strategy to get closer to where the many people live. Together with IKEA and the local community we are looking forward to bringing to life a new vibrant destination where people can work, play, meet, shop and spend time together in a more sustainable way which contributes to the further growth of this dynamic area.”
The new IKEA store will be spread across a massive space of 250,000 sq. ft. and will offer over 9,000 home furnishing products along with beautifully designed room sets for ideas and inspirations to live a better life at home. The store will also house a children’s play area, ‘Småland’ along with a Swedish restaurant and a bistro serving a mix of Swedish and Indian delicacies.

Susanne Pulverer, CEO and CSO, IKEA India said, “Today marks a major milestone as we commence our project in Gurugram with the ground-breaking ceremony. We have a long-term commitment to Delhi NCR to create a positive impact on people, planet, and the local economy through our business. Together with Ingka Centres, we will become a strong contributor to increase the overall home furnishing market and bring a unique retail experience for the many people. We look forward to meeting and inspiring our customers with our affordable, beautiful, well-designed, and sustainable home furnishing products and solutions.”

The destination is well connected to public transport and will further improve with a nearby planned metro line creating cleaner and greener ways of travelling to and from the new meeting place.

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