By Pune, Maharashtra — As Pune’s urban landscape continues to evolve, a transformative housing trend is reshaping how young professionals experience city living. Co-living spaces—community-focused residential arrangements that balance privacy with social connection—are gaining significant traction across the city’s IT corridors and commercial hubs. At the forefront of understanding these emerging urban needs is Lalit Kumar Jain, ex-chairman and managing director of Kumar Builders (KUL), whose visionary approach to real estate has consistently anticipated and addressed the changing dynamics of urban living.
Understanding the Shift: From Isolation to Community
For over five decades, Lalit Kumar Jain has approached real estate not merely as a construction business but as a socially responsible industry. His philosophy—that real estate serves as a tool for nation-building rather than just profit-making—provides valuable context for understanding today’s co-living phenomenon.
Recent data indicates that co-living spaces in Pune have experienced remarkable growth, with occupancy rates climbing 45% over the past 18 months. Areas such as Hinjewadi, Baner, Wakad, and Viman Nagar now host over 60 co-living facilities, serving a demographic primarily aged 22-32 working in technology and service sectors.
“Young professionals today aren’t just seeking accommodation; they’re seeking belonging,” observes Jain, reflecting on decades of studying how people actually live. This insight stems from what Kumar Builders calls “Anthropological Engineering”—a philosophy that studies how people live, what they value, how they interact, and what they dream of, then designs homes and communities that bring these insights to life.
The Vision Behind Community-Centric Living
Lalit Kumar Jain’s goal has been clear from the beginning: to build more than just homes—to build trust, quality, and a better lifestyle for every buyer. This philosophy directly aligns with what makes co-living spaces appealing to modern urban dwellers.
When Lalit Kumar Jain began his real estate journey at age 17 as a site supervisor, he gained hands-on experience that would define his leadership approach—empathetic, grounded, and deeply attuned to every stakeholder in the value chain. This early exposure shaped his career philosophy that results matter, but ethics matter more.
His guiding philosophy has been clear throughout his journey: create value, not just property. This principle resonates strongly with the co-living model, where value extends beyond square footage to encompass community, convenience, and quality of life.
Lessons from Kumar Builders: Building Communities, Not Just Structures
Kumar Builders’ approach to residential development offers important insights into why co-living works. The company’s projects have always emphasised:
1. Community-Focused Design For Lalit Kumar Jain, real estate is more than bricks and mortar—it’s about creating homes where memories are made, where families feel safe, and where communities can thrive together. This same principle drives successful co-living spaces, where thoughtfully designed common areas facilitate organic social interactions while private spaces remain personal sanctuaries.
2. Transparency and Trust With decades of building trust in an industry often clouded by uncertainty, Jain’s emphasis on transparent dealings and ethical practices has set benchmarks that co-living operators now emulate. Residents choosing co-living arrangements prioritise operators who maintain clear communication, fair pricing, and accountability—values that Kumar Builders has championed since 1990.
3. Sustainable and Smart Living Known as the “Green Man of Pune”, Lalit Kumar Jain integrated environmental consciousness into construction at a time when sustainability was hardly a buzzword. Modern co-living spaces increasingly adopt similar eco-friendly practices—energy-efficient appliances, waste management systems, and green building principles—reflecting the broader industry shift Jain pioneered.
Addressing the Real Needs of Young Professionals
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a turning point in how people view their homes and neighbourhoods. The isolation experienced during lockdowns heightened appreciation for community and human connection—precisely what co-living spaces offer.
Lalit Kumar Jain’s vision for urban development has always emphasised inclusivity and accessibility. “Urban living must be inclusive,” he states. “We can’t call our cities modern if a majority of people can’t afford decent housing.” This philosophy aligns perfectly with co-living’s economic proposition: providing quality accommodation with amenities at accessible price points.
A typical co-living space in Pune costs between Rs 12,000 and Rs 25,000 monthly, all-inclusive—offering furnished accommodation, utilities, housekeeping, high-speed internet, and community amenities. For young professionals earning between Rs 4 and 8 lakhs annually, this represents practical value without compromising on quality or experience.
The Role of Infrastructure in Community Building
Lalit Kumar Jain emphasises that a thriving city isn’t just about real estate—it’s about opportunities, advocating for real estate developments to be closely linked to educational institutes, skill centres, and start-up hubs.
This integrated approach to urban planning mirrors what makes co-living spaces successful. The best co-living facilities in Pune situate themselves strategically near employment hubs, co-working spaces, and social infrastructure, creating ecosystems where residents can work, network, and socialise within interconnected environments.
Co-living operators are increasingly recognising that their properties serve as more than accommodation—they function as networking hubs where professionals from diverse backgrounds collaborate, mentor each other, and build partnerships. This professional dimension adds significant value beyond the basic housing function.
Smart Technologies and Future-Ready Living
Lalit Kumar Jain’s vision for the future encompasses smart technologies extending across all forms of urban development—smart grids, energy-efficient structures, and intelligent transportation systems that offer a paradigm shift in how cities function.
Modern co-living spaces embody this vision by integrating:
- Smart access control systems
- App-based service requests and community management
- IoT-enabled appliances for energy efficiency
- Digital platforms for resident engagement and event coordination
These technological integrations enhance convenience while fostering community interaction—demonstrating how smart infrastructure can serve both practical and social functions.
Balancing Privacy with Community: The Kumar Builders Approach
One concern about co-living relates to privacy. However, the Kumar Builders philosophy offers guidance here. The company’s concept holds that a home should serve the people who live in it—not just structurally, but emotionally, socially, and culturally.
Successful co-living arrangements respect this multi-dimensional need. Residents maintain completely private bedrooms with secure locks and personal bathrooms, allowing them to retreat when needed. Simultaneously, thoughtfully designed common areas—lounges, kitchens, rooftop terraces, and co-working spaces—provide opportunities for connection when desired.
This balance mirrors Kumar Builders’ township projects, which create private family spaces within broader community environments featuring shared amenities, green spaces, and social infrastructure.
Sustainable Growth and Social Responsibility
Lalit Kumar Jain strongly believes that every person deserves a good home, which is why Kumar Builders focuses on affordable housing projects for middle-income and first-time buyers, proving that development should benefit every section of society, not just the elite.
The co-living model advances this inclusive vision by making quality urban living accessible to young professionals who might otherwise struggle with high rental deposits, furniture costs, and utility connections in traditional housing markets. By lowering entry barriers, co-living democratises access to well-maintained, amenity-rich accommodation.
Looking Ahead: Vision 2030 and Community Living
Lalit Kumar Jain’s Vision 2030 focuses on three core principles: sustainability (creating green, energy-efficient developments), smart growth (building cities that balance infrastructure, technology, and human well-being), and inclusivity (delivering housing for all sections of society).
These principles directly inform how co-living spaces should evolve:
Sustainability: Next-generation co-living facilities should adopt comprehensive green building practices, from solar power and rainwater harvesting to waste recycling and organic community gardens.
Smart Growth: Integration with public transportation, walkable neighbourhoods, and mixed-use developments will make co-living part of holistic urban ecosystems rather than isolated accommodation solutions.
Inclusivity: Expanding co-living options across price points and locations ensures that this housing model serves diverse demographics, not just affluent young professionals.
The Anthropological Engineering of Co-Living
Kumar Builders’ approach of studying how people actually live before designing spaces offers crucial lessons for co-living operators. Whether creating a cozy family apartment or a luxury township, each project bases itself on how people actually live—not just on what looks good on paper.
Successful co-living spaces similarly require deep understanding of resident lifestyles:
- When do residents want social interaction versus solitude?
- What amenities truly enhance daily life versus mere marketing appeal?
- How can design facilitate both chance encounters and intentional community building?
- What policies balance individual freedom with collective responsibility?
Operators who invest in this anthropological understanding—rather than simply replicating generic models—create environments where residents genuinely thrive.
From Pune to Pan-India: A Growing Movement
From a single project in Pune to becoming one of India’s most respected real estate brands, Kumar Builders under Lalit Kumar Jain’s leadership has always been about building with purpose. Similarly, the co-living movement extends beyond Pune, with cities across India witnessing similar growth.
However, Pune’s unique character—blending educational institutions, IT companies, startup ecosystems, and cultural heritage—makes it particularly suited for community-driven housing models. The city’s young, diverse professional population seeks more than transactional housing relationships; they desire communities that enrich their urban experience.
Challenges and the Path Forward
Like any emerging sector, co-living faces challenges: regulatory ambiguity, quality inconsistency across operators, and the need for industry standardization. However, these challenges mirror those faced by the organized real estate sector decades ago—challenges that visionaries like Lalit Kumar Jain addressed through ethical practices, quality commitments, and industry advocacy.
Jain’s contributions extend beyond construction—having served as National President of CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India), advocating for policy reforms, transparency, and professionalism across the sector. Similar industry leadership will be essential for co-living’s maturation.
Conclusion: Building the Future of Urban Living
The rise of co-living spaces in Pune represents more than a housing trend—it reflects fundamental shifts in how young professionals prioritize community, flexibility, and holistic quality of life. The principles that have guided Lalit Kumar Jain’s five-decade career—transparency, sustainability, community focus, and human-centric design—offer a blueprint for co-living’s evolution.
“Urban living through the eyes of Lalit Kumar Jain represents a future where cities breathe easier, people live with dignity, homes are more than investments, and developers act as custodians of culture and ecology—shaped by intelligent planning, sustainable practices, inclusive policies, and above all, a human-first approach”.
As co-living matures from novelty to mainstream housing option, operators who embrace these values—who see their work not as providing rooms but as building communities—will lead the sector forward. Young professionals choosing community over isolation, flexibility over permanence, and shared experiences over solitary comfort are not rejecting privacy; they’re redefining what home means in 21st-century urban India.
The belief that business success and social responsibility must go hand in hand is an approach that has earned immense respect among industry peers and government bodies. This same belief should guide co-living’s future: balancing profitability with genuine commitment to resident wellbeing, community building, and sustainable urban development.
For Pune—a city whose transformation Lalit Kumar Jain has significantly shaped—co-living spaces represent the next chapter in its evolution: one where technology, sustainability, and human connection converge to create urban living experiences that are both individually fulfilling and collectively enriching.
