Noor has done everything she was supposed to do — moved out, built a life, stayed independent. Yet beneath the neat routines and functional success lies a quiet emptiness she cannot name. Part of the Spill the Tea series, this story explores high-functioning loneliness, emotional flatness, and the unsettling fear of living a life that looks complete from the outside. The verandah was brighter than Noor expected. Morning light lay flat across the tiles, showing every faint scuff mark, every water stain from old monsoons. The air smelled of detergent from a neighbour’s washed curtains flapping overhead. On the table, the paneer patties waited in a cardboard bakery box I’d emptied onto a plate. A squeeze bottle of ketchup stood beside it, slightly sticky around the cap. Two cups of tea, steam already thinning. In one corner, a bamboo palm stood in a large terracotta planter. Thin stems. Too many leaves. Trying very hard to look like it belonged indoors. Noor sat down and pulled the chair ...
Union Budget 2026 Expectations: What India’s Real Estate Leaders Want to Sustain Housing Demand and urban growth As India steps into 2026, the real estate sector stands cautiously optimistic yet deeply reflective. With housing demand stabilising, infrastructure reshaping cities, and redevelopment redefining urban living, industry leaders now seek policy continuity rather than dramatic reform. Ahead of Union Budget 2026, developers urge the government to strengthen affordability, streamline approvals, rationalise taxation, and reinforce infrastructure-led growth to ensure long-term, inclusive urban progress. What is the real estate industry expecting from union budget 2026? As expectations build ahead of the Union Budget 2026, the mood across India’s real estate sector is not one of noise, but nuance. After a period of steady recovery and resilient end-user demand, developers are no longer seeking short-term stimulus alone. What they desire now is policy consistency, execution ...