GST 2.0 and Landscaping
- Rahul Wadhwa
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
India’s GST 2.0 reform, effective from September 22, 2025, has simplified taxation to two slabs — 5% and 18%. For most industries, it’s about compliance and pricing. But for the landscaping sector, this shift directly affects how we build public spaces, private projects, and even long-term infrastructure.
At Cobble Stone Pvt. Ltd., we’ve seen how GST rates influence material choices on the ground. A few percentage points can decide whether a client picks durable natural stone or short-life alternatives. With GST 2.0, the balance has shifted in favor of longevity and sustainability.
🪨 Hardscape: The Big Winner
Hardscape — paving, walls, steps, cladding — often makes up the bulk of landscape budgets. Here, the rate cuts are significant:
Raw natural stone blocks (granite, marble, sandstone, basalt, quartzite) → 12% ➝ 5%
Kota stone, slate, unfinished stone, inlay work → 12% ➝ 5%
Sand-lime and fly-ash bricks → 12% ➝ 5%
Cement → 28% ➝ 18%
Finished marble and granite slabs → 28% ➝ 18%
These changes alone reduce GST on core landscape materials by 7–10%. For a medium-sized project in Delhi NCR or Pune, that could mean ₹8–10 lakhs in savings on tax alone.
Concrete blocks, precast pavers, and clay bricks remain at earlier levels (18% and 5% respectively).
🌱 Softscape: Greenery Stays Affordable
Softscape elements were already at the lower slab and remain there:
Plants, saplings, nursery stock → 5%
Turf and lawn grass rolls → 5%
Soil, compost, manure, cocopeat → 5%
Bamboo and cane products → 5%
This ensures greenery remains accessible — not just for premium projects but also for public parks, smart city corridors, and institutional campuses.
🏗️ Structures & Frameworks
The framework — pergolas, gazebos, railings, planters, furniture — continues under the 18% standard slab:
MS and SS structures for pergolas, gazebos, trellises → 18%
Outdoor furniture (wood, stone, metal, fiberglass) → 18%
Planters (stone, ceramic, terracotta, MS/SS, fiberglass) → 18%
Polycarbonate sheets, tensile roofing, composites → 18%
No change here, but these are one-time investments with a long lifespan when done right.
💡 Lighting & Electrical
Lighting is where sustainability gets rewarded:
Solar-powered garden/street lights → 12% ➝ 5%
Non-solar LED garden/path lights → 18%
Electrical wiring, conduits, panels → 18%
In practical terms, a residential society that installs solar bollards for pathways will now spend less upfront while saving energy long term.
💧 Drainage & Water Management
Flooding and waterlogging are some of the biggest issues we see during monsoons. Unfortunately, most drainage and irrigation products remain at the 18% slab:
RCC/polymer drains, HDPE pipes → 18%
SS/MS gratings for stormwater → 18%
Irrigation systems (sprinklers, drip, controllers) → 18%
Pumps for fountains and irrigation → 18%
While rates haven’t changed, the role of these systems in climate-resilient landscapes is more critical than ever.
🌊 Water Features
Water features remain a luxury for many projects, but natural finishes get relief:
Stone waterfall cladding → 12% ➝ 5%
Fountains, ponds, reflecting pools, liners, filtration → 18%
This makes stone-based water elements more competitive against artificial cladding or composite alternatives.
🪑 Outdoor Amenities
Outdoor use items — fire pits, barbecue counters, dustbins, bollards, bicycle racks — all remain at 18%. These are secondary cost drivers but essential for usability.
🔑 What Changed the Most
✅ 12% ➝ 5%: Raw natural stone blocks, Kota, slate, inlay work, sand-lime bricks, fly-ash bricks, solar lights, waterfall stone cladding
✅ 28% ➝ 18%: Cement, finished marble and granite
⚖️ Still 5%: Plants, turf, compost, bamboo
⚖️ Still 18%: MS/SS structures, outdoor furniture, non-solar lights, drainage, irrigation
🌱 What It Means for Projects
Hardscape got cheaper → Stone paving, cladding, and cement-based works are now significantly lighter on tax.
Softscape stays affordable → Greenery remains at 5%, ensuring plantations are accessible.
Renewables rewarded → Solar lighting is now in the lowest slab.
Overall savings → For large-scale landscapes, GST savings alone can cut 8–12% from total material budgets.
💭 Our Perspective at Cobble Stone Pvt. Ltd.
This reform is a good step. But the bigger opportunity is what we do with it.
India needs more corridors, open green spaces, and public infrastructure that lasts a lifetime. Lower GST should not just ease private projects — it should help governments and developers channel savings into parks, plazas, highstreets, and public landscapes.
Natural stone, greenery, and solar lighting are materials that last and pay back over time. If we use them wisely, GST 2.0 can become the foundation of a more sustainable, self-reliant India.
At Cobble Stone, our mission since 1953 has been simple: build for generations, not just years.
✅ Final Word:
GST 2.0 makes landscaping more cost-effective, but it’s also a call to action. By choosing materials that last — stone, plants, renewables — we can ensure India’s landscapes are not just affordable, but resilient, sustainable, and built for the people.