The highway to a metro's success

ECONOMIC POTENTIAL: For the salaried middle class, a second apartment may just be a few hours drive down the new highway.

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CNN-IBN brings you a special series on India's new highways that will make up the golden quadrilateral.

Delhi-Jaipur highway: Once upon a time, rivers were the cradle of civilisation; but in 21 century India, the stakes have shifted to the country's spanking new highways.

These new roads may literally take you home, like it happened for Pranav Singh - a Kolkattan who decided to explore residential options while driving down the shining, brand new GQ.

Says he, "'We were driving down to Ajmer, we saw the place, we liked the ambiance, and decided to make an investment. We might go in for investment as a second home."

The wasteland is finally yielding gold and highways have sparked off a construction boom, welding money with habitations. One simply can't stop counting the beginnings of future townships.

Says a property consultant, Anurag Jain, "Previously, there was no major development. The road condition was not that good. People used to get stuck, and they never wanted the highway drive. But now, because of these expressways being developed, people are driving through highways - they are changing their way of life."

Property prices that will never come sliding down, and it appreciates thrice if it's next to the highway.

"As far as the highway is concerned, two-and-a-half-years ago, land parcels available along the highway used to cost Rs 10 to 15 lakh rupees a bigha. Now, the prices have appreciated to Rs 80 to 90 lakh rupees a bigha," adds Anurag Jain

The gold rush has begun and for the salaried middle class, that second apartment may just be a few hours drive down the new highway.

So, book your dream home now, all the mini-townships around highways become unaffordable.