It’s boom time for Raipur’s real estate
The capital’s property sector has undergone a massive transformation since Chhattisgarh achieved statehood. From a period when fewer than 500 houses were built annually, thousands of residential units are now constructed each year, propelling the annual real estate trade from `100 crore to approximately `5,000 crore. According to CREDAI reports, buyer demand for luxury housing has surged by 70%, with buyers increasingly seeking premium flats, and bungalows priced between `1 crore and `7 crore in high-rise towers reaching up to 23 floors. As the urban sprawl stretches across more than 30 km, resident preferences have pivoted toward secure, self-sustaining “covered colonies”.
240 e-buses to ply across four cities in state
The route for rolling out 240 eco-friendly saffron-coloured electric buses in Chhattisgarh is cleared. The buses are set for deployment across four key urban hubs—Raipur (100), Durg–Bhilai (50), Bilaspur (50), Korba (40). Designed to deliver an affordable and pollution-free transit experience, each bus will feature surveillance and passenger amenities. Security is reinforced with six CCTV cameras in every vehicle, while commuters can track live bus locations and purchase digital tickets directly through a mobile app. Urban Administration Principal Secretary Sonmoni Bora said the focus is on creating passenger-centric routes connecting major educational institutions, hospitals, and central commercial areas.
Why C’garh capital escapes severe winter
Rapid urban expansion, concrete structures, dense vehicular traffic, and depleting green spaces have turned Chhattisgarh’s capital into an “Urban Heat Island”. Over the last eight decades, the city’s average temperature has risen by nearly 2°C, with satellite data showing winter land surface temperatures rising from 24.7°C in 2000 to 28°C on Tuesday. According to meteorologists and ISRO findings, cold air advection from the Himalayas collides with the Satpura and Maikal mountain ranges before reaching Raipur. So, the city experiences severe cold waves only during rare events of strong northern winds. Its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer subjects the region to more direct sunlight also.
Ejaz Kaiser
Our correspondent in Chhattisgarh
ejaz@newindianexpress.com
