Odisha: Homebuyers ditch city for green peace

One of the most planned cities in the country, Bhubaneswar is bursting at the seams with the city steadily turning into a concrete forest amid vanishing lung spaces. TOI takes a look at an interesting trend of homebuyers opting for greenery on the outskirts over city highrisesBhubaneswar’s housing market is in the middle of a clear shift with buyers choosing calm and greener fringe localities. From Tamando to Sundarpada to Madanpur and Raghunathpur, Chandaka to Hanspal and Phulnakhara, these fringe areas are being chosen over the congested core. The shift is primarily attributed to improved connectivity plans, steady price growth, the buyer’s interest in cooler and calmer areas and developer innovation. Not only private developers, but also govt entities are coming up with an ambitious plan to develop a Bhubaneswar New City comprising Gothapatna and Dasapur areas. The upcoming new city, which will offer inclusive residential and commercial spaces, is coming up on a whopping 800 acres of land.“People want breathable neighbourhoods without giving up access. Bhubaneswar, despite being one of the most planned cities of the country, is currently looking at congestion and other issues in its planned areas,” urban planner Ananya Rath said, adding that the southern and western regions like Tamando, Dhauli, Sundarpada and Jatni are becoming the city’s livability space.Concepts like biophilic and boutique real estate are also fast emerging as the trendsetter in the housing market in Bhubaneswar with new-age developers adapting to it. With health and fitness at core, biophilic real estate integrates nature into buildings to improve well-being. It offers designs with natural light, plants, organic materials, and outdoor access, boosting health, productivity and property appeal by tapping into the innate human need for nature.With the luxury housing segment seeing a rise in Tire II cities like Bhubaneswar, boutique apartments are the next best choice as developers are offering more personalized property experiences, focusing on quality service and unique properties rather than a broad array of listings. “The large projects coming up in the periphery of the city are blending these concepts,” Bhubaneswar-based developer Sangram Nayak said. This shift is also anchored by big-ticket infrastructure. The state has cleared a Rs 6,152 crore decongestion-and-expansion programme, including a 45‑km inner ring road (Tamando–Paikrapur and Dhauli–Tamando), a 111‑km outer ring road, flyovers, an elevated corridor for Jayadev Vihar–Nandankanan and widening of Sundarpada–Jatni road projects expected to push the growth to edge localities and reduce travel times. The Bhubaneswar Development Authority has already initiated town‑planning schemes across Zone IV at Dhauli and Tamando, using land readjustment to deliver roads and amenities before handing land parcels back to the owners, an approach meant to ensure orderly peri‑urban expansion. The recent announcement to add 364 new revenue villages under its fold is adding a piece to the cake.Fringe areas remain price-competitive versus prime addresses. According to market trends, the average asking prices from April to June 2025 of Rs 7,126 per sqft in Tamando and Rs 4,553 per sqft in Sundarpada, with citywide average at Rs 7,149 per sqft — numbers that continue to attract first‑time buyers and younger households.Affordability has inched up with the RBI’s cumulative 125 bps repo‑rate cuts in 2025, taking the policy rate to 5.25% and prompting banks to trim home‑loan rates. Analysts estimate Rs 50 lakh per 20‑year borrowers can save up to Rs 9 lakh in lifetime interest. Major lenders have begun revising benchmark lending rates and offers in December, improving entry affordability for new buyers and refinance prospects for existing ones.“Inquiries have doubled for periphery plots and mid‑rise apartments with solar roofs and rainwater harvesting. Buyers weigh total cost of ownership, EMI plus energy savings and maintenance, and fringe projects often win. RBI’s frequent repo rate cut is driving demands for home loans,” Asish Agrawal, a real estate analyst said.Priyanka Sahu, a first‑time buyer in Sundarpada, said, “There is no space in the core areas of the city. The existing projects are getting older and it is absolutely not wise to invest in them. At this time, it is wise to opt for a house on the outskirts. I have recently booked a flat at Raghunathpur. It is cooler and calmer there compared to the core parts of the city.”Experts said that as greenfield land in the core tightens, Bhubaneswar’s next phase hinges on redevelopment and peri‑urban consolidation along new corridors. “Infrastructure commitments, digital mortgages and a broader buyer base keep demand resilient, while stricter regulatory coordination improves trust,” real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan said.