How Road Connectivity Leads To Real Estate Growth

Most property brokers will make a big case out of an area's excellent road network and how this improves the appreciation value of a proposed property. But how exactly does this phenomenon work? What is the real 'connection' between better roads and better real estate values? Anil Pharande, Chairman - Pharande Spaces & Vice President - CREDAI Pune Metro, discusses how road connectivity helps the real estate growth.

Fundamentally, the creation of major roads reduces vehicle travel by cutting down the distance that needs to be traveled between destinations. This has a direct effect on residents in connected areas. With shorter distances, people can comfortably choose to travel public transport or two wheelers, thereby cutting down fuel expenses. This also decreases noise and air pollution in residential areas.

Improved road connectivity also improves the overall safety of a neighbourhoods. This is because it becomes easier for emergency services such as fire brigade and ambulances to reach them. Likewise, it is possible for residents to reach hospitals faster - this can sometimes make a difference between life and death.

Such an undertaking is also a blessing for employees working in the area's numerous manufacturing and service industries. In Indian cities, the amount of time it takes to get to and from one's workplace is an extremely important consideration. By allowing the residents of connected neighbourhoods to reach and return from their workplaces faster, the amount of time they can spend with their families increases significantly. The same paradigm applies to school-going children.

The Health 'Connection'

Reduced travel time also reduces the incidence of various physical ailments as well as stress levels. Longer travel times give rise to higher exposure to traffic pollution and extreme climate. Several serious health problems such as deep vein thrombosis and lung infections have been directly linked to extended automobile travel on a regular basis.

Similarly, road rage and reckless driving are often the direct result of the traffic congestion caused by insufficient road linkages. Also, as road connectivity improves further, the shorter travel distances can encourage the use of health-positive travel modes such a bicycles.

The Personal Finance 'Connection'

Ever-increasing fuel prices were once a concern only to the middle class - today, they have gone so high that even the more affluent classes are feeling the heat. Electric cars that can meet the travel requirements of a normal-sized family are still a distant dream. We hear that Tata Motors is developing a air-powered car, but it is unlikely that we will see such solutions on the roads for several more years to come. In the mean time, like it or not, we are dependent on fossil fuel-driven vehicles.

The magnitude of savings that are possible because of improved road connectivity must not be under-estimated. It is a known fact that the transportation expenses of residents in well-connected areas is lower; a lesser-known fact is that communities which live in areas without good road connectivity often spend between 10-15% of their monthly income on transportation alone. The figures rises proportionately to the number of vehicles the family operates.

The Real Estate 'Connection'

These are the reasons why road connectivity has such a massive impact on real estate prices. Simply put, there is a higher demand for homes in well-connected areas because they equal an easier, safer, healthier and more cost-effective way of life. In this context, the arrival of the PCMC Spine Road has become a game-changer for the region's real estate market.

For example, the Spine Road is a monumental contribution to the PCMC real estate sector by the Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA). This becomes evident when we study the benefits that this massive infrastructure initiative brings with it. The Spine Road is the latest initiative by PCNTDA's focus on location-efficient development.

The PCMC Spine Road connects two major highways and provides an access focus for the residential, commercial and industrial centres in the PCMC. As the longest stand-alone road within the PCNTDA limits, it is a significant step forward in relieving traffic congestion on internal roads. It also features six lanes with cycle tracks, service roads and parking facilities, thereby vastly improving the quality of living for all residents living along its perimeter.

The investment value of residential properties along the Spine Road has not been lost on investors, who are now making a beeline to residential developments in Moshi, which is one of the most prominent areas along this road.