NCR’s Luxury Hotspots Are No Longer In City Centre, Where Is Luxury Housing Headed Next? Experts' Insight

India’s housing and real estate market has been witnessing remarkable growth for the past few years, and the National Capital Region has been one of the leaders in this pursuit. With infra projects like airports, new metro lines, expressways and highways connecting cities, the region’s housing market is witnessing a noticeable shift. Locations that once attracted homebuyers largely for their affordability are now emerging as preferred destinations for luxury housing developments.

The change is particularly visible across emerging corridors such as New Gurugram, Dwarka Expressway, Greater Southern Peripheral Road (GSPR), and the Noida and Greater Noida region, where a growing share of new launches is focused on larger homes and premium communities rather than budget housing.

According to NCR’s market watchers, the improvement in connectivity is playing a decisive role. Large infrastructure projects such as the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), the Dwarka Expressway and upgrades across Gurugram’s road network have significantly reduced travel times between emerging residential clusters and established business districts.

Infrastructure Boost Drives Pricing 

Meanwhile, the impact is already being reflected in property values. Data from Square Yards shows average residential prices along the GSPR corridor rose 18.4 per cent year-on-year to Rs 16,249 per sq ft. At the same time, the composition of the new supply is changing. Developers are increasingly launching projects dominated by 3, 4 and 5 BHK apartments, while smaller configurations are becoming less common.

Several premium projects in the micro-market are now priced at up to Rs 27,000 per sq ft, a level that would have been difficult to imagine for a peripheral location just a few years ago.

Luxury Housing Expands Its Addresses 

The discussion around luxury housing is no longer restricted to a handful of traditional addresses, said Ashok Singh Jaunapuria, Managing Director and CEO, SS Group.

“Buyers today are looking for larger homes, open spaces and a better overall living experience. Improved connectivity has made it possible for emerging locations like New Gurgaon & SPR to compete with established luxury markets. As a result, demand is moving towards well-planned communities that offer scale, amenities and convenience,”  Jaunapuria added.  

Echoing the same sentiments, Ravi Kant, co-founder of Elegance Enterprises and Elegance Infra, said the buyer profile in NCR’s emerging corridors has evolved considerably over the past few years.

Connectivity is now influencing homebuying decisions as much as location itself. Areas that were once considered distant are seeing strong interest because buyers can access workplaces and key city centres much faster than before,” Ravi Kant stated.

“At the same time, these locations offer larger homes, better planning and lifestyle amenities that are becoming increasingly important for end-users. This is one of the key reasons why premium housing is gaining traction across several emerging micro-markets in NCR,” he added. 

Regional Plan 2041 Could Drive Momentum Further 

The shift may gather further pace if planned infrastructure and urban development projects move ahead as scheduled.

Under the proposed Regional Plan 2041, the NCR Planning Board has outlined the creation of four greenfield “Namo Cities” across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. These nodes are expected to be integrated with regional transit networks and developed around mixed-use urban planning principles.

For the real estate market, the implications are already visible. Land values have been rising steadily across several emerging corridors, while new launches are increasingly skewed towards larger homes and premium developments. 

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Why Affordable Housing Is Taking A Back Seat 

Experts believe that improved connectivity has narrowed the gap between established urban centres and peripheral locations, allowing developers to market projects in newer areas to the same buyer pool that traditionally focused on central Gurugram and Delhi.

That shift is changing the character of NCR’s outskirts. Locations that once attracted buyers primarily because they were cheaper are now drawing attention for a different reason: the ability to offer larger homes, lower-density living and newer infrastructure. As a result, affordable housing is gradually taking a back seat in several of these micro-markets, while premium residential projects continue to dominate fresh supply.