Skyrocketing land costs deepen affordable housing crisis in Sirsa
Sirsa, located around 250 km from Delhi and Chandigarh, is witnessing an unprecedented surge in its real estate market despite lacking major industries or large-scale infrastructure. Property prices in government-approved colonies have touched record highs, putting land ownership beyond the reach of the average buyer.
HSVP auctions shatter records
A recent auction conducted by the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) on February 4, 2026, recorded unprecedented bids
A 14-marla plot in Sector-20 fetched Rs 4.81 crore, while another 14-marla plot in Sector-19 was sold for Rs 3.86 crore.
An official said although the department faced financial constraints in 2020, it has now turned profitable, with plots being sold exclusively through auctions. Around 200 more plots are set to go under the hammer soon
Businesspersons and traders are increasingly opting for plots on the city’s outskirts to build homes, drawn by relatively less congestion and improved facilities.
Residential plots are now selling between Rs 40,000 and Rs 1.25 lakh per square yard. In government-approved colonies, particularly HSVP sectors B, C, E-Block and F-Block, plot prices have crossed Rs 1 lakh per square yard. A 400-square-yard plot in these sectors now costs over Rs 4 crore.
Local real estate agents said the market remained sluggish between 2012 and 2019 but began recovering during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Since then, prices have skyrocketed. Neighbouring districts such as Fatehabad and Hisar have witnessed even sharper spikes.
Even plots earmarked for low-income families under the Deen Dayal Jan Awas Yojna are no longer affordable. Prices in these colonies have risen to Rs 30,000-45,000 per square yard, pushing the cost of a 100-square-yard plot beyond Rs 30 lakh.
In a recent high-value transaction, a 1,000-square-yard old building in the city centre was sold for Rs 39 crore. The plot has since been subdivided and resold at higher rates. New colonies on the outskirts are quoting prices starting at Rs 60,000 per square yard — affordable only to affluent buyers.
Unapproved colonies, legal risks
Concerns are mounting over unapproved colonies, where plots are often sold without proper registration. Buyers are forced to rely on agreements, and in some cases, houses have been demolished by the Department of Town Planning (DTP). While transactions in approved colonies proceed smoothly, some agents allegedly mislead buyers by selling unapproved plots for quick profits.
Agarwal Colony, among the largest residential areas in Sirsa, is nearly 60 per cent unapproved according to official records. Despite this, civic amenities such as sewage, water supply and electricity are available, and house tax is being collected.
Bhupender Kumar, an AC repairman, said he has been unable to find an affordable home for the past two months due to soaring rents. He urged the government to properly implement schemes for the poor and suggested developing new colonies at controlled prices.
Many transactions are also believed to undervalue properties to evade stamp duty and taxes.
An anonymous real estate agent blamed speculative practices for the spike. According to him, agents buy agricultural land at low prices, convert it into residential plots and resell them at steep margins. Meanwhile, after the closure of a local industry on Begu Road, land in the area is being carved out and sold as residential and commercial property.
