Business boom on Raikot Road ahead of flight ops from Halwara

With the bookings open and the first flight set to take off soon from Halwara, the Raikot Road, from the city to the airport, is witnessing a surge in business investments.

A wave of optimism has swept through the real estate sector in and around the city.

To reach the Halwara International Airport, approximately 35 km from the city, commuters have to take the Raikot Road from Mullanpur. The travel time is around 50 minutes.

Real estate agents said there has been a surge in enquiries as investors believe properties along the road could yield promising returns. However, the sentiment is not entirely one-sided as some dealers are skeptical, pointing out returns will largely depend on the consistency and smooth functioning of flight operations.

A few commercial complexes have come up along the Ludhiana-Raikot Road.

A local, who has invested in a coffee shop around 2.5 km from the airport on the Ludhiana-Halwara road, expressed optimism and said it will pick up once flights are operational.

He said increased movement of travellers was expected to boost business and overall market activity in the area.

Urging caution before investing, Narinder Chabra from Chabra Properties said enquiries are rising but buyers are hesitant to commit. “People want to be sure the airport becomes fully functional, with adequate flight frequency and without operational hiccups, unlike what was seen at the Sahnewal airport,” he said.

He, however, pointed to a steep hike in property prices.

According to him, the property prices on the Mullanpur-Raikot road were Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per square yard, and now have gone up to Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per square yard.