With Gurgaon, Faridabad and Panipat virtually reaching saturation point as far as real estate growth is concerned, smaller towns and cities of Haryana like Yamunanagar, Jagahdhri, Karnal, Sonepat, Rohtak etc are fast becoming the next destination for major realtors. And these private colonizers are wooing the small city denizens with `dream projects', promising high class and exclusive metro-type lifestyle right in their towns where narrow potholed roads, waterlogging, encroachments, drinking water problems, burglars, old fashioned houses and lack of other civic infrastructure are part and parcel of their everyday life.

The quality of development in tier-II towns in the state is not up to the mark. People want good roads and colonies, better water and power supply. They want schools for their children and markets in the vicinity, parking facilities and of course, security. Sectors developed by HUDA sectors planned, but the authorities have failed miserably to check encroachments on roadsides by house owners. Several house owners violate building norms with impunity. Newspapers are full of reports of complaints of deteriorating civic infrastructure in HUDA sectors. Private developers and builders are cashing in on the desire of people of these areas to get a feel of enjoying lifestyle of a big city by announcing projects with facilities like clubs, shopping areas, schools, sports complexes, parks etc.

With land (if available) prices touching the stratosphere in bigger cities, private developers are moving to smaller towns by purchasing chunks of lands in tier-II towns hoping to get a licence to go ahead with their projects sooner or later.

Ansals API has already started its projects in Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal and Kurukshetra districts of the state. It has also got a licence to develop a township `Sushant City' in Yamunanagar on Ratoli - Kheri road (sectors 12 and 13 of HUDA). The integrated township project will be launched in the next few weeks. Demarcation and survey to develop the `plush' township is in full swing. The company is going to invest Rs 250 crore in Yamunanagar project.

"Our focus is on tier-II cities", admits Nalin Chhabra, senior sales manager of Ansals API. He says that people are fed up of living in unplanned colonies and unhealthy conditions. According to him given an option they will not hesitate, even for moment to shift to better living condition, which they will find in Sushant cities.

The company will offer freehold plots of 200, 250, 359 and 503 sq yards. Ansals API is offering built up houses, villas and bungalows in its projects in Panipat and Kundali and villas in Kurukshetra. The company has offered luxury apartments and penthouses in Sushant city, Karnal which will come up over 350 acres. In Karnal has also offered `Sushant Royale', a premium group-housing complex within the township. The company has also offered Sonepat Greenscape in Sonepat and Sunshine county at Kundali.

According to Chhabra, the focus of Ansals API is on fast habitation. "A town means people and we plan townships in such a manner that people can move in to a whole new lifestyle at the earliest. Local people are the target group", says Chhabra.