kolkata s only real estate magazine i vol 9 i issue 3 i ... · developer: arihant e developer...

Kolkata’s only real estate magazine I Vol 9 I Issue 3 I October 2013

real-ties

TM

SECTOR VT H E G R E A T P O T E N T I A L O F

SUCCESS STORY:

South City MallSUCCESS STORY:

South City Mall

INTERVIEW WITH

harSh Patodia

ON INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN

THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

INTERVIEW WITH

harSh Patodia

ON INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN

THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

MK Jalan ON HOW ALIPORE

IS BECOMING KOLKATA’S

SAFEST PIN CODE!

MK Jalan ON HOW ALIPORE

IS BECOMING KOLKATA’S

SAFEST PIN CODE!

“KOLKATA WAS THE FIRST

GREAT MODERN CITY IN ASIA”

aMit Chaudhuri

“KOLKATA WAS THE FIRST

GREAT MODERN CITY IN ASIA”

aMit Chaudhuri

real-ties

TM

K o l k a t a’s o n l y r e a l e s t a t e m a g a z i n e

To advertise: Call 033 4040 1010/6620 1010 | [email protected]

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opinion makers.Big spenders.

Prospective buyers.

Let your popularity soar with Eastern India’s biggest and most powerful real estate magazine.

Land area: 33 cottahs

Number of blocks: Single tower

Number of loors: 17

Number of lats: 16

Unit size: 4,377 – 4,815 sq. t

Open space: 81 percent

Completion time: April 2015

Location: Jodhpur Park

Developer: Arihant

he developer speaks: “Cavetto was conceived in a rather unique way. Ater building the city’s various landmarks for years, perhaps, it was apt to

ask ourselves, what was our dream abode? Cavetto is an expression of our shared vision. It ofers more than a contemporary lifestyle. It’s a diferent

way of life! Eye for minute construction and quality details, and unique planning, are the two hallmarks of this project which makes it so special.

Come, embrace the Cavetto life. We assure you, you will cherish the decision forever. A casual glance at the state-of-the-art elevation is sure to

leave you spellbound. he well-researched and unique features spoil you for choices. here is a triple height sky deck with glass railing, yoga

lawn, exclusive health club, air-conditioned banquet hall, executive lounge, beautiful landscaped gardens with jogging track, exquisitely decorated

double height entrance lobby to name a few. he superior inishing and premium ittings leave nothing to be desired.”

Arihant Cavetto

Jodhpur Park

C o n t a c t : 0 3 3 4 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 / 6 6 2 0 1 0 1 0 | E m a i l : s a l e s @ n k r e a l t o r s . c o m

October 2013 /real-ties/02

N. K. Realtors (P) Ltd.9, Elgin Road (4th Floor),Kolkata – 700020, IndiaTel: 033 4040 1030/6620 1010Web: www.nkrealtors.com

For feedback, write to us at [email protected]

DISCLAIMER

he publisher, contributors and editor

are not responsible in any way for the

actions or results taken by any person

or organisation on the basis of reading

information, stories or contributions in

this publication. he views expressed

are their own.

For all real estate queries, please call the

customer care at: 033 4040 1010/6620 1010 anytime between 8 a.m. to 10

p.m. (IST), 7 days a week.

Content published in Real-Ties is an

exclusive intellectual property of the

Department of Public Relations and

Corporate Communications –

N. K. Realtors Pvt. Ltd.

N.B. For free circulation, not for sale.

INSIDE

COVER STORy

Mudar Patherya explains how Sector V has emerged as a home for IT and non-IT companies in the last decade. With real estate becoming more expensive, he enquires whether the location has a future.

The great potential of

Sector V

Editor: Biplab Kumar

Co-ordinator: Sanjay Adhikary

Proof reader: Sandip Das

Distribution: Abhijit Kar and

Bandhu Sundar Ghosh

Database management: Sonti Nag

Advertising: Anuraj Dhar

(+91 9674107979)

Creative:

Cover photo: Roman Chakraborty

Q&A

President CREDAI Bengal Harsh

Patodia ofers an inclusive idea on

how to make the real estate’s growth

sustainable .......................................... 10

A Transforming pin code: Tangra

Raj Pasari explains how and why

Tangra has emerged on the map for

real estate developers ........................ 32

Riverside

Kirti Patodia explains why Unimark

Riviera is one of the most uniquely

conceived projects in Kolkata ......... 14

80-year old turns green and young!

How the heritage CESC House turned

the clock back ninety years through a

landmark green energy initiative .... 42

Interior Designer of the Quarter

Designer Swarup Dutta dissects

Jhaal Farezi, explaining how each

corner celebrates a vibrant Indian

culture................................................. 12

he great Bhubaneswar emergence

What makes Bhubaneswar the second

largest city in Eastern India? ............ 36


Dear reader,

In Kolkata, there is always an ongoing struggle –

between a heritage quietly asserting itself and a future

that is strongly emerging.

his issue captures this reality faithfully.

here is Sector V that was once the exclusive preserve

of IT companies that is now evolving into a multi-

business commercial hub with exciting potential as

the region expects to get its irst metro link over the

next few years. he cover story of our issue not only

addresses this evolving character but also positions

Sector V as an economic driver of the future of the city.

here is a rich heritage presenting a case for heritage

properties, which is helping make Kolkata a distinctive

Indian city marrying diverse architectural inluences.

Is there a room for these properties in a Kolkata that

needs modernisation? Writer Amit Chaudhuri makes

an impassioned case for their preservation; in fact, he

goes to the extent to make a case for the preservation of

complete neighbourhoods.

Besides, CREDAI Bengal Chairman Harsh Patodia

presents an argument related to sectoral sustainability.

here is a growing focus on Tangra as an emerging

residential pin code which has been captured in

this issue. Do write in if you have observations or

suggestions at [email protected].

Wish you all a prosperous Diwali. Happy reading!

Team NK

Success Story: South City Mall

Man Mohan Bagree explains how

South City mall became the single

biggest Kolkata retail success story in

the last ive years ...............................46

Gossipwallah

What’s the grapevine in Kolkata’s real

estate sector? he proverbial ly on the

wall picks up interesting stuf .......... 50

Transforming neighbourhoods

Celebrated writer Amit Chaudhuri

explains how Kolkata is fast losing its

rich architectural heritage ............... 44

Freewheeling

Mudar Patherya ofers an interesting

choice for getting some excitement

back to life – active participation in

your building committee! ................ 54

Community Responsibility

MK Jalan talks about how electronic

surveillance has made Alipore Kolkata’s

safest pin code ....................................28

Leena Kejriwal’s old Kolkata

Ace photographer Leena Kejriwal

delves into the past and emerged with

beautiful images of a Calcutta long

forgotten ............................................ 16

Fire safety in high rises

How global building codes endure ire

safety in high-rises ............................ 20

Celebration time

N K Realtors honours its corporate

family members who have been a part

of its organisation over the last decade ..

...............................................................22

EDITORIAL


SECTOR VT H E G R E A T P O T E N T I A L O F


When a pebble drops in Sector V, the ripples are felt across Kolkata. For years, real estate pundits have

used this term to describe the inter-connectedness of

Kolkata with its principal sotware exporting pocket.

With good reason: it is estimated that 60 percent of

all real estate purchases in Kolkata are made by those

directly or indirectly associated with information

technology. Which means that as soon as a young

techie inds a job in Sector V or has been promoted, the

time has come to look for one’s own home. And sure

enough, the techie inds a mortgage inance company

to fund a large part of the purchase, a house (blueprint

really) is identiied, instalments addressed, construction

progressively completed and soon the techie has a home.

Over the last decade, a majority of some 70,000 such

professionals who have come to work in Sector V have

found themselves homes within this 432-acre pocket on

the Eastern fringe of Kolkata, creating a base for realty

in and around Sector V as well as across the city.

Something interesting has begun to transpire in the

last couple of years in Sector V. Realty prices have risen

signiicantly. Will this mean the gradual decline of

Sector V as a competitive export destination, gradually

slowing the realty sector? Will this mean an inlux of

more promoters keen to develop larger properties to

service the growing needs of the IT industry?

Read on.

Appreciation overdueSector V realty was priced at around ` 2,500 sq. t for

ownership and ` 25 a sq. t for renting about a decade

ago. By 2013, these rates had moved to ` 5,000 and

` 50 respectively.

hen came two triggers – the across-the-board increase

in realty prices in Kolkata, which made Sector V look

relatively cheap; the announcement that inally Sector V

would be connected by the proposed East-West Metro.

Suddenly, all those companies who had stayed away

from Sector V – on the grounds that the place was too

far – now began to consider this as the best emerging

place to work out of. “Sector V is already a mature tech-

town. In the next two years, the metro construction

should be complete, then it will deinitely be preferred

by companies for oices and the youngsters working

in the laSt deCade, SeCtor V in

KolKata haS eMerged aS a hoMe for

it and non-it CoMPanieS. With real

eState beCoMing More exPenSiVe,

doeS the PoCKet haVe a future,

aSKS Mudar Patherya


in Sector V for their residence,” says Sushil Mohta,

Managing Director of Merlin Group of Companies.

In the last couple of years, there has been a convergence

of social and physical infrastructure in Sector V, which

has inevitably led to its reappraisal as a compelling

commercial destination. “here is an increasing

preference to work out of locations that provide places

to eat, relax and socialise, which has begun to happen

in Sector V of late,” says Ravindra Chamaria, Chairman

& Managing Director, Ininity Infotech Parks Limited.

“here is a greater recognition today among intending

corporates of the world-class assets that we established

a decade ago. As a result, those who engaged in cost-

beneit analyses vis-a-vis working out of Kolkata’s

central business district are more than willing to

relocate to Sector V now than before.”

Moving inhere are some compelling reasons that have swung

the argument in favour of Sector V. One, the Kolkata

IT pocket comprises at least eight buildings that have

been acknowledged as among the best in the country.

Two, the loor-to-loor distance of 4 m in each of these

buildings and loor-to-ceiling height of

four metres compares favourably with

4 m in the rest of Kolkata. hree, these

buildings provide a general span of 10 m

x 10 m which enhances space eiciency

compared with 6 to 8 m x 6 to 8 m in

Kolkata today. Four, these buildings

provide one parking lot for every 750

sq. t of built-up space compared with

Kolkata where most oices do not have

more than a handful of parking spaces.

Five, these buildings provide complete air-

conditioning, broadband, 100 percent power back-up

and cleaner air (on account of green building status for

most). Six, these buildings provide a 12,000 sq. t food

court, which serves the needs of the working population

compared with roadside eating in Kolkata’s CBD.

he result is that Sector V has now begun to draw

a diferent kind of customer: the non-IT company.

Bengal Shriram, the real estate company. Shyam Steel,

the growing steel and resources company. Lux Cozi,

the innerwear company from Burrabazar. “here is a

greater need for these companies to provide a superior

working environment to their people and Sector V

realty has been able to do just that,” explains Pawan

Agarwal of NK Realtors. “here was a time when the

Kolkata companies could not think beyond BBD Bag.

he transition has begun to happen.”

Losing character? Which brings us to next important question: Will the

growing inlux of non-IT companies in Sector V reduce

the availability of realty for IT and ITeS businesses? Will

the provision of 20 percent of realty space for non-IT

businesses be exceeded and consequently erode the IT

character of this Kolkata geography?

Two factors could protect the competitiveness of Sector

V, according to Ravindra Chamaria, the man credited

for having put Sector V on the map following his

landmark Ininity Tower One which was built in the

year 2000. “Even in a place like Topsia, the going rate

for commercial property is ` 85 per sq. feet while it is

` 40-45 per sq. feet in Sector V for considerably better

property, which indicates that the latter location still

provides superior value. Besides, a comparable place in

Bangalore is priced at ` 60-65 per sq. t, which makes

Sector V nationally competitive. In fact, I would go to

the point of saying that Sector V provides one of the

most competitive holistic sotware development costs

in the country - transport cost per Sector V employee

is not much more than ` 500 per month while the

corresponding igure for a place like Bangalore is

` 1,500; besides, employee remuneration in Sector V

is 15 percent more competitive than in Bangalore or

Hyderabad. Plus our workspace quality in Sector V is

much better than the national average. So there is a

strong case for Sector V to a preferred IT-

BPO workplace over the foreseeable future.”

Mr Chamaria is putting his money where

his mouth is. His company, Ininity Infotech

Parks Limited, owns four commercial

buildings (3.5 mn sq. t) in Sector V (two of

them are platinum rated green buildings).

“Looking at the brighter side, Sector V has

become a big business hub with various

IT and infrastructure companies stationed

there,” explains Pradeep Sureka, Managing

Director of the Sureka Group. “It is not

considered far because people are considering moving

to Rajarhat with the coming of the metro rail. he

preference for Sector V is better than Dalhousie now.

Even if there is an IT slowdown, the location will do

well as a working place.”

So if Sector V is to do better even as a non-IT location,

the immediate demand is that the cap on non-IT

companies in Sector V be relaxed. here is a growing

school of thought that indicates that a 40-50 percent

proportion of non-IT companies should be ideal.

“Currently, it is only 20 percent which is amongst the

lowest in India,” explains Sushil Mohta, Managing

Director of Merlin Properties. “he ‘IT only’ tag should

be removed and it should be open to all as the IT and

ITeS companies largely depend on non-IT companies. If

both are there, the area will get a illip.”

he blockers Wherever there is opportunity, can problems be far

behind? “Sector V is the new Dalhousie of Kolkata but

the large problem are the roads,” says Professor Jayanta

he Kolkata IT pocket

comprises at least eight

buildings that have been

acknowledged as among

the best in the country.


Nath Mukhopadhyay, Dean, Globsyn Crystals. “he

roads are like a para ka gali. he power, net and other

basic facilities are good but the roads and encroachment

are deinitely an issue.”

his apathy is everywhere. It starts from the moment

you enter Sector V. A bus stops in the middle of the

road, bringing all trailing traic to a stop. Pavements

are dominated by hovels masquerading as eateries. It is

diicult to ind parking space. he policeman is almost

non-existent. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes to get across

100 m. “Sector V is Hong Kong inside the buildings and

the ghats of Benaras on the outside. One MNC customer

who came into Kolkata looking for IT property, saw

the mess, asked the driver to make an about-turn to the

airport and lew back,” says Ravindra Chamaria.

Sushil Mohta is more emphatic. “All you see are hawkers,

hawkers and hawkers! When entrepreneurs and overseas

companies come to see the oice spaces in Sector V, it

gives a bad impression,” says Sushil Mohta. “Any city or

urban infrastructure is like a showcase for the state. If you

go to a shop and see a good show window, you’ll enter

but if the show window is messy, you will think twice

before coming in. his is the image of Sector V. We need

to make our urban fabric nice and clean. We need clean,

well-maintained roads. Unless we take steps to correct the

state of the infrastructure there, it’ll be diicult to attract

the MNCs who will be reluctant coming into a town

whose basic amenities are shoddy!”

However, there is hope. he Nabadiganta Industrial

Township Authority (NDITA) has decided to repair

seven major roads in Sector V. “Repair work for seven

roads will be taken up for high-grade mastic asphalt

for which ` 15 crore will be spent. Tenders for the

road repair work will be loated within the next couple

of days and all the tenders will be e-tenders,” said

NDITA chairman Alapan Bandyopadhayay, adding that

repair work of other roads will also be taken up which

amounts to around ` 1 crore. All the important stretches

like the road leading to Rajarhat from Salt Lake Bypass

via SDF building and the one leading to Webel Bhavan

among others will be beneitted.

he take-of Interestingly, Kolkata’s IT-BPO industry is now waiting

for the clean-up to happen. It is proceeding to create

infrastructure in anticipation. Even though Sector V has

a 70 percent occupancy today with 70,000 engineers,

it has the infrastructure to house 200,000 engineers in

three years based on the reality that annual employment

growth in Sector V is a steady 20-25 percent.

his means that in a few years from now if Sector V

occupancy increases to 100 percent of the enhanced

infrastructure capacity, then exports, which took

more than a decade to get to nearly ` 7,000 crore, can

potentially treble in half that time.

Creating an unprecedented demand for new homes and

lifestyles catering to a new generation of knowledge

workers.

Seven changes that can graduate Sector V into the next league

By Sushil Mohta

Managing Director

Merlin Group

1 Clean the roads: What is needed is regular road

repair and maintenance.

2 Make proper parking lots for taxi stands and

buses.

3 Provision for Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRT)

in and around the E. M. Bypass with dedicated

bus tracks.

4 Forbid autos and taxis from parking on the

road.

5 Have some percentage of land dedicated to auto

terminals, bus terminals and taxi terminals.

6 Introduce signages indicating designated

parking zones.

7 Provide food kiosks to vendors and educate

them on health and hygiene. Create a hawkers’

corner like in hailand and Singapore.

Technopolis - Kolkata’s irst green IT park


For decades, the crème de la crème of

Kolkata’s real estate industry marketed

properties for the crème de la crème.

he high-end catering to the high-end.

However, refreshing winds of change are

beginning to blow.

Harsh Patodia, Chairman and Managing

Director, Unimark Group and President

Credai Bengal has an inclusive idea to ofer

to make the sector’s growth sustainable. He

explains the idea in an interview.

Q What is the gist of your broad idea of

industry growth?

In two words – inclusive growth. For decades, the

largest real estate players in Bengal have marketed

properties for the high-end of customers. We inally

have a suggestion on how the largest can make

properties also for the bottom rung of the market

without that afecting their sustainability.

Q How is this likely to be

possible?

Bengal is one of the few states in the

country where the Urban Land Control

Regulation Act is still prevalent. Over the

decades, successive Bengal governments

have felt that the ULCRA has played

a responsible role in curbing speculative land

acquisition and pricing. he reality is that the Act

makes it diicult to acquire large land tracts. he

result is that the large low income housing projects

are virtually non-existent in West Bengal. he time

has come to correct this reality.

Q hrough what speciic initiatives?

A really simple idea. Let us say that I intend to

launch a project on a property that is larger than

what is speciied under the ULCRA. In

this case, I should be required to go to

the government for permission to build

on it. he government should be willing

to provide me with permission provided

I can set aside a certain percentage of

the area for low-income customers and

for social uplitment projects (vocational

training, crèche, heathcare among others).

his arrangement would ensure that the

interests of the high and low-income customers

would be jointly addressed within the same business

model.

he government should be willing

to provide me with permission

provided I can set aside a certain

percentage of the area for low

income customers and for social

uplitment projects (vocational

training, crèche, heath care etc.).

Q&A


QWhy is this an idea whose time has

come?

For some good reasons. One, a large

percent of the shortage of homes in India

is drawn from the lower income segment.

Two, urban migration is increasing; the

proportion of India that lives in its urban

centres has increased from 21 percent in

2001 to 24 percent in 2011 (Source: IIHS

Analysis based on Census of India, 2011) -

and likely to rise further, which makes

it imperative for the country to be able

to provide homes to accommodate the

inlow. hree, it is increasingly evident

that one of the best ways to ensure

local safety is by empowering people to buy their

homes, so the moment one can solve this problem

for the population’s majority, you inevitably create a

foundation based on social security.

QWhy is this particularly relevant for

West Bengal today?

To answer this, one must be able to link

opportunities related to ULCRA with the low-

cost home problem. When you work without the

ULCRA, one is immediately able to create large

properties where it is possible to amortise focused

costs more efectively and hence price properties

more afordably. So the catch lies in being able to

weave a solution that makes it possible for builders to

ofer low cost housing in the state without removing

the ULCRA.

Q Is it possible?

Absolutely! Just consider: I want to build on a 50 acre

property, which would be much higher than what

would be permitted by ULCRA. All I would now

have to do is request the government for a relevant

permission. he permission could be as follows:

permission to be granted only if the builder promises

to leave aside a certain percentage of the area for low

income housing where the selling price is already set

by the government and a certain percentage of the

area for a social infrastructure project that enhances

vocational training or employment. his would be a

win-win proposition – for the government, consumer,

builder and community.

QHasn’t this been tried earlier as part of the government mixed-income residential

projects?

yes, it has but there were some handicaps

in the earlier model – this could only be

attempted on land that the government

owned, which was subsequently developed

by private builders in a collaborative

model. he time has come for this new

alternative, which makes the private

builder responsible for procuring the

land without government intervention and reserves

the government’s role to that of a policy-making

facilitator.

QWhy do you think this model has a future?

Because it is sustainable. No builder will like to

build properties and sell them for a fraction of the

prevailing value if there is an option to market them

at higher prices. But if there were an incentive – as

one that has been proposed - there would be a

greater builders’ interest in doing so. Besides, low-

income buyers would get good quality homes with

amenities they otherwise could never have imagined!

QWhat are some of the other advantages likely to emerge from this?

he one point that most people would not even

consider at irst is that this is perhaps the most

efective way of transferring a community from a

non-gated environment to a gated environment.

When people shit from residential paras into

standalone buildings, they lose a sense of

community. his proposal makes it possible to retain

the sense of community; just look at what happened

in Sherwood Estate where you now have 1,300

families within one vibrant complex - that is the

future for a state like West Bengal.

Advantages

of the model

Pioneering

model in India

Inclusive

model

Infrastructural

growth

Social

uplitment of

the locality

Addresses the

government’s

priority of

facilitating

residential

needs of lower

income buyers

Higher tax

collection

from such

properties

Strong

community

beneit

Permission could be granted only

if the builder promises to leave

aside a certain percentage of the

area for low-income housing

where the selling price is already

set by the government and a

certain percentage of the area

for a social infrastructure project

that enhances vocational training

or employment.


Stainless Steel Commode. 1,700-Wine Bottle Chandelier. ‘Ay

Babua’. And Food...A conversAtion with designer And scenogrApher swArup duttA on the crAzy

10,000 sq feet JhAAl fArezi restAurAnt, winner of ‘the telegrAph AwArd’ for the best debutAnte KolKAtA restAurAnt.

People don’t go to Jhaal Farezi to eat; they go to stare at the walls. hey don’t just walk and get a table;

they need to book three days in advance at times. he ‘wow’ of a makeover of an old bungalow (one

usually didn’t look at twice) into a retro showpiece by architect Channa Daswatte was stewarded to its

logical conclusion by visualiser and interior designer Swarup Dutta.

he themeHarsh Neotia bought this old bungalow near the seven-

point Park Circus junction with the objective to create

a dining experience with a visual novelty. Since the site

for the restaurant was an 80-year-old colonial bungalow,

I was briefed to preserve the original structure and

recreate the interiors with diferent ambiences, blending

with the exteriors being restored by architect Channa

Daswatte. he research took two months

coupled with six months for restoration

and eight months for execution.

he unusual First, the theme. Seldom do spaces celebrate

the country and its folk culture. If you go

to an Italian restaurant in Kolkata, you’ll

see Italian artwork. Why not celebrate

our culture for a change? Most people

would have stuck with Bollywood but

India is more than just Bollywood. So we

concentrated on folk music and cultural

nuances generally ignored. For example,

the café has a number of posters with

Bhojpuri double-meaning songs; no better place than

Kolkata to celebrate this inspired by migrant labourers

from Bihar and UP staying together in their ‘mess’

(bachelors’ pad). So a lot of their songs and dances had

sexual overtones. We named the series ‘Rough songs

of the mango people.’ We juxtaposed these images with

images of Kalighat ‘patas’ from around the Kalighat

Temple of 150 years ago. We also developed a ‘signage

on platters’ stating ‘Khao Piyo Jiyo’. In the music room,

we used handcrated appliqué work from Odisha and

Barmer complemented with posters of Bollywood songs

and lyrics. hen we used neon lights reminiscent of

old Kolkata. We developed an artwork of neon letters

on multi-coloured wooden platter celebrating Ghalib’s

“Hazaaron khwaaishey aisi ki har khwaaish pe dum nikle.”

We created a chandelier comprising 1,700 recyclable

wine bottles. he exposed brickwork café décor was

inspired by the city’s industrial past.

Five crazy cornersTable for two in the café hidden from the

rest (intimate conversations!). Barber chairs

and poofs for a casual adda. Sitting hand-

in-hand in the music room. Fine dining in

the ‘mela room’ under the 1,700 wine-bottle

chandelier (objects from fairs, rustic tables,

Murshidabad geometric kantha upholstery,

ancestral portraits trivialised by quirky

dolls). Drama queen room for kitty parties.

Five whacky objectsSalacious Bhojpuri posters. Turn-of-the-

century drating tables used in ine dining.

We kept the old oxidised red looring and

stained glass windows. Old bottle jar light chandelier

in the mocktail bar area. he 1,700 recycled wine bottle

chandelier. he checker plate toilets with stainless steel

commode! he bar lightings made from buckets and

funnels put on industries pulleys.

Café, fine dining, music room and alfresco terrace garden with a sit-out.42, Circus Avenue, Kolkata, Phone: 6502 0202 www.jhaalfarezi.in

“We developed an artwork of neon

letters on multi-coloured wooden

platter celebrating Ghalib’s

Hazaaron khwaishey aisi ki har

khwaish pe dum nikle.”

– Swarup Dutta


RiversideAn enterprise by the Heritage Realty Group,

Unimark was founded by Mr. Harsh Vardhan Patodia

(President CREDAI Bengal and Vice President

CREDAI National). Unimark’s project portfolio of

over ten million square feet comprises projects such as

he Unimark Asian (Nominated for WAN Awards),

he Unimark Grand, Ramsnehi Unimark Tower,

Eternia, Sherwood Estate (CNBC Crisil Award for

Best Residential Complex in Eastern India), Trinity,

Heritage Mayfair (Brick and Mortar Award for Best

Property). We now would like to present Unimark

Riviera, a premier residential development located on

the banks of the Ganges River in Uttarpara designed

to completely surpass all expectations and present the

river to you unlike anything before.

Unimark Riviera �Address: 20 & 22 B Grand Trunk Road, Uttarpara, West Bengal - 712253

Apartments: Approximately 500

Towers (5): Affinia, Regalia, Marina, Luxuria and Oceania Options for sky terraces and private gardens

Promoter: Unimark

Contact: 033 4040 1010/6620 1010

Email: [email protected]

Kirti PatodiaDirector, Unimark

unimArK is one of KolKAtA’s lArgest reAl estAte development compAnies with proJects Across residentiAl, commerciAl, industriAl, retAil

And entertAinment verticAls.


What makes Unimark Riviera unique?Unimark Riviera is a convergence of a number of

unique realities.

he location in Uttarpara is close to upcoming

infrastructure projects such as the Dakshineshwar

Metro Station, well connected via the Bally Bridge

and has a lovely view of the Dakshineshwar Temple.

his makes it one of the irst instances of a full-ledged

integrated high-rise riverside real estate ofering in the

area.

A distinctive value-for-money proposition comes with

Unimark Riviera: 2-BHK and 3-BHK apartments across

a variety of price categories and a residential club: River

Island equipped with seven-star luxury facilities and

amenities. hese amenities comprise a high-tech gym,

ininity-edge swimming pool, children’s splash pool,

spa/steam and massage room, yoga-cum-meditation

hall, indoor games area, sports area, club lounge,

riverside cycling and jogging track, outdoor games area,

riverside promenade, in-house cafeteria, mini-movie

theatre and an air-conditioned banquet hall.

Unimark Riviera enjoys over 500 feet of riverside

frontage, with over 90 percent of the apartments having

direct river views. his gives our homeowners the

opportunity to witness the sunrise every morning along

the banks of the river.

he unique international architecture by Mr. Stephen

Coates (of the award-winning Acta International based

in Singapore) and Mr. Raj Agarwal as well as landscape

design by Mr. Brendon Chamberlain (of WAHO

Design) complements the magniicence of the river.

Unimark Riviera is also integrated with Unimark

Square, which ofers over 70,000 sq. t. of premium

retail and commercial space with provisions for banks,

pharmacies, restaurants, cafes, entertainment and retail

outlets as well as general stores to provide a living

experience with amazing access to a number of facilities

at one’s doorstep.

What is the big message that you want to send out?hat this is the irst time that a world-class, high value

proposition is being extended to suburban Kolkata.

hat Unimark Riviera is a one-of-a-kind project with

a brilliant and innovative design, a luxury lifestyle

component and an amazing connection with nature.

Unimark Riviera has something

for everyone - a great choice for

homeowners.

Unimark Riviera has

over 500 feet of riverside

frontage, with over 90

percent of the apartments

having direct river views.


Leena Kejriwal (b.1968) is one of Kolkata’s most prominent photographers

and installation artists. Brand ambassador for Fuji India. Artist-in-residence

in France. Her seminal work Calcutta: Repossessing the City was launched as

a book in 2007. Her work was a part of Sotheby’s Spring Asian Art auction in

March 2009. She also created a two-part photography installation called East

City for Birla Academy of Art and Culture in February 2010. he show was

displayed in New Delhi as Entropic Sites (January 2011), in Iran as I saw that

which remained unseen (June 2011) and its latest version in Berlin as When

violence became decadent.

Leena Kejriwal

LEENA KEJRIWAL’SOLD KOLKATA

he Sovabazar Rajbari.


“i have put down a collection here which highlights Kolkata’s quirkiness to me, which i think is its main usp. i won’t exchange it for any glass and steel structure. to me, development is about cleaner and organised spaces within the basic character of a space. it’s not necessary to bulldoze down a existing structure, if not required, in the name of development.”


Fire s afSince super tall buildings have high facades, worldwide building codes require the distance between an emergency vehicular access and fire service access point to be not longer than 10-18 metres. The

fire department of Pune Municipal Corporation inducted an imported fire tender (70 m hydraulic platform with capacity to douse fires at 100 m) at a cost of INR 110 million.

Fire safety in Hong Kong

he refuge loor concept was introduced in 1996. By

using an intermediate refuge loor (1.5x1.5 m) within

a certain number of loors, occupants can reach a

temporary place of safety within 10 loors.

he China Fire Safety Code requires a

refuge loor to be constructed in buildings

above 30 m.

he Guideline for Very Tall Buildings

(SFPE 2012) and the China Fire Code

state that a multiplication factor should be

used to estimate the Required Safe Egress

Time (RSET- the time required to escape

to a safe place) of super tall buildings

as occupants may require more time to

escape.

In Hong Kong, owners of ire service

installations are obliged to employ a

registered FSI contractor to inspect the FSI

of the building once every 12 months.

50-storeyed One New York Plaza

August 15, 1970. Two guards and an employee took an

elevator from the 32nd loor to the 39th loor to notify

occupants of a ire. Because the elevator was called to

the ire loor by the ire, the elevator stopped at the 33rd

loor. he two guards died.

Lessons: Revolutionised the automatic elevator recall,

resistance of elevator call buttons to ire or

smoke and facilitating elevators to the ‘home’

loor manually by a key-operated switch.

21-storeyed MGM Grand Hotel

November 21, 1980. A ire resulted in 85

deaths and 600 injuries Lessons: Protection

for seismic joints, combustibles for concealed

spaces in ire resistive and non-combustible

buildings, protection for vertical openings

(including the stairways and elevator shats)

to limit smoke and ire between loors,

protection for HVAC systems to curb ire

distribution, pre-ire emergency plans for

large assembly buildings and creation of

stairway doors to facilitate re-entry at no

more than ive loor intervals.

In Hong Kong, owners of

ire service installations

are obliged to employ a

registered FSI contractor

to inspect the FSI of the

building once every

12 months.


ire s afetyAt 104 metres, the 27-storeyed Belair is not just the second highest structure in Kolkata housing

some of the city’s most affluent individuals. It is also one of the safest, considering the safety-related investments that have gone into it. Amrit Banerjee, Facility Manager, explains why the building is

technologically sound when it comes to fire safety.

Exit and entry: “Even as we have one entry and

one exit point, these are 26 feet wide. However, for the

basement, we have three entrance and exit points.”

Redundancy: “To facilitate the evacuation and alarm

system, we have two staircases as per the

ire norms. We have ire refuse areas on

the 6th, 11th and 16th loors. Besides, we

invested in four types of ire extinguishers

(water-based, carbon-dioxide, ABC and

mechanical foam). We have two ire high

hydrant points and one hose reel point.

Every lobby has a hose wheel (length 30

m) that is easy to use. We have a jockey

pump (75 HP), stand by pump, sprinkler

pump and main pump (110HP each)

which is checked during the ire drill.”

Alarm system: “Every lobby and every

service lit has an alarm system. When

there is an incidence of smoke, the alarm

is activated and shows which loor the

smoke is coming from on my panel.

Every loor including the basement has

sprinklers to address the ire immediately

well before the hose or extinguishers can

be activated.”

Fire training services: “Every month we have

a ire drill conducted by an agency called Dexter &

Consultants. Every four months we have ire drills

involving the residents wherein we light an actual ire

and ask them to counter it. he result? All our residents

and employees (light man, drivers, security guards etc.)

possess a hands-on training and experience to put out

ires.”

Experience: “here was a ire on the 15th loor a

couple of days ago. he staf put the ire

out in about 15 minutes even before the

ire brigade arrived. In another incident

involving an electrical short circuit, the

ire was put out in seconds. No panic.”

Brands: “All the extinguishers and

ireighting equipment are of the

renowned Ceaseire, Fire Shield and

FirePro brands. We purchased Ceaseire

equipment because it works wonders. On

every loor, you will ind a water-based

(Fire Shield make) and an ABC Ceaseire

extinguisher in addition to hoses reel and

hydrants.”

Investments: “We invested around

` 400,000 in top-grade ire extinguishers

(CO2, ABC and mechanical foam).”

Provisions: “We have three lits and if

there is a ire anywhere in the building,

the ire alarm goes of. We also have a

high pressure fan which sucks the smoke and releases

fresh air into the atmosphere so that no one sufocates.

We have six air fresheners in the basement and three

blowers in the building that helps us keep the CO2 level

at a normal level.”

“Our mantra at Belair:

Stay calm!”


Celebration timeon 27th september 2013, nK realtors celebrated the achievements of its family members.

NK family members who completed 10 years with the organisation were honoured.

NK family members were awarded and appreciated for exceling in their respective spheres.

he developer speaks: “he biggest USP of the project is a big water body within the premises. his will be preserved, beautiied

and maintained. A pedestrian track maybe added around the water body for walkers and joggers. he size of the project is also a

diferentiator: no such mass housing projects are being undertaken within 3 kms. he project encapsulates highly attractive group

housing for home seekers in these suburbs. Situated in a densely inhabited area with a proper market place in the vicinity, it ofers

a rear entry from Kalyani Expressway, as well.”

Land area: 1,000 cottahs

Number of blocks: 30

(Phase I – 7 blocks)

Number of loors: G+11

Number of lats: 2,000-plus units

Unit size: 855-1,225 sq. t

Open space: 80 percent

Completion time: March 2018

Location: Old Calcutta Road, near Rahara Ram Krishna Mission School

Developer: Siddha Group

Khardah



CURRENT MARKET TRENDS

Areas Price (`)

Garia 4,500 – 5,000

Boral 3,000 – 3,500

Narendrapur 3,000 – 3,500

Sonarpur 2,500 – 3,000

Jagaddal 2,200 – 2,450

Baruipur 1,800 – 2,000

Kamalgazi 3,400 - 3,900

EM Bypass, Kumrakhali 4,000 – 5,000

Bansdroni 5,500 – 6,200

Kudghat 5,500 – 7,000

Naktala 3,500 – 5,000

Kasba 4,500 – 6,000

Picnic Garden 4,200 – 5,700

Behala 2,350 – 4,500

DH Road 3,700 – 4,000

hakurpukur 2,300 – 3,800

Joka 2,800 – 3,200

Maheshtala 2,500 – 3,000

Areas Price (`)

Hatibagan 6,400 – 7,000

Laketown 6,000 – 6,500

VIP (Near Haldiram) 5,500 – 6,500

Sealdah 6,500 – 7,000

Barasat 2,000 – 2,800

Keshtopur 3,000 – 3,600

Madhyamgram 2,400 – 3,200

Kaikhali 3,000 – 4,500

BT Road, Dunlop 3,000 – 4,200

Birati 2,300 – 3,500

Dumdum Nagerbazar 4,200 – 5,800

Baguiati 3,000 – 5,000

Khardah 2,200 – 2,500

Areas Price (`)

Chinar Park 4,000 – 4,250

91 Bus route 2,600 – 3,750

Rajarhat Chowmatha 2,400 – 3,200

211 Bus Route 3,500 – 4,250

Kochpukur 3,900 – 4,100

New Town Action Area II 3,800 – 4,200

New Town Action Area I 4,800 – 5,700

New Town Action Area III 3,700 – 3,900

` 45 – 60 lac

Area: VIP Road

` 50 – 55 lac

Area: Salt Lake

` 80 – 100 lac

Area: Jodhpur Park

` 50 – 80 lac

Area: Jadavpur

` 35 – 50 lac

Area: Tollygunge

` 5,100 – 8,700Area: Tangra

` 4,700 – 8,700Area: Topsia

` 9,000 – 11,000Area: Park Circus

Category A+

` 4 crore aboveAreas: Gurusaday Road, B.C.Road,

Mayfair Road, Ballygunge Park Road,

Ballygunge Park, Queens Park, Sunny

Park, Ironside, Alipore, heatre Road,

Southern Avenue.

Category A

` 1.5-4 croreAreas: Ballygunge Place, Palm Avenue,

Palm Place, Ballygunge Phari, Gariahat,

Mandeville Gardens, Bhowanipore,

New Alipore, EM Bypass, Kankurgachi,

Tollygunge, Prince Anwar Shah Road,

Jodhpur Park, Topsia.

KOLKATA

lAnd – KolKAtA (rAte/cottAh)

residentiAl - centrAl KolKAtA

hi-end residentiAl

residentiAl - south KolKAtA

Location Rate/cottah (`)

Behala 25 – 55 lac

Garia 20 – 30 lac

Narendrapur 12 – 20 lac

Rajpur/Harinavi 7 – 12 lac

Sonarpur 3 – 15 lac

hakurpukur 20 – 30 lac

Joka 12 – 18 lac

Pailan 5 – 8 lac

DH Road ater IIM 5 – 18 lac

Kona 10 – 15 lac

Jessore Road 15 – 30 lac

BT Road 20 – 30 lac

Madhyamgram 12 – 20 lac

Baruipur 3 – 12 lac

Boral 5 – 8 lac

lAnd - other AreAs

residentiAl - north KolKAtA

residentiAl - rAJArhAt & new town

Location Lease rate/sq. t (`)

South Kolkata 250 – 450

East Kolkata 200 – 450

New Town, Rajarhat 175 – 250

Central Kolkata 350 – 450

Barasat 125 – 150

Narendrapur 50 – 80

Garia 90 – 100

Howrah 150 – 250

retAil – KolKAtA

Rental rates in malls


Park Street 300 – 450

Camac Street 250 – 450

Elgin Road 250 – 320

heatre Road 180 – 250

AJC Bose Road 170 – 220

Rajdanga Road 150 – 170

Rasbehari Avenue 180 – 250

Sonarpur 50 – 70

Narendrapur 50 – 70

Howrah 100 – 150

retAil – KolKAtA

Rental rates in high street

Location Price (`)

Uttarpara 2,600 - 4,500

Howrah 5,000 - 6,500

residentiAl - howrAh & hooghly


Category CBD

` 80-150Lease rate/sq. t

Areas: Dalhousie, Park Street, Camac Street, Elgin Road, Minto Park, Chowringhee, AJC Bose Road

Category CBD


Areas: Park Circus

Category CBD


Areas: Mallick Bazar

Category CBD


Areas: heatre Road

Category SBD


Areas: Topsia, Ruby & Kasba

Category SBD


Areas: Gariahat

Category SBD


Areas: Harish Mukherjee Road

Category Business Park


Areas: Saltlake Sector 5

Category Business Park


Areas: New Town, Rajarhat

Location Rate/sq. t (`)

Ullhas More – East Zone 2,800-2,900

Tikorhat – Central Zone 2,300-2,500

Radhanagar – Central Zone 2,800-2,900

Policeline More – East Zone 2,500-2,800

Renaissance – North Zone 2,150-2,350

zone-wise residentiAl rAtes zone-wise residentiAl rAtes

Location Rate/cottah (`)

Beside NH 2 Medical College

5 lac

Station Area 7 – 8 lac

Kanchannagar 3 lac

lAnd – burdwAn

` 45 – 50Rate/sq. t

Areas: Burdwan Town

retAil: rentAl rAtes in mAlls

` 40 – 45Rate/sq. t

Areas: Burdwan Town

retAil: rentAl rAtes in high street

` 225 – 275Lease rate/sq. t

Areas: Janpath



Areas: Burdwan Road

commerciAl – burdwAn

commerciAl – KolKAtA

BURDWAN BHUBANESWAR

` 7 – 10Rate/cottah

Areas: NH 31 - North Bengal University

lAnd – siliguri

SILIGURI


NH-5 near Iskcon Temple 5,000 – 5,500

Patia 2,800 – 3,500

Ranga Bazar

(Nearer to NH-203i by pass)

1,600 – 2,200

Jatni Road close to Lingaraj

(Sunderpada)

1,600 – 2,100

Rasulgarh (Bhubaneswar

Cuttack NH-5)

2,100 – 3,500

Dumduma 2,900 – 4,000

Tankapani Road 3,200 – 3,600

Ghatikhia (Khandagiri

adjacent area-II)

2,700 – 4,100

Pipili (NH-203) 1,600 – 2,200

Andharua 1,600 – 2,400

retAil – rentAl rAtes in mAlls


Janpath 130 – 150

Pearl Heights at Jaidev

Vihar

80 – 100

commerciAl – bhubAneswAr


Shahid Nagar 35-40

VIP Colony 25-30

Khandagiri 20-25

Nayapalli 30-40

Barmunda 35-60

Kharvel Nagar 40-45

Jaidev Vihar 40-50

Janpath 60-85

he end-user’s search for the perfect home is driving the current real estate scenario. People are primarily driven by the infrastructural facilities. Previously, the middle class population had fewer options of commuting from the suburbs to the central business district, but not any longer. he improvement in transportation and communication in Kolkata has paved way for the real estate developers to think of building homes in areas beyond the city limits. Consequently, afordable projects have come up in various suburban areas.



City Centre 3,100-3,300

Bidhan Nagar 2,400-2,650

Durgapur Station 1,900-2,000

Bamunara 1,650-2,000

Link road 2,200-2,450

Sobhapur 2,700

Muchipara 2,245


Dhadka Road 1,830-1,860

G.T. Road, Kumarpur 2,000-2,150

Senraleigh Road 2,250-2,350

Apcar Garden 2,200-2,300

Garai Road 2,050-2,150


Centrum Mall 50 – 80

Galaxy Mall 70 – 80

lAnd – bhubAneswAr zone-wise residentiAl rAtes

Location Rate/Cottah (`)

Suburb of Bidhan Nagar 3 - 6 lac

Bidhan Nagar 10 - 12 lac

City Centre (near Big Bazar)

15 - 20 lac

City Centre (near Junction Mall)

15 - 20 lac

Andal, Airport City 4 lac

lAnd – durgApur

zone-wise residentiAl rAtes

retAil – monthly rentAl rAtes in mAlls

commerciAl – AsAnsol


NH-5 Near Iskcon Temple 25 lac

Patia 12 – 14 lac (on main

road)5 – 7 lac

(areas 500m inside)

Ranga Bazar (Near NH-203i bypass)

3.5 – 5 lac

Jatni Road close to Lingaraj (Sunderpada)

2.5 – 3.5 lac

Rasulgarh (Bhubaneswar Cuttack NH-5)

6.5 lac

Dumduma 8 lac

Tankapani Road 3.5 – 5 lac

Ghatikhia (Khandagiri adjacent area- Infosys II)

6.5 – 13 lac

Pipili (NH-203) 3 – 5 lac

Andharua 5 lac

BHUBANESWAR DURGAPUR

ASANSOL


GT Road Near Gopalpur 16

GT Road, Murgasol 30

Rambandhu Talab 90

` 50 – 70Rate/sq. t/month

Areas: G.T. Road



Areas: City Centre

commerciAl


Areas: City Centre



Areas: Benachity


Areas: City Centre


GUWAHATI


Areas: Zoo Road


Areas: G.S. Road


` 1 – 2 CroreRate/cottah

Areas: G.S. Road

` 7 – 8 lacRate/cottah

Areas: Zoo Road

lAnd – guwAhAti


Areas: G.S. Road


` 200 – 250(Ground Floor)

Lease rate/sq. t/month

Areas: G.S. Road

commerciAl – guwAhAti


Areas: Paltan Bazar

` 180 – 200(Ground Floor)

Lease rate/sq. t/month

Areas: Zoo Road

Source: NK Realtors, Survey period: September 2013.


Alipore: Kolkata’s safest pin

code!

Q: Why is this electronic surveillance of Alipore at all necessary?A: here is a simple answer to this. Following the

abduction of a senior business personality and the

pursuit of one of the city’s leading industrialists, a

certain scare descended on Alipore. Every prominent

businessman or industrialist living in Alipore began

to feel insecure. he result is that most

of their homes became fortresses. he

message became increasingly clear: either

all those who live in Alipore recruited

dedicated security agencies to guard their

homes or invested in collective surveillance

with minimal security. Either all those who

live in Alipore did so in collective fear or

invested in a security provision that made

it possible for them to breathe easier.

Q: What is the nature of this security provision?A: his security provision comprises 116 electronic

surveillance cameras in strategic Alipore locations.

Q: What is the footprint of this surveillance

system?A: he footprint extends from the Police Training

School at the start of AJC Bose Road at the Northern

end to Majerhat Bridge at the Southern end covering

3.84 sq km. Nearly 70 percent of Alipore has been

covered by this footprint.

Q: How many hours does the system work?

A: he system works 24x7. here is no downtime

Q: What ‘memory’ does the system possess?A: he system retains a week’s recordings on its system;

excerpts can be extracted and saved on

the hard disk for an interminable period

thereater.

Q: How efective (or powerful) is the

system?

A: One can answer this from various

perspectives. he system is powerful

enough to locate residents sitting inside

a vehicle, ‘capture’ car numbers, identify

petty criminals and provide citizens with

a recourse that is as close to all-seeing on

the roads as one can ind. here is another perspective

as well. Now that the miscreants know that there is

surveillance, it acts as deterrence, which is a powerful

antidote.

Q: A number of residents might consider this

to be an intrusion on their privacy?A: he system does not enter people’s homes, so it

does not intrude on their privacy. Whatever images

hese cameras have been placed with the objective that where one camera’s footprint

ends, the other camera’s footprint begins. he result is an extensive coverage of

Alipore.

Alipore. Where the Viceroy once lived. Where the wealthiest of Eastern India now reside. The Alipore Citizen’s Forum along with the Kolkata police and Reliance Security Solutions Limited installed 119

outdoor CCTV to make it one of the safest pin codes in India. We engaged in a conversation with m

K Jalan who talks about how Alipore’s electronic surveillance plan is showing the country the way…

community responsibility


are ‘captured’ on the streets are retained for a week, the

relevant images saved and the rest discarded. he system

is not directed to capture images relating to the vehicles

or movements of speciic individuals.

Q: Are the cameras pilfer-proof?

A: hey are not. However, the deterrents are that they

are placed at a height of 30 feet above street-level and

would be able to ‘capture’ images of thieves moving

up the poles by which time the police would be in a

position to reach the spot and apprehend them. So

while the system is not entirely pilfer-proof, there are

reasonable safeguards in place.

Q: What kind of cameras are these?A: he cameras that have been used are of

two kinds - one with a reasonable range of

vision and one with a 360 degree range of

vision. hese digital French cameras are top-

of-the-line. he ive-year warranty protects

users from operational failures as well as

technology upgrades.

Q: Is the solution in Alipore only for

security purposes?A: On the contrary, the technology-led

surveillance will start out with a security orientation but

gradually extend to a holistic rejuvenation of Alipore

covering culture, dependable public service delivery,

responsible citizenship, delivery of responsible civic

services, identiication of water-logging, apprehension

of traic violators and the creation of a vibrant

community. It might sound ironical but the upside of

impersonal technology will be leveraged to create a

personalised community; it might sound amazing but

a singular system can potentially achieve wide-ranging

beneits.

Q: Can you explain some of the points

mentioned above?A: Let us assume that you want to drive through

Alipore and are short on time. Today, there is no way

of knowing whether the roads will be congested or not.

We expect to create a portal that will make it possible

for people to log in and view which roads would be

most navigable, making it possible for them to select the

right road and save time. Or take another instance; you

need to ile an FIR and the usual response would be to

go to a police station and ile one. What if technology

made it possible for you to ile it online? So the broad

aspect is how one can potentially leverage technology

to get the beneit of public services quickly

and conveniently. hat is the vision with

which this technology surveillance has been

commissioned.

Q: How will it be possible to pay for

this expensive system?A: Let us consider that Alipore has 80,000

residents. If we can mobilise a mere ` 50

from each – average of ` 4 per month per

person – then it would be possible for this

subscription-based system to pay for this.

his is a model that can be applied in Alipore and every

other pin code of Kolkata. herefore, the responsibility

is to ‘market’ the Alipore model, generate a public

buy-in, draw the broad population into the subscription

model and treat every resident as a customer.

Q: What is the overall objective of the Alipore

Citizens’ Forum?A: To create a ‘Happiness Index’ across transparent

parameters that makes it possible for every Kolkata pin

code to calculate where they stand and then to establish

Alipore consistently at the head of that list.

If we can mobilise a mere

` 50 from each – average of

` 4 per month per person

– then it would be possible

for this subscription-based

system to pay for this.

The OC, New Alipore, Mr. NA Khan in the control room monitoring the CCTV cameras


What makes Tangra an attractive residential destination?A: Let me start with Tangra’s

fundamentals:

Tangra is a large 14 sq km

pocket of Kolkata

Tangra possesses an estimated population of 70,000

people

By the virtue of being an old residential-cum-

industrial locality, Tangra attracted a number of

institutions (corporate and social) that provide a rich

cultural depth

Tangra is attractively positioned as a median between

Park Circus on one side and an emerging Kolkata on

its let

Q: How is this legacy pin code expected to transform?A: he implications of the word ‘transformation’ are

exciting. For decades, Tangra was an industrial suburb

of Kolkata. Because the tanneries generated chemical

eluents, Tangra was generally forgotten on the map

of Kolkata’s residential expansion. People saw it as an

industrial cluster, period.

However, two dramatic developments have transpired

over the last decade. One, the city has grown beyond

Tangra (Salt Lake, Rajarhat and EM Bypass) without

the development touching Tangra at all, which was

still facing a lux in the transition from industrial to

non-industrial use. Two, the West Bengal Government

directed the tanneries to cease their operations and shit

outwards to Bantala, which is really an inlection point

in the modern history of Tangra, opening the way to a

complete makeover.

Q: What kind of a makeover?A: When entire pin codes are statutorily required

to change their character, as in this case, there are

Q

for long, tangra served as calcutta’s chinatown. most of the standing structures were built by the industrious hakka chinese upon marshy and reclaimed low-lying land. As a result, the area was not on the map of real estate developers. until now. over the last five years, a number of real estate projects have emerged in that pin code making tangra a compelling residential destination. raj pasari, cmd of rajat group, answers questions related to tangra’s potential.


“Tangra dramatic

transformation”

is at the cusp of a “Tangra

dramatic transformation”

is at the cusp of a


emerging opportunities. Let me put it this way: Tangra

evolved into its existing character across more than six

decades. Until a decade ago, the ‘Tangra’ brand stood

for an industrial cluster and home to a speciic ethnic

community. When the government stipulated that the

existing tanneries would need to relocate, it created the

ground for the industrial units to be sold and residential

property developers to move in. Interestingly, the

transformation did not happen overnight. I would go to

the point of saying that its makeover has only just begun

and will continue for the next few decades.

Q: What could be the reason for this delayed transformation?A: here are a number of factors that accounted for

the stagger. One, real estate prices did not improve

immediately following the government order, as a result

of which there was no incentive for the old residents to

vacate. Two, the infrastructure required to connect and

sustain this transformation was still some years away.

hree, the recession of 2008 staggered the transformation.

Four, infrastructure projects are generally long-term in

their gestation and commissioning, so even though some

infrastructure projects began to be implemented a few

years ago, they are still work-in-progress and the beneits

of these are yet to pass through for people to consider

moving into Tangra.

Q: What gives you the optimism that the transformation is a reality and presently underway?A: here are some good reasons to

believe so. Over the last three years, some

attractive and deining real estate projects

have been initiated in and around Tangra.

One is Silver Spring, which was among

the irst residential projects to be ofered

on the EM Bypass around Tangra, setting

the standard for prospective pricing and positioning.

he other is Atmosphere by Forum Projects, which

is possibly the most expensively upmarket real estate

project attempted in Kolkata, coming up just behind

Science City. hen there are a number of other projects

like the 16.38 acre Active Acres (1,000 apartments), the

5 acre Ekta Floral (452 apartments) and the upmarket

Aqua Beaumont. It is not just that these projects are

bigger and better than the erstwhile standard; it is

that these projects have been promoted by various

prominent builders, which is a safe index of the fact that

more realtors are buying into the Tangra transformation

story.

Q: Do you see this transformation continuing?A: I think we are only at the beginning of the

transformation. Until now, the transformation of

Tangra has only touched stray pockets where landmark

properties have been built. Over the years (and

even decades), I foresee that the transformation will

extend wider and deeper. As real estate prices rise,

the weaker holders will be tempted to cash

in their holdings and move elsewhere; the

aggregation of properties will result in

larger and more modern properties to be

commissioned and when this happens, the

transformation of Tangra will accelerate.

Q: What is going to be the driver of this transformation?A: In one word: infrastructure. When

infrastructure is created, it serves to attract

people, buildings and companies. In our

experience, the most powerful driver of residential

growth is transportation infrastructure. In this instance,

two of the most attractive infrastructure investments

are coming up within the vicinity: one, the lyover from

the EM Bypass to the AJC Bose Road lyover through

the Topsia Road will shrink the distance between the

two terminal points from an estimated 20 minutes to

just 5 minutes. Besides, the metro rail from Garia to the

Kolkata Airport passing through the EM Bypass will

create the basis for robust growth along the hinterland

through which the train route will pass. he one area

that is common to both – lyover and metro rail – is

Tangra.

Q: Why is there an optimism that this re-rating will indeed happen?A: Simply because these two signiicant infrastructure

investments have already commenced with a growing

visibility on when they are likely to be completed.

Take the lyover for instance. he last blocker for this

When infrastructure is

created, it serves to attract

people, buildings and

companies. In our experience,

the most powerful driver

of residential growth is

transportation infrastructure.

Rajat Boulevard (54 units)


important arterial network was the peaceful removal

of squatters from the Park Circus number four bridge,

which will accelerate construction to a point where

the lyover will be completed in a year and a half.

Besides, the construction of the metro rail has already

commenced and there is optimism that this will be

completed in the next four years.

Q: Is Tangra alone going to be re-rated?A: We feel that the entire area starting

from Topsia Road on the Southern fringe

and the Tangra Road at the Northern

fringe will emerge as one of the pockets

in Kolkata for some good reasons: JW

Marriott is commissioning a hotel project

in the area, ITC Sonar Hotel is expanding,

he Park is commissioning a hotel, Avani

Group is loating an upmarket residential

property, Atmosphere is already

constructing Kolkata’s most opulent

resident property and Ideal Group is

commissioning a prominent commercial

property. As a result, Rajat Boulevard

is being located in a space with one of

the most attractive investments that will

signiicantly transform its character over

the next couple of years.

Q: here is a fear of congestion following the sizable investment.A: his is precisely the point that needs to be made. We

feel that the pin code possesses an attractive ecological

foil as it is directly across the wetlands. In our opinion,

the wetlands will prove to be a sizable carbon sink.

Besides, the Ramsar convention now protects the

resource from commercial exploitation, which means

that this ecological balance will be sustained over the

decades, beneiting hinterland pockets like Tangra. As a

result, Tangra stands to beneit for economic

and environment reasons over the foreseeable

future.

Q: his brings us to an important concluding point. How attractively priced is Tangra?A: One needs to compare the prevailing

price of residential real estate in Tangra

with the prices prevailing in the adjoining

vicinity. For instance, the price of

residential real estate in Tangra is less than

half that prevailing rate for Silver Spring

and adjoining vicinity. In our opinion,

this diferential is vast. So hypothetically,

two things can happen: the rates around

Silver Spring can decline or the rates within

Tangra could rise. In our opinion, the latter

is more likely, given that real estate prices in

Kolkata have tended to be cautiously bullish

for the last number of years. As a result, it

is only a matter of time before prospective buyers

ind Tangra prices attractively low with a correction

process being set into action.

Rajat Boulevard (54 units),

Rajat Group

Arihant Viento (45 units),

Arihant Group

Ideal Niketan (133 units),

Ideal Group

Altius (101 Units), Space Group

Aqua Beaumont (40 units),

Space Group

Luxuria Heights (66 units),

Salarpuria Group

Ekta Floral (452 units),

Ekta Group

Alcove Regency (76 units),

Alcove Group

Rajat Boulevard campus with a play area and gym


WATCHOUT! Here comes

Eastern India’s second largest city

BhuBANESWAR IS ThE SECoNd LARgEST CITy IN EASTERN INdIA. PoSITIoNEd FoR ALL-RouNd gRoWTh ACRoSS VARIouS INdICAToRS - ECoNoMIC, CuLTuRAL, EduCATIoNAL CAMPuSES, SoFTWARE ExPoRTS, REAL ESTATE VALuATIoNS ANd goVERNANCE.

focus on bhubAneswAr


There are 33 big cities in India today with

each zone having a multiple number of

cities - North (Chandigarh, Jaipur, Delhi

and Gurgaon), West (Mumbai, Ahmedabad,

Surat and Baroda), South (Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi

and Hyderabad) and Central India (Gwalior, Raipur,

and Bhopal). Except for Eastern India where the only

really large city is Kolkata.

Until now. Bhubaneswar, the capital of

Odisha, has emerged as the second largest city

of Eastern India.

here is a speciic reason why Bhubaneswar

is not just growing its recall among planners

and developers; Odisha is attracting the

largest industrial investment in India today

constituting 3.19 percent of the total investment of

` 219,628 crore translating into a need for corporate

oices in the city and this, in turn, translating into a

higher residential traction. “Today, the simple message

passing through developers is that if you want to grow

in Eastern India, then Bhubaneswar is the only option

beyond Kolkata.” says Mayank Singh, Head Sales and

Marketing, Space Group.

A recent World Bank survey (‘Doing Business 2013’)

underlines this reality. Bhubaneswar was identiied as

the third most business-friendly location in India out

of a list of 17. his survey was conducted across factors

as diverse as the ease in starting a business, dealing

with construction permits, registering the property,

paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing

contracts and closing a business. What is

surprising was that Bhubaneswar performed

better than even India’s capital (number six) or

India’s inancial capital Mumbai (number ten).

What drives BhubaneswarSo what has made Bhubaneswar a much-

considered city when it comes to investments?

he success of the information technology initiative

is deinitely high on the list, say a number of

observers. For instance, when Infosys commissioned

Eastern India’s irst sotware development centre in

Bhubaneswar in 1997, brows arched. Bhubaneswar?

he Company will not be able to attract and retain

talent, they said. he city will have connectivity issues

Sand art festival in Bhubaneswar


with other Infosys centres across the country. he state

will not be able to generate an adequate throughput of

professionals to sustain Infosys’ interest.

It is more than a decade and a half since Infosys put

down its roots in Odisha’s capital. And the verdict is

out: Infosys is so happy with its experience in the state

that it has embarked on an expansion in space and seats.

Clearly, Odisha’s largest IT company intends to take its

leadership ahead – for the beneit of the

company, employees, state and country.

Infosys’ decision to expand its sotware

development facility in Bhubaneswar,

according to insiders, is based on some

credible nitty-gritty: Low pollution,

short commuting time, organised traic

low, infrastructure development faster

than population growth and a positive

governmental stance on industry. Within

a decade, Infosys emerged as the largest

IT employer in Odisha with a campus

size of 50 acres (50 percent green), the

largest facility in Bhubaneswar. Employee

strength grew from a modest 90 in 1997 to

700 in 2002.

“hroughout Infosys’ presence in Bhubaneswar, the

Odisha government supported our company in every

possible way,” says Abhijit Sen, who heads the Infosys

outit in the city. “Whenever major roads needed to be

widened, the government would immediately invest

towards such projects, expanding roads before any

traic problems actually occurred. Problems related to

infrastructure development or electricity connectivity

would merely require a call in the morning to have the

problem solved by the very same evening. Government

sanctions were hassle-free and granted without any

unnecessary delays. Bhubaneswar set an example for

the rest of the country with proactive government

initiatives!”

Infosys’ success did something else for

Bhubaneswar. It created a new economic

layer – the young engineering graduate who

could aford a car and an apartment. his

inspired more engineering aspirants, in turn

triggering a demand for engineering colleges,

resulting in some 40 engineering colleges

being commissioned in Bhubaneswar in only

the last seven years, more than the number

created in the preceding 50 years!

he educational boomIn the last few years, Bhubaneswar has

emerged as one of India’s fastest growing

technical education centres, prompting comparisons

with Pune, says Jay Panda, Member of Parliament from

Kendrapara, Odisha. he education centres are likely to

enhance value to the local population and additionally

draw students from other states, many of whom are

Infosys’ success did something

else for Bhubaneswar. It

inspired more engineering

aspirants, resulting in some

40 engineering colleges

being commissioned in

Bhubaneswar in only the

last seven years, more than

the number created in the

preceding 50 years!

Bhubaneswer boasts of low population, short commuting time, organised traffic flow and infrastructure development faster than population growth...


expected to seek employment within and stay back.

“Bhubaneswar is on its way to emerge as a

knowledge hub,” says Dr. Dhanada Kanta

Mishra, Chairman, Human Development

Foundation. “he city is home to several

national-level institutions like IIT (Indian

Institute of Technology), IIIT (Indian

Institute of Information Technology),

NISER (National Institute of Science

Education and Research), NIFT (National

Institute of Fashion Technology), AIIMS

(All India Institute of Medical Sciences),

XIMB (Xavier Institute of Management –

Bhubaneswar), KIIT (Kalinga Institute of

Industrial Technology) and Silicon Institute

of Technology and Institute of Physics,

among others.”

he impact on real estatehe trickle-down has been relected in the

city’s real estate sector’s growth. “here are

a number of reasons why the real estate

sector has grown attractively,” says Priya, correspondent,

he Telegraph. “I have been here for eight years. I came

here for my studies and did my course in journalism

from KIIT (Patia). At that point this city was not

that developed. he university grew and became a

successful venture as a result of which many people set

up engineering institutes and private universities, which

accelerated student migration from Andhra Pradesh,

West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Bihar. People thought it

would be wise to make new houses and give it on rent,

which led to an increase in real estate demand.”

On the realty map

Bhubaneswar is emerging on the country’s real estate

map. In March 2013, Tata Housing Development

Company announced the launch of Ariana, the city’s

irst integrated residential complex at Shankarpur.

“Over the last few years, real estate as an industry has

gained momentum across Odisha with improvements in

infrastructure like the new international airport here,”

said Managing Director and CEO of Tata Housing,

Brotin Banerjee. “Given its proximity and connectivity

to metro cities such as Kolkata, Bhubaneswar is

showcasing a great appetite for high-end living,” says

Pawan Agarwal of N K Realtors, Eastern India’s largest

realty marketing agency. Ariana, which would be a

luxury residential gated community with 12 towers

ranging from 14 to 19 stories, is expected to be one

of the land mark projects of international standards,

Banerjee said.

“Bhubaneswar as a city also ofers a much better

infrastructure and connectivity,” says Singh.

“Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are the most developing

twin cities.” Covent Garden, an English-themed luxury

villa housing project was launched by

Space Group, is nearing completion. “We

launched a residential villa housing project,”

says Mayank Singh. “his luxury project

was launched three years ago and was sold

out within two days! hereater, supply has

increased and prices have remained sluggish,”

he indicates. Besides, revenues from mines

and allied industries that was being invested

earlier in the real estate sector has declined,

staggering the real estate boom.”

he futurehe future holds promise for Bhubaneswar,

following the implementation of an IIT

KGP plan, whereby the city will assimilate

neighbouring clusters like Khurda, Peepli and

Cuttack, thereby transforming what is referred

to as a Tier-II city into a unique cohesive

structure. Meanwhile, the big news is that

Infosys Bhubaneswar is preparing for the next

league. Says Sen: “We are looking to expand facility space

in anticipation of growing our manpower from 3,000

to 4,000.” Sustaining prospects of growth- for Eastern

India’s fastest growing city.

“We launched a residential

villa housing project,”

says Mayank Singh.

“his luxury project was

launched three years ago

and was sold out within

two days!”

Covent Garden - a luxury villa project

Land area: 25 acres

Number of blocks: 15

Number of loors: Tower size ranging from G+ 14; G+ 17; G+ 24; and G+ 29

Number of lats: 1,278

Unit size: 1,350 sq. t to 1,956 sq. t

Open space: 60 percent (approximately)

Completion time: Phase 1 expected to be completed by 2013

Location: Action Area 3, Rajarhat

Developer: Keppel Magus

Development Private Limited

he developer speaks: “he landmark Elita Garden Vista comprises high-end residences, ofering an international lifestyle like no other

in Rajarhat. With 15 towers (15-30 storeys) and options between 2/3-BHK apartments, Elita Garden Vista is a perfect blend of futuristic

design within a luxurious setting. Set in an oasis of foliage and lora replete with water bodies, boulevards, relax zones and a host of

amenities located on a one-of-a-kind podium at the irst loor level, this development is designed for the elite. he project replicates a

modern, functional layout, sleek designs, elegant inishing and space optimisation - hallmarks of any international home interior

created by Keppel Land.”

Elita Garden Vistanew town Action Area iii



hoW ThE hERITAgE BuILdINg oF CESC houSE TuRNEd ThE CLoCK BACK ThRough A LANdMARK gREEN ENERgy INITIATIVE.

It is an irony – a positive one - that a company

created to encourage the greater consumption of

electricity should actually have embarked on the

exercise to reduce it.

And that is one of the most positive corporate electricity

consumption stories to be coming out of Kolkata in

recent years, especially among heritage buildings, most

of which appear to have convinced themselves that there

is no way they can rationalise their electricity bill.

So what makes this story diferent? “We are an 80-year

old building,” explains BL Chandak, Executive Director

“with brick on the outside and steel on the inside. here

are more than 500 heritage buildings in Kolkata, but

CESC House (once Victoria House) intends to emerge

as the irst to become a LEED - certiied Green Building

by 2014.”

Idea whose time has comeWhy was the exercise at all necessary? “From a number

of perspectives, it is an idea whose time has come,” says

Chandak. “One, in a resource-starved nation, CESC

stands for the responsible use of resources and there

was no better way of showcasing what we believe than

through demonstrating this ourselves. As a result, it was

not just important to rationalise the use of electricity

to save costs for the company; it was also important to

prove to every other heritage property in Kolkata that

what they invest in energy consumption reduction can

be paid back within four years. As a result, at CESC we

80-year-old turns green and young again!


are not just interested in reducing our carbon footprint

but are interested in inspiring others to reduce their

carbon footprint as well - the most efective way for us

to make the world a cleaner place.”

And then there was the issue of rising consumption.

he bean counters at CESC discovered that even as their

oice space was not growing, the lagship building was

consuming more electricity every single year. A building

that consumed 29 lac kWh in 2006 now consumed 33

lac kWh in 2012. he annual incremental consumption

was a visible 2 percent; besides, the increasing

cost of electricity resulted in a higher notional

electricity cost being incurred by the company.

Objectivehat’s when the brains trust at CESC sat down to

work the math. If the company could modernise

its energy management systems at a cost of ` 1.8

crore, the annual savings would translate into an

estimated ` 52 lac – a payback of less than four

years translating into an IRR of 25 percent.

CESC’s brief to its vendor Johnson Controls (India)

could have been just this…achieve a reduction in costs

and thank you very much. However it went beyond

that: transform CESC House into a ‘Green Building’

with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

(LEED) certiication from the U.S. Green Building

Council (USGBC) under the Green Building rating

systems based on the ive major categories (sustainable

site, water eiciency, energy and atmosphere, materials

and resources and indoor environment quality). And

secondly, achieve a concurrent 25-30 percent savings in

energy consumption.

his obviously required the heart, lungs and kidneys of

the building’s energy operating system to be replaced or

retroitted. “We carried out nine facility improvement

measures,” explains Mr Chandak. “We replaced a legacy

357 TR chiller with a modern 340 TR high eiciency

chiller, which enhanced chiller eiciency by 50 percent.

his was just one of the improvements, which translated

into a saving of ` 25 lac per annum.” (For other

initiatives, see box)

In the numbersEventually, God lies in the details.

Ater six years of successive increase in electricity

consumption, CESC House had interesting numbers to

present for Fy13: a decline from 32.46 lac kWh

in Fy12 to 30.16 lac kWh in Fy13.

And during the irst two months of Fy14,

energy consumption declined 25 percent over

the corresponding period of the previous year

as against a projected increase of 2 percent.

“Now that we know what is possible, we are

going for the jugular,” says a delighted Chandak.

“I expect CESC House to consume 26 lac kWh

in Fy14 against what could have been a consumption of

34 lac kWh without the green energy initiatives, taking

our energy consumption to levels we had seen in 2005.”

he big surpriseSo what’s the big message? “hat you don’t need a new

building to be green,” says Mr Chandak. “When we

embarked on this exercise, there were a number of

people who said that nothing perceptible would emerge

since the building and its equipment were old. However,

what we amply demonstrated that you can rewire a

building, however old it may be. he rewiring is not

a cost but an investment and that even something as

passive as electricity cost can actually be turned into a

competitive advantage.”

Touche.

Replacement of an archaic 357 TR

chiller with a modern 340 TR high

eiciency chiller. Installation of an

energy-eicient 500 TR cooling tower to

replace the existing 300 TR cooling tower.

Result: enhanced eiciency by 50 percent.

Replacement of three ineicient

pumps with new primary and condenser

pumps. Result: increase in pump eicien-

cy by 40 percent

Installation of twelve new variable

frequency drives. Result: optimised air

handling unit (AHU) fan power

Replacement of 36W tube lights

consuming 51W (including ballast)

with 1,200 energy-eicient 28W T-5

tube lights consuming 30W (including

ballast). Result: direct energy savings of

117,000 kWh and indirect savings in A/C

load amounting to 21,623 kWh

52 occupancy sensors. Result: cabin

lights switched of within 20 minutes of

the occupant leaving the cabin.

State-of-the-art building automation

system which monitors the operation.

Result: 20 kW energy savings potential

available. With BAS control and monitor-

ing, 15 kW excess load is reduced.

CESC House had

interesting numbers to

present for FY13: a decline

from 32.46 lac kWh in

FY12 to 30.16 lac kWh in

FY13

INITIATIVES THAT MADE THE BIG DIFFERENCE


You seem to be very passionate about the

issue of ‘Neighbourhood preservation in

Kolkata’. Why so?

he neighbourhoods in Kolkata have

architecturally rich buildings in which people are still

living and, ironically, without a care about the fact that

they are being destroyed. here will come

a time when this unawareness will lead to

a Kolkata beret of its cultural inheritance.

We will progressively destroy what we are,

as a result of our greed and ignorance and

then spending our precious fortunes to go

to some of the western cities of the world

to gaze in wonder at their architectural

richness. What an irony!

While I was travelling from Dubai to London, an air-

hostess told me she was from Montevideo and how her

mother lived in a 90-year old house which according to

regulations could not be destroyed. She also told me how

citizen groups and laws were strong enough in Buenos

Aires and Montevideo to see to it that distinctive old

buildings and neighbourhoods were untouched. here is

no inkling of this concern in Calcutta.

Why is this conservation now a passion for you?he two things that I continue to emphasise

is that not every city is fortunate to possess

an inheritance as rich as Kolkata; this

destruction is something that should be

countered. Interestingly, this distinctive

architectural ethos not only constitutes

colonial Kolkata buildings or the rajbaadis of

North Kolkata but also middle-class homes of hirties,

vintage houses in Bhowanipore and art-deco Hindustan

Park homes of the Forties and Fities. Hindustan Park

is architecturally rich but at least one of ive homes are

you hAve A lovely baari in A quiet neighbourhood And then one dAy, people stArt hAmmering it down to mAKe wAy for A modern showpiece. writer Amit chAudhuri explAins why KolKAtA could soon become Another pune if we don’t wAKe up to the

fAct thAt we Are grAduAlly stripping AwAy our ArchitecturAl heritAge.

Hindustan Park is an

architecturally rich area but

today at least one out of ive

houses are being destroyed

every month!

“Kolkata was the first great modern

city in Asia.”


being destroyed every month. I must emphasise that

I am not interested in these buildings for reasons of

‘heritage’ or ‘nostalgia’, but because they are a part of

Calcutta’s lived fabric and memory.

Is this internationally relevant? Oh, absolutely. During my travels to Asian cities like

Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, I have seen how little

has been done to preserve their architectural heritage,

a model we are now mindlessly following. hese

international cities in Asia have completely destroyed

their architectural past. Or for that matter look at how

one of our most distinctive small towns, Pune (which

I used to visit once a year as a child), has completely

destroyed its architecture. It is now a Mumbai-style

suburb like Versova. So when you hear someone like

Dr Manmohan Singh say that ‘We must turn Mumbai

into Shanghai’ he probably has no awareness of what the

Chinese have done to Shanghai. If we were to do the

same to Mumbai it would be a failure of vision on

our part.

So how are some of the prominent global cities preserving their architectural heritage?

I also began to become aware, as I travelled

through Europe, that European cities like

London and Paris and American cities

like New york, have laws preventing the

destruction of old buildings. you can sell

the buildings but you can’t destroy them.

Of course new buildings come up in areas

which can accommodate them. New

buildings came up in Europe in place of old buildings

which were destroyed during the Second World War.

But post the War, laws ensured that the destruction

did not take place and their architectural inheritance

was preserved. he older buildings are much coveted

as properties there; their price is higher than new

properties. he diference is that these properties are

being bought to live in and not destroy them.

Are reforms in this area taking place anywhere in India?In Mumbai, they introduced a law two years ago

which protects old buildings from being destroyed, the

powerful real estate property lobby notwithstanding.

hen there is this model of Transfer Development

Rights (TDR) in, which when a person who owns an

old building, can be given a TDR to sell it to a promoter

commensurate with the property value of the building.

he result is that the old building inds resources to

sustain its growth and doesn’t have to be destroyed. It

has been used with some success in Mumbai. his is

something we should be trying to easily do in Kolkata as

well. It could be a good solution.

Coming to a basic question. Why is Kolkata unique?It was the irst great modern city in Asia. What

Kolkata was in the 19th century was an extraordinary

cosmopolitan centre; there were very few places in the

world like it. Kolkata’s amazing history makes it a world

centre of modernity and to have no understanding of

this fact is a tragedy.

If I were to compare it to other world class cities, I’d

say New york used to be a really interesting city when

it was performing badly economically in the Seventies.

he Berlin Wall collapsed and America became the sole

super power in the world. Rudy Giuliani cleaned it up

in the Nineties which led to its reinvention as a global

inancial centre for the free market. Earlier, it was a city

with a shady reputation, but that’s also when its culture

was very alive. It made us understand that great cities

can also be quite unsavoury on some level. he same is

true for Berlin, which had an ambivalent status because

ater the Second World War it occupied a place between

the East and the West. here was no investment in

Berlin, and it was for historical reasons a

bankrupt city, as it still is. But culturally it

was the capital of Germany which wouldn’t

have been possible without its artists and

intellectuals confronting, rather than

denying, Berlin’s neighbourhoods. Kolkata

is more akin to Berlin as its history is

imprinted on its architecture. People are

aware of this legacy and make the most of it

over there. My question: do only European

cities have the right to address their spatial,

architectural, and cultural legacies? What about the

people living here? he only way to re-imagine Kolkata

is not in the way of destroying old buildings and

building new shopping malls. hat is not the reinvention

we need.

Which parts of Kolkata are unique?he tragedy is that Kolkata is still synonymous with

the South. With developments proliferating in Rajarhat

and the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, no one is

concerned about the North Kolkata today. But all of

North Kolkata is unique. Some other areas include

Khidderpore which is steadily being destroyed, as are

Bhowanipore, Paddapukur, Hindustan Park and Bakul

Bagan and gradually losing their character. For instance,

I am sitting in Sunny Park which is considered to be a

‘privileged area’ but this entire lane has lost most of its

distinctive buildings to new developments.

How are you taking this subject ahead?What I am looking for is a solution where these

properties will be recognised as an important part of

our cultural inheritance. I am working with the Heritage

Commission to gradually bring about a law that will

stop the destruction of the buildings that form the

visible ethos of Calcutta.

In Mumbai they introduced

a law two years ago which

protects old buildings

from being destroyed, the

powerful real estate property

lobby notwithstanding.


South City Mall’s average

monthly footfall of two million

is estimated to equal the footfall

of the next two malls combined

in Kolkata.

Starting from the previous decade, an

interesting churn began to transpire in

Kolkata: even as an increasing number

of the aluent Kolkatans were moving

Southwards, most mall shopping options

were still located in Central and Eastern

Kolkata.

he promoters of South City Mall perceived

an opportunity to not merely plug the gap

that existed but also commission a facility

that would catalyse the city’s consumption

appetite. It is with this perspective that

South City Mall was created at 375 Prince

Anwar Shah Road in 2008 - to address new

age South Kolkata consumers with rising

disposable incomes, modern mindset and

aspirational lifestyle. Besides, the mall was

built as part of an integrated mixed use

development comprising ive residential

towers (1,675 apartments), an international

curriculum school (2,000 children capacity)

and a club; hence, some of the consumption

south city mall was the.. first mall to install cctv surveillance with around 200

cameras all over the mall in 2008, covering every corner including the car parking area.

first mall in india spread over a million sq. ft.

first mall in india with a scientific zoning system.

first mall in india with a multi-level roof top car park facilities with a capacity of 1,500 car parks and 700 parking space for two-wheelers.

first mall in india with a collection of four anchor stores (largest in their own field) – shoppers stop (84,000 sq. ft), pantaloons (74,000 sq. ft) inox cinemas (58,000 sq. ft), spencer’s (72,000 sq. ft) and 3 mini-anchors – time zone (18,000 sq. ft), starmark (20,000 sq. ft) and urbano (17,000 sq. ft).

first mall in india (when launched) with six movie screens (inox cinemas).

first mall in india with the largest food court spread over 40,000 sq. ft with a 850-person seating capacity.

s o u t h c i t y m A l l

SUCCESS STORY


would be driven from within.

Over the last ive years, South City Mall has lived up to

its promise. “It is not in the numbers but in the overall

impact on Eastern India that South City Mall’s biggest

inluence lies,” explains Man Mohan Bagree, VP, South

City Projects (Kolkata) Limited. “Before South City

Mall, no large global retailer was interested in coming

to Eastern India. But our management persuaded

respected global brands like Marks & Spencers, Next,

Guess, he Body Shop, Lacoste, Lladro, among others

to enter Eastern India and the trend still followed with

Timberland and Forever New opening their earliest

Indian retail outlets - Forever New’s third outlet and

Timberland’s second outlet in India - in South City Mall.

he success that they encountered prompted an array of

renowned international brands like FCUK, Jack & Jones,

Vero Moda, Nautica, Sisley, Tommy Hiliger, Chicco, US

Polo, among others, to take the plunge. he

result is that South City Mall has enhanced

respect for Eastern India as an important

retail destination, beneiting not just itself

but the entire retail community.”

So the big question: what is the reason

behind the unusual success of South City

Mall?

A number of reasons. “Principally, South

City Mall is a one-stop shop. you can

get everything under one roof - from a

needle to an airline ticket, from salon/spa

to gym equipment” says Bagree. “Besides,

it has something for everyone in the

family – while the wife shops, the husband

can spend time at the bookstore and the

children can spend time at Timezone and

ater they have inished, they can have a

meal followed by a ilm – without stepping

out. South City Mall represents a balance of

scale and sophistication...just right.”

here are a number of other reasons why South City

Mall is a destination of irst recall. he mall caters

to all budgets – from the premium to the aspiring to

the afordable across products. hen the zoning which

makes access convenient. “We zoned our mall like

a departmental store - diferent zones for diferent

products complemented by proper placement of

brands (premium to medium range),” says Bagree.

“For example, when you talk about formal brands,

there is Raymonds, Giovani, Louis Phillippe, Zodiac,

Blackberry followed by Turtle, Hofmen, Success, Peter

England and Siyarams... from premium to aspiring. All

fashion footwear is zoned together. Sports wear on one

side, with leather next to it. It was the irst mall in the

country with 97 percent successful zoning, which set a

benchmark. he result is that all retailers get the same

kind of footfalls and South City Mall is possibly the only

mall in the country with uniform rentals on all three

loors; where our retail stores on the upper loors deliver

equal returns as those on the ground loor whereas it is

the opposite everywhere else.”

And then there is attention to detail. Bentel Associates

International of Johannesburg redesigned what the

promoters had initially designed: the common passage

inside the Mall is six metres wide in comparison to

the standard practice of three metres, by malls across

the country, the driveway in the parking area gives the

customer a seven metres wide passage on a single lane

as opposed to the usual ive metres.

he results: nearly 98 percent retailers at the time of

the mall’s launch in 2008 continue to be active tenants;

South City Mall has been rated as the number one in

Eastern India and among the top ive Best

Performing Malls in the country. South City

Mall was the sixth largest mall till a year

back. he prosperity is coming down to

its tenants. In a single day, Pantaloons and

Shoppers Stop reported sales of

` 1crore-plus in its August 2013 end-of-

season sale, setting Indian records for

the highest otake in a single day from a

departmental destination inside a shopping

mall. Both Pantaloons and Shoppers Stop

outlets at South City Mall still igure in

their top three outlets all over India. Even

six years following launch, South City

Mall attracts around two million visitors a

month, peaking at a staggering 2,75,000 on

Christmas Day 2012.

he result is that South City Mall has

evolved in a sub-economy driver. “We

have six anchors and 134 vanilla retailer

establishments within, which provide

employment to more than 3,000 individuals directly and

other thousands indirectly, having an annual business

turnover in excess of ` 900 crores with an annual

exchequer contribution of a few hundred crores,” says

Bagree. “We are not just an economic island; we are

contributing to the city, state and country.”

So what of the future? “It has just been ive years since

South City Mall was commissioned,” says Mr. Jugal

Khetawat, Director, “but we are planning to ofer a new

experience to our patrons - not out of necessity but out

of passion - which no mall in the country has attempted,

to beat the boredom and sameness yet.

south city mall in numbers Working staff 3,000

one million sq. ft area Seven specialty fine dining

options 40,000 sq. ft. food court 20 escalators and eight

elevators

200 closed circuit cameras, 200 security guards and three

sniffer dogs Average monthly footfalls:

two million-plus

Mall occupancy: 100 percent


The ‘freewheeling’ on house thets in the last issue

struck a chord deep inside. his is what I have to say:

we are responsible for our actions. We are anarchic, provide

luxuries to our children, show our wealth of and ignore

those who do not have enough. My prescriptions: keep our

valuables in a safe place, refrain from showbaazi, care for

the ‘extended family’, value everyone’s work and remunerate

appropriately. Only then can we expect to be paid back in

kind.

Rajesh Kumar Bagri

The write-up on domestic thet in

the last issue was like someone had

articulated what I have always felt. he

best way forward is to be as practical

as possible. Our interaction with the

domestic helps should be open; we

need to address their grievances to the

maximum extent. his man-management

issue needs to be tackled with vigilance

and humanity.

Praveen Baid

Goodbye beams, welcome slabs!

FoR dECAdES, BuILdINgS WERE dESIgNEd uSINg BEAMS ANd CoLuMNS ANd ThE RESuLT WAS INEVITABLy PILLARS IN ThE MIddLE oF LIVINg APARTMENTS oR BEAMS juTTINg ouT oF

CEILINgS. ThE SuRPRISE IS ThAT PEoPLE LIVEd WITh ThESE AddITIoNAL MEMBERS oF ThE FAMILy WIThouT CoMPLAINT, CoNVINCEd ThAT ThERE WAS No ALTERNATIVE.

But now there is an alternative to

ugly beams and slabs.

he time has come for this

construction system, marked by

ineiciency and disproportion, to

be replaced. he solution lies in

beam-less ‘lat slabs’ where one doesn’t need to worry

about ugly beams (12-18 inches thick) protruding from

the ceilings and walls (5-10 inches thick).

For long, construction companies inlicted

this pain on their customers because

customers themselves were tolerant. But

over the last decade, some interesting

developments have emerged: commercial

loor plates have got larger and clearer with

no intervening pillars; as an extension,

residential spaces have got larger and there

has been an increased need for pillar-less halls.

Since necessity is the mother of invention, the result

is a modern construction development that does away

with both. In this technique, lat slabs and shear walls

eliminate the need for ungainly columns and proiles.

he beneit is more than aesthetic; this improves the

construction quality and makes the structural design

simpler. Besides, in a three-year construction cycle,

one can potentially save up to nine months through

this cutting-edge construction development, which is

oten a huge diference in the economic viability of the

proposed development.

“his futuristic trend is already a reality in our Hiland

Sapphire project in Ballygunge Park Road” says Sumit

Dabriwala, Director, Riverside Developers Pvt. Ltd.

“We’ve used lat slabs and designed the

interiors in such a way that one gets a

sweeping seamless sense of 1,000 or 2,000

sq. t space, emerging as the irst in Kolkata’s

residential segment to use this cutting-edge

technology in line with the global practice

where conventional beam column frames

have become obsolete.”

Dabriwala feels this an idea ready to be

embraced. “I have absolutely no doubt that one will

ind such a diference striking when one enters such

a place; there is an even bigger conviction that this

construction practice has huge positive implications for

the psychological well-being of those who live within.”

A small diference but it goes a long way…

We’ve used lat slabs and

designed the interiors in

such a way that one gets a

sweeping seamless sense of

1,000 or 2,000 sq. t space.

- Sumit Dabriwala

Readers speak

Su Casa TwinsCharaktala, Dakshin Jagatdal, Rajpur

he developer speaks: “Su Casa Twins is located at Dakshin Jagaddal, Rajpur, Kolkata. he project is barely a minute away from

the upcoming E.M. Bypass Extension and 10 minutes from Garia Metro, thus one can reach any part of the city in a convenient

manner. ‘he most afordable’ project ofers a nice and cozy feel at home, in a community of well-designed 110 lats. It also ofers

modern amenities like AC multi-gym, swimming pool, AC community hall, indoor games amongst others. Welcome to Su Casa

Twins and experience a life of convenience and comfort!”

Land area: 55 cottahs (Approximately)

Number of blocks: 2

Number of loors: G+4, Proposed G+5

Number of lats: 110 (Approximately)

Unit size: 2 BHK (791-1,039 sq. t);

3 BHK (945-1,188 sq. t)

Open space: 54 percent (Approximately)

Completion time: March 2016

Location: Charaktala, Dakshin

Jagatdal, Rajpur

Developer: Rupayan Construction

Pvt. Ltd.



Gossipwallah O for a butterly! Are butterlies disappearing

from our lives? Looks

like. Findings from the

Environmental Survey 2013

by he Energy and Resources

Institute indicates that around

55 percent of interviewees in

its survey felt that they now

encountered fewer sparrows

and butterlies. Some 37

percent felt that water in lakes

and ponds has deteriorated,

afecting biodiversity. So my

question is: it is easy to crib,

but how many will venture to

fund an NGO (Nature Mates,

for instance) that is actually

seeding butterly habitats across

the city? Eco Space did. he

result: the Rajarhat location

has begun to attract butterlies

from within kms. Or for that

matter even Raichak, which has

seen an increase in butterlies

‘by thousands’. So while it is

easy to crib that the world is

going from bad to worse, is

anyone willing to spend some

simple money in greening

neighbourhoods?

Finally!When it rains, it pours.

Slowdown or not, Kolkata has

got two new malls in the space

of four months. Lake Mall on

Rashbehari Avenue. When

launched in 2004, Lake Mall

was positioned as a test case

of how one can modernise a

traditional market without

afecting the interests of its

tenants. Some said that the

old tenants would be afected.

Others said that one needed

to do things to take the legacy

into the modern. his is the

result: a number of old tenants

rehabilitated into the new

property, six storeys, 100 retail

spaces, four-screen multiplex

and a 40,000 sq.t. Big Bazaar

hyper market. you may be

haggling on the side of the

street shopping for groceries

while avoiding a speeding car

and all the related sights and

smells in the name of nostalgia,

but there is always an excuse to

move on…

Red loorsWhy doesn’t someone talk

about the lost art of making

lovely polished red mosaic, so

typical of Calcutta? Where have

the artisans gone? Why have

we given up our heritage for

modern glitzy tiles? And oten

monotonously inelegant marble

or mosaic? Can someone write

in to this magazine on how

we can bring this art back into

circulation? Can someone

write in on which homes of the

city still have lovely polished

red loors so that we may take

pictures before these buildings

are torn down to make way for

some glass-cum-stainless steel

high-rises?

What the media reported Delhi leads world in real estate price rise!

“India has witnessed the

sharpest appreciation in real

estate prices in the last couple

of years, according to data

from the Global Property

Guide, an organisation which

collates real estate data from

across the world. Property

prices in Delhi witnessed

the steepest appreciation of

roughly 60 percent, when

compared to cities from

43 other countries. Delhi’s

60 percent rise in property

prices over the past two years

is nearly 20 percentage points

higher than Brazil’s Sao

Paulo, which is the second

fastest rising international

property market.”(Source: he Times of India,

05.08.2013)

202 storeys in four months!

“China is home to 60 of the

world’s 100 tallest buildings

now under construction!

Broad Group, a manufacturer

based here in Changsha,

has been planning to erect

the world’s tallest building

(202 storeys) in winter 2013

- in only four months using

factory-built modules of steel

and concrete.”

(Source: he Economic Times,

29.08.2013)

Buying homes in US

“Indian buyers accounted

for nearly $3.5 billion of the

$68.5 billion that foreigners

spent on purchasing homes

in the United States during

the 12 months ending March

31, 2013. he Chinese

accounted for 18 percent of

all realty sold to foreigners in

2012-13. At a median price

of $425,000, the Chinese

also bought more expensive

homes than other foreign

buyers, who spent a median

of nearly $276,000 on US

homes.”

(Source: Times of India, 09.07.2013)

Digitisation, inally

“A big chunk of the stress

associated with buying a

piece of property could be

eliminated if a government

proposal to amend the

registration Act goes through.

Under the amendments

proposed by the rural

development ministry and

due to be taken up by the

cabinet soon, all records of

future property transactions

will be digitised and made

easily available for any

potential buyer to access. his

means that ownership would

be clearly established, as also

prices at which the property

changed hands, making it

easier to value in years to

come. he changes, which

could be the most signiicant

in the 105-year history of the

Act, will beneit buyers in

both rural and urban areas.”

(Source: he Hindustan Times,

16.05.2013)


RTS Power Corporation Ltd has been the lagship

company of the Bhutoria Group, providing power

conversion and power quality solutions for 38 years.

he Company is one of the leading manufacturers of

power, distribution, extra high voltage and dry type

transformers.

RTS has always believed in optimising its product

portfolio with the evolving user demands. In a bid to

cater to the burgeoning real estate residents in and

around the city, RTS has come up with a state-of-the-

art Unitised Substation (USS)/Compact Substation.

Unitised Substation or Compact Substation is a

transformer with all substation switchgear components

attached in a single modular structure. Its outward

appearance is similar to a silent generator; it is easy to

install, saves time and is portable.

At this juncture, a few pertinent questions pop into

one’s mind, namely the ‘where’, ‘what’ and ‘why’ of it all:

Where can this product be used?he product inds multiple applications in oil and gas

installations worldwide as well as factories, airports,

railways and metro stations. All this vindicates the

safety proposition that the product brings to the table.

It suits the residential set up because of its adaptability,

which ensures that it can be installed outdoors,

indoors, on rootops as well as in basements.

What are the USPs of this product?What this product brings to the fore is superior power

generation capabilities and it does that by occupying

a fraction of the space that the other run-of-the-mill

transformers do. his unique ofering from the RTS

pipeline utilises state-of-the-art equipment with SF6

gas technology and is a testament of the cutting-edge

R&D capabilities at our disposal. And RTS is the one-

stop-shop for any access or maintenance-related issues.

Why choose this product above others?he Unitised Substation combines the transformer

with a control panel and that too at an afordable price

compared to the products of its kind manufactured by

multinational conglomerates like Schneider Electric.

he Unitised Substation is thus all set to turn the power

distribution and transmission landscape on its head

from the perspective of the booming real estate scene

in the city.

the product comprises of three

compartments- ht side panel, lt side panel and transformer.

ht side protection comprises a rmu,

with sf6 vcb which makes the sub

station compact.

transformer can both be oil-cooled as well as dry type.

lt panel comprises

all lt side protection equipment including mccb, the same can

be customised as per requirement.

Unitised Substation POwERfUL. COMPACT. VALUE-fOR-MONEy.

Finally a puja where

the aesthetics extended

from the pandal to

the community. The

Badamtala Ashar Sangha

puja organisers painted

neighbourhood doors

and windows so that

they gelled with the

pandal aesthetics. So

long after the pandal

has been dismantled, the

fragrance of this puja

will linger – and enrich

the neighbourhood.

one coat of paint made

architectural features

come alive. If only all

pujas had a similar

element of sustainable

improvement…

Mud

ar P

athe

rya

One coat of paint...


places and monuments of indiafind places and monuments of india hidden in this grid

(horizontal, vertical, downward and reverse)

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1. Erstwhile state that currently

forms the Vidarbha region of

Maharashtra.

2. State that joined the Indian Union

in 1975.

3. Judiciary capital of Kerala.

4. Darga of the Sui Saint Khwaja

Moin-Ud-Din Chisti

5. Prayag of ancient times.

6. Town in Gujarat associated with

milk production.

7. Aurangzeb’s tribute to his wife

Begum Rabia Durani.

8. he ‘City of Dawn’ designed by

French architect Roger Arger.

9. Site of the famous Gol Gumbaz, the

second largest dome in the world.

10. Siddhartha Gautama became ‘he

Buddha’ here.

11. City founded by Job Charnock in

1690.

12. Vasco-Da-Gama landed near this

city in 1498.

13. Busy market in old Delhi built

by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s

daughter Jahan Ara.

14. ‘Manchester of South India.’

15. Place in New Delhi that was

renamed as Rajiv Chowk in 1995.

16. Important tea growing region of

South India.

17. City where the Falaknuma Palace is

located.

18. Place in Assam considered sacred

by Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists.

19. Humayun’s tomb built by Bega

Begum in 1565 A.D. served as a

model for this later day monument.

20. Famous war memorial of India’s

capital.

21. Winter capital of Maharashtra.

22. Ancient name of Odisha.

23. National Park in Assam famous for

the great one-horned rhinoceros.

24. Small town in Bihar known for its

famous folk paintings.

25. he ‘City of Joy’ associated with

Rani Roopmati.

Send in your answer at

[email protected]

Please keep sending your answers and we might just feature you in the next Real-Ties.

FUN ZONE


NUMBERS WHAT THEY SAID...

C K Prahalad

Management guru

“Every minute during the next 20 years, 30 Indians will leave rural India for settling in urban areas. here is an imperative need for India to create 500 new cities to accommodate and provide a better quality life to its migrating people. Otherwise every existing city will become a slum when India becomes 75 in 2022.”

Donald Trump

“he growing demand for luxury products in India is a well-known fact and India has always been an important growth market for Trump. We believe that India holds great potential on many levels and are excited about the many opportunities here. We have set the standard and will continue to exceed expectations with all of our developments, including Trump Towers Pune.”

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Fashion designer

“Professionally, Kolkata has helped balance my ambitions; it keeps me culturally inclined and slows me down so I do not burn out. If you lose your way in the city and ask somebody for directions, he or she will drop you all the way to your place. In return, the person will make sure you don’t leave his or her home without a cup of tea. hat’s how warm people in Kolkata are.”

Winston Churchill

Former Late Prime Minister, UK

“Land monopoly is not only monopoly, but it is by far the greatest of monopolies; it is a perpetual monopoly, and it is the mother of all other forms of monopoly.”

Robert Kiyosaki

“If you do not like real estate, all you have to do is make hamburgers, build a business around that hamburger, and franchise it.”

Mizoram Chief Minister

“Out of 221,077 households, 65.8 percent live in their own houses and 31.8 percent have rented accommodation, while the rest live in staf quarters, which makes Mizoram a state with virtually no homeless people.”

Lal hanhawla

Businessman, author and inancial commentator

Real estate tycoon

Million sq. t, the inventory of unsold housing stock in the major cities (Source: Mint, August).700Escalation in urban Indian land costs prices in the last two years (Source: 10 August 2013).40Decline (in percentage terms) in commercial/residential property demand in the last two years (Source: 10 August 2013).20

Number of operational malls in India (as of May 2013) with a total area of 180 million sq. t compared to just 225 malls ive years ago (Source: TOI, August).

570

$bn worth realty bought by Indians in US in 2012-13 (Source: Times of India, 9 July 2013).3.5Number of units launched in the mid-end segment in 2012 priced between Rs 36 lac and Rs 60 lac. 83 Percentage decline in the supply of luxury homes in 2012 - from 280 (2011) to just 23 in 2012 (Source: HBL, January 2013).92Number of malls that opened in India in the last year (Source: TOI, August 2013).60

he annual apartment demand (in terms of units) in Kolkata

10,500

Total area (acres) developed for residential purposes on either side of Kona Expressway and National Highways 6 and 3.

1,000


My wife did.

She became the secretary in a

challenging year. he building

repairs and repainting were

warranted ater eight years.

In most high-rise buildings,

this would have been simple.

Convene a meeting. Share costs.

Propose a vote of thanks. Go

home.

Not so in ours. Even though we

are a high-rise building with

a Rabindra Sarobar frontage,

we have a fairly middle-class

residents’ proile (blessing).he

challenge: try marketing a

` 25,000 per apartment

renovation outlay to a diverse,

multi-ethnic, multi-age and

multi-income neighbour proile

without smelling salts.

Point: “We don’t need repairs or

repainting.”

Counter-point: “But if some

block falls and someone is

seriously injured, there could be

a police complaint and each of us

would be held responsible.”

Point: “I don’t want any

labourers to walk through my

room. What if one of them

comes back to murder me a few

months later?”

Counter-point: “We have

reinforced security so this would

be pretty impossible.”

Point: “I refuse to pay until the

ceiling leakage problem is irst

addressed.”

Counter-point: “We must get

her neighbour to sweet-talk her

to relent.”

Point: “I want to pay across 24

months at the rate of ` 1,000 per

month.”

Counter-point: “We will

introduce you to a bank to

inance you with a loan.”

Point: “We will be away in

America. We don’t want anyone

to be working near our verandah

while we are away for three

months.”

Counter-point: “We will skip

your part of the verandah which

can get painted at your expense

when you return.”

he upshot is that my wife

spent precious hours convening

meetings, screening contractors,

chasing paint companies,

maatha-maaroing with the

building’s manager and

intellectually seducing each

resident before the collective

verdict could be a ‘yes’.

he wife now carries herself

with an authoritative air on how

to crack the subject. Here is the

‘manual’ she dictated to me:

“Write that no building repairs

can ever be efectively concluded

without a three-way agreement

between the paints company,

the contractor and the building

committee. If the contractor

plays hookey, complain to the

paints company and he could be

delisted.”

“Write that people must

speak to the other buildings for

which the contractor has earlier

worked.”

“Write that they must negotiate

paint costs directly with the

Asian Paints or the Bergers of

the world – for genuine material

without the contractor’s mark-

up.”

“Write that the contractor must

provide a weekly scheduling of

what he will achieve. hen share

this with the building residents.”

“Write that if they can

cross-check the worklow with

someone who understands

construction. he moment you

have a counter-opinion, the

contractor will know that you

cannot be fooled.”

“Write that it is imperative to

keep about 10 percent of the

contractor’s payment as retention

money for three to six months

ater the work has ended.”

“Write that the building must

photograph each labourer; if

any labourer is changed, the

contractor must inform the

manager immediately.”

“Let the repairs cure for 15 days

before the paint can inally be

applied. Don’t rush this.”

“Communicate, communicate

and communicate with the

residents. Otherwise, the

building’s secretary will be

treated as a vendor with residents

trooping in with various private

demands (‘Khetey-khetey rojgaar

korechi. Jaana uchit na?’).

he latest is that work has

commenced. he money is

trickling in. Some residents have

extended bridge loans. Life goes

on.

PS. he wife wants to convince residents to start a computer training programme for the underprivileged in the manager’s ground loor room in the evening (ater he has let). here she goes to speak to ‘seduce’ residents once again…

(You are most welcome to

dissent... send mail!)

freewheelingwAnt some excitement in life?

become the secretAry of the residents’ committee of your building.

Mudar Patherya, [email protected]

he developer speaks: “Shree Sai Plaza is an inspiring workplace in the heart of Kolkata. It is situated

at a glorious location on the AJC Bose road providing an extraordinary location advantage!”

Land area: 12 cottahs

Number of loors: B+G+ 7

Number of oices: 28

Unit size: 888 sq. t onwards

floor size: 4,433 sq. t

Completion time: February 2014

Location: 89, A. J. C. Bose Road opposite Entally Market

Developer: Sri Sai Group

S a i P l a z aA. J. C. Bose Road


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kolkata s only real estate magazine i vol 9 i issue 3 i ... · developer: arihant e developer...

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