an interview with rahul saraf, one of the most creative

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Kolkata’s only real estate magazine I Vol 9 I Issue 4 I January 2014
ties MAVERICK!
Kolkata’s only real estate magazine
Ad sales agency enquiries solicited
For enquires and to advertise: Call 033 4040 1010/ 6620 1010 | [email protected]
AN INTERVIEW WITH RAHUL SARAF, ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE REAL
ESTATE VISIONARIES OF INDIA
Opposite Mirania Lake,
near Science City
NEW LAUNCH
INIA
Land area: 1.5 bigha
Number of flats: 37
Completion time: January 2017
Number of blocks: 1
Unit sizes: 2,180; 2,450; 4,630 sq ft
Location: E.M.Bypass/P.C.Connector
Number of floors: B+G+21
Open space: 80 percent
Developer: J. C. Infratech
The developer speaks: “The project offers an
exclusive premium residential lifestyle living
with internationally benchmarked architecture.
Attractive pricing makes it a worthy buy. Inia
is strategically located at Topsia which is
well-connected across the city. A 40 ft lobby
with a water curtain is a unique feature in
the project. All apartments are south-facing
with three sides open. The infinity pool on
the terrace along with a Sky Gym provides a
modern lifestyle edge to the project.”
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
NEW LAUNCH
NORTH
GRANDE
Near Airport
Land area: 400 cottahs
Number of floors: G+6 (Proposed)
• 3 BHK Flat (sq ft.): 1,231, 1,312
and 1,903
• 4 BHK Flat (sq ft.): 2,311
Number of apartments: 480
Location: Beside Belghoria Express
Way, near Durganagar Rail Station,
Nimta, Kolkata 700 049.
Unit sizes:
• 2 BHK Flat (sq ft.): 1,022
Completion: 42 months from the date
of commencement + six months’
Developer: Mounthill Realty and
Balmukund
Number of wings: 19
The developer speaks: “In today’s fastpaced life, the most important asset
of our lives – health – is relegated to
the back burner. North Grande is a
residential complex designed around
one’s health. Comprising a healththemed central garden and two-storey
clubhouse. Designed to stimulate the
mind, strengthen the body and stir the
soul. So that residents may cherish life.”
grace period
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
 COVER STORY
N. K. Realtors (P) Ltd.
9, Elgin Road (4th Floor),
Kolkata – 700020, India
Tel: 033 4040 1030
Web: www.nkrealtors.com
For feedback, write to us at
[email protected]
Maverick!
Mudar Patherya
interviews Rahul
Saraf, one of the most
creative real estate
visionaries of India on
himself.
Home Loan Partner
 INSIDE
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)
Editorial support and design:
GRAFFITI
Some select individuals are making
Kolkata’s walls more vibrant. Student
Kausar Ali Patherya offers a fresh
perspective on the graffiti across the
city walls.............................................. 12
GOLD AGE HOME
How a swank modern-day home for
the elderly presents a niche segment
yet to be discovered in India’s
young organised real estate sector
................................................. 18
WHAT’S YOUR RATING?
Anirudh Agarwal explains what
makes CRISIL Real Estate Star Ratings
(CREST) one of the most credible
independent ratings in India’s realty
sector ................................................... 22
DISCLAIMER
The 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.
The 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.
TEN THINGS I WOULD DO TO
IMPROVE KOLKATA
BRTS WILL REVOLUTIONISE
KOLKATA COMMUTING
A perspective by prominent installation JC Ganguly, Traffic and Transport
artist Susanta Pal ................................ 24 Department, KMDA, explains how
the proposed Bus Rapid Transit
System will revolutionise commuting
in Kolkata ..........................................26
January 2014 /real-ties/02
ECO PARK
HIDCO Chairman cum Managing
Director Debashis Sen speaks on what
makes Eco Park unique .................... 30
 EDITORIAL
If there is one thing that Kolkata needs it is
mavericks. There used to be a time when
mavericks abounded in the city and there
was a saying that ‘What Calcutta thinks today,
India thinks tomorrow.’ Over time, Kolkata has
become increasingly conformist and just like
other areas of the city’s life, this is also evident
in its real estate sector. We will not say that
most facades and structures are just about the
same; we will however say that there is a need
for builders and architects to do something
radically different.
This brings us to someone who has done
just that. Rahul Saraf. He has dared, he
has questioned. In this issue we profile the
THE WOW OF A LANDSCAPED
PROPERTY!
Landscape architect Madhup
Mazumder speaks about ‘landscape’
transforming into an integral
component of real estate projects .... 34
FOCUS ON SRIJAN INDUSTRIAL
LOGISTIC PARK
Abhishek Bharuka explains
‘warehousing’ and what makes SILP
one of the largest industrial logistics
parks of Eastern India! ......................48
maverick in him through ‘Atmosphere’, his
premium residential showpiece. This is not just
likely to emerge as a Kolkata showpiece; Rahul
insists that this will set the benchmark across
all of India!
The year 2014 will be an interesting year
for Kolkata following the introduction of the
proposed Bus Rapid Transit System, the growth
of the 480-acre Eco Park and launch of the
Srijan Industrial Logistic Park.
We would welcome your observations and
suggestions at [email protected]
REGARDS, TEAM NK
FOURTEEN REASONS TO LOOK
FORWARD TO 2014
New additions in the city to look
forward to in 2014, be it in the
entertainment sector or infrastructure
or culturally ........................................ 40
GOSSIPWALLAH
What keeps Devang Gandhi fit? How
Simpark as an automated parking
system works as a model? What makes
the Realty Expo a grand success? The
proverbial fly on the wall picks up
interesting stuff .................................. 52
A TILE THAT CONVERTS A
FOOTSTEP INTO ENERGY?
Urban strategist Scott Burnham
presents six ideas that can revitalise the
urban landscape ................................. 42
DEVELOPMENTS
Upcoming facilities and real estate
trends sprouting across the city ....... 54
SHERWOOD COMPLEX: ALL
SECURE!
What makes Sherwood Estate one of
the most secure residential properties
in Kolkata? .......................................... 44
FREEWHEELING
Mudar Patherya on one of the great
unsolved mysteries - how eunuchs
discover that a child has been born at
home! ..................................................56
MAVER
ERICK!
What makes Kolkata’s Rahul Saraf,
who is building the Atmosphere
showpiece, one of the most creative
real estate visionaries of India?
Mudar Patherya and Radhika Bansal
interview the man – on himself
A designed image of the 35-storeyed Atmosphere being constructed on
the EM Bypass adjacent to Science City.
A part of the 12,000 sq ft permanent gallery inside Forum on Elgin Road showcasing the premium residential project of Atmosphere, weighing two tonnes
What makes Rahul Saraf ‘Rahul
Saraf ’?
Definitely not a desire to be different for the sake of
being different! What makes me ‘me’ is that I love
what I do. It is the realisation that my work will live
beyond my existence. And it is a matter of pride –
call it izzat - that I must create something that will
make people say ‘Must have been a visionary who
built it!’ I will go to the extent of saying that if I were
a FMCG producer what I would have created would
have been consumed and vanished; what builders
produce is consumed and still exists for people to
appreciate. So how could I not be passionate?!
How does one connect the dots
backwards?
I completed only six months of college (St Xavier’s B.
Com). On paper, there would have been no hope for
me but something fortuitous happened. The family
began to work on the Infinity IT project in Salt Lake
with partners. Initially we had farmed the project out
to a Singapore company to design and build. This
Singapore company needed a techno-feasibility study
to ascertain turnkey project costs and timelines.
They needed to do so through Indian eyes and the
partners selected me to be that interface. In turn,
I was required to understand their operational
workflow (project management, timelines, quality
checks and balances). That was where I completed
my graduation!
In what way?
In those days, building a ten-storey building in
India took three years. The Singaporeans built
70-storeyed towers in 18 months. Their Republic
Plaza (1.5 million sq ft) in the central business
district was built within a year-and-a-half. In another
project, they built four basements with a mall and
office tower above with the basement wall kissing
the metro tunnel through a ‘top-down’ approach.
Mind blowing. The irony was that after a year, the
Singapore company concluded that Kolkata wouldn’t
be able to absorb their costs. They exited and our
partners concluded that we – the Sarafs – should
assume the role of the turnkey contractor since I had
already absorbed most of the Singaporean practices.
And that is how we graduated from financial
partners to vendors while building Infinity, India’s
first IT Park at that time.
In what way was Infinity different?
When the building is completed, loans repaid and
the business is 100 percent yours, will the property
still be relevant? Take Technopolis for instance,
which was built 10 years after Infinity. During those
ten years, Kolkata had completed 400,000 sq ft of
additional IT space whereas we decided to build
6,00,000 sq ft in a fifth of the time (15 months). We
leased 100 percent at rentals 30 percent higher than
DLF because we created a ‘Green Building’ - first in
India, first in the world certified with United Nations
to earn carbon credits - that would endure.
What factors contributed to this
‘difference’?
Rule 6: Sell a piece of your mind, not boxes. I
always try and build something that makes my heart
beat rise a little each time I cross it. For instance,
Atmosphere took us 18 months just to design this
project. You’ve got to burn, burn and burn. You keep
reconvening till you solve one problem and create
two new ones!
This is a relevant question because today one may not
be able to appreciate what we brought to the city in the
early Nineties. Infinity was one of India’s first buildings
connected with an optical fibre. We were more than
a regular office building; we were an ‘intelligent’
building. Our building automation was managed by
Johnson Controls. Infinity was the first building in
India with a reflective glass facade. Metal cladding was
used for the first time in our property. We may have
been small; but we were already different.
A number of ‘rules’ that one internalised.
Rule 1: Build for yourself. From the beginning,
ours was a ‘build-to-lease’ model, which made it
imperative to build non-fatigue properties to earn
attractive rents over time. When one builds to own,
you treat the asset like an investment,
which enhances quality.
“I see the 9 km Parama-Maidan
Rule 2: Enunciate your purpose.
Real estate was our in-house asset
management fund. All our cash
surpluses usually went into building
rentable properties that would generate
sustainable revenues. Since we were not
from the sector, we had a differentiated
perspective for each project.
flyover starting a tectonic
shift: there is a huge arbitrage
opportunity on both ends of the
flyover for just a seamless seven
minute difference.”
Rule 3: Grow the market. We had no time for
competing in the same space. Early on, we resolved
that we would try and do something different that
would grow the market rather than fight for market
share. We would create the first Mercedes in our
segment than accessorise a Fiat.
Rule 4: Remember that this is an asset business.
The great M S Oberoi indicated that the hospitality
business was essentially a Balance Sheet-influenced
business, not a profit and loss-driven one. Simply
because the cumulative profits of Oberoi yearon-year would never match the increase in the
appreciation of the properties. The result was that
we sold only as much of the building to recover
our investment and put the rest on rent to generate
sustainable surpluses, which in turn became the seed
capital for our prospective projects.
Rule 5: Stay relevant over time. The big question was:
A slightly different question. A
question mark hangs over the
Kolkata real estate scenario.
How do you see it from your
position?
Once the mood of Kolkata changes, as
it must when the economy looks up, the
biggest opportunity sits right here in this
city. I see the 9 km Parama-Maidan flyover
starting a tectonic shift: there is a huge
arbitrage opportunity on both ends of the flyover for
just a seamless seven minute difference. As a result, I
foresee the EM Bypass entering a phase of long-term
upward correction, which will define the rest of the
real estate sector’s growth in the city.
What is your goal?
I keep going back to see the Republic Plaza building.
It still looks younger and cleaner compared to
everything new I have done in my life. That I haven’t
been able to replicate it here bothers me. So there
are still a lot of dreams to be achieved. Empire State
Building (all of 102 storeys) was made in stone in
36 months and today is the greenest building in
Manhattan. Its beauty lies in its ability to retrofit
itself to the contemporary and stay relevant. These
are some of the things that excite me. Money is the
fuel of life but where you’re taking the car matters! So
my dream is to market experiences to my buyers that
will remain with them for a lifetime.
ATMOSPHERE .
India’s first equivalent of a Mercedes in the luxury residential vertical
T
here are
residential
projects,
there are
luxury residential
projects and there is
Atmosphere.
Probably the most complex
residential project being
undertaken anywhere in Asia
– or world – today. “A number
of people ask me to describe
Atmosphere,” says Rahul Saraf,
promoter, “and the easiest way
to do so is by telling them that
if Marina Bay Sands – probably
the most defining real estate
project in Singapore – is a
private jet on a tarmac, then
Atmosphere is an Airbus
380 suspended in the sky on
two balls and long columns.
Without sounding dramatic
it would be fair to say that
this kind of construction has
probably never been attempted
anywhere in the world.”
UNIQUE
So what makes Atmosphere
unique from an engineering
perspective? A number of
features: the community club
in the sky comprises 2,700
tons of fabricated steel; this
entire weight will be fabricated,
erected and suspended on
bearings; a single piece of
nearly 470 tons will be lifted to
100 m; the project will entail
around 450 tons of temporary
steel work to facilitate erection.
And making all this a reality
will be the best complement of
international competencies: a
Malaysian company fabricating
and lifting the bridge, the
facade cladding and design
engineering being done in
Germany, while bearings being
designed and imported from
the US.
‘REDEFINING
ARCHITECTURE IN
INDIA’
So the big question: can
this enrich Kolkata? Saraf
is confident that this could
‘redefine architecture in India.’
A number of people view
residential apartments as an
aggregation of boxes; the word
‘icon’ does not figure in the
treatment. “Atmosphere could
be a huge contribution in terms
of next generation buildings,”
he says. “People will not only
build to sell; they will build to
create icons that endure.”
So what did Saraf propose
for Atmosphere? “Our
design engineering brief was
simple: Luxury residential
condominium with an IT Park
backbone for services and a
five-star resort setting on top.
If we achieved this, we knew
that the project would become
iconic.”
At the heart of the project is
a commitment to fine detail.
Eight different apartment types,
for one, ranging from 6-8,000
sq ft. Double floor duplexes
(32) with private lift lobbies.
Single floor villas (48) with
landscaped terraces up to 500
sq ft.
JEWEL IN THE CROWN
And the jewel in the crown of
the property comprising three
terrace gardens, swimming
pool and a canopy - is a five
storey steel structure. “This
is really what will make
Atmosphere the talk of the
country,” says Saraf. “The
moment you have a 5-storey
trellis lit from the bottom with
trees and shadows, that will be
experiencing height in the true
sense!”
But what makes this project
special is that in addition
to its imposing façade and
engineering excellence, there
are a number of facilities that
make everyday living a cruise.
“For instance, you won’t require
a washing machine if you’re
a resident at Atmosphere,”
says Saraf. “I was tortured by
the thought that even as we
had designed an international
showpiece, residents would
start drying their sarees from
their balconies. So we invested
in a first-rate laundry service at
a fifth of the cost of the normal
dry cleaning. This is just one
of the many facilities we have
here. You name it and we
provide it at your doorstep.”
EXTENDING THE
SERVICE
The service also extends
to assisting residents in
doing up their interiors.
“Today most people want
to buy their furniture from
abroad, especially China. At
Atmosphere, we will offer
residents a unique facility:
should they fly to China, we
identify vendors who provide
world-class quality at attractive
prices; they can select what
they like, we activate our
purchasing department to
act as the sourcing agentcontractor-purchasing agentsupervisor. We leverage our
existing relationships with
these vendors to generate
discounts as high as 55 percent!
As a result, Atmosphere is
not just brick and mortar,
it will be a service; it is not
just a building, it will be an
experience.”
ATMOSPHERE • 3 acres (130,730 sq ft) • Next to Science City • 35 storeys with a 5-storey crown (penthouse)
• Two towers (500 ft high, 165 ft apart) • 80 villas (32 double floor villas and 48 single floor villas) • Size range:
6,000-8,750 sq ft • Private landscaped garden with each villa (200-1,500 sq ft) • Exclusive residents’ club: Threedimensional jigsaw puzzle at 400 ft (spanning four levels) • Number of elevators: 43 • Automated car washing
and polishing bay
February 2014 /real-ties/08
THE ATMOSPHERE GALLERY.
REVOLUTIONISING THE
BUYING EXPERIENCE.
Most real estate builders market a
residential apartment on the basis of a
show flat.
However, Atmosphere with eight
different apartment types could not
have created eight different sample
apartments. So the management did
something unique within its sector;
it created a permanent
gallery (12,000 sq ft) to
market its property.
“At Atmosphere, we
recognised that the lady
of the house – who has a
critical say in the decision
– needs references to
understand a sense of
space,” explains Rahul
Saraf. “The result is that
every dimension in the
gallery is linked to some
dimension within the
actual apartment. For
instance, the marble
platform in our gallery
is exactly the size of the
living room! As a result,
we market an experience
and not an apartment.
Which is why in our
brochure, we don’t have
any dimensions on the
floor plans; we have
a scale with the feet
measure marked on it.”
The heart of the gallery is the
architectural model. This ‘doll house’
weighs 2 tons. A team from China
flies in every quarter to maintain the
apartments.
FINDING ONE’S BEARINGS!
The bearings that Atmosphere will
sit on would be the size of a bedroom
- 2.4m by 2.7m and 1.8h. Movable in
any direction. So that in the event of
an earthquake, the towers may sway
but remain absolutely safe.
Ivory
Tower
NEW LAUNCH
Near Kudghat
Metro station
Number of blocks: 1
Number of floors: G+11
Number of flats: 39
The developer speaks: “The Ivory Tower
is located in the heart of South Kolkata
near the Kudghat Metro Station. It enjoys
excellent connectivity. The road to the
project is dotted with renowned schools,
colleges, hospitals, shopping malls and
entertainment centers. The RCGC, India’s
oldest golf club, is a stone’s throw from
the property.”
Unit sizes:
• 2BHK+Study
:1,387 sq. ft
• 3BHK (2 Toilets) :1,556 sq. ft
• 3BHK (3 Toilets) :1,605 sq. ft
& 1,656 sq. ft
Completion: Two years six months
Developer: Shristi Commotrade Pvt.
Ltd.
Location: 17/1, Chandi Ghosh Road,
Beside Netaji (Kudghat) Metro, Kolkata
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
graFFiti!
Some select individuals are making Kolkata’s walls more vibrant.
Pictures by Kausar Ali Patherya
“Speak softly,
but carry a big
can of paint.”
Banksy, Wall and Piece
Fourteen-year-old Kausar Ali inherited
a cast-away D40x Nikon. Started off by
shooting droplets after a shower. Then
was dispatched to shoot Kolkata. The
following pages are the result!
“People say graffiti is ugly,
irresponsible and childish... but
that’s only if it’s done properly.”
Banksy, Wall and Piece
“The graffiti on Kolkata’s walls is either political or banal. So when I came across
something refreshingly different, we stopped our car and shot with our cellphone.
A day later, I was back to shoot more. This time with my Nikon D40x. Most people
dismissed me as a crank; only the guard outside the German Consulate – with one
of the most refreshing walls in the city - shooed me away on grounds of ‘security’.
First you invite people to see; then you drive them away!”
NEW LAUNCH
Close to Ballygunge Place
SIGNUM GARDENIA
Number of blocks: 3
Unit size:
1,333 – 1,423 sq. ft (SBU)
Location: Close to Ballygunge Place,
off the Bondel Road Flyover
Number of flats: 60
Completion: August 2016
Developer: Signum Group (An
enterprise of Heritage Realty Group)
The developer speaks: “Signum
Gardenia is a residential complex
comprising three G+7 blocks with
ventilated apartments. It is located close
to Ballygunge Phari, one of the premium
Kolkata neighbourhoods. Amenities
comprise a community hall, gym, indoor
games room and a decorated common
terrace. Come, make it your own!”
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
Number of blocks: 1
Unit sizes: 3,500; 7,000; 14,000;
28,000 sq. ft
Open space: 67.32 percent
Completion time: June 2015
(grace period of one year)
Location: Strategically located at a
focal point on the EM Bypass
Developer: Ideal Group
The developer speaks: “Look goodfeel good was the brief given to the
celebrated architect Hafeez Contractor
by the Ideal Group. The result? An
awe inspiring exterior design with
a pillar-less, column-less internal
structure with 14ft high interiors that
offers complete design freedom. The
property is convenience-driven with
environmentally-conscious design
(MLCP, 16 passenger lifts, two
service lifts, grand entrance lobby,
stunning entrance plaza with the right
balance of built and green spaces,
temperature-controlled office spaces,
breathtaking views and a smoking
zone). You couldn’t ask
for more!”
IDEAL
UNIQUE
CENTRE
EM Bypass
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
“The greatest disease in the
West today is not TB or
leprosy; it is being unwanted,
unloved, and uncared for.
We can cure physical diseases
with medicine, but the only
cure for loneliness, despair,
and hopelessness is love.
There are many in the world
who are dying for a piece of
bread but there are many
more dying for a little love.
The poverty in the West is
a different kind of poverty
- it is not only a poverty
of loneliness but also of
spirituality. There’s a hunger
for love, as there is a hunger
for God.” – Mother Teresa
T
he one emerging
area of India’s
young organised
real estate sector
lies in its old. That’s right. Its
old people.
Over the last few decades,
a number of realities have
translated into an interesting
social churn: modern health
care and medicines have
extended India’s average
mortality age from 62 years
in 2001 to 66 years in 2012.
India’s elderly population
will reach 326 million by
2050 (21 percent of India’s
population).
A number of urban children
have migrated to seek
opportunities in different
cities and overseas. The
result: an increasing number
of elderly couples are lonelier
than ever.
There are a number of
reasons attributed to this the declining joint family
system, insecurity, loneliness,
lack of companionship and
lack of accommodation,
etc. As per recent statistics,
there are only just over 1,000
A designer’s rendering of the proposed Jagriti Dham
GOLDAGE HOME
A swank modern-day home for the elderly is
emerging on the outskirts of Kolkata
senior citizen old age homes
in India with hardly 25,000
beds. Trust some enterprising
real estate development
companies to seek an
opportunity in this untapped
area as there is an urgent,
dire need to meet the rising
demand.
ATTRACTIVE
OPPORTUNITIES
“One of the most attractive
realty opportunities is the
creation of homes for the
affluent or well-off elderly,
which is different from the
conventional homes for the
aged,” explains Ravindra
Chamaria, Chairman &
Managing Director, Infinity
Group. “We see this as an
irreversible trend that will
only accelerate over the
foreseeable future.”
Interestingly, caring for
parents has extended from
sending a monthly cheque to
ensuring their holistic wellbeing. “There is a growing
feeling among children
that a mere remittance is
no longer an insurance that
their parents will be welllooked after,” says Atul, a
Kolkatan residing overseas.
“The aging parents need
creature comforts and an
infrastructure that will keep
their parents safe, for which
their children are willing to
buy, rent into properties to
keep them active, healthy,
engrossed, happy, content
and secured.”
This is where Jagriti Dham
comes in. “Our vision is
to create an age integrated
society that promotes
active aging,” says Ravindra
Chamaria, promoter of a
new Gold Age Home for
the seniors of our society.
“The biggest upside of such
a residential complex is
its sense of community.
For decades, there was a
dread of getting old, being
neglected and being lonely.
That dread has now been
replaced with an excitement
where people look forward
to their retirement in the
hope that they will now have
a collection of people with
whom they will be able to
mingle, socialise and live
happily,” says Vijay Sood,
manager of the project.
THE PROJECT
Jagriti Dham is a notfor-profit initiative of the
RC Infinity Foundation.
This is an active wellness
resort which comes with
well-appointed luxurious
facilities. It has furnished
and fully serviced 500 sq ft
AC rooms with an attached
bathroom, balcony, sitting
area with sofa, coffee table
dining halls and a temple
with purohit for prayers and
worship,” explains Mr Sood.
“Plus there will be walking
trails, jogging tracks, water
bodies, tree canopies, flowerfringed walkways, open-tosky Japanese gardens and
pathways. Sheer heaven. A
mini-paradise.”
Floors: G+2 Rooms: 72 Guest rooms: 2
Completion time: August /September, 2014 Staff
members: 70-80 with a separate service block
building within the complex (G+3) for accommodation
Location: Merlin Greens, D. H. Road, Kolkata 743503
and pantry, among others.
Each room comprises double
beds, wardrobes, lockers,
sofa, flat-screen LCD TV,
refrigerator, kitchenette and
a study table. Added facilities
include Wi-Fi connectivity,
intercom, power backup, 24x7 male and female
attendants, housekeeping and
maintenance.
“This is an excellent zerotension concept for a `25 lac
FACILITIES
• Laughter club and
yoga classes
• Pilgrimage tours
• Discourses on
spiritual, mental
stimulation and well
being
• Regular health
check-ups by
physicians
• Counseling sessions
deposit (fully refundable)
and `5 lac entrance fee
(refundable within six
months of occupation) in
addition to just `25,000
(single occupancy) and
`30,000 (couple) per month,
plus lodging, food, wellequipped laundromat,
round-the-clock personal
male and female attendants,
housekeeping, security
with CCTV and guards,
including interactive
sessions
• Good fitness
regimen
• Classes for music,
painting, computer,
photography, theatre,
gardening and flower
decoration, etc.
Infrastructure
• Dedicated temple
for worship with priest
HEALTHCARE
One of the most relevant
provisions of Jagriti Dham
lies in its healthcare. “We
have selected to invest in
the presence of visiting
doctors, gerontologists and
specialists,” explains Sood.
“Besides, we will have a 24hour ambulance and trained
nurses round-the-clock.
Because the whole idea is
to provide a worry-less stay,
we have diet charts, periodic
check-ups and arrangements
with health insurance
companies (Apollo Munich,
Bharti Axa Life, among
others). Apart from leading
Hospitals and Nursing
Homes of Kolkata, we have
also exclusively arranged
special care for those
with mobility, dementia,
Alzheimers and other
age-related problems at the
Institute of Neurosciences,
Kolkata. The result: A
complete peace of mind.
SENIOR-FRIENDLY
• Meditation/Yoga hall
• Banquet and
conference halls
• Well stocked library
and reading lounges
• Card and indoor
games room; facilities
for outdoor sports
• Wellness spa (male
and female) with
trained therapists and
beauty salon
What could make Jagriti
Dham senior-friendly is the
extension of its philosophy
into design. “The entire
architecture will be seniorfriendly,” explains Ravindra
Chamaria.” For instance,
we have created wheel
chair- and walker-enabled
ramps. Our spacious lifts
will accommodate stretchers;
our doorways and corridors
will be wide enough for
wheel chairs to swivel. Our
bathrooms will be equipped
with wheelchair-accessible
showers, grab bars/rails and
adjustable height shower
heads. This is one of the first
instances in the city where
the architecture will have
been customised around the
elderly.”
The general consensus is
that this is an idea whose
time has come. “This is
a natural outcome of the
decline where the joint and
nuclear family structures are
leading to the communitybased family structure,”
Ravindra Chamaria. “We
expect this project to be very
successful, following which
we shall replicate it across the
country,” he concludes.
The project is expected to
be completed by AugustSeptember 2014.
• Custom-tailored
gymnasium with
trained instructors
• Coffee bar lounge
• Convenience store
and chemist shop
• Doctor’s chamber
• State-of-the-art
modern wellequipped kitchen
• Two dining halls (AC
and non-AC)
• Open-to-sky
Japanese Gardens
• Two lifts with
stretcher facilities
• 24/7 ambulance
service
• Free access to the
proximate IBIZA Club
(comprises swimming
pool, tennis court,
restaurants, among
others).
LEGAL CORNER
Advocate Raghunath Ghose, (R N Ghose and Associates)
details the limitations in the West Bengal Land Acts
T
he two statutes
restricting
individuals land
holdings in West
Bengal are the Urban Land
(Ceiling and Regulation)
Act, 1976 and the West
Bengal Land Reforms Act,
1955. The ULCA prevails
in urban agglomerations
while the West Bengal
Land Reforms Act applies
to the entire State (except
the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation area).
West Bengal is one of the
few states where ULCA still
prevails even as the Union
Act was repealed following
the Urban Land Ceiling
Regulation and Repeal Act,
1999. Under the West Bengal
Land Reforms Act, 1955 a
raiyat (someone who has
acquired a right to hold land
for cultivation) is entitled
to hold agricultural land up
to the limit provided under
Section 14M of the Act. In
the event that the person
intends to hold land in
excess of this limit, a prior
application needs to be made
to the State Government.
Earlier, a person intending
to establish a township in
a planning area (as may be
permitted to be developed
under the West Bengal Town
and Country (Planning and
Development) Act, 1979)
was entitled to hold land in
excess of this limit. However,
the West Bengal Assembly
recently passed the Land
Reforms (Amendment) Bill
2012 which reads as follows:
“If the state government...
is satisfied that such person
requires land for the purpose
of establishing a mill, factory
or workshop, livestock
breeding farm, poultry farm,
dairy, industrial park or
industrial hub or industrial
estate, financial hub,
warehousing, tea garden,
agro-industry, power plant
or power transmission or
distribution sub-station,
film city, tourism project,
educational and medical
institutions, bio-tech park,
food park, port, airport,
shipyard, including ship
building and ship breaking,
oil and gas products, piped
transportation, information
and communication
technology (ICT) industries
and ICT-allied industries, or
mining and allied activities,
and for the purpose of future
expansion of any such units,
such person may, with
the previous permission,
in writing, of the State
Government and on such
terms and conditions and in
such manners as the State
Government may, by rules
prescribe, acquire and hold
land in excess of the ceiling
area applicable to him under
Section 14 M.”
The result is that the
exemption of holding land
in excess of the ceiling
(as available to real estate
developers) has now been
removed. Real estate
developers cannot hold
land in excess of the ceiling
for real estate development
purposes.
There are several other
land laws in West Bengal
that regulate real estate
development - West Bengal
Fisheries Act, East Kolkata
Wet Land Act, West Bengal
Thika Tenancy Act, among
others. While these Acts do
not prevent land transfer,
they restrict and regulate
land use conversion and
mutation.
With the amendment of the
Finance Act pursuant to the
circular/notification dated
10th February, 2013, Service
Tax is payable in the case
of transfer of apartments to
buyers. In the case of joint
development agreements
with the landlord and
developer, whether the same
is by way of area sharing or
sale proceeds sharing, both
landlord and developer are
required to pay Service Tax.
THE MAGIC CHECK-LIST
hese are some of the
T
points that buyers need
to keep in mind when buying
a house.
Clear documentation.
One of the main issues is
the legal status. A buyer
should thoroughly examine
all parent documents,
including confirmation of
the seller’s name in the sale
deed, his rights to sell the
property and conveyance
of the deed. One needs to
look at how the conveyance
of the deed has moved in
the last three transactions,
to get a continuity, says A
S Sivaramakrishnan, Head,
Residential Services, CBRE
South Asia. The plot should
not be a part of an agricultural
area as one cannot construct
there.
Checking the encumbrance
certificate (EC). The EC
can be verified for 13 or 30
years to understand how the
conveyance of the property
title has moved. The possession
certificate needs to be in the
seller’s name.
Access to the site. An
intending buyer needs to visit
and ensure all aspects, speak
to neighbours to understand
seller veracity and access to
the site.
marketed as a developed one
by a reputed developer, there
is very little stress involved in
establishing the legal veracity.
Property tax receipts or house
receipts from government
agencies is another indicator
that the property belongs to
the seller.
Costs involved should be
looked into like stamp duty
payable upon purchase, local
availability of materials and
skilled labour, and timely
completion of construction.
Measuring the land. It’s
imperative the buyer measures
the land physically and makes
sure the area conveyed is in
line with the documents.
Lastly, how to ensure there is
no legal dispute? If the plot is
Regulations around the
Floor Space Index (FSI)
usage. It primarily depends
on the governing authority of
the locations or city. Source:
Business Standard, 26.01.2014
Advertorial
NK REALTORS.
ALWAYS
LISTENING!
Consumer feedback represents a company’s
most valued asset
A
t NK Realtors,
the largest
marketing
company in
Eastern India, customercentricity is a core value. We
develop and modify processes
in-line with our consumer
preference; the communication
begins from initial customer
contact until property
handover.
At NK Realtors, we capture
consumer feedback through
the following media:
Website (www.
nkrealtors.com):
Visitors share their feedback
on their website experience.
Result: Our website attracts
more than 2,000 visitors every
day.
Post Agreement/
Allotment Survey:
Once the agreement/allotment
is executed, the customers are
sent a survey questionnaire
on their email. The questions
capture the consumer’s
experience with NK Realtors
from initial contact to
agreement.
transparency, promptness and
responsiveness.
Parameters: The questions
covering the consumer
experience are varied and
comprehensive. They cover the
following:
to see in NK Realtors?
• Did you feel misinformed
about anything during the
booking process?
• How would you rate the
Property Advisor on basis of
the following parameters? –
Behavior, product knowledge,
• After booking, did the site
executive introduce you to the
Commercial Officer?
• Was the agreement/allotment
done on time as per the
commitment?
• What changes would you like
Post-possession survey:
Following property handover,
the customers are emailed a
survey questionnaire with a
focus to capture consumer
feedback regarding the entire
transaction experience.
Social media
(Facebook and
Twitter): Our Facebook and
Twitter presence has
empowered consumers to
share their feedback easily. We
have already set benchmarks in
satisfying consumers through
concrete responses to
expressed grievances.
SMS feedback: When a
client calls our
customer care number, an
automated SMS is sent once
the call is completed asking for
feedback concerning the
service provided by the
Customer Care executive.
Grievance and support
(email and call): A
dedicated email address
([email protected]) and
contact number (03340401030) invite responses,
monitored by the senior
management in real-time.
TRAINING PROGRAMME
NK Realtors’ objective of
grooming and developing
its family members is
persistent. As a part of
this endeavor, another
training programme was
organised. The topic of the
programme was “Sparkling
Sales Presentation”. It
was conducted by Mr. G.
Balachandran (Trainer)
on the 17th and 18th of
December 2013 at the
Middleton Chambers.
The two-day programme
was filled with interactive
sessions and energetic
presentations by 130
participants. This invaluable
programme will definitely
help the NK team to
sharpen their skills further.
‘What’s your rating?’
A growing awareness among property buyers laid the ground for independent
rating agencies. Anirudh Agarwal (Regional Head – Real Estate Ratings) explains
what makes CRISIL Real Estate Star Ratings (CREST)
one of the most credible in India’s realty sector
W
hat is CRISIL Real Estate Star
Who uses these ratings?
Ratings (CREST)?
This is where it gets interesting. All the stakeholders
An independent, credible and
in the exercise find a rating useful – for different
comprehensive ratings service. It
reasons. Take property buyers, for instance.
helps property developers benchmark real estate
According to a survey across 250 prospective home
projects and helps buyers identify them. Our
buyers (at the MCHI-CREDAI Property Exhibition
ratings address the two critical needs of enhanced
2013 in Mumbai), 98 percent indicated that ratings
transparency and objective benchmarking. This
would help them take informed purchase decisions;
positioning is reflected in our extensive presence;
some 92 said they would prefer a rated property over
within three years of launch, we are a leader in the
an unrated one; in a previous survey, 50 per cent
country’s third-party property ratings, covering more
of the respondents expressing a willingness to pay
than 250 projects (residential, commercial, office,
higher for rated projects. This is absolutely amazing.
retail real estate projects including townships, mixed
Or take developers for instance. Our rating system
development projects, special economic
helps developers showcase their projects,
zones, IT parks and hotels) across 46 cities
build an impeccable reputation, close sales
“Our rating system helps
and more than 170 million sq ft.
faster and facilitate an entry into new cities.
developers showcase
Similarly, property rating helps lending
their projects, build an
A basic question. Why rate a property
institutions appraise project fundamentals
at all?
impeccable reputation,
more precisely especially compliance with
India’s real estate sector is still largely
close sales faster and
legal and financial requirements.
unorganised. It is impossible for individual
facilitate an entry into
consumers to easily obtain information or
What is CRISIL’s rating process?
new cities.”
documents from a developer’s office. This
There is a fair amount of rigour that
information asymmetry creates problems;
goes into the rating process: information
Anirudh Agarwal, Regional Head,
the buyer needs to appraise dozens of
submission, analysis, site visits, interaction,
Real Estate Ratings
projects before selection; the developer
rating committee presentation, rating
needs to differentiate his property. CREST
assignment, communication and
Ratings address the needs of both by putting more
publication. The Star Rating is based on an eightinformation in the public domain.
point scale - from ‘City 7-Star’ (highest) to ‘City
1-Star’ (lowest), which makes the project ‘nonThere is one more reason for property ratings. In
deliverable’. CREST is different as it reconciles
a business where money is taken upfront and the
financial and non-financial parameters, making
product delivered after a few years, ratings reflect
the rating comprehensive. This rating is assigned
integrity, which immediately translates into the use
on the basis of five key parameters, on which the
of quality materials, timely completion, operational
project is evaluated. Finally, CRISIL provides a rating
transparency and credible trade practices. As a result,
certificate (rating) and a rating report (rationale).
we see property ratings as a gamechanger.
CLIENT FEEDBACK
Aqua Beaumont – 5 star
“We were happy to receive the Kolkata
7-star rating from CRISIL for Ecospace.”
Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja
Realty, Kolkata
“Thanks to its robust analytical process
and unmatched credibility, CREST is the
most respected name in India’s real estate
ratings space.”
Indrajit De, Chairman Eden City Group,
Kolkata
“The ratings provide comprehensive
assessment, enhanced transparency and
project benchmarking.”
Raj Pasari, CMD Rajat Group
Luxuria Heights – 5 star
Eco Space – 7 star
CRISIL’S STAR-RATED REAL ESTATE PROJECTS, KOLKATA
Project
Location
Developer
Star Ratings
1. Ecospace
Rajarhat, New Town
Ambuja Neotia Group
7 Star
2. Avani Riverside
Kolkata
Avani Projects & Infrastructure Ltd.
7 Star
3. City Centre New Town
Kolkata
Bengal Ambuja Housing Development
Ltd
7 Star
4. Eden City Maheshtala
Budge Budge Trunk Road
Eden City Group
6 Star
5. Aqua Beaumont
119/2, MT Road, Kolkata 700046
Olympia Real Estate Chennai Pvt Ltd
5 Star
6. Purti Colors
Kolkata
Pansari Group
5 Star
7. Luxuria Heights
Off EM Bypass, Tangra
Salarpuria Simplex Buildcon LLP.
5 Star
8. Silveroak Estate – Phase I
Rajarhat, Kolkata
Salarpuria Simplex Dwellings LLP.
5 Star
9. Rajat Boulevard
Pulin Khatik Road, Kolkata
Rajat Group
5 Star
Source: http://crisil.com/star-ratings/cities/rated-projects-kolkata.html
10
THINGS I WOULD
DO TO IMPROVE
KOLKATA
BY SUSANTA PAL, PROMINENT INSTALLATION ARTIST
Susanta Pal is an eminent costume
designer who has worked in films by
Rituparno Ghosh (Bariwali, Raincoat,
Chokher Bali and Antarmahal among
others). He won the National Film Award
for Best Costume Design for Chokher Bali
in the year 2004. He has also installed
various temporary public arts in Kolkata
during Durga Pujo since 1998. He has been
the brains behind last year’s theme at
Badamtala Ashar Sangha.
pandals and some of the worst public display murals
at metro stations or public places. Irony.
1 If people are so compliant with traffic regulations
during the festive season when they don’t jaywalk,
then why not during the rest of the year? So
I would have awareness-building campaigns
that ensure active participation from the target
audience especially in high pedestrian locations
(Shyambazar or Gariahat).
6 As a society we splurge on the unnecessities but
do not invest in our architectural heritage. This is
something we need to correct.
7 Rampant wall postering bothers me - film
posters, handbills for paying guests and IT
training courses. They haven’t even spared trees!
2 We need a broad campaign to improve our
civic sense, the benefits of which may be evident
only across the long-term. I would love to do
graffiti but what if someone spat on it?
3 The city needs garbage bins at every 200m;
we need people to periodically collect and deposit
the trash (the KMC generally has people on the
rounds).
4 When can we be liberated of blue and white,
which makes everything look like a circus tent? This
is commoditising the individuality of each para.
5 Kolkata produces some of the most creative puja
8 I don’t think metros, trams and buses should
be used to advertise. There is something called
visual pollution!
As a society we
splurge on the
unnecessities but
do not invest in
our architectural
heritage. This is
something we need
to correct.
9 We have become so used to cables being
strung across streets and roads that we have stopped
‘seeing’ them. Why can’t the authorities bunch them
once and for all?
10 Hawkers are the kings of our pavements. They
are a nuisance, and yet integral to our culture and
economy. The solution: designer temporary stalls
(replacing torn flexes).
Ideal Exotica
New Alipore
PREMIUM HOME
Number of blocks: 5
Unit sizes:
• 3 BHK: 2,525 – 2,950 sq. ft
Number of floors: G + 21
• 4BHK: 3,030 – 3,950 sq. ft
Location: New Alipore
Number of flats: 185
• Duplex: 4,960 – 6,440 sq. ft
• Triplex: 8,185 – 8,560 sq. ft
The developer speaks: “Ideal Exotica, offers exclusive
homes providing the privacy of a bungalow and
the lifestyle of a high-rise with the added pleasure
of shared green spaces. It is Kolkata’s only project
offering a jogging and walking track along with sit out
and meditation areas on the 22nd floor! Well-planned
living spaces maximise the benefits of cross ventilation,
are spacious, beamless and columnless offering
design freedom. Designed by celebrated architect
Hafeez Contractor and landscaped by Site Concepts
(Singapore), the project includes an exclusive residents
Club ‘Elexir’, offering a host of sporting facilities.”
Completion: June 2016
Developer: Ideal Group
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
The BRTS in China. There are 17 bus rapid transit systems
in China serving 2.3 million people a day with most of these
systems having been built since 2008.
The bus stops at Curitiba are convenient, welldesigned, comfortable, and attractive. Around 75
percent of Curitiba’s commuters use the BRT to
travel to work.
Get a bus on time.
Travel with comfort.
Reach on time.
Pay an affordable charge.
These sound impossible
today. But they could
happen sooner than one
expects.
Thanks to the proposed
Bus Rapid Transit System
along the EM Bypass.
From Ultadanga to Garia,
connecting the growth
centres of Sector V,
Rajarhat, Salt Lake and
Patuli.
The first BRT system which entered service in
1974 - Rede Integrada de Transporte (Integrated
Transportation Network) in Curitiba, Brazil. The
buses run as frequently as 90 seconds! It is one
of the most heavily used, yet low-cost, transit
systems in the world.
BRTS
will revolutionise
commuting along the
EM Bypass in Kolkata!
Says JC Ganguly, Chief Engineer, Traffic & Transport Department, KMDA
Janmarg (Ahmedabad BRTS) – off-board ticketing.
Gangding station, Guangzhou China
What is a Bus Rapid Transit System?
The BRTS is typically a low-cost, flexible, mass
transportation system (usually subsidised) with
dedicated bus bays and stations. What makes this
system remarkable is that it possesses the mass
movement advantage of Metro Rail without the
corresponding cost or implementation complexity.
This is just what Kolkata needs and we expect to
make this a reality in the near future.
What is the need for such a service?
TRANSIT TYPE: Bus Rapid Transit LANE WIDTH: 3.5m
(buses); 10.3m (mixed vehicle lane); 3m (footpath and nonmotorised vehicle); 7-7.5 m (service road as people living in
housing complexes will first use this road which will lead
to the bus lane) SYSTEM LENGTH: 15.46 kilometres
DESIGN SPEED: Around 50 km/h. PROPOSED BUS
STATIONS: 44 ROUTE: Ultadanga to Garia. Key junctions
include Chingrihata, Paroma Island, Ruby Hospital and the
Prince Anwar Shah Road connector.
buses will ply independent of the external traffic.
So it is hypothetically possible that there is a traffic
congestion on the EM Bypass but no congestion
within the bus corridor. As a result, the bus will
emerge as the most convenient way to travel across
the Bypass – predictably one every few minutes,
exactly the way it is in our metro railway. We foresee
that passengers will reduce commuting time, there
will be lower pollution and buses will save fuel (no
idling). It would be possible to travel from Garia to
Ultadanga in 25 minutes. Absolutely world-class.
There are a number of reasons why this service has
How will the BRTS be designed?
become a necessity. One, increasing traffic. The
Along the lines of the Ahmedabad model. The
average hourly vehicle count on the EM Bypass is
smart bus stops will be more of bus ‘stations’, with
more than 10,000. When the South 24-Parganas
pre-boarding ticketing and comfortable waiting
headquarters are shifted to Baruipur, this traffic will
facilities for passengers. The entire system will be
significantly increase. Two, there is a big increase
computerised like in our Metro stations.
in car ownership in Kolkata. Three,
Service roads would be integrated with
“The entire system will be
we need traffic streamlining more than
the main road; routine traffic would not
computerised like in our
infrastructure creation in the city. Four,
hinder the dedicated BRTS corridor.
with a number of properties being built
Metro stations. Service
BRTS will work in coordination with
alongside the EM Bypass, the time has
roads would be integrated
operators of smaller buses to create
come for a Bypass for the Bypass!
with the main road; routine
new feeder services to the bus stations.
traffic would not hinder the
How will the BRTS help?
There will also be overpasses and signals
dedicated BRTS corridor.”
One of the first things that one needs to
showing when the next bus would arrive
explain is that the bus service will not
just as it is in a number of modern cities.
JC Ganguly, Chief Engineer, Traffic
compete with other traffic on the Bypass.
and Transport Department, KMDA
What is the status of the
By the virtue of a dedicated corridor,
THE 15.46 KM ROUTE MAP OF THE BRTS IN KOLKATA
widening of the EM Bypass into an
eight-lane speed corridor?
The Bypass (from Ultadanga to Garia) will be
widened to an eight-lane road with provisions for
service roads, pedestrian walkways and dedicated
cycle tracks. There will be two-bus corridors of
the width of a lane in the middle for BRTS. The
remaining six lanes will be dedicated to the normal
traffic. This project will be integrated with eight
metro stations to facilitate crossovers at any point.
The TransMilenio bus
rapid transit system
serving Bogotá,
Colombia
When will the project be completed?
The Chicago BRT
About 1,100 buses
make 12,500 trips every
day, serving more than
1.3 million passengers
The road infrastructure should be completed by
March 2014. Thereafter, we will look into the BRTS
detailing and expect the entire system to be in
place by July 2014. When commissioned we expect
to move millions commuters every single day
through this system. It would be the quickest mass
transportation system that this city has ever seen.
Last question. What are some of the
successful national BRTS benchmarks?
The Ahmedabad BRTS
won the prestigious 2010
Sustainable Transport Award
Median side location of
the Ahmedabad BRTS
Ahmedabad’s Colombia-inspired Bus Rapid
Transport System (BRTS) is its pride. It is nearly
30 km long and will grow to 90 km in two years.
It won the prestigious 2010 Sustainable Transport
Award this year from the Transportation Research
Board in Washington. Ahmedabad’s BRTS moves
70,000 passengers daily and is being touted as a
model for developing countries. What is interesting
is that for the first three months, the Ahmedabad
Municipal Corporation ran the BRTS free and then
made design changes based on commuter feedback!
ECO PARK.
The size of more than 200 football fields!
The pride of New Town is Eco Tourism Park – Prakriti Tirtha. The largest open space
in the city. Kolkata’s Hyde Park. In fact, 40 per cent larger. Takes nearly an hour’s
walk from one end to the other. Where its water body alone is twice the size of the
entire Tolly Club! Debashis Sen, HIDCO Chairman cum Managing Director, explains its
uniqueness
THE ‘ECO PARK’
CONCEPT
In recent years, the concept
of urban sustainability has
undergone a significant
transformation, shifting
from theory to practice,
occupying a more central
place in policy and politics
and expanding across the
Global South and North. As
a consequence, an interest in
urban indicators, standards
and frameworks has
significantly increased.
Eco Tourism Park is a
product of this enhanced
awareness. The fact that
Kolkata’s newest district –
New Town – was invested
with the city’s largest
open space indicates the
emerging mindset that a
work-life balance needs
to be facilitated by the
government through
futuristic design. This simple
perspective was captured
in an effective carbon
sink on the one hand and
a sprawling unwinding
location on the other.
What makes Eco Park
different is its holistic
sustainability, balancing
ecological regeneration,
resource optimisation
and urban recreation.
The property represents
an improvement over
traditional urban models in
that it is a ‘living classroom’
- as the wetlands filter water
and the plants filter the air,
people relax and rejuvenate,
socialise or seek solitude.
Eco Park is green and blue –
virtually no concrete – and
the only place in Kolkata
where one can see the
sunrise and sunset.
LOCATION
The Central Business
District is right across
the Eco Park; one of the
country’s largest convention
centres is being built at its
North. It is connected by the
10-lane arterial road to the
airport with the Metro Rail
alongside. The second phase
comprises a Ceremony
Ground, Fruit Garden,
Ayurvedic Garden, Bamboo
Garden, Grass Land,
Butterfly Garden, Banglar
Haat and Food Court. On
Christmas Day 2013, more
than 16,000 visitors visited
the location!
THE BIODIVERSITY
Already a number of
ornithologists are mapping
the re-entry of birds. A
formal inventory will be
made soon in consultation
with the Biodiveristy Board.
This is in tune with World
Bank’s Eco Cities concept
that says that the economy
and ecology go hand-inhand.
THE CONCEPT
The West Bengal
Government participated in
an international conference
(Tomorrow’s City Today) in
Italy, September 2012. The
event gathered international
experts to discuss the scope
for developing and using
indicators, standards and
frameworks for urban
sustainability around the
world. The conference
aimed to implement and
evaluate urban sustainability.
Indicators and frameworks
emerged as particularly
valuable as an international
language and instrument for
urban sustainability practice
if and when they married
conceptual considerations
with practical concerns
and global aspirations with
local goals. The result is
that Eco Park fosters our
vision of creating sustainable
urban spaces with the best
moments being an hour
before sunset, and the
emergence of mystical lights,
fountains and Alexander
street lights.
Partners: Commissioned by
West Bengal Housing and
Industrial Development
Corporation (WBHIDCO),
Bengal Urban Infrastructure
Development Limited
(BUIDL) and Pradeep
Sachdeva Design Associates
(PSDA), an architecture and
urban design studio.
KEY FEATURES
What makes Eco Park unique is that it
represents an extensive complement of a
number of pride-enhancing features
• Flower meadow and formal garden. A
flower lover’s zone overlooking the wide treelined lakefront promenade with soft Mexican
grass lawns at corners. Life-like statues
along the walkway.
• Rose and fountain garden. A long stretch
with rose varieties, colourful fountains and
benches. The rose garden in the midst of 24
fountains!
• Artist’s cottage. Displaying a rare painting
created jointly by five eminent persons
(including CM Mamata Banerjee).
• Tropical rain forest. Creating the aura of
a rain forest. Complete with black rose and
other varieties.
• Rabi Aranya. Garden featuring trees and
plants mentioned by Tagore; complete with
Chhatimtala and Mukto Mancha (auditorium).
A commemorative pavilion honours.
Rabindranath Tagore; lotus pond, walkways
and seating areas for small gatherings.
• Children’s centre. Singing fountain, lazy
river and tree houses.
• Boating facilities. Boating, Zorbing, EcoCart Riding, Kayaking and a Shikhara ride.
• Food kiosks and food court.
• Butterfly park. A plant habitat housing
different species supporting a large range of
butterflies.
• Mist house. Housing exotic plants with strict
humidity requirements.
• Herbal garden. Knowledge dissemination
centre related to traditional Indian herbs and
medicines.
Greenfield City extends across 45 acres, with 74 percent open space and 96 blocks with 3,948 apartments.
THEWOWOFA
LANDSCAPED
PROPERTY!
Madhup Mazumder, Landscape Architect and Senior Partner at Design Accord,
speaks about how professional landscaping has transformed into an integral
component of sustainable urban and real estate projects.
U
ntil a decade ago, there was no awareness
about ‘landscape architecture’ in Kolkata.
The subject was dismissed as just another
form of ‘beautification’ comprising the
integration of different plants, rockery, squiggly path
and mound.
be best expressed in the landscape design.
When we were assigned to work on Greenfield
City in Kolkata we were provided a comprehensive
brief. The project extends across 45 acres, with 74
percent open space as well as 96 blocks with 3,948
apartments! With a huge network of driveways and
few hundred mandatory car parking bays we were
asked to make the project look green! Furthermore,
the aspiration level was to make this project as a ‘oneoff ’ landscaped community where ecology, culture,
recreation, art, water and greenery can co-exist in a
world of its own.
There has been a significant change in perception
since. For once, customers have begun to appreciate
the need for an excellent exterior; the West Bengal
Pollution Control Board guidelines have become
increasingly demanding from an environmental
perspective. The result is that there is a greater
recognition that landscape architecture enlivens the
visual dimension and ecological value. For a subject
that was consigned to someone as an afterthought
now attracts seasoned professionals.
ASPECTS
A number of things go into the creation of a superior
landscaping at Greenfield City.
One, we maximised the green area. Since more
than 15 percent of the open space was allocated to
parking, we converted all paved open parking lots to
‘green parking’ with grass pavers allowing rainwater
percolation and grass growth. The result is that
driveways looked less stark and the open parking
bays looked more soothing, expanding the
extent of greenscape beyond parks and garden
pockets.
COMPONENTS
‘Landscaping’ has two components – the ‘hardscape’
or the civil part, which comprises the brick and
mortar of the outside area, starting from the entrance
gate complex, plazas, vehicular and pedestrian
systems, lighting, drainage system, water
management and all external built aspects
sensitive to the project environment. The
‘softscape’ comprises plants and horticulture.
What is required is a holistic balance, which is
pleasant, functional, sustainable and adaptable
to natural conditions.
THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT’S ROLE
More than 65 percent of the area of most big
complexes comprises landscape design, which makes
it imperative for landscape architects to be involved
right from master planning to project handover.
Until a few years ago, landscape architects were only
allotted to gardening and beautification assignments
towards the end of a project; today, landscaping is
considered integral to the masterplan. As a result, the
landscape architect influences site planning guidelines
and the open space structure that the complex
deserves extending to the use of plants (native
and drought-tolerant species) to minimise water
consumption and enhance project sustainability.
DESIGN AND CONTEXT
At Design Accord, we believe that no idea needs to
be foisted on a project; on the contrary, each project
possesses a unique ‘big idea’ opportunity inspired by
the local culture, nature and environment, which can
There has been
a significant
change in
perception
since. For once,
customers
have begun
to appreciate
the need for
an excellent
exterior; the
West Bengal
Pollution Control
Board guidelines
have become
increasingly
demanding from
an environmental
perspective.
Two, nodes and community interaction zones.
We provided each cluster with interactive
community zones, amphitheatre-like settings and
seating corners. The driveways intersect at nodes,
each significant node associated with land-art features
and green islands. Feature art walls and sculptural
components will be infused to promote different
cultures.
Three, sporting facilities and amenities. The club
comprises tennis courts, cricket pitches, badminton
/ basketball courts, mini-soccer ground and 30m
swimming pool on the roof deck. There are plans to
create fountains and cascading features in the central
park.
Four, visual and ecological sensibility. A large pond
in the central area will retain the water volume with
an experiential walk-around-the-pond (in addition
to a natural water harvesting system). Floating decks
and amphitheatres next to the water will serve as a
cultural and recreational hub. Trees will help building
up a landscaped frontier.
Five, plantings and materials. The entire campus
will nurture a spectrum of native trees and plants,
resembling an oasis.
as a whole, instead of uplifting certain limited strips
or traffic islands.
THE NEXT LEAGUE
The locations that need upgradation comprise
big parks and fields (maidan, central Kolkata
streetscapes and the riverfront) around guidelines as
used by the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC),
which comprises a panel of reputed architects,
town planners, landscape architects, historians and
ecologists to pass urban scale projects.
The time has come to take Kolkata’s landscaping
standard into the next league. This can be achieved if
the different government departments - horticulture
ministry, development and town planning bodies,
lighting and civil construction designing agencies –
leverage landscape planning ideas to develop the city
5
Kolkata projects with attractive landscaping
1 Proposed JW Marriott Hotel (EM
Bypass): The scale and landscape
design at the podium level will provide
a unique experience.
2 Infinity (Salt Lake, Sector V): A
good example of excellent exteriors
coupled with an interior atrium. A
drive-in plaza (with internal courtyard)
leads to a grand sense of arrival. The
landscape allows natural light into the
atrium between the towers.
3 Millenium City (Salt Lake, Sector
V): The grand Deck Podium Plaza
provides unique public spill-over space
for commercials towers. Distinctive
plaza paving design patterns hold
the floating terraces and steel prism
sculptures. The unique front ramp side
water wall creates an inviting entry.
4 Quest Mall (Park Circus): The
façade possesses a folded metal screen
feature reflected on ground granite
paving pattern at the drop-off court.
The layering of the stepped planters,
front limited streetscape treatment, light
torch poles and signage features are
unique. The stepped water strip at the
base of the façade renders a shimmering
night effect. Plus there is an elaborate
rear drive-in entry court.
5 Palazzo (Panditya Road): Beautiful
interweave of interior and exterior
spaces, wherein the external driveway
integrates seamlessly with the stilt
parking floor finishes. The USP: the
crisp detailing and finishing in the
rich palette of the driveway around the
single tower. The highlighted circular
drop-off court near the entry and the
party lawn are special. Unique terrace
garden offering various sit-out zones.
Design Accord Landscape is a Delhibased boutique design firm offering
specialised design services in Landscape,
Master Planning and Urban Spaces
Design. Some of its prestigious projects
include Parliament of India Annex Extn.
(New Delhi), Indira Gandhi Indoor
Stadium Complex, Commonwealth
Games (New Delhi), Bengal Intelligent
Park (Kolkata), Technopolis, Green IT
Park, (Kolkata), IBM Millenium City,
(Kolkata), The Venetian Grand Mall
(Noida), Quest Mall (Kolkata), Siddha
Pines and Siddha Xanadu (Kolkata),
Admiral Baysuites and Monarch
Parksuites ( Manila) among many others.
3
4
5
NUMBERS
4.8
Million sq ft is the projected rise in the area of
shopping malls in Kolkata by 2016 (equivalent to three
South City malls.) Source: The Telegraph, 06.01.2014
650
Malls scheduled to come up in the country between
2007 and 2014, with only about 300 having started
operations. Source: The Telegraph, 19.12.2013
9
Percent rentals yields offered by commercial
assets on an average as against 3-4 percent in the
best residential properties. Source: The Economic
JUST THINK
CHRIS WARE
Cartoonist
“Who hasn’t tried when passing by a building, or a home, at night to
peer past half-closed shades and blinds, hoping to catch a glimpse into
the private lives of its inhabitants. Anything… the briefest blossom of a
movement… maybe a head, bobbing up… a bit of hair… a mysterious
shadow… or a flash of flesh… seems somehow more revealing than any
generous greeting or calculated cordiality. … Even the disappointing
diffusion of a sheer curtain can suggest the most colourful bouquet of
unspeakable secrets.” Source: Building Stories
MAHMOUD DARWISH
Poet
Times, 05.12.2013
94
India’s rank out of 185 countries in terms of
registering property index according to a World Bank
report.. Source: The Times of India, 15.11.2013
6x
The growth in office supply in Bangalore since
2006; the city now has more Grade-A offices than
Singapore! Source: Business Insider
1.2
US$ trillion investments required in India over the
next 20 years to modernise urban infrastructure and
keep pace with the burgeoning urbanisation. Source:
McKinsey
300
Million pounds (over `3,000 crore) being the cost of
the deal in which Mumbai-based Lodha Developers
acquired the iconic Macdonald House in central
London. Source: Economic Times, 31.12.2013
117.5
Million ($) being the cost of purchasing a 9-acre lot
and property in Woodside, CA - the most expensive
single-family home ever sold in the USA. Source:
www.forbes.com, 30.01.2013
“Acre is the smell of iodine and spices. Haifa is the smell of pine and
wrinkled sheets. Moscow is the smell of vodka on ice. Cairo is the
smell of mango and ginger. Beirut is the smell of the sun, sea, smoke,
and lemons. Paris is the smell of fresh bread, cheese, and derivations of
enchantment. Damascus is the smell of jasmine and dried fruit. Tunis
is the smell of night musk and salt. Rabat is the smell of henna, incense,
and honey. A city that cannot be known by its smell is unreliable.” Source:
Mint, 21.12.2013
FUN ZONE
1 Which is the six star-rated hotel
of India?
• ITC Grand Chola, Chennai
• Taj Hotel, Mumbai
• Leela Palace, Bangalore
• Rambagh Palace Hotel, Jaipur
2 Who was the architect of IIMAhmedabad?
• Louis Kahn
• Le Corbusier
• Karan Grover
• Raj Rewal
3 Which of these is not a planned
city?
• Gandhinagar
• Kanpur
• Chandigarh
• Bhubaneswar
4 How many years were required to
build the Taj Mahal?
• 22 years
• 26 years
• 18 years
• 12 years
5 What are the gateways to the
Buddhist stupas called?
• Pandavas
• Jatakas
• Toranas
• Ajantas
Send your answer to [email protected]. Winner of ‘Places and
monuments in India’ from the previous issue is Thrideep Kumar. Please keep
sending your answers and we might just feature you in the next Real-Ties.
DID YOU
KNOW?
• They are also 35 percent less likely to die from severe heart disease
because walking up and down the stairs meaning they are fitter
CLEAN UP! The 150-odd families living in
Orient Row, a quiet cosmopolitan neighbourhood
in the heart of south Calcutta, have achieved a
garbage-free locality. Kasturi, a resident popularly
known as the garbage queen, came across Garbage
Free India (GFI), an organisation with the mission
of freeing India of garbage. She began by employing
a few people with cameras “to catch those who were
littering”. Armed with evidence, she and a gang of
children went about the neighbourhood on their
Bell Bajao campaign. When they were confronted
with pictures, they didn’t know where to hide and
realised they couldn’t do it any longer. This appears
to be an interesting model that can be replicated
across the city.
Source: The Daily Mail, 21.05.2013
Source: The Telegraph, 29.12.2013
THE HIGHER THE FLOOR YOU LIVE ON, THE
GREATER YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY!
• Research (published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, coming
from a study of more than 1.5 million people living in buildings with
four or more floors) shows that people who live below the eighth floor
are 22 percent more likely to die early
• According to experts at the University of Bern in Switzerland, people
living above the 8th floor are 40 percent less likely to die from lung
disease
A STEEL SHELL MAKES A SAFER OPERATING THEATRE THAN ONE MADE OF CONCRETE AND WOOD.
S
teel, being non-porous, does
not let microbes grow on
the walls and ceiling of an
OT, thereby reducing the
chance of infection in patients. Peerless
Hospital has recently converted all its
seven OTs into modular steel facilities,
promising to cut down on infection.
The shelves, where surgical instruments
and emergency medicines are stored,
are built into the steel walls and have
glass covers. Thermal pads are placed
between the concrete wall and the steel
sheet to control temperature. Floors
have tiles fitted on copper mesh with
coats of anti-microbe paints. The OTs
have sliding metallic airtight doors
operated by sensors. The walls and roof
of the OT are covered with a seamless
steel sheet given a coat of anti-bacterial
and anti-fungal paint.
Advantages? Steel interiors help
in better infection control. Since
it’s seamless and free of joints, the
possibility of accumulation of dust and
germs in small corners is less. The steel
sheets are easier to clean compared
with concrete walls. A conventional OT
requires fumigation after every major
surgery but a steel OT needs it once in
a while. Despite that a steel OT is better
sterilised than a conventional one.
Cardiac surgeon Ramakanta Panda of
Mumbai’s Asia Heart Institute said his
hospital had installed modular steel OTs
13 years ago.
Source: The Telegraph, 12.09.2013
142014
REASONS TO
LOOK FORWARD TO
1 More brands…The
first Porsche showroom
will open on Park Circus
connector. The top-notch
brands to come to Quest
Mall comprise Breitling,
Burberry, Canali, Emporio
Armani, Furla, Gucci,
Michael Kors, Paul Smith,
Tumi and Villeroy & Boch.
Plus Yauatcha, Calcutta’s
first date with a Michelinstar restaurant, Bombay
Brasserie, Irish House,
Serafina and Smokehouse
Deli.
2 No-refusal taxis. No
more ‘nahi jaayega’ when
it comes to asking for a
drop to Salt Lake or Behala.
Welcome no-refusal cabs!
3 Additional transport.
Some 874 AC buses will ply
in the city this year, pushing
out rickety and run-down
buses that are such an
eyesore (and a pain in the
back).
4 BRTS. The bus rapid
transit system (BRTS) will
finally become operational
between Ultadanga and
Garia along EM Bypass in
March 2014. It will have two
dedicated bus corridors in
the middle of the Bypass.
The remaining six lanes on
both sides will be left for
flow of normal traffic.
5 Esplanade Terminus.
The bus terminus will be
removed from Esplanade
this year and the Maidan
will heave a sigh of relief.
State transport utilities have
already shifted their buses.
Won’t be long before private
owners follow suit. And the
green brigade wins.
6 Airport terminal.
Enjoy a new experience
at Terminal 2 - There will
be apps and SMS-based
passenger facilities. The
food court will also become
operational as will more
restaurants and retail stores,
turning the sedate terminal
into a buzzhouse.
7 Aerotropolis takes off.
Sometime in mid-2014,
the first aircraft is expected
to land at an airstrip in
Andal, marking the takeoff
of Bengal’s first private
greenfield airport. Located
18km from Durgapur,
Nazrul Islam Airport can
handle Boeing 737s and
Airbus A-320s. It will be the
third full-fledged airport
in Bengal after Kolkata and
Bagdogra.
8 Traffic-challan.
Kolkata will become the
second city after Delhi to
introduce traffic e-challans.
As soon as the police key
in a vehicle’s details into
their GPS-enabled handheld
device, they can access
the entire history of traffic
violations. The more the past
violations, the steeper the
fine. You will be able to pay
traffic fines through credit/
debit cards. This is part of a
modernisation drive, which
includes setting up CCTV
cameras to read vehicle
registration numbers.
9 Garbage-free city.
KMC intends to dismantle
78 dumpsites and use more
compactor stations to ensure
clean, hygienic disposal of
waste. Over 100 new garbage
disposal trucks are being
bought.
10 Pretty riverfront. You
will be able to enjoy a long
walk on the beautified
pavement from Prinsep
Ghat to Millennium Park
in 2104. There will also be
a sunset-viewing platform.
Those wanting to go to
Babughat from Eden
Gardens would be able to
use a foot overbridge being
built by KMC.
11 More (hotel) room for
all. Five more star hotels will
begin operations in Kolkata
in 2014, adding 1,240 rooms
to the city’s inventory! These
include Lalit Great Eastern
(244 rooms), JW Marriott
on EM Bypass (300 rooms),
Novotel (346 rooms) and
Courtyard (250 rooms)
while Raddisson Blu is
located in Hastings (100
rooms).
12 Lower cellphone
radiation. The department
of telecom has announced
that Indian mobile handset
makers and importers will
have to adhere to the new
Specific Absorption Rate
(SAR) limit of 1.6 watt per
kg, down from 2 watts per
kg. SAR is the amount of
radio frequency absorbed by
the human body while using
a mobile phone.
13 A second Eden! A
new cricket ground will be
inaugurated at Rajarhat New
Town in mid-2014. What’s
unique is that along with a
gallery and pavilion, there
will be an open viewing
space where spectators can
sit on manicured grass, as in
Australia.
14 Nazrul Tirtha. An
educational and research
centre on Kazi Nazrul
Islam will come up on a
100 cottah plot in Rajarhat
New Town. It will have a
complete Nazrul archive, a
library and reading room
that will have the rebel poet’s
original manuscripts and
letters. There will also be a
small audio-visual arena for
scholars and students.
Source: The Times of India,
29.12.2013
The top-notch brands
to come to Quest Mall
comprise Breitling,
Burberry, Canali, Emporio
Armani, Furla, Gucci,
Michael Kors, Paul Smith,
Tumi and Villeroy &
Boch. Plus Yauatcha,
Calcutta’s first date with a
Michelin-star restaurant,
Bombay Brasserie, Irish
House, Serafina and
Smokehouse Deli
A TILE THAT CONVERTS A FOOTSTEP
INTO ENERGY?
URBAN STRATEGIST SCOTT BURNHAM PRESENTS SIX
IDEAS THAT COULD REVITALISE THE URBAN LANDSCAPE
FUTURE GADGETS
B
1 The Cascade by Edge Design
Institute is a self-contained urban park
that attaches to public stairways to
transform them into attractive spaces
for rest and social moments. City of
origin: Hong Kong
4 UK company, Pavegen created a
tile that captures the small force exerted
by each commuter footstep and turns it
into energy. City of origin: London
endable smartphones.
Samsung’s
groundbreaking technology
called ‘Youm’ incorporates
OLED displays (company
reportedly controls 90 percent
of the market’s OLED supply)
that are flexible, bendable, and
almost indestructible. It features
a Windows Phone operating
system.
P
2 Softwalks has transformed
scaffolding ‘sidewalk sheds’ into areas
for street-side dining and hanging out.
Its seats, benches, counter tops and
planters bolt onto existing scaffolding
structures to make them destinations
instead of areas to avoid.
City of origin: New York
3 Designer Jean-Baptiste Hardoin
created La Grande Cantine, a table that
transforms individual waterfront seating
areas into picnic areas. City of origin: Paris
5 Inside each of Boston’s parking pay
machines (City Tickets machine) is a
networked Wi-Fi system, a computer, a
printer, a payment processing system, and
location-aware technology, all powered by
a solar panel designed by Mayo Nissen.
City of origin: Copenhagen
6 Bamboo nests installed atop
billboard structures to clean and cool
the air. Urban Air is an initiative
by Stephen Glassman to swap the
commercial ads for air scrubbers and
natural cooling units along urban
motorways. City of origin: Los Angeles
hilips ErgoSensor
Monitor. To help make
sure you don’t fall victim to bad
posture, Philips has developed
the ErgoSensor Monitor that
follows your eye position and
suggest to you a better, more
ergonomically correct way to
sit. It will also tell you when
you should take a break and go
stretch your legs. Think of it as a
little office mate!
G
lobal Chef is a kitchen
appliance and service that
connects people and cultures
across the globe through
cooking using hologram
technology. The appliance has
a motion detection camera and
can project holograms 360°
around itself making it a fully
interactive experience.
REAL ESTATE
SOCIAL NETWORK
APPS
LAST YEAR,
FOR THE FIRST
TIME, THE
SALES OF ADULT
INCONTINENCE
PANTS OVERTOOK
THE SALES OF
BABY DIAPERS IN
JAPAN.
This application boasts 10
million monthly users who
peruse the home design and
re-modelling site, creating image-driven
ideas. Houzz Interior Design Ideas app
has the largest database of home design
ideas, with more than 900,000 beautiful
photos to browse through.
Source: The Times of India, 27.10.2013
This
application focuses on neighbourhoods,
allowing its users to connect with
neighbours and exchange information
about the area.
ROOM
PAINTING
IDEAS
app provides
hundreds of
innovative
designs, styles,
themes, and
decoration ideas.
This application
is available free
of cost on the smart phone, covering
spots, spills and smudges, or advice on
surface-by-surface cleaning, or news,
tips and articles on keeping your home
organised.
WALL DECORATING IDEAS provides a
gamut of wall decorating pictures, designs,
paintings, shelves, crafts, wall hangings,
stickers, among other things.
LOVELY is a location-based app which makes
it easy to find places nearby. You can store
your preferences and set alerts so you know
the minute something new hits the market.
This free app is compatible with iPhone, iPod
touch, and iPad, but requires iOS 5.0 or later.
Homes with pet amenities. Fancy
developers are stocking their high-end
buildings with ‘pet-friendly’ features.
For instance, in New York City, the
MAGICPLAN allows
you to create custom
floors plans by just
moving your phone or iPad around
the room taking pictures. Price: Free
massive MiMA development’s Dog
City will walk, groom and arrange play
dates for residents’ dogs; Caledonia has
a separate canine entrance where dogs
WHAT’S NEW? Car elevators
carry autos from building
basements to apartment front
doors. High-rise residents
in US luxury buildings prefer
lofty views from nose-bleed
heights. Boutique-style closets
comprise illuminated rods,
compartmentalised storage, shoe
walls, camouflaged jewellery
safes and climate-controlled
fur cabinets. Some owners even
install wine fridges, breakfast
nooks, cigar humidors, stripper
poles and putting greens!
BIGGERPOCKETS app
allows you to easily engage
in the BiggerPockets
Forums asking or answering questions
about real estate anytime – anyplace.
Price: Free
can be cleaned after a session outside;
Pierre offers a pet food-centered room
service menu! Residents are surely
going to be barking up this tree!
S HE RWO OD COMPLEX
ALL SECURE!
Sherwood Estate is one of the most secure residential properties in Kolkata. What makes
this an interesting case study is that this 15-acre property has been secured through a
multi-tiered approach, securing the well-being of its residents and their property.
Entry points: The property has only one entry
responsible entirely for systemic effectiveness.
Security supervisors move in patrols comprising 2-3
guards on bicycles (especially at night) to supervise
the complex.
point, making it possible to control entry, exit and
related surveillance.
Guards: There are 88 security guards (44 per shift).
Placement: Guards are placed at vulnerable
There are two lady guards in the complex.
points along the boundary wall (10 feet high), near
The guards are appointed across two shifts (7:30amconstruction points outside and near adjacent
9pm, 7pm-10am). Of the four gates in the complex,
buildings close to the complex wall.
only two are used. A ‘Sherwood’ car sticker
Technology: Sherwood invested in a ‘boom’
represents the first filter. Guest cars are permitted
system with an automatic barrier at the
inside only after due documentation
main gate. A biometric system checks
and clearance by the inviting resident.
Sherwood
Complex
invested
the attendance of the maintenance staff.
The guest is escorted from the entrance
in a ‘boom’ system with an
CCTV cameras have been installed
of the building complex to the guest’s
automatic barrier at the main throughout the complex with backup
apartment. During festive events,
gate. A biometric system
recording archiving.
additional security is recruited.
Identification: All domestic helpers,
checks the attendance of the
maintenance staff.
Manual frisking: The security
drivers and cleaners, among others
are recognised by their identity cards
certified by the security guards. A ‘badge’
system for guests is being proposed to make it easier
for guards to manage incoming visitors.
frisks mechanics coming with bags, the
contents of which are ascertained at the
time of entry and exit and corroborated
by the resident.
Management: The active management of the
the complex have minimised road accidents.
Infrastructure: Some eight speed breakers inside
security is facilitated by committees. A security
sub-committee comprises three members elected
by the residents. Two security officers (one each
for night and day) manage the security system,
1254
apartments
Awareness: All important contact numbers
(nearest police station) are displayed outside the lift
and the club, among others.
25
buildings
900
families
Best Mac apps
FOR HOME SECURITY
iSentry takes a picture or video when any motion is
detected. Images can be uploaded so you can view them
from anywhere.
Security Camera takes a photo every time someone starts
your computer; the picture is sent to your DropBox account.
If your laptop is stolen, you have a photo of the thief!
iCam lets you monitor multiple video cameras from your
iPhone, iPad or iPod. If the motion sensor is triggered, you
will receive a notification and can watch live video of what’s
happening at home.
SecureHome uses the built-in microphone on your
computer to listen for odd noises. If an intruder is heard, the
app will sound an alarm to scare off the intruder and send
an email to your smartphone.
My Webcam Broadcaster creates a time-lapse video, which
you can make public or keep private.
Speed breakers inside the complex
“SECURITY SYSTEMS ARE NOW LINKED TO MOBILE PHONES”
What is the most exciting technology
development in Kolkata’s security?
The Building Management System package that combines
fire detection system, access control system, finger
registration, video door phone system and public address.
We provide customers with customised solutions. Some
of our clients include 24 Camac street, IXL Newtown
Square, Doveland Court, Peerless Hospital, Dakhineshwar
Mandir, Bartman Newspaper and Infinity IT Park.
Which point is generally overlooked?
Elevators! Another overlooked location is the systems
room, where all the surveillance of the cameras takes
place. A camera should be installed there as well, because
anybody can come in and sabotage the system and get
away with it. A panic button needs to be installed for
lonely senior citizens.
- Partho Dey, Geetanjali Surveillance and IT Solutions
14
lac (sq ft) - total
complex area
What innovative and sustainable modes
of technology are prevalent in security
complexes in Kolkata? Could you cite five
such examples?
We implement advanced security systems, which includes
IP-based cameras with video recorder that can be configured
with an Android phone (iPhone) or laptop. Which means
that one can watch what is happening in one’s office through
one’s phone even though one may be at home! Nowadays
recorders possess a storage capacity of a minimum 30 days.
What are the other alarm systems that you
implement?
In our burglar alarm system, if anybody tries to break a
shutter, a message is delivered to whoever’s number is stored
in the system via an auto-dialer and mobile connector
system. Our fire safety alarm ensures that smoke triggers an
alarm and the sprinklers start sprinkling water. Besides, our
advanced access control system also monitors the movement
of visitors within the
complex. Most of these
safeguards are becoming
critical for the safety of
senior citizens.
600
Visitors entering the
complex daily
- Pankaj Chopra, Chopra
Enterprises
Purulia
STATUS
SHOPPING
MALL
NEW LAUNCH
“Purulia’s first shopping mall with a multiplex.”
Mall area: 37,809 sq ft
Number of towers: 1 commercial and
4 residential
Number of levels: G+3 (commercial),
G+8 (residential Tower 1 and 2),
G+9 (Tower 3), G+10 (Tower 4)
Number of shops (commercial): 22
The developer speaks: “The Purulia
shopping mall ‘Status’ is a part of a
mixed-use project comprising 105
residential apartments within the same
premises. It is situated in a district of
West Bengal with a population of 1.5
lac. It has a two-screen multiplex with a
seating capacity of 500. It has options for
a mini anchor, food court, restaurants,
branded retailers, among others.”
with 2 anchor shops, 1 game parlour
and 1 lounge bar
Number of flats: 105
Unit size: 1,033–2,613 sq ft
Open space: 56 percent (residential)
Completion: December 2014
(commercial); June 2016 (residential)
Parking: Basement cover - 76,
open – 23 (residential) and
basement -25 (commercial)
Location: Mahalaxmi Bagan,
Desbandhu Road, Purulia.
Developer: Kushal Bharat Equipments
& Infrastructure Pvt Ltd
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
AREA: 24 ACRES (PHASE 1)
BUILT UP AREA: 24 LAC SQ FT
LEVELS: G+3 & G+4
HEIGHT: 18 FT (GROUND FLOOR); 16 FT
(ABOVE FLOORS)
ROADS: UP TO 15 M WIDE INTERNAL
METALLIC ROADS
S
rijan Industrial Logistic Park is
an integrated business facility
(manufacturing, warehousing and
retailing) under a single roof for
manufacturers, retailers, suppliers,
traders and logistic players. It comprises
best-in-class facilities on NH6 in Howrah, one of the best
industrially-developed districts of West Bengal. Abhishek
Bharuka, Project Co-ordinator of Srijan Realty Pvt Ltd,
explains ‘warehousing’ as a concept.
A warehouse has existed for decades. What is the
need for a new kind of ‘warehouse’ ?
This modern warehouse is a one-stop solution for the storage
and logistics of materials across non-polluting industries
(pharmaceuticals, electronics, furniture, garments, FMCG,
among others). For any company based in Kolkata, distance
is a problem since the warehouse and factory (where the
packaging is done) are usually in different places, which
makes cost minimisation difficult. For example, if a company’s
warehouse is in Dalhousie and factory in Barasat, then the
time limit for city entry and exit of big carriers is a problem
as they store their materials somewhere and packaging is
done elsewhere. Connectivity is a problem for some. Besides,
traditional warehouses do not serve as the right storage place
for some kinds of materials (pharmaceuticals, FMCG, among
others). Only a logistics park provides a complete solution.
How will SILP accelerate regional industrial
growth?
Our Logistics Park is not a place; it is a logistics management
node, providing related logistics services and facilities that
help customers reduce costs and improve their workflow. The
result is that we see logistics helping moderate costs on the
one hand and providing employment on the other. At the
end of the day, we strengthen the business of our customers
because we make it possible to provide everything under one
roof - storing to parking to packaging to driver’s quarters to
ATM to other modern amenities. Besides, we are strategically
located in connecting easily with the rest of India through the
NH 6, which runs through Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh,
Odisha and West Bengal. Besides, we represent the first leg
of the Golden Quadrilateral to Chennai and South India.
Our location is just 13.3 km from NH2, which connects to
Northern India; Kolkata’s central business district is 16.1 km
away, Kidderpore docks 17 km and the Kolkata airport 29 km.
Does the warehousing concept in this case
provide a win-win proposition?
Srijan Industrial
Logistic Park
One of the largest industrial logistics parks of Eastern India!
It does. We address the growing needs of the garment and
hosiery sectors inside the Jalan Industrial Complex, Bankra,
Alampur and Domjur; we warehouse raw materials and
finished products; we provide economy and speed in our
transportation services; we provide an easy access to the
national and local markets; we enjoy an access to urban
infrastructure and labour.
Besides, Howrah, where we are located, is one of India’s most
industrially developed districts and a hub of foundry and
light engineering products. Besides, the region abounds in
diverse sectors (jute, flour, rice, oilseed, saw mills, rolling mills,
chemicals, glass, pharma industry and hosiery). Our service
will catalyse the state’s competitiveness, revenues and growth.
What difference will you bring to warehousing?
In one word, integration. There is no integrated Bengal
logistic park that connects the Eastern part of India with
the rest of the country. A logistics park with facilities like
banks, courier services, canteen for labour, guest house,
retail spaces, restaurants, dedicated security personnel, boom
barriers, among others, will provide an ease of operations for
owners. Besides, the park’s 24x7 operations will serve as a big
advantage.
Realty Expo 2013
GOSSIPWALLAH
HOW THE
STAIRCASE
KEEPS DEVANG
GANDHI FIT!
“Staying fit revolves around
three things - diet, exercise
and rest. Diet balance is the
most important. You can
never ‘out-exercise’ a bad diet.
Since I don’t get time to hit the
gym, I usually walk up and
down my building staircase
- to stay fit. I take my time; I
do not pound up and down to
protect my knees. I climb my
five floors 16 times - 80 floors
a day. I take a two-minute
break each time I finish four
rounds. I take around 30
minutes in all. This tones my
thighs and calves; it works
for the entire body as well. I
also do free hand exercises,
crunches and push-ups. The
big tip: increase exercises
gradually. A word of advice: I
would not advise walking up
and down the stairs to anyone
above 40.”
IN TERMS OF RATE PER
SQ FT, a carpark is more
expensive than an apartment.
So what the city requires is an
automated parking system.
The Simpark at the corner
of Park Street and Rawdon
Street is an example – the
“world’s first fully automatic
mechanised public multilevel car parking system on
a curve”. The ground plus
two-storied computer based
system accommodates upto
three times more cars than
conventional parking. Cars
are parked one over another
which helps in parking two
or more cars in place of one.
Among the other benefits:
no mechanical maintenance,
shorter construction period,
storage and retrieval in less
than 90 seconds and low
power consumption. The
two places where the simpler
format has been noticed: The
DBS building at the corner
of Little Russel Street and
Ho Chi Minh Sarani and in
a pathological clinic building
on Hazra Road. Worth
emulating.
THE ANNUAL REALTY
EXPO (organised by
CREDAI Bengal) arranges
for the presence of the widest
possible range of properties.
This one-stop destination
attracted 51 exhibitors and
15,000 visitors. This time
around, the four Milan Mela
halls will maximise exposure
for not only the developers,
but also exhibitors of allied
products. For participants
in Hall 1, 2 and 3, it is
mandatory to give airconditioners for all the bed
rooms in each flat which is
booked at the Realty Expo
2014. The mandatory gifts
given for this purpose should
not be clubbed with any
other existing promotional
offer which the participant
may already be entitled to.
The Realty Expo 2014 USP:
it will address the needs of
mid-income group (MIG)
and low-income group (LIG)
consumers as well. Watch
out for the event on 21-24th
February, 2014 at Milan Mela
Ground, 11 am to 8:30 pm.
THE RAIN FOREST BY
MOUNTHILL REALTY.
The ways real estate
promoters differentiate
their properties these days!
Just when you thought that
promoters would struggle
to create new ways of selling
their projects, Mounthill
Realty has emerged with
a unique differentiator: an
acupressure pathway. An
acupressure what? That’s
right, a pathway. This outdoor
flooring surface is designed
to stimulate foot nerves when
we walk on it. “When your
day-to-day living takes care
of your health, it becomes an
ideal place to stay and enjoy,”
says Hemant Sikaria, Founder
and CMD, Mounthill Realty.
The project - The Rain
Forest – is positioned as a
first-of-its-kind all round
health and wellness-related
realty project. The project
comprises features like
an ayurvedic spa, herbal
garden, bio pool, aerated
jacuzzi, lotus courtyard
and meditation centre. The
result? “Healthy living is
not a necessity but part of
an everyday lifestyle!” says
Sikaria.
MARVEL GANGA FRIA
(WAGHOLI, PUNE).
Just when one felt that
this ‘recreational bug’ had
been driven to its logical
conclusion and that there just
couldn’t be any way a real
estate promoter would be able
to add to the kinds of options
available, here is a new one.
A realty offering that offers
35 recreational facilities! You
read right. Thirty five! Green
lawns merging into water
bodies. Timber boardwalks
connected to shaded
walkways. Cricket and minifootball field. Basketball
court. Badminton, squash
and tennis courts. Skating
plaza. Mini-golf course.
State-of-the-art gymnasium.
Swimming and kids’ pool.
Clubhouse. Yoga meditation
plaza. Spa. Woodland
gardens. Tree-grove seating.
Special socialising zones
(festive gathering plaza, the
soft landscaped party lawns
and amphitheatre). Phew!
Just the kind of place where
the wife has to send out an
errand boy to check where
the husband might be –
and vice versa (lest one be
dismissed as chauvinistic!).
CINEPOLIS. Kolkata to
get India’s first international
cinema exhibitor – Cinepolis
at ‘Acropolis,’ a `350-crore
PPP between KMDA and
Merlin Projects off the
Rashbehari-EM Bypass
connector. The project (6.5
acres) is expected to be ready
in six months. The integrated
project will offer 8 lac sq ft of
mixed-use development area
with 90 retail outlets. “We are
excited to enter Kolkata. We
perceive the market to have
a deficit in terms of supply
of multiplex screens and we
hope to take advantage of
this,” said Ashish Shukla,
country head, Cinepolis
India. According to a survey
by Cushman & Wakefield,
Kolkata is fast emerging as a
new retail hotspot. Source:
Economic Times, 01.01.2014
HOUSING START-UP
INDEX (HSUI).
India became the sixth
country (Canada, US, Japan,
France, Australia and New
Zealand) to have its own
housing start-up index called
Housing Start-Up Index
(HSUI). HSUI is an indicator
of residential construction
volume, covering 27 cities
(2009 to 2011). The index
will soon cover 300 cities.
This first-of-its-kind initiative
is a critical indicator of
economic growth in sectors
like banking, mortgage,
labour, steel, cement and
paint. There are 254 ancillary
sectors related to the housing
sector like cement and iron.
Some 30 million people are
involved in the sector, which
has an estimated market
size of `2.5 lac crore. The
index indicates realty growth
to have shifted to smaller
cities like Dehradun, Bhopal
and Hubli. The real estate
sector has been witnessing a
declining trend in big cities
such as Bangalore, Kolkata
and Chennai. Source: Times of
India, 04.01.2014
PALM MEADOWS
(BANGALORE) by Adarsh
Group. Uniqueness: The
Palm Meadows Club offers a
sit-out café with a pool view,
an Oak Tavern (where spirits
are available in the form of
an automated dispenser!),
aqua bar, spa (aerobics,
fitness and weight training,
sauna, steam, jacuzzi and
rejuvenation treatments),
a 3,000 sq ft gym, beauty
parlour and gents salon,
leisure pool (waterfall, pebble
beach, bubble pool, water
massage jets and outdoor
jacuzzi), thermo-regulated
pool, three indoor badminton
courts - built to Olympic
standards, squash court
with Australian floorboard
and Belgium glass, A 5–lane
swimming pool, indoor
games and cards room, two
international standard hard
courts for tennis, basketball
half-court, indoor children
activity centre, swings ‘n’
slides playground, conference
and boardrooms! Need we
say more!
SOME 15 NEW ROUTES
and 200 buses are likely
to be introduced with the
objective to decongest
Kolkata in addition to 100
more buses to be introduced
to 10 existing routes for
better connectivity. Principal
Secretary (Transport)
Alapan Bandyopadhyay
announced the ‘open-road
policy’ for road, water and air
transport. The 15 routes will
comprise New Barrackpore
to Alipore, Park Circus
to Furfura Sharif, Boral
Natun Haat to Raja Bazar,
Thakurpukur to Santragachhi
and Shalimar Station to
Ruby Park, selected on the
basis of maximum passenger
footfalls. Regarding the
open-road policy for river
and air transport, vessels
will be allowed both on
intra- and inter-state routes.
In the open road policy, the
State will be offering new
buses for the city’s fringes.
The Government has also
initiated smoother interstate road transit system
by simplifying the permit
system. Source: Times of
India, 06.02.2014
REAL ESTATE PRICING
TRENDS. The movement
in residential property
prices (July-September
quarter) demonstrated an
increasing trend in 12 cities,
ranging from 0.46 per cent
in Mumbai to 5.30 per cent
in Kolkata, and declining in
10 cities ranging from 0.93
per cent in Bengaluru. This
latest NHB Residex for the
quarter covers 26 cities (base
year 2007). The maximum
price moderation was in
Meerut (6.88 per cent) while
the highest appreciation was
in Kolkata (5.30 per cent)!
Source: The Hindu Business
Line, 22.11.2013
Developments
I
Upcoming facilities and real estate trends sprouting across the city.
T parks in Sector V. Infinity has always known to
on their projects. The research centres will promote new
be a pioneer in setting new benchmarks. It began its
ideas for new products. The Bengal government has allotted
journey by creating the first IT
10 acres in Rajarhat for the park. IIT
Park in the Eastern region in
Bombay’s research park will be situated
‘Infinity Think Tank’, now a landmark
on the campus. Source: The Telegraph,
and fully occupied. Infinity Benchmark
23.11.2013
(fully occupied) is a 5,60,000 sq. ft.
A 6,00,000 sq ft IT park. Merlin
work space equipped with great social
Infinite, a Gold rated Green Building is
infrastructure and design sensibilities.
coming up at Sector V even when spaces
It is the second Platinum-rated Green
Building outside the US and seventh
in the world. Then there is Godrej
in a number of buildings lie unused in
IT Lagoon
Merlin Infinite boasts of a leasable office
Waterside, which is the largest Gold
space of 4.2 lac sq ft. Merlin Group
rated IT Park in Eastern India with over
officials indicated that 90 percent of the
1.8 million sq ft. The facility has achieved
land has already been sold out/leased out
Gold rating from the Indian Green
to medium and small entrepreneurial
Building Council. Currently the first
ventures. The success of Merlin Infinite
tower is occupied and a majority of the
was attributed to the right sizing of
space in second tower. The Company’s
offices and strong infrastructural support
third project ‘IT Lagoon’ provides the
in buildings. “The demand of space in
best of both worlds – the natural and
Sector V will increase following the
the modern world with a total area of
completion of the Metro Rail linkage
4,47,000 sq ft. Situated on the bank of
to Salt Lake” said promoter Mr. Sushil
a 1000-acre natural lake, IT Lagoon
Mohta.
provides a stunning view. It achieved
Kolkata will have its first Westin
Platinum rating from the Indian Green
property, a brand from US hospitality
Building Council with a majority of the
conglomerate Starwood Hotels & Resorts
space occupied and operational.
Worldwide, by mid 2015. Westin will
Research Park in Kolkata. IIT
manage the upcoming `600-crore
Kharagpur is planning to set up a
property on an eight-acre plot in the
dedicated research park in Calcutta at
satellite township of New Town, on the
a cost of `100 crore for projects related
eastern fringes of the city. “Construction
to technology development for industry
work has been complete. Interiors work
and an incubator of ideas to form
is going on. The hotel will be operational
small companies. This will be the only
by the end of 2014 or mid 2015,” says
research park in Eastern India. MTech
and PhD students would have the choice
to work on research projects at the
park. The alumni can involve themselves as well. Companies
will be benefited as they would be able to create research
centres where faculty members of IIT Kharagpur may work
Bengal’s IT hub of Sector V and Rajarhat.
Infinity Think Tank
Sujit Kanoria, Managing Director,
Shristi Infrastructure. Apart from guest
rooms, the hotel will also have service
apartments. It will also have an adjoining commercial and
retail space. Source: The Hindu, 04.01.2014
A thousand words
ANJAN GHOSH
Selected for ‘Foodscapes’ story by National Geographic
Anjan Ghosh. A graphic designer by profession but a photo
enthusiast at heart. He aspires to communicate everyday living
through his life capturing moments. This photograph was taken
during the Chhat Puja at Rabindra Sarobar in November 2013.
He captured the cultural richness of our society, highlighting how
people honour food in our country.
Mudar Patherya, [email protected]
freewheeling
WHY THE EUNUCH IS KOLKATA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL
MARKETING PROFESSIONAL
O
ne of the great
unsolved
mysteries is
how eunuchs
discover that a
child has been born at home.
Over the years, the great
suspense is not what the
future holds for the newborn
but how one will be able
to jhelo the eunuchs who
descend to extract their
pound of ….okay, I wanted to
use ‘flesh’ but you know what
I mean.
The standard eunuch practice
is to arrive en masse at the
blessed house. In the good old
days, they held a respectful
distance at the building
entrance. No longer; my
mother-in-law on the 15th
floor of a Southern Avenue
high-rise answered the
doorbell to find a reception
committee of six. She
stammered for the next three
minutes.
The eunuchs are nothing
without nuisance value.
They will consciously raise a
racket until you get terribly
embarrassed about drawing
neighbourly attention and
saltaao without creating a fuss.
They will descend on your
apartment just when the
husband is away.
They will start with a demand
so high – gold, saris and cash that at some point you will feel
grateful to them for having
condescended to settle lower.
They will show an unusual
speed in discarding their
clothes for the bewildered
attention of your family
should you even mildly
suggest that ‘Hum nahi dega.
Jaao jo karna hai karo!’
They will immediately invoke
the grace of ‘Gharib nawaz’
and ‘Paak Rasool’ once they
realise you are not Hindu.
They will melt your defence
with railings against society’s
heartlessness as a result of
which they have been ‘reduced
to doing this.’
They will impress upon you
the power of their blessings
for the newborn, cleverly
diverting attention from
the fact that they are in fact
extorting you.
They will threaten to return
with an even larger team –
they actually do – who, they
quietly drop the line, are
‘beyond our control’.
2
The big question: how do
they get to your doorstep?
My hunch is that the
durwans of our buildings are
collaborating insiders. For
a suitable commission, they
share relevant information
with the eunuch group –
financial status, number of
family members, office going
timings of the men-folk,
ability of the mother-in-law to
wilt under pressure.
Presumably this social
network becomes active
from the time they notice
that one of the bahus of
the building has a bulge in
the midriff that cannot be
dismissed as ‘lifestyle’. Based
on this network, the eunuchs
chalk out their ‘manpower’
allocation and income
estimations. When questioned
by the Building Committee,
the durwans have a convenient
alibi: ‘Babu, inke saamne koi
bhi kuch kar nahi sakta!’ End
of chapter.
There is another theory.
It is not the durwans but
the nurses at the maternity
hospital who act as the
informers – of the baby’s
gender, weight and general
health, each of which is then
turned into a negotiating
point. ‘Pehla ladka hua hai,
badhaai ho amma! Gareeb ki
dua le, maa!’
3
The other big question: How
can you as a citizen protect
yourself?
If you shut the door on them,
they play piano with your
doorbell, until you collapse
with your head in your hands,
plead with your husband for
assistance (‘Abhi aiyye!’) and
all he says is ‘Jaldi se rafaadafaa karke khatam karo!’
If you call the police, the
impassive response is ‘Eta
aamadeyr control theke
bairey!’
If you seek neighbourly
support, suddenly you find
most domestic assistants
answering the intercom with
‘Bibiji nahaan rahi hai!’
If you tell the media, it is
just another non-event in an
event-filled city.
4
The conclusion then is fairly
simple. Add the eunuch
extortion to the diagnosis fees,
doctor payments, caesarian
operation, hospital charges,
naam-karan ceremony and
mother’s recovery.
Chalo, even this would be
ok, but for something else.
Our friends now also turn
up at shaadis, engagements,
housewarmings and office
inaugurations.
If I were the ad agency for
the eunuchs, I would position
their campaign around a
simple line: ‘Whenever you
think of happiness, think of
us.’
That will make you think.
Mudar Patherya would love to
read your horror stories on this
subject at mudar@trisyscom.
com
Opposite Mirania Lake,
near Science City
NEW LAUNCH
INIA
Land area: 1.5 bigha
Number of flats: 37
Completion time: January 2017
Number of blocks: 1
Unit sizes: 2,180; 2,450; 4,630 sq ft
Location: E.M.Bypass/P.C.Connector
Number of floors: B+G+21
Developer: J. C. Infratech
The developer speaks: “The project offers an
exclusive premium residential lifestyle living
with internationally benchmarked architecture.
Attractive pricing makes it a worthy buy. Inia
is strategically located at Topsia which is
well-connected across the city. A 40 ft lobby
with a water curtain is a unique feature in
the project. All apartments are south-facing
with three sides open. The infinity pool on
the terrace along with a Sky Gym provides a
modern lifestyle edge to the project.”
Contact:
033 40401010/
66201010
Email: sales@
nkrealtors.com
real-
Want to be here?
Steal the limelight in style and join the bandwagon
of over 45,000 show-stealers from the corporate
world, real estate, retail sector, HNI and more.
ties
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real-
Kolkata’s only real estate magazine I Vol 9 I Issue 4 I January 2014
ties MAVERICK!
Kolkata’s only real estate magazine
Ad sales agency enquiries solicited
For enquires and to advertise: Call 033 4040 1010/ 6620 1010 | [email protected]
AN INTERVIEW WITH RAHUL SARAF, ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE REAL
ESTATE VISIONARIES OF INDIA

an interview with rahul saraf, one of the most creative

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