Pune Property Blog

Property investment only makes sense when the investor is fairly assured of a property’s appreciation and rental income potential. But these days, even normal home buyers are intent on getting the benefit of property appreciation and the possibility of good rental income when they are buying a home in Pune. Gone are the days when a home was simply a home – today, it is also a means for ensuring future financial security.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has become one of the most promising areas for property appreciation in Pune today. There are many reasons for this:

• PCMC is a developing area, which means that property rates are still lower than in fully developed areas
• Because it is still developing, a lot of new infrastructure is being put in. Infrastructure is one of the prime influencers for property appreciation
• The fact that PCMC residential real estate is being thoroughly planned by the PCNTDA (Pimpri Chinchwad New Town Development Authority) is ensuring that development is closely monitored. Since the PCNTDA follows a master plan for the development of residential property in PCMC, every location gains maximum investment value. There is no chance of oversupply, destruction of the environment or shortfall of necessary infrastructure
• PCMC is a hotbed for growing residential real estate demand because of the huge presence of automobile and other manufacturing industries there. There is unlimited demand for homes right from the affordable housing category to the luxury homes segment

It is important for anyone interested in property investment to know how real estate appreciation actually takes place. We have often heard that real estate investment is all about ‘location, location, location’ and this is largely true. However, we also need to understand what it is that gives a location its investment value.

First of all, one needs to consider how much demand exists for homes in a particular area. Then one needs to look at how many projects are being constructed to meet this demand. If the demand is more than the supply, the location has great appreciation potential. If there is more supply than demand, there is an oversupply situation and property appreciation will be low.

Another factor to consider is the existing cost of residential property in the location, and the manner in which property prices have moved. For example, if property prices in a location five to seven years ago were half of what they are now, the appreciation potential is definitely high. This is usually the case in so-called ‘growth corridors’, where a lot is happening every year to develop the area further.

If property prices have moved less than 10-12% over the last five years, it means that the area has very little appreciation potential. This invariably happens in city centres, which have been developed to such an extent that no further development is possible.

What kind of new developments cause property prices to shoot up? These include:

• New roads, widening of existing roads, bridges and flyovers, which improve connectivity of the area to other areas
• The arrival of new office complexes or industries, which increase employment and create demand for homes in the area
• Education and healthcare institutes and facilities, and also shopping and entertainment complexes. These increase the comfort levels and quality of life for residents

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Pharande Spaces

Affordably Priced, Will Cater to Management Cadre Homebuyers

Pune, June 27, 2012:  Pharande Spaces, the leading construction and development firm specializing in township properties in the PCMC area of Pune, is launching its premium residential project L-axis on the PCMC Spine Road, in Sector 6 of Pradhikaran. The launch date is June 28, 2012. The project is spread over 11 acres of verdant green land and will feature 2, 2.5 and 3 BHK apartments.

“Projects by Pharande Spaces have become a byword for value for money, and our mid-income housing townships in Moshi, Ravet and various locations in Pradhikaran have met with resounding success,” says Anil Pharande, Chairman – Pharande Spaces. “L-axis is our offering to the premium segment of home buyers who value even more advanced levels of comfort, generous living space and high-tech amenities.”

Spine Road, which is where this ahead-of-its time luxury housing project is located, has become one of the most talked about infrastructure embellishments in the progressive Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. This area is fundamentally at the core of Pune’s most vibrant industrial area, with many manufacturing giants such as Tata Motors, Force Motors and Bajaj Auto close by. It is also well-connected to the Chakan industrial area, which is home to national and international automobile companies like Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz and Mahindra & Mahindra. Apart from this, the Talawade IT Park is also within easy access.

In addition, L-axis is advantageously placed close to the Bhosari District Centre, Sadhu Vaswani International School, Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir, the PCNTDA Traffic Park and the upcoming International Exhibition and Convention Centre at Moshi. The project will feature technologically advanced security and lifestyle features to its residents and boasts of vast green spaces, with paved area kept at a minimum.

L-axis also includes a modern clubhouse with gymnasium, tennis and basketball courts, a multi-purpose community hall and a massive water-world-style swimming pool that offers limitless enjoyment to all family members.

“We have conceived L-axis in response to the huge demand for luxury living spaces coming from the managerial cadre of these industries,” explains Anil Pharande. “Keeping in mind the clientele, we have added every possible lifestyle feature, including multiple parking spaces, luxurious atriums and lobbies in each building and high-speed lifts.”

In fact, L-axis represents a first-of-its kind residential option for discerning homebuyers in the PCMC area for whom ease, luxury and convenience are the primary watchwords. No effort has been spared to make this a landmark development which will become its own distinctive address. The launch price for apartments at L-axis is currently Rs. 4500 per square foot, and will be augmented to Rs. 5000 per square foot thereafter.

Pharande explains that PCMC’s Spine Road is the perfect location for this project, providing a residential catchment that is a focal point of the region’s most prestigious industries. The 10-kilometer road connects two major highways and also runs through Pimpri Chinchwad’s industrial, residential and commercial areas on the eastern side.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Pharande Spaces

Pune property market is a lot more conservative than Mumbai, and there is certainly a market-dictated cut-off point for price escalations, says Anil Pharande, Vice-President of CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman of Pharande Spaces, a leading construction and development firm that concentrates on township properties in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) area of Pune.

Excerpts…

From technocrat to leading builder…. How did this transformation happen?

I was very interested in what was happening in Pimpri-Chinchwad back then. The idea of being involved in the raising of a planned city on the lines of Chandigarh, so close to Pune, was an exciting prospect. The Pimpri Chinchwad New Town Development Authority (PCNTDA) had taken on an ambitious and laudable task. My first objective was to help steer the path of this planned development, which is why I got involved with CREDAI. Getting into the creation of township properties that would take the best advantage of the benefits that the PCMC offered in terms of superior infrastructure and phased real estate growth was the next logical step.

Can you give us an overview of Pune’s reality market and its growth prospects?

Pune is a powerhouse of potential when it comes to real estate. It is a city of learning and entrepreneurship, and there is a distinctly progressive flavour to everything that happens there. Thanks to the fact that it has become a magnet for IT/ITES and manufacturing companies, the real estate market in Pune is not likely to lose its forward momentum. Having said that, I always had misgivings about the opportunistic manner in which property development was taking place within the PMC limits, and was far more interested in the holistic approach being adopted in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

What is the impact of the price upheavals of metropolis Mumbai on Pune’s realty market?

There is doubtlessly an impact, since a lot of cash-rich buyers from Pune are looking at Pune both as a property investment and retirement home option. The level of demand from Mumbai tends to exert a certain upward pressure on property prices in Pune. However, the Pune property market is still a lot more conservative than that of Mumbai, and there is certainly a market-dictated cut-off point for price escalations.

Do you think that the dismissal of a few big builders from CREDAI over non-compliance will affect the body’s advocacy on transparency?

Not at all. Every administrative body must experience occasional churn in order to maintain its vision and to stay flexible and open to new avenues of progress.

About your ongoing and upcoming residential projects…and future expansion plan?

Woodsville in Moshi is virtually a small town within PCMC, spread over 40 acres with vast tracts of open spaces and a very healthy environment. This hugely successful project, which is being developed phase-wise, has been and continues to be a primary focus for us. I’m also very excited about (L)-Axis, which we are launching along the PCNTDA Spine Road. In contrast to our other projects, which cater mainly to the middle-income group, this is a luxury project which will have no rivals in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Apart from (L)-Axis, Pharande Spaces is planning a residential/IT-ITES SEZ project at Punawale, near Hinjewadi/Wakad, Dehu Road-Katraj Expressway bypass. It will encompass 42 acres in the residential segment and 28 acres for the IT Park. The residential part will have apartments, row houses and bungalows.

What is your take on green building concept? Why is it not popular in India compared to West?

There is a lot of change-resistance and no end of misconceptions about green buildings in India. It is taking a long time for developers and buyers to understand the sound rationale behind them. However, I am seeing a definite awakening now, and I am confident that the next ten years will usher in a slow but steady green revolution in Indian real estate.

There is a general belief that affordable housing by private players is a non-starter in India, do you agree?

I completely disagree. A huge amount of affordable housing stock in our cities is created by small private developers who cannot imitate the scale of the larger players. Countless people would still be waiting in vain for the many Government-driven budget housing schemes that are yet to see the light of day if it were not for these private players. Many national players have also made their mark in this segment and consistently delivered.

(As told to KR Iyer (ramanaathan.iyer@sulekha.net)

http://property.sulekha.com/pune-has-more-potential-for-real-estate-growth_news-1093

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Pharande Spaces

Anil Pharande, Chairman – Pharande Spaces & Vice President – CREDAI Pune Metro

The Spine Road is a monumental contribution to the PCMC real estate sector by the Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA). This becomes evident when we study the benefits that this massive infrastructure initiative brings with it. The Spine Road is the latest initiative by PCNTDA’s focus on location-efficient development.

The PCMC Spine Road connects two major highways and provides an access focus for the residential, commercial and industrial centres in the PCMC. As the longest stand-alone road within the PCNTDA limits, it is a significant step forward in relieving traffic congestion on internal roads. It also features six lanes with cycle tracks, service roads and parking facilities, thereby vastly improving the quality of living for all residents living along its perimeter.

It is generally accepted that improved road connectivity is very important for real estate growth. Most property brokers will make a big case out of an area’s excellent road network and how this improves the appreciation value of a proposed property. But how exactly does this phenomenon work? What is the real ‘connection’ between better roads and better real estate values?

Road Connectivity And Quality Of Life

Fundamentally, major roads such as the Spine Road in PCMC reduce vehicle travel by cutting down the distance that needs to be traveled between destinations. This has a direct effect on residents in connected areas. With shorter distances, people can comfortably choose to travel public transport or two wheelers, thereby cutting down fuel expenses. This also decreases noise and air pollution in residential areas.

Improved road connectivity also improves the overall safety of a neighbourhoods. This is because it becomes easier for emergency services such as fire brigade and ambulances to reach them. Likewise, it is possible for residents to reach hospitals faster – this can sometimes make a difference between life and death.

An undertaking such as the PCMC Spine Road is also a blessing for employees working in the area’s numerous manufacturing and service industries. In Indian cities, the amount of time it takes to get to and from one’s workplace is an extremely important consideration. By allowing the residents of connected neighbourhoods to reach and return from their workplaces faster, the amount of time they can spend with their families increases significantly. The same paradigm applies to school-going children.

The Health ‘Connection’

Reduced travel time also reduces the incidence of various physical ailments as well as stress levels. Longer travel times give rise to higher exposure to traffic pollution and extreme climate. Several serious health problems such as deep vein thrombosis and lung infections have been directly linked to extended automobile travel on a regular basis.

Similarly, road rage and reckless driving are often the direct result of the traffic congestion caused by insufficient road linkages. Also, as road connectivity improves further, the shorter travel distances can encourage the use of health-positive travel modes such a bicycles.

The Personal Finance ‘Connection’

Ever-increasing fuel prices were once a concern only to the middle class – today, they have gone so high that even the more affluent classes are feeling the heat. Electric cars that can meet the travel requirements of a normal-sized family are still a distant dream. We hear that Tata Motors is developing a air-powered car, but it is unlikely that we will see such solutions on the roads for several more years to come. In the mean time, like it or not, we are dependent on fossil fuel-driven vehicles.

The magnitude of savings that are possible because of improved road connectivity must not be under-estimated. It is a known fact that the transportation expenses of residents in well-connected areas is lower; a lesser-known fact is that communities which live in areas without good road connectivity often spend between 10-15% of their monthly income on transportation alone. The figures rises proportionately to the number of vehicles the family operates.

The Real Estate ‘Connection’

These are the reasons why road connectivity has such a massive impact on real estate prices. Simply put, there is a higher demand for homes in well-connected areas because they equal an easier, safer, healthier and more cost-effective way of life. In this context, the arrival of the PCMC Spine Road has become a game-changer for the region’s real estate market.

The investment value of residential properties along the Spine Road has not been lost on investors, who are now making a beeline to residential developments in Moshi, which is one of the most prominent areas along this road.

Anil Pharande is Vice President of CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman of Pharande  Spaces, a leading construction and development firm that develops township properties in the PCMC area of Pune, India.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Pharande Spaces

There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that Pimpri Chinchwad is now Pune’s new hotbed for affordable residential property. In fact, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is one’s of India’s most resounding real estate success stories. PCMC is a planned city, and its development profile has nothing in common with what is happening in the Pune Municipal Corporation limits.

Thanks to the unflagging efforts of the Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA), PCMC is now a showcase of outstanding residential areas. The PCNTDA has been vigilant in defending this showcase sister city of Pune from the central city’s unregulated real estate development pattern. One of the hallmarks of this careful town planning is the availability of affordable township properties, which are the best examples of the masterfully planned social, economic and real estate development in Maharashtra.

Those who have never seen PCMC before are amazed at the futuristic look of this progressive city. When it comes to urban planning, the PCNTDA has gone several steps further than CIDCO of Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai was Maharashtra’s first planned city, and it certainly began on a good note. However, lack of vigilance by the town planning authorities there soon caused it to fall prey to commercialization. Charles Courier’s initial blueprint was son abandoned, and today Navi Mumbai has become just another extended suburb of unregulated Mumbai.

In Pimpri Chinchwad, however, the PCNTDA was determined to avoid the mistakes which caused the real estate market in Navi Mumbai to degenerate. The blueprint which was adopted was one of uncompromisingly regulated real estate growth, and organized urban planning was the constant watchword. Keeping its focus firmly on the long-term objectives of rational real estate development, the PCNTDA has managed to turn PCMC into a genuine city of the future.

Residents of township properties in PCMC have the unique advantage of owning homes which are near to their workplaces, yet affordable and blessed with green natural surroundings. They live high quality lifestyles and do not have to sacrifice their family’s health to the pollution which defines the inner city. On an average, township property owners is the PCMC spend upto 35% more time with their families than Pune residents, and have up to 40% more living space at the same cost.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is truly a prime example of social-minded real estate development. Only here will one find spacious properties at affordable prices, coupled with a modern and efficient transportation system. Only here can one find a multitude of employment opportunities, superior infrastructure and modern, yet very affordable homes close to one’s place of work. And only in the PCMC can one enjoy the benefits of carefully preserved natural splendour.

Thanks to the approach taken by the PCNTDA, the PCMC property market is today seen as the smartest option for residential property buyers from Pune and beyond. Yearly inward migration figures clearly indicate that this city is indeed growing rapidly. The year-on-year appreciation rates of residential property in the PCMC range between 15-20%, and this has also attracted property investors from all over Maharashtra.

 Anil Pharande is Vice President of CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman of Pharande  Spaces, a leading construction and development firm that develops township properties in the PCMC area of Pune, India.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Pharande Spaces

In Pune, property and quality of life were once synonymous, but that can no longer be taken as a given. In earlier years, it did not really matter much where one chose to buy property in Pune – all locations were more or less supportive of peaceful family life in their own right.

Today, while considering flats for sale in Pune, one has to consider a number of variables – among them the levels of traffic congestion and pollution, the availability of basic facilities such as water and, of course, quality of the neighborhood.

Let us take Kothrud, for example. This once charming area was one of the first suburbs to be developed after the old city. Even today, it is considered a desirable core area due to its strong connection with the city centre via Karve Road. However, for better or for worse, Kothrud is also mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records as the suburb with the fastest urban growth in the world.

Kothrud started developing in late 90s. Back then, Pune City was truly a Pensioner’s Paradise, with little economic activity. People from Mumbai looking to buy property in Pune preferred Kothrud, naturally leading to an accelerated rate of development.

By the time the IT/ITES boom began in 2000-02, Kothrud was a full-fledged residential destination. Because of this, it fortunately did not go the way of suburbs like Aundh and Baner in the West or Viman Nagar in the East as they joined the IT/ITES bandwagon.

Over the past decade-and-a-half, Kothrud has evolved as one of the most densely populated residential destination in Pune. Residential projects are very scarce and the demand is enormous. However, because of the manner in which it grew, Kothrud was not developed holistically in terms of social infrastructure.

Many other areas in Pune developed on similar lines, and the old Pensioner’s Paradise charm soon gave way to massive, relentless development. This began the hunt for less cluttered and more lifestyle-supportive residential locations.

Thanks to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Wakad is only about 80 to 90 minutes away from Mumbai

Fortunately, Pune is not a sea-locked city like Mumbai, and there was scope for looking further ahead. One of the first areas to emerge as a preferred area to settle down was Wakad – a once-nondescript village with 5000 locals who farmed sugarcane, onion and groundnut in its rich, black, fertile soil.

In 1983, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) acquired 50% of this virgin location. By 1998, PCMC counted Wakad as one of its areas. Today, Wakad has emerged as the focus of younger, financially fit families that are looking to upgrade their lifestyle by moving to larger, more nature-endowed homes on the outskirts of Pune City.

With the increasing congestion of the previously preferred area of Aundh, neighboring Wakad was seen as the perfect location, with close proximity to the Infotech and Biotech Parks at Hinjewadi, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Industrial area, the Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass, the Super Express Highway to Mumbai and the Balewadi National Sports complex.  Thanks to the Expressway, Wakad is only about 80 to 90 minutes away from Mumbai, and Mumbaikars looking to buy property in Pune saw it as an excellent value proposition.

Of course, Wakad is just one of the chapters that the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has in its book of Pune real estate successes. Today, Ravet and other sectors of Pradhikaran in the PCMC have become the new residential real estate watchwords in Pune. These areas are developing fast and are even now venues of extremely modern integrated residential projects.

However, the development of Wakad marked the beginning of a new residential real estate trend in Pune – the quest for better environments to settle down in and recapture some of Pune’s erstwhile glory as Queen of the Deccan.

Anil Pharande is Vice President of CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman of Pharande  Spaces, a leading construction and development firm that develops township properties in the PCMC area of Pune, India.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010-2013 Pharande Spaces

Anil Pharande

The demand trend of Pune residential property is slowly but surely changing to township properties. A growing segment of Pune property buyers now says that nothing less than the autonomy, independence and convenience of a township property will do.

Who are these people? Mostly employees from Pune’s booming IT and manufacturing sectors. The highest demand is from home buyers employed in Hinjewadi, Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar, Hadapsar and the PCMC MIDC belt. These home buyers are fed up with the congestion or the inner city and are seeking homes in the new and established township projects that are taking Pune real estate by storm.

What is it about these Pune townships that make them so different from other property options available on the market? Many of these township projects are located in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in locations such as Ravet, Moshi and Punavale. Existing residents affirm that nothing within the main city can match the bliss of living in these magically located projects.

Nature is, indeed, still master of the situation in these areas. Real estate development in the PCMC area is tightly regulated. There is abundant green cover and almost all of these projects offer unobstructed view of distant hills, while traffic is just a dim, far-off echo from the Express Highway. The environment is absolutely perfect for residential family units. Naturally, prominent developers have snapped up prime land exclusively for the building of township projects in the PCMC.

Other factors have added to the popularity of these locations. The Express Highway, of course, is a vital one. It is the umbilical cord between Pune and other major metropolises, beginning with Mumbai, and is the very lifeblood of Pune’s commercial progress. In addition, the Mumbai-Bangalore Highway (in the close neighborhood) brings in further commercial growth and intercity connectivity.

With the kind of exposure that localities lying along these two major highways get, their popularity comes as no surprise. However, it should also be remembered that it was the Expressway which brought about the existence of the Hinjewadi Infotech and Biotech Park – which is the very important economic driver for Pune City today. Professionals from the city’s IT and manufacturing sectors need homes close to their offices, and also relative privacy in their time away from work. This has been a heavy driving factor behind the demand for township properties in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

In the not-so-distant past, township properties were a residential genre reserved exclusively for the rich. This has changes drastically with their rising popularity. The fact is, owning a township property in the PCMC has now become a feasible option for the city’s middle class. High competitiveness among housing finance institutions has ensured that loans for the purchase of homes in these township properties are easily available to the middle class.

All of the above reasons have combined to make township properties the No. 1 choice for Pune property buyers, and therefore a priority for many developers. Recognizing the wave of the future, prominent builders in the PCMC have appropriated land in these high-demand localities and are developing incredibly modern township projects there. These multi-acre township projects offer within their boundary walls every convenience of modern living to the property buyers. In fact, they can justifiably be seen as lifestyle resorts in which one can actually buy units.

The inherent commercial potential of this Pune township property boom cannot be ignored. Obviously, it presents a great opportunity to builders as well as real estate investors. In fact, a huge number of outstation investors – most notably from Mumbai – have already taken note of the Pune township trend. If Bangalore has earned the label of Silicon Valley of the East, Pune is well on the way of being called India’s Township City.

Anil Pharande is Vice President of CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman of Pharande  Spaces, a leading construction and development firm that develops township properties in the PCMC area of Pune, India.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012-2013 Pharande Spaces

Pune property buyers can do little about the rapidly failing infrastructure

By the most recent reckoning, India’s population currently hovers around the 1.15 billion mark. It is estimated that by 2030, this figure will have grown to around 1.53 billion. India’s urban areas are just about ready to burst at the seams, on the heels of an accelerating population explosion.

The population growth in India’s rural areas in the present decade is around 18%, and over 30% in the urban areas. This pattern of urbanisation is seen as encouraging, since it seems to indicate that India will attain the global urbanization standard average in the course of the next decade.

However, it is also true that this upsurge in our cities’ population is putting available civic structures like public transport, water supply, drainage, sewerage and obviously the supply of housing under severe pressure.

This raises the question – how are India’s real estate developers addressing the problem of insufficient infrastructure in and around their projects in the main cities? The fact is, they can’t do much.

In cities like Pune, property buyers have no choice but to turn a blind eye to the absence of sufficient infrastructure. They are aware of the fact that they will face numerous inconveniences, but what can they do?

Many opt to buy into projects that boast of compensatory measures to overcome the infrastructure deficit. These would include independent water supply if a reliable municipal pipeline doesn’t exist, electricity backup to make up for unreliable power supply and sump pits if the area does not have adequate sewage.

However, such projects in Pune City are few and far between, and homes in them come at extremely high prices. Also, no matter in how many ways Pune developers compensate for lack of civic infrastructure, they cannot add more than a token patch of landscaped lawn by ways of natural ambience.

The high property rates are a real problem. Many of those who buy flats in Pune have saved all their lives for buying their Pune dream home. They have made a lot of sacrifices to make this happen; having finally managed to save enough, they buy their homes and immediately regret it.

The maintenance costs for their flats are far too high for them to bear – a lot of them can’t afford petrol for their cars anymore. They travel to and from work by bus.

We have all looked at the parking lots of highly-priced residential projects and seen dusty cars with handmade posters on the rear windows saying things like ‘Homemade Detergent Soap Available at Flat 12A’ and ‘Tuition For Stds. V to IX – Contact Mr. XYZ at Flat 26C.

It simply makes no sense to invest everything in a home and then live in financial stress afterward. The solution obviously lies in finding a home where the same investment buys you more.

The choice is between paying a certain amount on a small, under-equipped flat in the crowded central city or on a spacious home in a location blessed with natural beauty and and sound infrastructure.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, which planned its residential areas decades ago, offers such options. The integrated residential projects in Ravet and other sectors of Pradhikaran close to the upcoming International Convention Centre offer the kind of homes that Puneites have always dreamed of, but never been able to own.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation also has an extremely vibrant economy, offering more and more job opportunities across all business sectors with every passing year.

Finally, because of the regulated nature of the PCMC real estate market and the high emphasis on civic facilities and amenities, there is no question of an eventual infrastructure deadlock. The real estate prices are way below those see in Pune, too. For that reason, these are the kind of homes that will be sources of joy for several generations.

Anil Pharande is Chaiman – Pharande Spaces, a leading construction and development firm operating in the PCMC area of Pune, India.

You may reprint or quote this article with full credit to the author and a link back to PunePropertyBlog.com

Photo source

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010-2013 Pharande Spaces

The draft Development Plan (DP) for the 23 villages to be merged into Pune’s Municipal limits has been more or less finalized. It has given emphasis to the Pune metro, and it also proposes to increase the permissible height for high rises in the established parts of the city from 100 metres to 150 metres. Vertical growth is obviously the only way to go in the areas of Pune where horizontal spread is no longer possible.

There is great potential for Pune real estate, and the Development Plan is supposed to aid its growth. However, there are some major areas of concern when it comes to its efficiency in doing so. One of the prime concerns is the process involved in formulating, finalizing and implementing the DP in the first place.

This process comes under the purview of the MRTP Act for urban growth in Maharashtra. As it stands now, it is archaic and extremely slow-moving process. To begin with, just getting it from the blue-print to approval stage involves several agencies. Only when the required approvals have been obtained from all these agencies can the Development Plan be finalized by the Chief Minister and implemented by the Pune Municipal Corporation.

This is an extremely cumbersome process, and the amount of red tape it takes to finalize and implement the Pune Development Plan is enormous. It should be remembered that the Government of Maharashtra has to handle the approval and implementation of the Development Plan in tandem with countless other proposals from all over the State. This is why this process usually takes anything between 10-15 years to be finalized and put into actual practice.

These huge delays further give rise to vastly increased costs, wasted time and negatively impact on the city’s GDP. At this critical juncture of deployment of Pune’s development Plan, it would make sense to look at more progressive models of planned urban development. The Government of Maharashtra could consider the method that has worked so well in Ahmedabad in close-by Gujarat and in the neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

There are good reasons for considering the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation as a suitable role model for progressive urban development. Only recently, the PCMC was honoured with the ‘Best City in India’ award at the hands of the Prime Minister himself. Pune’s booming sister city simultaneously received two further national awards under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for the improvements made in its water supply and waste water management, and for effective enforcement of policies aimed at the Economically Weaker Sections.

What is this progressive model of urban development that could transform the PMC, as well? In simple terms, it involves three distinct, time-bound stages. In the first stage, the Government acquires land under roads and reservations at a stipulated rate or in the form of TDR (Transfer of Development Rights). A blueprint for complete social and civic infrastructure creation of the new zones to be developed is then drawn up. This includes roads, water and electricity supply as well as designation of areas for residential development, schools, shopping, hospitals, workplace hubs and industry.

The laying down of this infrastructure can then put on the fast track by creating a Special Purpose Vehicle for a dedicated infrastructure fund. Pune’s new Development Plan will a certain number of kilometers of road length. The total cost of road development can be calculated and the cost per square foot could then be loaded on to the residential development of these areas in the next stage. Interestingly, this cost is very minimal and can be easily borne.

With the kind of will and focus that was displayed by PCMC when it used this model, the entire road development and civic infrastructure development can be completed with three years. At this stage, the newly established and fully infrastructure-enabled areas are then opened up to developers for residential and commercial development.

The advantages of such an approach are manifold. In the first place, there is a uniform, horizontal spread of real estate. Development does not take place in pockets, but in a scientific manner. The creation of road networks and electricity and water supplies before actual real estate development ensures that property prices remain rational and equitable. There would be a very favourable effect on the affordability of homes in these new areas. All these factors together ensure that there is optimal economic growth that benefits everyone.

The Government of Maharashtra has already committed itself to fast-track growth of its cities. By adopting the above-mentioned model, this commitment can actually bring real-time results.

Anil Pharande is Vice President of CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman of Pharande  Spaces, a leading construction and development firm that develops township properties in the PCMC area of Pune, India.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2013 Pharande Spaces