Large hoardings dotting theMumbai-Pune Expressway an-nouncing the launch or ready-possession of a particular proj-ect seem to act as pointers to

a whole new world that promises to be aluxury haven. Make it large seems to bethe latest buzzword when it comes to aproject design and amenities. For years,Pune was known as a tier-II city that wasbetter off as pensioners' paradise or con-tinued to remain in the shadow of a largemetro like Mumbai. However, things arechanging, getting reshaped and redefined,too. In the bargain, new benchmarks arebeing created and structural excellenceis being achieved. Apart from the ad-ministrative policies, a lot of credit alsogoes to developers who are keen to adoptnewer technologies and techniques which

are adhered to world-wide. Going a stepfurther, developers are roping in the serv-ices of international teams of architects,interior designers and engineers to givea finish to their product that's at par withglobal standards.

Certain ambitious projects involvinglarge integrated townships are not onlyredefining the boundaries of the city butare shaping an altogether living experi-ence that introduces its residents to new-er concepts such as walk-to-work, greenliving, 360-degree approach to living, toname a few.

Luxe-living involves creating a worldof fusion of the richness in structural de-sign of the past and contemporary ar-chitecture of the present. In this regard,Pune-based developers have taken up themantle and are challenging the bound-aries of architectural design by creatingnot just premium standalone buildingsbut prestigious 100-acre townships as wellthat are now recognised as the latest sym-bol of growth and all-round development.

The dramatic makeover of Pune canalso be attributed to three major devel-opments: the robust Information Tech-nology (IT) industry, the ever-growingspread of organised retail and the chang-ing profile of its residents. In addition,better connectivity could also sum up thenew-found identity of the city that ispoised to edge out even tier-I cities.

Moreover, as nex-gen home-buyers and

investors look forward to investing in aluxury home, the whole dynamics of thegame is changing. The choice about thedimensions and types of homes is chang-ing, too.

Rather than investing their life savingsin a home on the verge of retirement, thenext gen is planning well in advance andapproaching financial institutions for sup-port. Instead of what is available readily,the new age home-buyer is becomingchoosy and will prefer to wait till thedwelling of their choice comes along.

This is because almost 40 per cent ofhome-buyers in Pune today are fromacross the country, which means that theyhave homed in on Pune to settle down andmake a career. So, their interest in thearea remains long-term. They wish com-fort, do not like any hassle once they reachtheir home and an aboveboard deal so thatthere is no scope for any underhand deal-ing.

The other factor impacting the Punereal estate scenario is the urge among peo-ple from Mumbai to shift to a city that is

far less crowded, yet extends a lifestyle,which is more or less similar to the me-tropolis. In addition, Pune is a mere two-hour drive away with salubrious climateand excellent connectivity. Besides, thecity ranks high in terms of leading edu-cational institutions. Pune is a sort ofmelting-pot with people from various cul-tural backgrounds calling it their home.Fortunately, Pune can offer all this at afractional price as compared with Mum-bai.

In the 1990s, Pune emerged as an IT des-tination, with various leading companiesselecting its environs to set up their units.This changed Pune's socio-economic com-plexion dramatically. Substantial earn-ings at a young age coupled with a desireto own a home and abundant availabili-ty of home loans gave a fantastic boost tothe real estate market. Incidentally, thegrowth and expansion of Pune has beenin all directions unlike in Mumbai.

Understandably, Pune is fast gainingan edge when it comes to offering premi-um housing solutions. The buyers arelooking out for spacious accommodationwhich offers all state-of-the -rt amenitiesand which provide easy access to the newgrowth centres.

It is estimated that the demand for newhousing units in Pune is around 50,000every year and there are signs that it willcontinue to grow in the foreseeable fu-ture. Interestingly, the disposal of suchunits in Pune is quite fast as comparedwith Mumbai. In fact, there is no stagna-tion as far as the real estate market is con-cerned. Real estate insiders estimate thatthe average property vacancy ratio inPune is not more than 20 per cent againstMumbai's 35 per cent.

Facts and figures are available to es-tablish that Pune has made its mark as'the city of the future'. At the moment,several luxury housing projects have comeup or are in different stages of construc-tion. Though some are for just investmentpurposes, most are occupied soon aftertheir purchase. It is now difficult to findtraditional or low-cost housing con-struction around Pune--a sure sign of avibrant market.

New sprawling colonies are springingup around Pune and the demand contin-ues to grow. Hadapsar, Pirangut, Khara-di, Viman Nagar or the Pimpri-Chinch-wad belt are the future nerve centres ofgrowth in Pune.

A timely investment can ensure com-fortable life, vast earning opportunities,quality educational facilities and aboveall, a solid return on life savings.

Needless to say, a delayed decision tobuy an apartment, which is more thanfour walls and extends a lifestyle in Pune,will only prove to cost more in the longrun.

JUNE 20, 2014 Advertorial, Lifestyle Promotional FeatureAN OMS INITIATIVE, The Economic Times

Several developers–

prominent and

small-time–are engaged

in reshaping Pune’s

urban core. The new

residential projects,

which are in various

stages of completion,

can be considered as

epitome of luxury and

are introducing

concepts such as

walk-to-work, green

living or 360-degree

approach to lifestyle.

Needless to say, rush

to Pune for delay will

only cost more…

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Pune-based developers

have taken up the mantle

and are challenging the

boundaries of

architectural design by

creating ambitious

projects that are now

recognised as the latest

symbol of growth and

all-round development

A Gateway

to luxe-living

Pune seems to be one of the mosthappening destinations in this sideof the country. Earlier known for

being a green, peaceful and calm haven,Pune is currently on the 'Most Desirable'list of people who are looking for growth,development and big opportunities inwork and education. The city seems to beattracting thousands every year fromdifferent parts of the country with itscharming fusion of old-world heritageand new-world glitz - with its teeming, tallbuildings, and quaint, rambling, stonewadas; with its four-lane roads andflyovers and cozy little parks, with itsunending lineup of gleaming cars andnew-age cycling enthusiasts, with its ever-growing roster of well-known institutionsand IT Parks. But the city is bursting withthe millions that call it home and needs abreather.

If we could clone Pune, we all could behappier. But better still, we can build morecities within Pune city. Like Lavasa. LikeAmanora. Clean. Green. Self Sufficient.And well-planned.

PUNE - ON THE HOT LIST

● Among the metropolitan cities inthe country, Pune is on the 8thposition in India and 2nd positionin Maharashtra .

● With only 37% Marathi population,Pune is a cosmopolitan city in itstrue sense.

● 60% of Indians working in USA arefrom Pune.

● 40% of Pune's land area isdeclared Green.

● Pune is the only city which hasmore than 7 Universities

● The Film and Television Instituteof India - which has producedmany famous artists is located inPune.

● The city of Pune has over 13 lakhtwo-wheeler users which are thehighest in the whole of Asia.

● JNNURM has made an allocationof Rs. 80000 crores for variousdevelopmental projects for Punecity.

● The Army - Navy - Air Forcetraining institute National DefenceAcademy is located in Pune.

PUNE EAST- THE GATEWAY TO HAPPY RETURNS

Pune East, which has seen incredible growth over the pastdecade is now a lifestyle destination that keeps enhancing

the city's luxury quotient. High-rise, gleaming structures,sprawling townships and top-end residential and commercialprojects have transformed the look of the once-fringe locality.The area's proximity to the railway station and the airport,easy accessibility and connectivity has contributed towardsits growth. Earlier confined to Camp and Koregaon Park, PuneEast now spans the hot spot areas of Kalyani Nagar, Hadapsar,Kharadi, Viman Nagar, Airport Road, Mundhwa, and so on.

A fast rising zone, this region has many choices to offer interms of commercial, residential and corporate spaces, notcounting the immense investment opportunities. The regionhosts several known IT Parks, EON an SEZ spread of over 45acres is the seat of a growth-driven future and dynamics of afree market democracy and shopping destinations like In Orbit,Phoenix Market City, Amanora Mall a little further down alongwith a plethora of choices in movies, restaurants and a liberalsprinkling of 5-star and 7-star hotels. A cosmopolitan, well-heeled, well-traveled community further enhances the region'sinvestment quotient.

Amanora Park Town is a 400-acre townshiplocated in the rapidly-developing eastern

corridor of Hadapsar. Developed by Pune'sleading real estate group City CorporationLtd., Amanora is Pune's first special township,which successfully marries peace andtranquility with the comforts andconveniences of modern city life. Ecologicallysound, yet with every imaginable technical,digital and modern facility, Amanora sets anew benchmark in wow living.

Planned by some of the best designers andarchitects in the world, Amanora offers a hostof amenities and services, making it a cityin itself. Apart from the well-designedresidences, the township also comes withready infrastructure, such as 24x7 electricityand water supply, well-paved, wide internalroads, eco-friendly internal transportationsystem, efficient waste management systemsand 70 acres of beautifully planned centralgreens. Besides this, it has state-of-the-artsecurity systems and the best services inhealthcare, education and other socialinfrastructure. Amanora has schools like thePawar Public School and Pearson Schoolproposed 150-bed multispecialty hospital,managed by the well-known Ruby Hall Clinicand a buzzing Town Centre, an all-daydestination replete with an 8-screen multiplex,over 30 specialty restaurants, coffee bars andactivity zones, in addition to high-end,international fashion and luxury brands,including ONLY, Marks & Spencers, VeroModa, Alcott, Esprit, UCB, Hush Puppies,Swatch and many more. These, along withstretches of green, a lake, amphitheatres andrecreational activities makes Amanora theideal green, well-planned city within Pune.

● 24 x 7 Water and Power Supply● Pathways and Cycling Tracks● Waste Management Systems● Central Green● Lake● Schools● Hospital● Eco Friendly Transport● Smart Card for Every Citizen● Amanora Fire Station with Pune's First 55-mtr Turn

Table Ladder● Prepaid Gas and Electricity Meters● Cooking Gas from Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited

MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL CHOICESAT AMANORA PARK TOWN● GGaatteewwaayy TToowweerrss 11:: Swarovski has the world'sfirst association here. 2 BHK Ultra-luxuriousApartments to 5 BHK Penthouses INR 1 croreonwards ● AAssppiirree TToowweerrss 1111 && 1122:: 2 BHK LifestyleApartments INR 80 lacs onwards ● FFuuttuurree TToowweerrss:: India's first Vertical Citydesigned by international architects housing 1to 5 BHK Apartments INR 50 lacs onwards ● SSwweeeett WWaatteerr VViillllaass:: Exclusive Regal Villas INR7 crores onwards ● NNeeoo TToowweerrss:: 1 to 4 BHKsmartly designed residences INR 50 lacs onwards

Pune needs more cities - Clean, Green, Well-Planned and Self-Sufficient

THE FUTURE OF INDIA IS INFRASTRUCTURE

What will the future look like? Thefuture of India is infrastructure

that is modern, sufficient for a fastgrowing city, is well-planned and well-executed. It is a township, a mini-citywithin a city that comes with readyinfrastructure, such as 24x7 electricityand water supply, well-paved, wideinternal roads, eco-friendly internaltransportation system, efficient wastemanagement systems and acres ofbeautifully planned greens. Besides this,there should be modern security systemsand a well-integrated healthcare,education and other social infrastructure.The future of India is world-levelinfrastructure for the modern Indian,who is a world citizen.

In an attempt to provide the much-needed boost to the infrastructure sectorof the economy, the Narendra Modi

government is planning a multi-billiondollar infra fund to push investments.Foreign investors from Japan and Koreaare also showing a keen interest.

In Pune, Amanora is ahead of the timesand already has a solid infrastructure inplace for its residents. It has everythingthat modern life needs. A well-integrated400-acre township, strategically locatedon the Kharadi Bypass, amidst a bustlingbelt of IT and ITeS multinationalcorporations, Amanora Park Town is allabout easy living in urban India. It hasover 2000 happy families already residingthere. These families are enjoying everymoment here and its various facilities.

Amanora is a mini city within Pune -modern, green, well-planned and with asolid infrastructure. If we are to realizeour dream of a global Pune, we need tobuild more Amanoras here.

AMANORA - INDIA'S FIRST INTEGRATED TOWNSHIP

Contact Details: Amanora Park TownContact no:+ 91 97670 12345

Email: asmita.rokade@amanora.comwebsite: www.amanora.com

THE CROWNING GLORY OF THE EASTERN CORRIDOR -AMANORA PARK TOWN

The growth of Pune City has been phenomenalover the past couple of decades. The increasein burgeon-

ing population hasalso been veryhigh. In order tocope up with the in-creasing need of in-frastructure forthis population, thecity administra-tion, the Pune Mu-nicipal Corpora-tion (PMC) is mak-ing all out efforts toensure that thisgrowth is comple-mented by develop-ment. In addition tomaking provisionsin annual budgetfor dedicated infra-structure projects, PMC is also tapping other re-sources such as funding from the State and Centralgovernment to meet this ever-increasing infra-structural demand.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is pro-viding the necessary infrastructure in stages con-sidering the future growth of the city. The munici-pal body has proposed new roads, Metro, BRTS, park-ing health facilities, sewage treatment plants (STPs),water treatment plants, garbage processing plantsand river improvement schemes, among others tocater to the future needs of the city via the City De-velopment Plan, Draft Development Plan, Compre-hensive Mobility Plan, National River ConservationDirectorate, to list a few.

Financial support to develop the infrastructure isbeing arranged through PMC’s own budgetary pro-visions, state government’s and Central govern-ment’s funding through Jawaharlal Nehru Nation-al Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), National Riv-er Conservation Directorate, District Planning andDevelopment Committee.

The PMC has prepared City Development Plan,Draft Development Plan, which is prepared for thenext 20 years. In these plans, new infrastructure likenew roads, flyovers, bridges, Metro, BRTS, parking,STP, water treatment plants are proposed to meet thefuture needs of the city.

Continued on page 2

‘The city is futureready’

PH

OTO

: AN

IL S

K

AAMMAANNOORRAA CCHHAAMMBBEERRSS:: 'A Grade' ScalableOffices INR 70 lacs onwards

VIKAS DESHMUKH, MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONER, PUNE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION

June 20, 2014

pg

22

Over the past few years, an in-creasing number of propertyinvestors who were previous-ly focused solely on Mumbaihave shifted focus to Pune. The

reasons are not hard to understand:

● Price points for Pune luxury homes arelower than for comparable options inover-heated cities like Mumbai Luxuryhomes in Pune are more spacious andhave superior individual specificationsas well as common-use luxury amenitiesPune’s pleasant climate provides the ide-al setting for luxury

● The investment value of luxury homesis quite high, as there is constant demand

● The Pune luxury homes market is pri-marily situated in areas which are awayfrom the hustle-bustle of the city, yet it’smoments to everything.

The last factor is probably the ultimateselling point for luxury homes in Pune.Since it is a relatively compact city, com-muting from various parts of the city is eas-ier. As in Mumbai, the demand for luxuryresidential units in Pune is highest in ar-eas that provide ready access to the centralbusiness district and employment nodes.

However, unlike Mumbai, these focal pointsare quickly accessible from various pointsof the city.

This factor has played an important rolein boosting the demand for luxury housingeven in non-central areas. While traditionalluxury home locations such as Sahakar-nagar, Boat Club Road and Kalyaninagarcontinue to see a lot of demand, areas likeBaner, Aundh and Ambegaon are also quitesuccessful hotspots for luxury projects.

These locations provide scenic natural

splendour as well as excellent connectivi-ty to the city’s economic nerve centres. Thisaspect has proved to be a major draw forPune’s nex gen luxury home seekers.

The unique advantages of these locationsallow them to provide a lavish lifestyle tothe elders in their families in serene, con-vivial surroundings without compromis-ing on their need to be connected to theirworkplaces.

Their children grow up in neighbour-hoods that have been specifically tailoredto a certain economic profile.

In Pune, luxury homes projects do not co-exist with unsafe, high-density tenementdevelopments and are invariably close tomajor international schools and top-of-the-

line hospitals.Pune, located less than 200 kilometres

from Mumbai, is a far more rational mar-ket and has been performing very differ-ently. The ratio of supply and absorptionis much better in this city because pricesare still within the budgets of mid-incomebuyers.

The city has been steadily adding new ar-eas to its real estate development landscape,and the supply coming up in these areashelps to keep prices in other areas at ra-tional levels. These positive dynamics haveacted like a ‘detour’ sign for property in-vestors. They can see where Mumbai’s realestate market is headed and prefer to plungetheir capital into the prospering neighbourcity of Pune.

The safest and most promising invest-ment opportunities in Pune today lie intownships. These provide residential prod-ucts which include all the right ingredientsfor protracted capital appreciation as wellas rental income. While prices in the cen-trally located townships are no longer at-tractive to property investors, they aredrawn to the ones coming up in strategicupcoming areas. These properties are avail-able at lower rates and have the highest po-tential for appreciation over the next 3-5years because the city's population growthis headed towards them.

The concept of branded luxuryhomes is only two or three yearsold in India. Growth of this seg-ment could be pegged at roughly 5-

6% per annum, owing to the fact that it isquite exclusive niche category with a re-stricted number of buyers.

The basic premise behind branded resi-dences is that the developers of such proj-ects tie up with international luxury hospi-tality or lifestyle brands to create uniqueand highly differentiated offerings. As inall new business segments, there was nospecific pre-existing demand for suchhomes - the mind-set of the target audiencefirst needs to be primed to create demand,as supply will only follow demand. Thisprocess is happening with a fair degree ofsuccess in cities like Mumbai, Pune andDelhi-NCR.

Branded luxury homes bring various ad-vantages beyond a designer label and loca-

tion with them. They boast of professional-ly-designed interiors and exteriors, highlyevolved, centralized facilities managementand various additional features likeconcierge services, high-grade electronicsurveillance and security and valet park-ing. These factors have high appeal value,especially to buyers who have seen suchhomes abroad and aspire to live at such lev-els.

Branded luxury homes are targeted atthat segment of India’s super-rich that pre-fer the conveniences and status value ofluxury homes designed, marketed and of-ten managed by international hospitalityor signature designer brands. Developers ofbranded luxury homes are generally happyto provide personal customization to their

buyers as long as these customizations donot detract from the overall project specifi-cations, aesthetics and integrity.

The overall share of luxury homes in theIndian real estate domain would not exceed6-7 per cent, depending on how 'luxury' isdefined in various markets. In industryterms, we define 'luxury' housing as homescosting Rs 4-5 crore, while homes with tick-et-sizes of around Rs 1-1.5 crore fall in thepremium or high-end segment.

The branded residences segment is notwithout challenges. These would include alimited buyer segment, finding the neededland parcels within high-prestige locations,providing the required infrastructure toadequately supplement the overall luxuryexperience - and, of course, getting the

right brands to come on board in the firstplace. The latter factor is by no meanswithout challenges, since international de-signer labels – by their very nature - havevery high brand standards which a pro-posed project must demonstrably be able tolive up to.

The fate of branded residences as a prop-erty investment segment still hangs in thebalance. From the churn point of view, sell-ing mid-income housing is easier thanhigh-end or luxury homes since a largerbase of the population falls in the mid-in-

come category. The sale velocity is higherand the sales cycle is also shorter, withmid-income housing projects usually beingsold with 3-4 months of their launch.

In comparison, high-end apartments andluxury homes often take more than sixmonths to sell. As already mentioned, thebulk of demand for residential propertiesin India lies in the budget / mid-incomecategory and comes from buyers who canavail of ready bank funding. Though buy-ers of ultra-luxury housing such as brand-ed residences are not dependent on suchconsiderations by virtue of their existingnet-worth, it also means that the pace atwhich the branded luxury housing segmentwill grow depends on the pace at which In-dia's macro-economic environment is ableto produce such individuals.

Avant garde living:

Branded luxury homes create a niche

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Pune, located less

than 200 kilometres

from Mumbai, is a

far more rational

market and has been

performing quite

differently, observe

realty experts

A host of facilities likeprofessionally-designedinteriors and exteriors,highly evolved,centralized facilitiesmanagement andvarious additionalfeatures like conciergeservices, high-gradeelectronic surveillanceand security and valetparking are part of theconcept

In Pune, luxury homesprojects do not coexistwith unsafe, high-densitytenement developmentsand are invariably closeto major internationalschools and top-of-theline hospitals

As in all new businesssegments, there was nospecific pre-existingdemand for such homes -the mind-set of the targetaudiencefirst needs to be primed tocreate demand, as supplywill only follow demand.This process is happeningwith a fair degree ofsuccess in cities likeMumbai, Pune andDelhi-NCR

Realty Edge: What makesPune a haven for investors

‘The city is future ready’Continued from page 1

All the reservations like hospital,high school, primary school, parking,garden, children playground, to list afew are proposed in Development Planconsidering the city’s population after10 years and infrastructure needs forthe next 20 years. National BuildingCode, Planning norms and JNNURMguidelines are considered for Devel-opment Plan, City Development Plan,among others.

A regional plan of Pune region hasbeen approved by the state governmentin 1997. This includes the city of Pune,Pimpri-Chinchwad and other sur-rounding areas. The state governmenthas made it mandatory to accord per-missions to structures withing 10kmfrom the Pune city based on the sanc-tioned Development Control Regula-tions for Pune city. As a result, aplanned development on the lines ofthe PMC is expected to take place inthese areas ensuring that the tranisi-tion of these areas after their mergerin PMC limits would be smooth.

Pune Metropolitan and Regional De-velopment (PMRDA) is at formationlevel and issue of formation of PMR-DA is with the state government.

As mentioned above, Metro, BRTS,High-Capacity Mass Transit Route pro-posals are in the pipeline and there isa goal to increase the public transportshare up to 80 per cent.

Metro, Monorail, BRTS, High-Ca-pacity Mass Transit Route are the newplans for the city itself and subse-quently these routes can be extendedup to outskirts.

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June 20, 2014

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There are certain groups that need no intro-duction. Raviraj Grroup effortlessly fits into that category when it comes to real estate de-velopments in Pune.

Ever since it was established in 1994, Raviraj Gr-roup has grown by leaps and bounds and won over patrons with its fair, transparent dealing and cost-ef-fective, on-time projects. The group has never compro-mised on quality, which explains an ever-growing list of repeat customers and positive word-of-mouth pub-licity. Under the able leadership of Ravindra Sakla, Chairman and MD of the group, it boasts of highly qualified technocrats and management experts work-ing overtime to meet deadlines.

And now, Park Island, which is located in the vicin-ity of one of the posh areas of Pune in Kalyani Nagar, offers picture-perfect 2-3BHK apartments and 3BHK penthouses. It is a ready-possession project developed by Raviraj Grroup and Kothari Group with essential

completion certificate already procured from the au-thorities. In fact, a lot of families have already moved into the premises.

The prime location of the project remains its stron-gest plus points. It is conveniently located at a 5-min-ute distance to key areas like Koregaon Park, Viman Nagar, among others. It's located at a convenient dis-tance from almost all urban utilities as well. For in-stance, malls like Phoenix Market City, Inorbit Mall, Koregaon Park Plaza Mall, Ishanya Mall are in prox-imity. Some of the top schools and colleges of Pune such as The Bishops and Symbiosis are also located at a mere 5-minute distance. In fact, the airport is also at a distance of 5 minutes. Besides, IT and software com-panies like IBM, WNS, CYBAGE, TCS and many more are at a distance of 2-3 minutes.

Be it recreation, health or safety, Park Island prom-ises to be an experience of a lifetime. With only three

The changing skylines of Pune are a testimony to its rampant progress. It wasn’t a long ago

that the place was identified by many phrases - Oxford of the East, Pensioner’s Paradise, Queen of the Deccan, and so on and so forth. Yet, it came as a no surprise when the city itself was again christened - for the umpteenth time - as an IT Hub. And so the saga continued and many more feathers kept adding to the city’s hat.

All this urbanisation cou-pled with globalisation had to have a major revolution going through the streets of charming and peace-loving Pune. The city quickly devel-oped a penchant for posh residences, those offering a luxurious lifestyle to its in-habitants. Today, counted as India’s leading metropolis, Pune has left no stone un-

turned in delivering its populace with lavish, ritzy homes and apart-ments - thanks to its breed of world class real estate developers.

Rama Group, a leading sprinter of the real estate race, has been one of the key players in changing the skylines of Pune. With a sizeable history of over 21 years in the back-drop, the construction firm has definitely proved its mettle in the market. It is a brand widely revered and recognised within the real es-tate scenario of Pune. Because of the high quality and fine crafting demonstrated in their edifices, the Group has cemented their niche amongst the crème de la crème of real estate developers in the city. Be it premium lifestyles without the premium price-tag, or high-end lux-ury living; a full-blown commercial shopping plaza, or well-equipped of-fice spaces, Rama Group has always shined with excellence, exceeding

the expectations of their clients on every account.

The testimony to which stand its numerous feats and awards achieved - on a global as well as na-tional platform. The Group has been honoured with Power Brand’s Rising Star award, Star Realty’s Lords of the Land award, an AICA Award for their premium project

Swiss County, and the list doesn’t end here. The Group’s chief executives, Mr. Moti Pan-jabi and Mr. Ram Panjabi, have been also bestowed with excel-lence awards by eminent or-ganisations in the past. It is all the fruit of determination, dedication and distinction. With a tagline that reads Ex-ceeding Excellence, the Group has stood true by its every word.

Embellishing the northern hemi-sphere of Pune, Rama Group has many lifestyle projects and cre-ations to its credit; a blend of resi-dential as well as commercial. Rama Group boasts of premium luxury housing projects like the Swiss County (Wakad Annexe), Krystal City (Chikhali), Capriccio (Wakad), Air Castles (Hinjewadi), Celestial City (Ravet), etc. in its repertoire. When it comes to commercial spac-es, the Group has a shopping mall called City One (Pimpri), and Rama Capital and Deluxe Fortune for ful-ly-equipped office and retail spaces in its extensive portfolio.

PARK ISLAND:AN ODE TO MAGNIFICENT LIVING

RAMA GROUP PRESENTS LUXURY RESIDENCES

WITHIN REACH

With the development of this premium housing project,

Raviraj Grroup is spearheading the design approach that

promotes a true green living experience

The Oxford of the East brings a myriad of

luxury living options to choose from

FOR DETAILS, CONTACT: RAVIRAJ – KOTHARI GROUP, Survey No. 186, Near Ishanya Mall, Shastri Nagar, Yerwada, Pune 411 006. Phone: +91-020-26610 170/ +91-99224 04161. Web: www.ravirajgrroup.com

RAMA GROUP Address : "Swiss County" S.No.37, Dange Chowk Link Road, Thergaon. Pune–411033Phone : 020-32320000/32323222@ Email : sw611983@gmail.comhttp://www.ramagroupindia.com

READY

POSSESSION

flats per floor, all 3BHK apartments are overlooking one side of the project amenities, while the panoramic view of the greens can be seen on the other side. The focus is on providing patrons with the best of both worlds--unmatched premium amenities at optimal prices. The project offers a dedicated area with all ready-to-use, high-class amenities such as swimming pool, tennis court, air-conditioned gymnasium with top-of-the-line equipment, kids’ pool and play-area, to list a few.

Utmost care has been taken to stay ahead of the times so that the homes look in-sync with current trends even 10 years down the line. A drive through the soothing greens and the tranquil surroundings to the project site transports one into a different world alto-gether where every evening spent here will make an individual feel in a blissful state of mind.

Park Island is well-suited to the lifestyle of IT or soft-ware engineers, CEOs, vice-presidents, middle and top-level managers, businessmen, among others. In the near future, a lot of scope of appreciation is expected as it is a premium project on one of the most prime locations and considering that practically there is no land bank or supply of residential units available in this area.

We have successfully executed more than 40

residential and commercial projects with a track-record of delivering projects in record time without

compromising on quality. The success of the group is because of its futuristic vision and ability to market flats according to customer’s requirements.”

— Mr Ravindra N SaklaChairman and Managing Director, Raviraj Grroup

TOWERING ACHIEVEMENTS OF RAVIRAJ GRROUP

● Fortaleza, Ozone Villas, Rakshaknagar Gold, Citadel Empress, Sicillia, and many more

ONGOING PROJECTS (READY POSSESSION):● Raviraj CRU, Market Yard, opposite Gangadham-Shops

and Offices● Raviraj Colorado, Market Yard Annex-1 and 2BHK Flats● Pratiksha Villas, Wagholi- 3BHK Villas● Raviraj Green Clouds, Kothrud-2BHK Luxurious Flats● Raviraj Vista, Baner-2BHK Luxurious Flats● Raviraj Astria, Main Kondhwa Road-2BHK Flats and

Offices● Raviraj Greenaria, Hadapsar, Near Magarpatta City-

2BHK Flats

Rohan Builders started out in Pune in 1993 as a modest yet strong, consistent, multi-fac-eted and multi-disciplined

organisation with a strong focus on customer satisfaction.Residential or commercial, Rohan projects have always banked on quality, innovation, teamwork, high degrees of technical excellence and the very highest stan-dards of business practice.

Having constructed more than 62 lakh sq. ft. of residential property, with 4500 happy families as brand ambassadors, Rohan Builders have developed world-class apartments and aristocratic villas, pioneering the concept of PLUS Homes (PLUS refers to Perfect Ventilation, Lively Light, Utmost privacy and Smart Space).

The brand has an enviable track

record of completing 97 percent of its projects on time. But that's hardly surprising if you consider that... ● Rohan’s business advantages and

width of experience; a veteran technical team that includes more than 1000 professionals.

● 80 landmark projects from the Himachal to Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya to Gujarat.

● Over 6 million sq. ft. of residential projects.

● A diversified group with operations in civil engineering; real estate development, infrastructure, logis-tics, agriculture and IT.

● DA2+ CRISIL rating held consistently.

THE GENESIS OF ROHANLarge hoardings depicting the floor

layouts having openness on all 4 sides was seen for the first time on Pune’s hoardings for ‘Rohan Garima’. This gave rise to the PLUS Homes concept

which became a brand asset for all of Rohan’s future projects.

A flood of projects followed and there has been no looking back.Pune: Rohan Nilay, 1 Modibaug, 10 Kastur Kunj , Rohan Tapovan, Rohan Tarang, Rohan Seher, Rohan Madhuban, Rohan Ishita, Rohan Leher. Ongoing- Rohan Mithila & Rohan Kritika.Bangalore: Rohan Vasantha, Rohan Ashima, Rohan Mihira and the ongo-ing Rohan Jharoka & Rohan Avriti.

The launch of Rohan Mithila, sprawling over 56 acres of land, is a major milestone in Rohan’s journey of success. The landscape draws inspiration from abstract paintings by the modern Dutch and French masters, Wasily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. It is a picture perfect

In Pune, the name ‘Rohan’ spells dynamism, excellence, dependability and uncompromising

commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. They are, after all, Pune’s leading developers,

having completed many prestigious residential projects and with several more in progress.

composition of intersecting and overlapping lines and planes in the

three dimensions that create a variety of spaces.The geometric planes and lines are subtly expressed by water elements (in-cluding reflecting pools, swimming pools, water troughs and water walls), hardscape (timber decks, stone paved plazas and

courtyards, pathways, trellis, and feature walls) and greenery (open lawns, amphitheatres, avenues of trees and palms, Bosque’s of trees and flower beds).

Large corner windows provide direct sunlight into the house since either the Eastern or Western sides always remain open. Certain rooms or apartments are removed in between to create Venturi effects for cooler breezes to flow into the project.

AN ADDRESS CALLED ROHAN

UPCOMING PROJECTS

ROHAN LEHER PLUS: Extra windy homes at Baner, off the Mumbai Bangalore, highway comprising of 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 BHK Apartments, Duplexes and Penthouses is conceived as an ultramodern Villament. With split levels and curved internal walls, each home gets added openness and better usage of space. Opposite sides of these apartments remain open, ensuring enhanced cross-ventilation and twin views.

ANOTHER MUCH-AWAITED PROJECT at Wagholi, comprises 1, 2 and 3 BHK apartments on Lohegaon-Wagholi Road - built over 29 acres of land, with each acre bringing together truly enviable comforts. Every inch is spaciously designed and each brick carefully laid to give residents all the space they need. This is where architects, landscape artists and engineers come together to create a home that exceeds expectations.

Each Rohan project comes with a different unique selling

concept: No Neighbours Apartments, No Common Walls, Open Homes, Split

Level Homes , Extra Large Homes, Digital Homes, Well

Ventilated Apartments, Surprisingly Private Homes.

ROHAN BUILDERS (INDIA) PVT. LTDPradeep Chambers, 813, Bhandarkar Institute Road, Pune: 411004, Maharashtra, INDIA.Tel : 91-20-4140 4140. Fax : 91-20-4140 4150. Email :housing@rohanbuilders.com

June 20, 2014

For any queries regarding the Pune luxury supplement, email to naved.anjum@timesgroup.com or call: 098506 42414 | Conceptualised and executed by theresource24x7

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DISCLAIMER-THE VIEWS/CONTENTS EXPRESSED/PRESENTED HEREIN ARE THE SOLE & EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLIENTS AND THE PUBLICATION HOUSE/ITS REPRESENTATIVES SHALL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAME.

In the true sense, luxury living in any con-text must necessarily involve generous liv-ing spaces. Going by that alone, a 1 BHKcannot qualify as 'luxury' by any stretchof imagination. Secondly, the interpreta-

tion of luxury in the Indian context also includesan element of exclusiveness. In other words, thebuyer of a luxury apartment - apart from su-perior amenities and facilities - also expects tolive in a project which offers a certain socio-eco-nomic standard as a neighbourhood.

Essentially, it is important for buyers to un-derstand the definition, context and meaningof luxury in residential real estate. But beforethis, let us first examine the investment dy-namics of genuine luxury homes.

Buying a luxury apartment for self-use al-ready involves the need for multiple checks andvalidations in any case. However, when it comesto buying such an apartment for investment,the need for 360-degree due diligence is evenhigher. After all, the final objective is returnson investment. If one is considering investingin a luxury apartment, one must understandwhat the hallmarks of genuine luxury in resi-dential real estate are:

LOCATION:This is one of the most crucial parameters.

Though central location is certainly an impor-tant qualifier for the luxury tag in India, a proj-ect that stands at a central city junction besetwith traffic congestion does not provide a lux-urious experience. No matter if a project is 'nor-

mal' or 'luxurious', it is not home if one cannotreach it or get out of it. Investors need to lookat many location parameters, such whether theproject benefits from approach roads that allowfor convenient vehicular egress and ingress. Fi-nally, the owners themselves must have readyaccess to markets, schools, colleges, hospitalsand their offices.

The view available to the project’s occupantsis also very pertinent. A project may be gen-uinely luxurious in its internal specificationsand amenities. However, if it overlooks a slumor congestion-prone highway, a graveyard or ahospital, both rental and resale potential takea beating. The availability of a rooftop swim-ming pool and a Jacuzzi in every bathroom willnot make a difference - a very basic ingredientof the luxury experience is unavailable.

FLOOR-TO-CEILING HEIGHT: This is one of the most important parameter

to evaluate a project's true 'luxury' value. If thefloor-to-ceiling height is less than 12 feet, theluxury feel is severely compromised. Moreover,apartments with low ceilings do not lend them-selves optimally for tasteful interior decoration.

PROJECT DENSITY: This means the number of people living in

the project. There is no ideal thumb-rule for thisparameter - however, it is generally understoodthat a one-acre project should not house morethan 60 families. Anything more means that theproject does not qualify as 'luxury'. This is be-cause the available amenities are shared by toomany people, destroying the project's ambience,exclusiveness, convenience and charm.

PARKING: Again, there is no specific yardstick by which

to measure parking sufficiency. The commonlyfollowed norm is that the number of bedroomsin a project should equal the number of avail-able car parks. A 3 bedroom apartment shouldtherefore have three parking spaces within theproject. Though many luxury projects in thelarger cities now offer puzzle-type mechanizedparking, the fact is that HNI buyers and tenantsactually prefer normal or stack parking.

ELEVATORS: The mere provision of branded elevators does

not suffice in a luxury project. The project mustalso have service elevators with separate en-tries, to ensure that domestic help and externalsuppliers do not populate the elevators and lob-by being used by residents. Investors must alsoensure that the elevators are spacious enoughto accommodate a stretcher.

SECURITY: Inhabitants of a luxury project do not expect to

have to install ugly security grilles over their frontdoors and windows. They expect to have the as-surance that their families and property are safein all respects. A genuine luxury project has un-compromising human security as well as electronicsurveillance and safety measures firmly in place.

As is evident, it takes more than a mere wordlike 'luxury' to place a project head and shoul-ders above the rest - and thereby make it a worth-while investment option.

A rundown of a fewimportant factors forbuyers to understandthe definition, contextand true meaning ofluxury in the residentialreal estate

Buying a luxury apartment for

self-use already involves the

need for multiple checks and

validations in any case.

However, when it comes to

buying such an apartment for

investment, the need for 360-

degree due diligence is even

higher

Luxury living decoded ‘We are determined tomake Pune fire safe’

The various township projects in Punerequire to build their own fire safetystructure and most of these projects

have taken the initiative, too. The state gov-ernment is serious about takeover of thesestructures; a proposal is under considera-tion at the moment. All building in Maha-rashtra need to adhere to the stringent ba-sic fire protection. It's been noticed that inareas such as Pimpri-Chinchwad, the build-ings are comparatively safer in terms of ad-herence to fire protection norms.

Under the Maharashtra Fire Preventionand Life Safety Measure Act, only the ap-pointed 450 licensed agencies are autho-rised to conduct fire audit.

Overall, with total cooperation of the lo-cal administration and Directorate of Ma-harashtra Fire Services, we are determinedto make Pune as safe as possible.

MR. M.V. DESHMUKHDIRECTOR - MAHARASHTRA FIRE SERVICES & FIRE ADVISER - GOVERNMENT OF MAHARASHTRA

HOW HAVE THE DYNAMICS OFPUNE REAL ESTATE MARKETCHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

In 2004, the policy decision un-dertaken regarding 100-acre town-ship projects has had a huge im-pact on the kind of developmentsthat is now being seen in andaround Pune. Unlike any othercity, including Mumbai, Pune hasthe largest number of 100-acretownship projects being built. By2006-07, Pune witnessed a launchof number of township projectsbeing that have changed the wholescenario of the real estate. Ithink townships are the way for-ward. We launched two of ourtownship projects around thistime, which are about 60-80 percent complete today. The kind offacilities, specifications that canbe provided in a township projectis a complete game-changer. It issomething which couldn't havebeen imagined about 15 years ago.For instance, Blue Ridge, which isone of our township projects nextto a river bank, has 9-hole golfcourse facility. Such a kind of anamenity that too for a pure resi-dential project wasn't imaginable15 years ago. In fact, we haverights to boating, canoeing andkayaking.

Though the basic principle ofconstruction is the same, the tech-nology has completely changed.For example, Mivan has incredi-bly reduced the construction time.Then there are materials beingused which are much more envi-ronment-friendly. A decade ago, a

swimming pool or a gymnasiumwas considered to be the best offacilities.

Sky One, which is a sprawling 1-acre project right in the heart ofthe city, actually comes in the def-inition of true luxury because weare able to give three car-parkingfor every flat. We are providingtop-of-the-line specifications forthe flat which is beyond expecta-tion. We are providing a state-of-the-art gymnasium and swim-ming pool on level 11.

We feel that just constructing a3,000-4,000 sq ft apartment can't betermed as luxury, but providingthe amenities that go with it canbe defined as one. Such kind ofluxury is quite affordable in thecontext of Pune than in any othersuch as Mumbai.

WHILE CATERING TO THE LUXURYSEGMENT, WHAT ARE THE FACILI-TIES PARANJAPE SCHEMES OF-FERS?

We have a range of products.For the overall luxury segment,we are offering unique specifica-tions. In Sky One, for that matter,

we wished to offer a complete dif-ferent kind of product that wehave designed till date. The speci-fications and the way the projecthas been designed is quite differ-ent. The dimensions of variousrooms are quite different. For in-stance, detailing in terms of mar-ble or wooden floorings is specifi-cally chosen for such high net-worth clients. An electronic mas-ter key facility is providedthrough which all the electricalappliances, including curtainsthroughout the apartment can becontrolled with it. We offer RFIDaccess to front door of an apart-ment. A lot of attention has beenpaid to micro-detailing. In thisparticular project, only one flat isbuilt on every floor, so the liftopens up directly into your apart-ment, which is akin to the Ameri-can concept of a penthouse. Everyapartment is offered three park-ing facility which has been builttaking into consideration the di-mensions of a high-end car likethe Rolls Royce Phantom. Thiswas a project undertaken inde-pendently by my brother, SachinParanjpe, and me. The basic ideawas to take things to the next lev-el. We hired the services of a Sin-gapore-based architecture firmfor this particular project.

A LOT OF YOUNG COUPLES ORDINK (DOUBLE INCOME NO KIDS)FAMILIES ARE THINKING ABOUTMOVING INTO PUNE. YOUR COM-MENT…

About 10 years ago, an averageage of a home-buyer was about 42and today it is 30 years. We are try-ing to create projects which willhave a mixture of commercial aswell as residential spaces. For in-stance, we have successfully builtthis walk-to-work concept at BlueRidge, which is at Hinjewadi. Wehave the phase 1 of SEZ, which is al-most 100 per cent leased, adjoiningthe township. Within 3-5 minutesone can reach campus of prominentsoftware companies such as Infosys,Wipro, Persistent, among others.An individual today doesn't want tospend two hours merely in travel.

In fact, we are offering equalamenities to people who have chil-dren. We are making sure that chil-dren don't spend time travelling, sowe have a sprawling 9-acre school inBlue Ridge, which is an Interna-tional Board school, with close to900 students studying there. In ourSEZ project, about 17,000 people are

in various jobs already. We are al-ready in the process of buildingphase II and are in talks to buildphase III as well. Since we are build-ing office spaces as well, these facil-ities draw people to live in our resi-dential spaces. The idea is to tryand create great spaces for people tolive and yet have facilities to workclose-by.

We have a ground for crickettraining. In fact, Barcelona had vis-ited the school premises for train-ing purposes in this particularground.

PUNE IS GIVING COMPETITIVEEDGE TO ANY OF THE METROCITIES LIKE MUMBAI OR BENGA-LORE. YOUR COMMENT…

Mumbai being an island city island-strapped. In this regard, Punedoesn't have such physical limita-tion. Though Pune's land parcel canbe technically classified as a valley,it has options to grow on all thesides. What's make Pune an excel-lent option to live is that it has less-er population compared to Mumbai.The area has as much water re-sources and climate-wise also it'ssalubrious. Moreover, as Bangalorewitnessed a kind of explosion in theIT industry in the late 2000. There,this 'explosion' occurred and thenthey started building. However,Pune understood this situation ofgrowth in IT sector comparativelyat a better scale. For instance, thePune By-pass that we see was builtfive six years ago while if you seethe Outer Ring Road of Bangalore

is still being developed. There is adifferent perspective at that level, sothe time taken to travel to a particu-lar destination would be lesser thansay in Mumbai or Bangalore or inDelhi for that matter. Pune has theinfrastructure to match any of theTier I cities. That's the reason whyPune has an edge.

WHAT MAKES PRANJAPE SCHEMESDIFFERENT FROM OTHER DEVEL-OPERS?

In the execution of a project, weensure no major delays. Already 800people are residing in our townshipproject, Blue Ridge. In Forest Trails,which is a township project com-prising bungalows, possession to250 individuals has been given. Wehave the execution capability toturn dreams of the drawing boardinto reality on time. We have about2.5 crore-plus sq ft of ongoing con-struction work that is underway. Inmy lifetime, I have delivered about 2crore sq ft. Of course, the brandname has been known for the trustfactor for almost 70 years. We haveclients who have bought even threeor four flats from our group.

Athashri is a premium projectcatering to the requirements of sen-ior citizens, which was first built in2001. We have five such projectscompleted in Pune till date. Thereare about 1,500 completed tene-ments. We are the pioneers of thisconcept in the true sense. The en-tire project has been designed keep-ing in mind the requirements ofsenior citizens. The maintenanceand involvement after the deliveryof the project is undertaken by usfor the past 15 years. The pointabout building a senior citizen is tohave a constant touch with the proj-ect. I am visiting Coimbatore forone such project. We are soonlaunching another such project inBaroda. We are hopeful aboutlaunching another such project inThane as well. It's an excellent buy-ing and investment opportunity be-cause today the resale value is morethan any other projects even in itsvicinity.

Taking luxuryto the next levelWith unmatchedbusiness acumen,which is an inheritedcharacteristicperhaps, RahulParanjpe, ExecutiveDirector-Finance,Paranjape Schemes,talks about thegrowth of thecompany whileaddressing therequirements ofdiscerning home-buyers and investors,who are well travelled Contact Details:

Paranjape Schemes (Construction) LtdOffice – 022-30659595, Web Address – www.pscl.in