Infrastructure drives real estate along NH3

Mumbai

Infrastructure growth has given impetus to the real estate market across India. The widening of the eastern express highway and construction of a number of flyovers on this stretch led to the increased accessibility of Thane and adjoining areas to south and central Mumbai, resulting in rapid development of Thane and adjoining areas. Similarly, the areas along the National Highway 3 (NH3) are also likely to see considerable transformation, due to its widening into a four-lane highway.

Citing example of the Mumbai-Pune western express highway and other highways, Venkatesh Gopalkrishnan, EVP and CIO, Shapoorji Pallonji explains, “With the development of NH3 which is further northwards of Mumbai, we are bound to see this development extend beyond Thane. Areas such as Vasind, Asangaon and further up to Shahapur, are certainly poised to benefit from the connectivity NH3 will offer. We have already seen a good change in the Mumbai ­ Pune belt with the construction of the Mumbai-Pune expressway and prices in these areas have increased considerably in the past few years. On the other hand, locations such as Shahapur, which offer a green environment and a good climate, along with an affordable price to the buyer, will definitely grow to be a first home destination for the budget buyer.“

According to Nayan Bheda, chairman and managing director, Neptune Group, Mumbai, Pune and Nashik, is a golden triangle. “Mumbai-Pune highway was built long back, but Mumbai-Nashik highway was always required. Widening of the NH3 will definitely prove beneficial. It doesn’t pass directly through all the suburbs like Ambivali, Titwala, among others and the connected road to Kalyan suburbs should also be widened, as this will help the area to develop like Vashi, Mumbai and Thane in the future,“ says Bheda.

Hiral Sheth, director marketing, Sheth Creators, is of the view, “The NH3 will definitely boost the real estate sector in central suburbs. Locations like Kalyan, Dombivali, Ambernath, Badlapur, which are adjacent to NH3, will witness a substantial growth in the real estate market.

Kalyan and Dombivali, have seen an increased amount of traction due to the development of metro projects which has improved the connectivity of the region. These destinations will be of colossal interest to homebuyers and investors, as they possess decent infrastructure development with an attractive price range. The demand for housing in this belt will see a rise in the forthcoming years. The NH3 will also further aid in enhancing the social infrastructure of the areas. This four lane express way shall also assist in the progress of commercial and retail establishments. There will be a significant demand for housing projects and this will attract many migrants with the added advantage of housing being reasonable and cost effective, compared to other areas of Mumbai.“

The widening of this national highway has had a positive impact on the connectivity between Mumbai and Nashik. Subhankar Mitra, director ­ strategic consulting (West), JLL India, says, “Earlier, the travel time between these two cities was 4-5 hours, which has now reduced to less than three hours. Movement of goods has become easier; as a result, a lot of warehousing has come up in the fringe areas of the MMR, around Kalyan and the Bhiwandi connector. In addition, many residential projects have also been launched, some of which are second home projects in remote areas like Shahapur, Atgaon, Karjat, etc.

There has been a good impact on the real estate market of Nashik, as well developers there are now marketing their projects to Mumbai’s investors, on the basis of the travel time between the two cities having significantly reduced.“ Mayur Shah, managing director, Marathon Group, adds, “Unprecedented development in the real estate sector in the adjoining areas of NH3 in the recent past, is an ideal example of infrastructure development driving the growth of real estate. The widening of the NH3 and Mumbai Nashik Express way after the widening of Kasara Ghat section, has converted NH3 into a new growth corridor. It has encouraged investors and builders to invest and make property on the outskirts of the cities because of the ease in accessing the location through NH3. Also, the widening of NH3 has increased tourism in a way which in turn, will also push the growth of real estate development.“

Shailesh Puranik, managing director, Puranik Builders, concludes, “With the widening of 

the NH3, we have seen an upward trend in both, residential and commercial property markets, in and around the area. Also, NH3 which is considered as a major Indian national highway is well-connected to other states. This has significantly resulted in creating an impact on the real estate development in the nearby areas.

In the near future, we see good amount of real estate development taking place along this corridor. It has provided good opportunities to the builders and also to home buyers.“

Source: Times Property, The Times of India, Mumbai

Emaar MGF, DLF, IREO etc like big gaints: Private equity players boost city's real estate market

PUNE: The unbridled influx of professionals and a local economy, which is relatively less affected by the economic downturn, has renewed interest of private equity players in the city's real estate sector like Emaar MGF, DLF, IREO etc like big gaints.

ensured a steady demand for homes and offices in the city. This has helped induce a high interest among private investment firms in the developer companies.

Private equity investments in Pune's realty space bounced back with a 300% jump to Rs 1,464 crore during 2013, a research report by Cushman & Wakefield has said. "With growing housing demand, investments in the right project have the potential to yield healthy returns," the report added.

Importantly, Pune has bagged a fifth of the Rs 7,000 crore total inflows from private equity funds (13% higher than the previous year) in the country's real estate sector for the year. The increase in private equity inflows was primarily due to rising investments in residential assets and other sectors like retail and hospitality, the report said. "While the number of deals has increased to 40 in 2013 compared to 34 in 2012, the average deal size has declined marginally to Rs 175 crore ($28 million)," the report added.

Other factors encouraging private investors include likely entry of real estate investment trusts (REITs), reducing fiscal deficit and expectations of fall in inflation and a pick up in GDP growth post the Lok Sabha elections, the report noted.

Sanjay Dutt, executive managing director for South Asia at Cushman & Wakefield, said, "The residential asset class continues to provide tremendous potential for growth in the coming years. With housing requirements growing across cities and funds investing in the asset class, primarily in the form of non-convertible debentures, providing fixed returns, investments in the right project have the potential to yield healthy returns."

Anuj Puri, country head and chairman of real estate advisory company JLL India, said investors are enthusiastic about India as a vast army of young, educated Indians is set to turn the world's second most populous country into a talent powerhouse. "The consumer base is growing fast as a swelling middle class comes online;

Come 2030, India will have 68 cities with population of more than 1 million, 13 cities with more than four million and there will be six megacities of 10 million plus. This will provide the country with huge opportunities," he said.

Rohit Gera, managing director of Gera Developments, said, "Given the RBI's stance on disallowing banks from lending for land acquisition, the sector requires funds from alternative sources. The first round of FDI in real estate brought poor returns to foreign investors, given the 2008 meltdown as well as the steep fall in the value of the rupee. It is heartening to see the confidence of foreign investors in the real estate sector. There is no doubt as to the demand and desire to own real estate by millions of Indians. To meet this demand additional capital is necessary and this capital in the form of FDI is a welcome step."

Rahul Paranjape, executive director of Paranjape Schemes Constructions Limited (PSPL), said good quality commercial space in key business districts has attracted investors as they offer attractive and steady returns. PSPL has developed a special economic zone (SEZ) in its township Blue Ridges in Hinjewadi. "The SEZ is fully leased and IDFC Alternatives has invested Rs 250 crore to acquire the entire ownership in it," he said.

Vishwajit Zawar, director of Marvel Realtors, said he has shared 30% equity in his project Edge to Capital First for a consideration of Rs 100 crore with agreed rate of return. "The project is selling fast and we have actually begun redeeming the equity stake of Capital First," Zawar said.

Sachin Kulkarni, managing director, Vastushodh Projects, said, "Investment of Rs 40 crore by Avenue Venture Capital in our project Anand Gram is the first PE funding in affordable housing segment. They have already disbursed Rs 20 crore and the remaining amount shall be disbursed within next three months. There is an exit route in equity buy back at the end of 36 months at a fixed rate of return."

Related Search:Emaar MGF, DLF, IREO etc, 

                          Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF,

                          Shravan Gupta, Shravan Gupta MGF, 

                          DLF, IREO, Realty Firm, Real Estate Business

(EVC & MD - Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF): Dr. K Ramamurthy CEO projects Emaar MGF

Q1: Emaar MGF (EVC & MD - Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF) is currently in the process of reinventing and restructuring itself, working towards sustained market leadership. What are the key elements of your strategy to achieve end goals?

A: I’d like to share a small story with you. I was the supervising engineer at the Chennai International Airport and was overseeing pavement strengthening at the site. The job required excruciating accuracy and meticulousness with no room for error as this was an operational airport with regular flights coming in and taking off. You either got it right the first time or it had to be dismantled! A lesson that I learned through this experience, very early in my life, and have kept with me till today is ‘Do it right the first time’.

Through my four decades of experience in the Construction Management Industry, I have identified three key drivers to success; People, Processes and Strategy. We would like to deliver superior value to our customers. Our end goal is to keep our customer’s best interests in mind and ultimately achieve 100% customer satisfaction. We need to have a unique approach that emphasises honesty, integrity, passion, service and professionalism, not only in how we interface and work with our clients but how we work with each other.

Going forward we need to build committed leadership with a focus on the customer; integrated processes and assembly of full teams at the inception of projects; a quality driven agenda set in timeliness, waste reduction and prompt aftercare. We need to foster a commitment to people through reinvesting in training; employee development and performance management to ensure our people are our competitive advantage.

Q2: What are the steps you are taking to enhance the Project Management practices at Emaar MGF?

At Emaar MGF, we are proactively driving accountability, project monitoring, partnering with the right contractors, adopting innovative methods to reduce the number of steps, simplify design and a streamlined and assembly line approach at construction sites to ensure smoother project management with higher success delivery.

We have identified five core processes: 1. Design and Change Management, 2. Planning, 3. Contracting & Procurement, 4. Cost Control & Project Review and 5. Tracking. A combination of all these brings about a successful completion of the project.

Design needs to be better integrated in the construction process to optimise the value of a building to its end users. Through this, the design team can take more responsibility for the implications of their designs in terms of cost, quality, health and safety.

We are putting in place more efficient project management and cost management systems within the company to ensure greater responsibility for people at different levels in the projects and better cost estimation that starts at the concept stage itself. Planning processes have been put into place to ensure that we get more streamlined construction quality and deliveries.

We are developing a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to selecting contractors and evaluating tenders. Contractors will be selected on the basis of achieving long term sustainable value for money as opposed to the lowest tender price. Factors like the quality of the design, proposed method of construction, the likely costs of operating the completed construction and meeting health and safety requirements, must also be considered. We are looking to work closely with contractors of the highest quality, setting tough expectations and grooming them as construction partners in the process.

The need of the hour is to change the paradigm. Quality will be given the highest importance and documentation will be put in place to ensure we achieve quality.

Q3 : What's Emaar MGF’s (EVC & MD - Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF) vision for 2020 and what are your business growth plans, going forward?

A: Our vision is to become the most admired real estate company in India. We want to focus on creating market driven products with well trained and highly motivated real estate professionals, who continually work on providing top quality service for our clients and customers. 

Emaar MGF’s mission in India includes creating value added, master-planned communities that meet the full spectrum of lifestyle needs as contained in the vision of Emaar-Dubai. We hope to achieve this with a high standard of ethics, professionalism and client care, while respecting and complying with safety, environmental and legal regulations. We thus hope to expand ‘market-leadership’ with diverse products serving our customers’ unique needs now and into the future.

As a company, we will consistently deliver 110% of our client’s expectations in every real estate transaction, thereby adding true value to every relationship. Our ultimate objective is to run a profitable business through goal-setting, planning and superior service to our clients through honesty in the pricing and in the marketability of our property.

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Award Ceremony Mr Sanjay Malhotra Chief Financial Officer Emaar MGF & ...

Emaar MGF's Project GOMTI GREENS - Another Contribution in Lucknow's Real Estate Development

"Lucknow, the historical city with multicultural touch ups, courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronized by the Nawabs, has made a drastic change in its development today with the rise of real estate property."

Lucknow, the historical city with multicultural touch ups, courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronized by the Nawabs, has made a drastic change in its development today with the rise of real estate property.

In the event of its rapid progress, the name behind this goes to Shravan Gupta, the Executive Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Emaar MGF Land Limited (EVC and MD Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF).

Lucknow, also called as 'The Constantinople of India' has become a vibrant city that is witnessing an economic boom and is among the top ten fastest growing non-major-metropolitan cities of India and is often compared to Delhi and Mumbai.

Shravan Gupta, the name for Emaar MGF (EVC and MD Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF) has already served for more than 15 years with his experience in the real estate and financial services sectors. And, today, he is leading with "GOMTI GREENS" project for environment friendly design and construction of residential and commercial properties. Very few of the builders are concerned with the environment, this is where he has created a different position providing one of the biggest contributions to the real estate sector - by stressing the importance of creating environment friendly communities where residents can coexist with nature and live fulfilling lives.

Ashish Jerath, VP (Sales) of Emaar MGF, as spoken in an interview with Property Plus said, "Lucknow is the Political Administrative capital due to which it has been able to benefit with a good turn around in the real estate dealings. There are basically two cities in Uttar Pradesh that are given values - Noida and Lucknow. Also, that because of what it is now, most of the politicians and businessmen have come and settled here. This is also one of the reasons for reluctant increase in price and pride of the city - Lucknow."

"With the eye of the politicians in this particular city, there has been greater development in the real estate business. A large number of housing companies are emerging and Emaar MGF has been the one forward with its high-end residential and commercial properties."

Without forgetting to mention, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, is one of the iconic creations of Emaar. This company has already dreamed for the horizon with its innovations and has further plans for more architecturally aesthetic structures in India.

While understanding the hectic and stress-filled lifestyles of urban centers in the country, Emaar MGF and Shravan Gupta have established a series of path-breaking residential complexes in the country. All the complexes built by the company are based on the philosophy of incorporating nature into modern lifestyles to create balance and harmony.

It has been possible only with the belief and continuous effort of Mr. Shravan Gupta that modern living can coexist with an appreciation of nature. Incorporating this, all the projects of Emaar MGF are designed keeping in view the needs of the local environment and the requirements of a healthy lifestyle and this is exactly what GOMTI GREENS is all about.

Emaar MGF Land Limited is a joint venture between Emaar Properties PJSC ("Emaar") of Dubai and MGF Development Limited ("MGF") of India (EVC and MD Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF). Emaar is one of the world's leading real estate companies, having developed approximately 89 million square feet of real estate across residential, commercial and other business segments and with operations in 14 countries. MGF has established itself as one of the key players in retail real estate development in Northern India and has delivered approximately 2 million square feet of retail space.

The Company commenced operations in India in February 2005 and is into real estate development with a pan-India presence and operations spanning all key segments of the Indian real estate industry, namely the residential, commercial, retail and hospitality sectors. The Company's operations encompass various aspects of real estate development, such as land identification and acquisition, project planning, designing, marketing and execution. At present, its focus is on the development of residential projects in Delhi and elsewhere in the NCR, Mohali, Hyderabad, Chennai and other key Indian cities.
 
Read More about: Emaar MGF, (EVC and MD Shravan Gupta Emaar MGF), 

Gurgaon- Commercial and Residential hub of NCR

The Gurgaon real estate market is growing at a steady rate be it in terms of Retail, Residential or Industrial space. Most of the absorption in Delhi NCR is likely to focus around Gurgaon and Noida, reason being the provision of much desired amenities in these areas. 

 

Reality players like DLF, Ansal API, EMAAR MGF, Assotech Realty, Microtek Infrastructures, Supertech, Amrapali, Gaursons India Ltd, etc, are coming up with new commercial projects in the NCR. Thus, private sector is revamping NCR’s environs, bringing in the much-needed impetus to the sector. According to realty experts, the impact of the subdued economic sentiment and the rising inflation rate on the realty market, and the attractiveness of a city’s business environment, can largely be gauged by evaluating the health of commercial realty in that city. 

The key factors that have fostered the rapid Realty growth as well as people’s interest to invest in residential apartments in Gurgaon include: 

 

CLEAN AND GREEN

The increasing pollution has deteriorated NCR’s environment to a great extent but still there are regions like Gurgaon in NCR where this has been kept well in consideration which is evident through the fact that large spaces are allocated especially for parks and gardens. This enhances the beauty of this area while keeping air clean and fresh.

CONNECTIVITY

In the hustle bustle of today’s busy life, easy connectivity from home to workplace and vice versa, as well as to other places becomes a necessity. And Gurgaon offers it all, you get less traffic, wider roads and most importantly the MNCs are located in close proximity. “Impact of improving infrastructure: New and forthcoming growth corridors along Gurgaon and Noida like Yamuna Expressway, Noida Expressway, and Dwarka-Gurgaon Expressway have recorded tremendous increase in commercial and residential activities in the past few months and will continue to drive the commercial market activity.” Says Shravan Gupta, Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emaar MGF.

SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The basic necessities including educational institutes, medical facilities, and entertainment hubs are abundant in Gurgaon and moreover Realty Developers are inclined towards providing all these to attract more and more people to invest in this location.

The quality of life that is accessible in Noida and Gurgaon is quite superior. Further, the new developments like Emerald Hills by Emaar MGF which is an exclusive gated, secure, impeccably planned development in Gurgaon where all the residents' needs are within easy walking distance. Apart from this, the lavish outdoor and indoor spaces, parks, sports facilities and shopping centres complete the living experience.

LUXURYHOMES

Gurgaon has an abundant supply of luxury homes, which keeps the elite class interested in this area. The standard apartments feature spacious living rooms with attached balconies overlooking communal gardens and amenity building, grand entrance lobbies, high speed elevators, elegant lift lobbies and much more which catches the attention of people longing for luxurious living in NCR.

According to, Mr. Ashish Jerath, Sales Head (North), Emaar MGF, “Emaar MGF by virtue of its lineage, leverages expertise in developing unparalleled luxury housing in India. The launch of Marbella marks the commitment of Emaar MGF to continuously develop properties with modern design concepts of international standards”

JOBOPPORTUNITIES

The fact that Gurgaon continues to be the first stop for MNCs, speaks volumes about the sub-city. It is heartening to see authorities to be in tune with the time and planning infrastructure for new areas as per changing needs. “Real estate in Noida and Gurgaon has picked up and continues at a substantial rate because people find jobs in close proximity” says Nitin Batra, owner of Nitin Associates, a local consultant.

DU girls sick of Holi goons

Enough of the 'bura na maano, Holi hai' excuse, say DU girls, who're sick of being harrassed and pelted with balloons as early as a week before the festival. 

  Though Holi is often passed off as the playful festival of colours, for some girls, it's anything but that, and they are sick of the "bura na maano, Holi hai" excuse. "If a kid throws a water balloon at me and says, 'bura na maano, Holi hai', I can smile and walk off, but if some guy hits me on the head with a rotten egg when I am dressed for a presentation, am I expected to do the same?" asks Anjali from Hindu College.

Can't get out of our homes a week before holi
The girls say that stepping out of the house a week before Holi invites unnecessary trouble. And often, the only way they can protect themselves from the hooligans is by not celebrating the festival. "We know that there are all kinds of wild people playing Holi outside, so we just say inside our hostel rooms. Itni koi problem nahi hoti hai," says Maidang from Daulat Ram College. "We don't have any option but to stop hanging out outside. Most of my outstation friends just go back home or stay inside their PGs. But why should they have to do that?" adds Sakshi from Delhi College of Arts And Commerce.

Grease, rotten eggs, pee - how is this 'celebrating'?
Boycotting the outside world for a whole week before Holi is not always a feasible option. Some girls have decided to stop taking it lying down. "The things they do are disgusting. I saw a guy pissing inside a Holi balloon one day. In what sense of the word is that 'celebration'? You can't force your stupid celebration on people - not with greasy colours and definitely not with your piss," says Sahaj from Kalindi College. "A guy once threw an egg at me. It hit my back and it hit me really hard. I turned back and slapped him. My mom told me I shouldn't have, but that's not how you play Holi," says Ankita, a class 12 student.

High-on-bhang uncles on the road
Apparently, after their dose of bhang drinks and bhang kulfis, some men like to loiter around and harrass women. "We decided to watch a movie last Holi evening and two middle-aged men started following us while passing lewd comments. They were decently dressed so we were all the more shocked," recounts Akriti of Khalsa College. "These men are there every year, creating a nuisance on the roads. I wonder how they get away with it every year," says Shruti, a resident of west Delhi.

The balloon targets
Unexpected balloons and hard-to-wash-off colours are not the only issues the girls face. The balloon attackers' target aim is a problem that's harder to deal with, they say. "They deliberately throw water or the water balloons at your breasts or your hips. Had they only used their shooting skills constructively," says Bini, a PG resident in Kamla Nagar. "We can't wear summery clothes around Holi, even though it's so hot at that time. At Kamla Nagar and Hudson, you never know where a balloon will come from. If I walk with my hands clasped behind my back, they hit me in the front and vice-versa. It's hard to even locate them and you can't do anything," says Palak, an MA student.

All-girls holi?
Since the guys won't behave, some girls say that they plan to play Holi only with their female friends this year, while others say that's an impractical idea. "We are going to play Holi at a friend's place and it's going to be only girls. At least with them, you don't have to fear misconduct," says Anjumi from Hindu College.

"You can't have an all-girls Holi. We don't live in an all-girls world. There has to be a better solution to this problem. And the solution can't be banning Holi altogether," said Aashi , a student of Kirori Mal College.

Attractive residential destination: Emerald Hills, Palm Gardens and Palm Springs

Emaar MGF is led by Shravan Gupta who is the Executive Vice Chairman as well as the Managing Director of Emaar MGF. It has been observed that under the guidance of Shravan Gupta, Emaar MGF has attained great heights in terms of prosperity and growth. The group has already delivered some iconic and award winning projects as well as ongoing projects that are focused on the provision of better living as well as providing a more luxurious lifestyle for the masses. In this regard, it is very important to note the current activities of the group related to its Gurgaon projects. The Emerald Hills, Palm Gardens and Palm Hills are few of the projects which are about to set a great example. 

 

With his expert & strategic skills, ShravanGupta, Emaar MGF has entered into projects that would ultimately benefit not just the State but the nation as whole and in this regard it has been seen that the development of any property has ultimately led towards the benefit of not just the affluent class but the middle and working classes as well. This is due to the fact that everyone belonging to every class is a stakeholder in the organization and this organization also provides various opportunities to individuals of different classes so that the society in general could take as much benefit from it as possible. 

 

Some of the projects in Gurgaon are aimed towards providing a luxurious living & lifestyle for the upper middle class, Emerald Hills is meant to attract individuals who want to live a healthy lifestyle which is surrounded by a safe and secure environment. A great thing about Emerald Hills is that it is located at a very beautiful area of the city and that it is bound to attract visitors from all sides of the State. The other projects such as Palm Gardens and Palm Hills are meant to attract those individuals who want to live near the economic and business centers of the city. 

 

It is also important to note here that Emaar MGF tends to provide some of the best quality architecture which can withstand almost any natural disaster such as earthquakes and floods. It has been the priority of the group to ensure that proper measures are to be taken so that the safety and protection of the inhabitants of the projects is accomplished in the best manner possible and for this reason the group has also heavily invested in its overall research and development phases which has ensured that the best infrastructure is provided to the people that is in accordance to the most recent scientific methodologies related to construction and buildings. 

 

All of this has now ensured that a better and safer environment is provided to the people so that they may enjoy the best benefits of life in the simplest of manner and also that they can look towards their future and feel content that they have invested in the right place which can give them the returns that can be beneficial for their children as well.

Natural tips to prevent hair loss

It's better to use natural products to stop hairfall than to go in for expensive parlour treatments, that may not help the problem.

Try the following easy tips at home and see how effective they are in reducing hair loss!

1. Hot oil treatments: Take any natural oil - olive, coconut, canola - and heat it up so that it is warm, but not too hot. Massage it gently into your scalp. Put on a shower cap and leave it on for an hour, then shampoo your hair.

2. Natural juices: You can rub your scalp with either garlic juice, onion juice or ginger juice. Leave it on overnight and wash it thoroughly in the morning.

3. Get a head massage: Massaging your scalp for a few minutes daily will help stimulate circulation. Good circulation in the scalp keeps hair follicles active. Circulation may be improved through massage by using a few drops of lavender or bay essential oil in an almond or sesame oil base.

4. Antioxidants: Apply warm green tea (two bags brewed in one cup of water) on your scalp and leave this mixture on for an hour and then rinse. Green tea contains antioxidants which prevent hair loss and boost hair growth.

5. Practice meditation: Believe it or not, most of the times, the root cause for hair loss is stress and tension. Meditation can help in reducing that and restore hormonal balance.

Kejriwal ‘kills’ 3 RTI activists, leaves followers red-faced

AHMEDABAD: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's obituary references to four RTI activists at a large public gathering in Ahmedabad on Saturday left his

supporters red-faced as three of them are alive.

He said that the four were killed for asking awkward questions and hailed them as martyrs for the cause of society. Kejriwal got the first victim's name right — Amit Jethava, who was killed allegedly by the mining mafia in front of the Gujarat high court on July 20, 2010.

The other three — Bhagu Dewani (Porbandar), Minakshi Goswami (South Gujarat) and M Bhambhani (Diu) — in fact survived attacks provoked by their activism.

"First of all I want to pay homage to those who have sacrificed their lives in the last 10 years while fighting against corruption in Gujarat," Kejriwal said, adding he was paying homage to all of them "from the bottom of my heart".

However, Dewani, a 64-year-old lawyer, was later quoted as saying, "I was attacked three years back, but right now my health is quite good... and my fight against corruption is on," He said he was likely to join AAP very soon. "Kejriwal can provide good leadership to RTI activists like us."

Dewani was pulled out of his car in Porbandar and stabbed in his stomach on July 25, 2011, but he survived. He alleged that Gujarat minister Babu Bokhiria was behind the attack and has also filed a petition in the HC accusing Bokhiria of running illegal mines in Porbandar.

Forty two-year-old Bhambhani said, "I am fortunate to be alive after an attack on August 24, 2011. I was attacked with swords and pipes followed by a failed acid attack, after I had filed an RTI application regarding construction of a restaurant and bogus license issued by RTO to bike-vendors." Bhambhania also blamed local politicians and government officers for the attack.

Goswami was attacked on September 21, 2011 following her RTI plea seeking details of environment clearances obtained by a private firm.

When asked for a comment, AAP's Gujarat convener Sukhdev Patel said, "When he (Kejriwal) mentioned the names, I was not there, but I will certainly check this out."

Arvind Kejriwal asks TV anchor to play up sections of his interview

NEW DELHI: A video showing AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal asking a TV news anchor to emphasize certain sections of his interview has gone viral on Youtube.

The video, which is over a minute long, shows Kejriwal and the news anchor in a conversation after the interview.

During the conversation, Kejriwal is seen asking the TV anchor to give emphasis on certain segments of the interview.

"Please play it up more," Kejriwal said in the video. To this, the television anchor was seen saying: "Yes, we will play it up. The Bhagat Singh (comment) is good. We will get a lot of reaction to this."

The interview was apparently given by Kejriwal after he resigned as Delhi chief minister.

Incidentally, the video was made public on the day when Kejriwal criticized the media and accused a certain section of being biased against him.

Vijender Singh speaks for Ajay Maken

PT Usha speaks for Ajay Maken

‘Client Should be at the Core of Construction Process’ : Emaar MGF

Real Estate major, Emaar MGF is in the process of reinventing itself  with restructuring of its senior management in order to achieve its  twin objectives of speedy delivery and high quality, by focusing on project management. DR. K. RAMAMURTHY, Chief Executive Officer, Projects, Emaar MGF and a project management expert, in an exclusive interveiw with VINOD BEHL, shares the Vision 2020 of Emaar MGF and company’s business growth plans, focussed on maximising real estate  asset value and delivering superior value to customers with a view to re establish the iconic brand and attain sustained market leadership. Excerpts: 

Dr. K. Ramamurthy, CEO Projects, EMAAR MGF 

Q: Emaar MGF is currently in the process of reinventing and restructuring itself with the aim to attain sustained market leadership. What are the key elements of your strategy to achieve end goals?

k To begin with, I would like to share a small story with you. My firstjob as a Supervising Engineer required me to look after the construction of the Chennal International a Airport. I was overseeing the pavement strengthening. It was a working airport, with aircraft landing at regular intervals. I had to get the compaction levels right — even in the first time around as otherwise the pilots would re use to [and the airplanes. The job required excruciating accuracy and meticulousness. My mentor, a well known American architect, Joseph Allen Stein, demanded high levels of workmanship from me as even the slightest er or would amount to dismantlement. The experience taught me a lesson — do it right the first time and this set the right type of thinking in me. To answer your question now, I have realised, in my four decades of experience in the Industry, that the key drivers to success in Construction Management are people, processes and strategy. We would like to deliver superior value to our customers. Our end goal is to create the best and most favourable product with our cusomers’ interests and satisfaction in mind. We shall need to have a unique approach with unparalleled results. I want great emphasis on honesty, integrity, passion, service and professionalism in not only how we interface and work with our clients but also how we work with each other as a team. 

Going forward, we will be emphasising on the following things: 

Focuson the customer Bringing in all vendors! contract ors at an earlier stage as opposed to the relatively later stage that is applied by a full procurement/tendering process. This makes all parties work from the starting stage to deliver a project, besides keeping in mind the nature of the prolonged contractual relationship.

Integratedprocesses and teams: This involves assembling the full delivery team - contractor and designer, at the inception of a project to negate any fragmentation of the design and delivery process.  

Qualitydriven agenda: With zero defects, delivery on time and as per budget, innovation, waste reduction and prompt aftercare as essential elements. 

Commitmentto people: By re-investing in the training and development of our prime asset, our staff in order to maintain and develop the business. We need to give both time and importance to performance management and employee development. We shall need to believe that our people are our greatest strength and competitive advantage. 9th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE I REALTY PLUS I 83.4

Q: Today, the real estate sector is faci ng the twin problems of questionabLe quaLity and delivery defauLts. How does Emaar MGF on its part, tackle these two serious issues? A We will be focussing on our contract ors, who shall be selected on the basis of achieving long term sustainable value for money and not just the lowest price. The lowest tender price alone wilt not guarantee value for money over the full life of the building. Consideration also needs to be given to the quality of the design, the proposed method of construction and the likely implication for the costs of operating the completed construction over its whole life and meeting the health and safety performance needs. With evaluat ion of tenders, we are now going to give different weightage to the quality and price depending upon the complexity of the project. Oiy contractors who have demonstrated that they can construct buildings of the ‘right’ quality and within given budget, will be selected. 

Construction design should not be a separate process but be integrated with the whole construction process so that the design team can take more responsib ility for the implication of their designs including cost, quality and health and safety. We are keeping the crucial asp ect in mind for optimising the value of a building to its end users. 

Q: What’s Emaar MGF doing to put project management systems in place to check any time and cost overruns and maintaini ng quaLity standards? A: Project Management entails planning, organising, securing and managing resources. A combination of all these brings about a successful completion of the project. I have identified five core processes for streamlining the projects which include design and change management, planning, contracting and procurement, cost control and project review and tracking.

We are going to create responsibility matrices for the different people at different levels in the projects. We are putting in place a ‘cost management system’ that enables cost estimating processes to start at the concept stage itself. We would like to work closely with contractors of the highest quality, grooming them as construction partners in the process. We would like to set tough expectations from our contractors and explain our methodo logy and thinking to them. We would like to pick contractors who truly understand the challenge and are able to understand projects from our point of view. Contractors must be held accountable and the attitude should be that ‘we are in it together’. Safety has to be accorded the pride place in our working.

The need of the hour is to change the paradigm. Quality will be given the highest importance and documentation will be put in place to ensure we achieve quality. We have already put in place a strong and well-qualified ‘in-house’ PMC team, besides setting up a central procurement cell.

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CASH FLOWS, DEVELOPERS HAVE STARTED ABSORBING PRICE HIKES AND THEY ARE WORKING ON LOWER MARGINS : Emaar MGF

Q: How wilt Emaar MGF create different iation to stand out in this crowded and highly competitive real estate market?
A: We are getting into three major areas to make a big difference. Firstly, we are putting in place Reliable Project Mana gement, which entails a comprehens ive understanding of the stages in cons truction, a detailed knowledge of risk management, regular monitoring of key milestones and effective coordination of all those involved in the construction supply chain.
Secondly, we are developing a system by which construction projects will get measured to assess whether costs, time and quality requirements are being met. This will also aid learning to disseminate lessons for future.
Thirdly, we are making efforts to see that contractors are remunerated in a way that incentivises them to deliver good quality construction on time and within prescribed budget.  
 

Q: One major reason for property buyers’ growing disenchantment is that developers are not offering value to their customers. What’s Emaar MGF doing in this regard? A: Property buyers’ growing disenchantment is due to the fact that they are not able to ‘reap’ the benefits of ‘better construction’ from builders, which is largely missing in the recent times. According to us, there are five key drivers which need to be put in place for ‘better construction’. These include committed leaders hip, focus on the customer, integration of process and team around the project, quality driven agenda and commitment to the people.
Emaar MGF is targeting to meet the expectations of ‘end-users’ / ‘property buyers’ by reducing capital costs by 10 per cent, construction time by 10 per cent, reducing defects, and accidents by 20 per cent, besides increasing predictability of project costs and time estimates by 10 per cent and finally, increasing productivity by 10 per cent.  

 

Q: Lack of transparency and growing fraudulent transactions especially in the absence of a reaL estate regulator, seriously calls for restoring the confidence of customers/investors. What’s your comp any doing in this regard?

84 REALTY PLUS 9th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

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A: First of all, we welcome ‘Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill’. 2011 and the provisions contained in that. The Real Estate Bill as approved by the Union Cabinet is a pioneering initiative aimed at delivering a uniform regulatory environm ent to protect the consumer by way of quick resolution of disputes and by ensuri ng systematic growth of the sector.
We are going to ensure that all prec onstruction approvals are in place bef ore we even go for soft —launch. We are actively working towards improving ‘cons truction performance’ by putting emp hasis on quality while at the same time aiming to reduce costs.
We are promoting ‘good business pract ices’ and initiatives have been taken in this regard. Not only that, we are putting in place reliable systems for monitoring and measurements of these benefits esp ecially in terms of ‘cost-savings’. We are on the mission to train more staff to be effective construction client.  

 

Q: What’s the ‘Vision 2020’ of Emaar MGF and going forward, what are your busin ess growth plans? A: Our vision is to become the most adm ired real estate company in India. We want to focus on creating market driven products with well trained and highly mot ivated real estate professionals, who continually work on providing top quali ty service for our clients and customers. We would like to earn the loyalty of our customers and maximise the real estate asset value, thus achieving greatest ope rating efficiencies and realising highest profit—performance. 

Emaar MGF’s mission in India includes creating value added, master-planned communities that meet the full spect rum of lifestyle needs as contained in the vision of Emaar-Dubai. This we hope to achieve with the finest real estate services in the region, based on highest standard of ethics, value, professionalism and client care, while at the same time respecting and complying with safety, env ironmental and legal requirements. We thus hope to earn the loyalty and trust of our buyers and enlarge the ‘market-leade rship’ with diverse products and by serv

ng our customers’ unique needs.
Our ultimate objective is to run a profita ble business through goal-setting, plann ing and superior service to our clients through honest pricing and marketability of our property.  

 

Q: What do you think are the inherent strengths of Emaar MGF which you would like to Leverage to achieve the company’s goaLs? AWe are associated with Emaar, an coni c brand delivering world class products and world class customer service, while MGF is a formidable, established and reputed name in the Indian market. We have some of the best professionals on board, with international and national expertise, working for us in the senior management, under the leadership of our Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Shravan Gupta. With tremend ous individual expertise and a legacy to carry forward, we would like Emaar MGF

to set benchmarks for quality and delive ry, for its customers.  

 

Q: How do you Look at the current real estate scenario of slow sates, high unsold inventory and Low sentiment of property buyers and investors. Do you attribute it entirety to the globaL economic downturn or beLieve that reaL estate companies themseLves are largely to blame for this? A: The answer is a combination of both:
Builders have not done adequate assessm ent of market dynamics and expectat ions, nor have they done proper assessm ent of project risks. The critical concerns include inability of the builders to sync hronise project plan and execution. Also, project management in India is not implem ented in letter and spirit by all the stake holders- be it the employer, contractor or the Project Manager. That is why delays, litigations and cost over-runs etc occur.  

 

Q: What poLicy prescriptions you think are needed to put the real estate sector on the path of sustained growth?
A: I think the need of the hour is that the client should be at the core of the cons truction process.
Besides, we as builders need to und erstand the inefficiencies o traditional methods of procuring and managing maj or projects - in particular the fallacy of awarding contracts solely on the basis of the lowest price bid only.
We need to communicate better with contractors to reduce conflict and disputes. We also need to establish a single contact point for the construction industry to resolve problems common to a number of stake holders. We need to give more attention to the training of the staff from the view point of procurement and risk management.
More attention to design and early involvement of the whole construction team could also improve the operational efficiency of completed buildings resulti ng in greater savings over the whole life span of the building. And last but not the least, we will be disseminating good pract ice more widely.

Value for Money in Gurgaon’s property market: Emaar MGF

Buying a good property is the dream of every person, and getting the best one at the most appropriate price brings in the joy to a buyer. Gurgaon has great potential to provide a value-for-money asset to property buyers. The real estate  market here enjoys the proximity of a large pool of corporate houses which are located in the city. With a large pool of corporate houses which are located in the city. With a large number of blue chip corporate shifting to Gurgaon. The numbers are increasing and there is a healthy demand for premium housing. Also, it is benefiting from a shift in buying preferences in Delhi, where young home buyers are choosing to relocate closer to their place of work. And choosing projects that offer a good

“Amit Sethi says that more and more people are choosing to live in Gurgaon rather than investing in the city due to its well-planned and dedicated fabric of infrastructure and logistics”

What is Value for Money in Gurgaon’sproperty market?

Mix of lifestyle amenities at the doorstep.

The onset of well-planned and dedicated fabric of infrastructure and logistics has accrued in an increasing number of projects, which has led to higher circle rate and on opportunity for commercial, residential. IT park and retail developments, luxury housing. Etc.

What is Value for Money in Gurgaon’s property market?

Ashish jerath, head, Sales (North). Emaar MGF, says. “The key word for selection should be value and not price (price is what you pay, value is what you get). In our view, the customer should focus on the long-term potential for value creation of the asset. A project that will be a good home for its residents/new buyers will always create more value for its Investors in cost but is an average home. Today, with a growing economy and rising income and expectations. There is a trend of the buyer choosing high-quality projects”.

Experts believe more and more people are choosing to live in the city rather than just investing. And this is the biggest factor which makes gurgaon real estate market stand out. It will be imprudent for the industry to say that there are no effects of the economic slowdown, but with strong fundamentals and good policy framework, gurgaon market has been better prepared that the rest. Infrastructure projects like Dwarka expressway are near competition, and once operational, will add value to properties in the area.

“The price of residential properties in Gurgaon has grown substantially in the last 3 years. For example, the projects which were launched 3-4 years back at about Rs 2000 per sq.ft, is now sold at a price of Rs 6500 per sq ft. It is experted that in the next few years. The property will amplify to about 20 percent. According to reports, it is seen that rate of appreciation of property is higher in a developing area as compared to an already developing area as compared to an already developed area due the fact that developing areas have a lot of scope for development. Since Gurgaon has developed three-fold in the last few years and there is more scope of development. Investing in Gurgaon around this time is determined to get good returns. Moreover, as it is emerging as a worldclass city. It will be wise to invest in properties in the area and get value for money.” Opines Nikhil Jain. CEO, Ram PrasthaGroup.

Gurgaon property has reached a niche which seemed impossible a few years back. Now, for purchasing a house in Gurgaon. One has to loosen his pockets a bit more. Apart from commercial property. The residential sector too, is witnessing an equal rise in its values. The existing population of Gurgaon is considered to possess a large purchasing power which has further created a huge demand for housing. Thereby giving a boost to the property prices in gurgaon.

P Sahel, vice chairman, Lotus Greens, puts his view, saying. “To a large extent, prices are dependent on the location. A comparison between similar projects within the same micro market should give a buyer a fair idea about the prevailing prices, while comparing the projects, one should also look at the specifications and amenities being offered in the project for an apples-to-appies comparison.”

Preferential factor: style, location, brand or amenlties?

People looking to buy property in Gurgaon have a large bouquet of choices in hand ranging from style. Location brand and amenities. A well-established developer will provide all the factors like style. Location. Brand and amenities as a complete package, So, it is important to choose the right developer to get the desired kind of mix.

“Gurgaon today has three micro markets each with a large number of options i.e. Glof course Extension road. National highway and Dwarka expressway. Each location has a mix of developments that offer a good combination of location and amenities, After location, the next most important factor in choosing a property is the brand, as it assures the customer of standards, amenities and quality of construction that the brand stands for onc can see the effect of the brand by comparing the current prices of two different brands of a similar location. The difference that you see is the premium that buyers give to be part of be part of a renowned brand. One can find such examples on the Golf Course road and Golf Course Extension road. In our opinion. A mix of location and brand creates lasting value in the asset, “ adds Jerath.

Experts suggest that amenities provided in the projects can be listed as exquisite gardens, tier-II security system, 24*7 power back up. Rainwater harvesting and engery-efficient buildings. Etc. The integrated townships also enjoy the benefit of modern amenities like school, hotel, hospital, shopping mail, multiplex, golf club (golf swing training), post office and temple.

Harindra Nagar, MD, Paras Buildtech, Say, “When we talk about Gurgaon, the next thing after the IT” hub, which clicks to our mind is the location, the brand and the amenities of Gurgaon, Gurgaon has a number of brands and all the illustrious brands are congruent to the population there, Being and IT hub. The location is posh and competent for the mass people living there.”

“Is it a time to add more property in the portfollo?”

Buying decidion should be based on the requirement and market conditions for the particular buyer segment. This is agood time for customers purchasing the properties for end use. The prices have been stable for some time now and it is widely believed that these will see an upswing as soon as the general elections are through. Real estate investments should be made with a medium to long-term perspective.

“Until March, this is not the correct time for the investors to add more property in Gurgaon, because financial year is closing and elections are coming. Which may result in budget change. The right perspective for the builders should be speculation. Introspection and monitoring the market dynamics hased on the social, political and economic fallout of the budgets and the upcoming elections.” Added Nagar,

Experts see risk if an investor is over stretched in his investments with a trading perspective. The best way to benefit from real estate investments is to do the homework at a time of making purchases and then hold on to the investments for it to mature and to give the desired results. “While buying a property, either in Gurgaon or in any part of the country, one should take into consideration the facts so that risk can be avoided. These include checking of credentials like the ownership of land, clearance certificates from various authorities and approval of building plains,”concluded Jain”

Emaar MGF’s project GOMTI GREENS – another contribution in Lucknow’s REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

Lucknow, the historical city with multicultural touch ups, courtly manners, beautiful gardens, poetry, music, and fine cuisine patronized by the Nawabs, hasreal estate property. 

made a drastic change in its development today with the rise of

In the event of its rapid progress, the name behind this goes to Shravan Gupta, the Executive Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Emaar MGF Land Limited.

Lucknow, also called as ‘TheConstantinople of India’ has become a vibrant city that is witnessing an economic boom and is among the top ten fastest growing non-major-metropolitan cities of India and is often compared to Delhi and Mumbai.

Shravan Gupta, the name for Emaar MGF has already served for more than 15 years with his experience in the real estate and financial services sectors. And, today, he is leading with “GOMTI GREENS” project for environment friendly design and construction of residential and commercial properties. Very few of the builders are concerned with the environment, this is where he has created a different position providing one of the biggest contributions to the real estate sector - by stressing the importance of creating environment friendly communities where residents can coexist with nature and live fulfilling lives. 

Ashish Jerath, VP (Sales) of Emaar MGF, as spoken in an interview with Property Plus said, “Lucknow is the Political Administrative capital due to which it has been able to benefit with a good turn around in the real estate dealings. There are basically two cities in Uttar Pradesh that are given values – Noida and Lucknow. Also, that because of what it is now, most of the politicians and businessmen have come and settled here. This is also one of the reasons for reluctant increase in price and pride of the city – Lucknow.”

“With the eye of the politicians in this particular city, there has been greater development in the real estate business. A large number of housing companies are emerging and Emaar MGF has been the one forward with its high-end residential and commercial properties. “

Without forgetting to mention, BurjKhalifa in Dubai, is one of the iconic creations of Emaar. This company has already dreamed for the horizon with its innovations and has further plans for more architecturally aesthetic structures in India. 

While understanding the hectic and stress-filled lifestyles of urban centers in the country, Emaar MGF and Shravan Gupta have established a series of path-breaking residential complexes in the country. All the complexes built by the company are based on the philosophy of incorporating nature into modern lifestyles to create balance and harmony.

It has been possible only with the belief and continuous effort of Mr. Shravan Gupta that modern living can coexist with an appreciation of nature. Incorporating this, all the projects of Emaar MGF are designed keeping in view the needs of the local environment and the requirements of a healthy lifestyle and this is exactly what GOMTI GREENS is all about.