CHROMOHOMES September 2016 Issue

September 2016 Volume 1, issue 7

T H E N U C L E U S OF L I F E S T Y L E & L I VIN G

w w w. c h r o m o h o m e s m a g . c o m `60/-

Smart Health STRENGtTheHENING Smart Environment
Skills to Build INFRASTRUCTURE Smart Urban
Planning
Smart Cities Smart cities initiative Smart
will go a long way Clean Energy
Smart in alleviating the
E-Governance concerns thrown up Smart Buildings
Smart Education by the breakneck speed Smart IT &
Comunications
Smart Security of urbanisation Smart Urban Planning
and Safety in India Smart Grid &
Disaster Management
Smart Manufacturing
Smart Water and

Waste Management

Black is the Open Furniture
new black kitchen Placements
trend
Some expert tips & Whether you are designing or
tricks to ensure the This new breed of revamping your space, your
success of a bold cooking area serves furniture arrangement is an
black bathroom multiple purposes important aspect.

cut to the chase | Exclusive Interview of Rajeev Talwar, Chairman, NAREDCO



CEO & Associate Publisher
J.C. Verma
EDITORIAL

Executive Editor: Amir Ali Hashmi
Managing Editor: Tasneem Firdausi
Correspondents: S. Nair, Shubhra Prakash, Aakriti Gulati,

Rukhsar Moeen, Priscilla Paul
ART & DESIGN

Art Director: CM Bisht
Sr. Visualiser: K Suman
Principal Photographer: Prakhar Pandey

Illustrator: Naabgha
Stylist: Harsh Sharma
SALES, MARKETING, PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION

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This issue contains 64 pages excluding cover

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September 2016 w chromohomes 1

04 Launches 28

This section is all about new Cover story
products and important
announcements. STRENGtTheHENING
INFRASTRUCTURE

06 Hues

Here are some expert tips & tricks
to ensure the success of a bold
black bathroom.

10 Furniture
Placements

Whether you are designing or
revamping your space, your furniture
arrangement is an important aspect.

14 Globalscape 16 Trending 20 Cut to the Chase

With GST regime and India scaling Customers today look for highly Exclusive interview of
higher on World Bank’s Logistics evolved amenities and facilities to Rajeev Talwar, Chairman,
Performance Index 2016, sector create the necessary plush ethos NAREDCO
poised for rapid growth. in their ultra-luxury flats.

2 chromohomes w September 2016

Experts believe 46 SPACES
that smart cities
initiative will go Open Kitchen: This new
a long way in breed of cooking area
alleviating the serves multiple purposes
concerns thrown
up by the break- Pooja Room: There are
neck speed of some of the specifications
urbanisation in related to this divine space
India. in your house.

Living Area: You can
transform this most hap-
pening room into a bright
cosy haven.

54 Legal
7 easy checks before buying a home

26 Connoisseur 56 Vastu
It is recommended that you should properly learn the
Vijaya Eastwood’s home in significance of various colours as per the vastushastra
Delhi is the perfect blend of the
traditional handmade Indian 60 Market Place | Decoration
craftsmanship with a European 63 Market Place | Design
aesthetic.

36 Focus

The initiatives taken by the
government to revive the con-
struction sector clearly appear to
improve market sentiments.

22 Environmental 38 Skyline | 56
Concerns Coimbatore 60 Selfie | Meghna
666433 mMThiasirDreclhkih-ebaatsendpidnltaearincoreides|igndererusnsiga sntructured
Just keep a few essential points in With the onset of positive senti-
mind before creating an efficient ments, this business-friendly city business ‘Dimensions’since 2005
green home. is a fast emerging realty hotspot.

september 2016 w chromohomes 3

launches Festive home decor collection
from housefull.com
Get your home
festive ready with Ganesha table lamp brown @ Rs 1148 . Quirky multi-coloured wooden test tube planter.
Housejoy’s home
improvement services After the success of their furnish- attractive range of home décor products,”
ings marketplace, Housefull.com, a says Tejas Padalkar, who is heading the
T he festive season has arrived brand known for its furniture range marketplace for furnishings & décor for
early this year with Housejoy for over a decade now, has recently launched Housefull.com.
kickstarting delightful offer of 10% their festive home décor collection with the
discount and 10% cashback on all intention to offer customers a one-stop-shop Housefull.com is moving fast towards
home improvement services. It’s for better buying experience. The range has becoming the largest online retailer for fur-
that time of the year when homes gorgeous products brought forth by leading niture & furnishings with a digital-first ap-
are all set for makeover just before brands like ExclusiveLane, Home and Ba- proach. With the new décor range and more
the festive season sets in. Housejoy zar, Décorhand, Sylvn Studio, etc. offering to come yet, their revamped e-commerce
is all set to provide its services such over 2000 products to choose from. platform is creating a lot of buzz among
as home cleaning, pest control, existing and new online buyers. Their col-
home repairs and painting through “When we received a raving response for lection is not just beautiful with its unique
its safe and reliable experts. furnishings with over 10,000 transactions colour and design combinations, but also of-
taking place without any marketing activ- fers the consumers utility driven styles to fit
Saran Chatterjee, CEO, House- ity, we were encouraged to bring an equally within traditional and contemporary homes.
joy, says, “This festive season, we
will ensure that all running around Haute Monde launches its
for home improvement is taken care first flagship store in NCR
of and ensure that quick, safe and
reliable services are easily avail- H aute Monde, a premium spaces with inspirational furniture
able for all our customers.” luxury leather furniture brand, that integrates classic, traditional yet
announced the launch of its first modern lifestyles.”
Housejoy is offering 10% dis- flagship retail outlet in NCR. Spread
count along with 10% cashback for over 15,000 sq.ft., the outlet houses Endeavouring to deliver to the
all home services such as home re- an array of home-décor products discerning consumers who are scouting
pairs, home cleaning and paintings from furniture to accessories and for uniqueness and personalisation
across Bangalore, Delhi, Gurgaon, accent pieces, unparalleled in their in home décor solutions, HM is a
Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. diversity and uniqueness. one-stop solution from small leather
Pioneers in providing high-quality pen holders to a beautiful living room
on demand residential services, Haute Monde, a French word, when concept, the store shall provide the
Housejoy promises to deliver trusted translated to English loosely means best in lifestyle & luxury.
home services through dynamic, ‘fashionable society’. When translated
capable and trusted professionals. to Home Décor, it means innova-
tive handcrafted leather products &
This Diwali light up artifacts which give luxury, design
your surroundings with and functionality the living space they
Funcart.in products always desired. While unveiling the
first store in Noida, at D-1, Sector 10,
T his Diwali, Shazia Bashir, director of the company,
light up your said, “HM endeavours to redefine
surroundings with
the beautiful range
of products from
Funcart.in. There
are a variety of products available to
choose from. You can purchase diya
set from Swastik design or Laxmi
Ganesh. There are pretty candles
also that are battery operated and
are perfect for decorative purposes.
The sky lanterns are a new trend,
a pack of five available in different
colours is what you need this Diwali.
Invite your family and friends for
dinner at a beautifully decorated
house for a great time.
All the products are available at
really affordable prices.
Price: Rs 135- Rs 699

4 chromohomes w september 2016

launches

Asahi India Glass Ecosense Enhance Houssup
brings on-
Asahi India Glass launches a new board over
range under its Ecosense brand 100 interior
designers
Asahi India Glass Limited (AIS) clear, blue and green.
expanded its existing portfolio Vikram Khanna, COO – architec- Gaining a strong foothold in
in the architectural segment with tier II and III geographies,
the introduction of a new range under tural institutional business, CMO, Asahi Houssup, the end-to-end interior
its Ecosense range of high-performance India Glass Ltd., said, “Amid an increas- décor platform, has enrolled 100
glasses (The Green Standard in Glass). ing demand for high performance glass more premium interior design-
The new range – Excel combines the to enhance a green building’s aura and ers. Launched in March 2016, the
best of functionalities with best-in-class efficiencies, AIS is continuously innovat- technology-backed interior décor
eco-friendly features. Ecosense Excel is ing to transform the living and work places start-up is emerging as a strong
a specialised green building glass with of consumers. AIS’ eco-friendly offerings leader in the interior decoration
advanced solar control and low-E proper- under the umbrella of Ecosense range domain and has already clocked
ties. This glass product comes with excel- of high performance glasses are aligned over Rs. 1 crore in terms of turn-
lent thermal insulation and best-in-class to the green revolution.” over till date.
solar control performance.
To enhance the customer experi-
Excel can be used in a number of appli- ence and provide highly consumer-
cations like structural glazing, facade glaz- centric interior design solutions,
ing, bolted systems, curtain walling and Houssup taps the benefits of aug-
fenestration applications, insulated glazing mented reality, artificial intelligence,
units, laminated double glazed units, lami- and virtual reality. It has a global
nated, heat treated and bent glazing units. community of interior designers and
The two series in which Ecosense Excel architects who offer design ideas and
is available are – Pearl and Sparkle. The implementation that match consumer
shades available in these two series are expectations. The app-based start-up
also provides an immersive 360o
Gauri Khan gets associated with Tisva video for the consumers to help them
select a design that exacts their home
Gauri Khan, a lights specially curated décor requirements. Additionally, the
film producer by her. company provides design consulta-
and interior tions by Houssup premium designers
designer, gets associ- Inspired by the concept and has a 5-year warranty on its
ated with premium of Tvisha (light) and Tattva completed designs along with 24X7
home decorative light- (essence), TISVA product customer support.
ing brand Tisva from portfolio has always been
the house of Usha a signature of the latest At the announcement, Hemant
International Ltd. This lighting trends backed by Singh, co-founder and chief strategy
association is in line with the brand’s international quality and officer, said, “Our aim is to offer
philosophy and reflects on its luxuri- service standards. our clientele value-driven services
ous lighting concepts for illuminating Speaking on the association, Gauri that meet and exceed international
contemporary living spaces. As a part Khan said, “This is the era for interior décor standards at a highly
of this alliance, Tisva will soon roll exclusive designing of living spaces. I competitive price. The appointment
out campaigns featuring Gauri Khan have a passion for design and TISVA’s of 100 more premium designers
and an exclusive range of designer range of lights offers the same warmth will bring greater diversification in
and exclusivity.” terms of design discovery on our
platform. It will also help us evolve
as a brand and meet our target of
Rs. 10 crore in GTV by the end of
the festive season.”

Capitalising on festive activity
around Diwali with 200 home décor
projects, Houssup expects to amplify
its customer base at this time of
high-demand.

september 2016 w chromohomes 5

hues
6 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

hues

Although the colour black has the power to add sophistication and class to
your bathroom, it can also turn it dreary if the textures, faucets etc. are not
used in the right hues and combination.Here are some expert tips & tricks to

ensure the success of a bold black bathroom

Black
isbtlhaecnekw

By Mannat Mundi

W hen you first enter a room, whether you realise it or
not, you are subconsciously taking in every small
detail to create the larger picture. These details may
not always be consciously noticed by viewers but
they complete a room fully and provide us with an
understanding of a space’s style and character. While you must have
been in an all-whitespa-like bathroom ample times, but it’s not your
only option for a bathroom that feels like a luxury getaway. When incor-
porated thoughtfully, black has the power to transform an understated
bathroom into a real feature space. The black bathroom is a dramatic
dive into a slightly masculine, yet decidedly elegant design that never
goes out of trend. Ever-sophisticated and enduringly chic, black is and
will always be a home design darling. Also, don’t make black walls your
only choice. Think ceramic tiles or black porcelain or black sheets of
glass. Black bathrooms that stand out usually have one thing in com-
mon- they have shiny fittings and surfaces, explains Ruchika Grover,
founder &creative director, Odyssey. “Metal or glass is another way to
add reflectivity to the otherwise light-absorbing space.

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 7

hues

The best contemporary
style bathrooms pay
homage to minimalist
design without going
too starkly modern.

Most metals work well for a black bathroom. Use
something which is shiny enough to bounce light,” says
Ruchika. ..She adds, “Outlines of brass can have a nice
shimmering effect.”

For those seeking a stronger design statement in a
traditional style space, a mostly black colour scheme
quickly pushes softer neutrals to the wayside. A variety
of paint sheens, displays of mirrors, glamorous touches
of marble and some purposeful lighting can balance the
weight of dark walls. “Add interest to all black walls
with classic details of decorative mouldings. Faucets,
fixtures and accessories in brushed bronze can add
shine and sophistication to an all black-palette,” sug-
gests entrepreneur PriyaJagat, The Vanity Box.

The best contemporary style bathrooms pay homage
to minimalist design without going too starkly mod-
ern. Wood details help warm things up. “Add simple
furnishings like wall hung vanities,” says Priya. `One
of the easiest ways to work with black in a bathroom,
especially if you are nervous about the trend, is to
consider working with a stone product over an acryl-
ic. Acrylic bathroom fittings will generally come into
a gloss finish. Stone being natural is more likely
to come into a matte.

8 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

hues

Ever-sophis-
ticated and
enduringly
chic, the
colour
black is
and will
always be a
home design
darling.

“A stone product will give you a little more forgive-
ness with water and finger marks. Design-wise, stone
will allow your black feature to appear smooth and sen-
sual. Glossy black acrylics do run the risk of looking a
tad cheap and out of place,” shares ChitvanVinayak, a
Ludhiana interior designer.

When working with black (especially for the first
time) please remember to keep it simple! Stick with a
monochromatic colour scheme to ensure your bathroom
looks spacious. Another handy tip, “If monochrome is
not your thing, use timber as a surface finish. Timber
is always a good option for any room if you are look-
ing to enhance visual interest without breaking a colour
scheme,” advises Chitvan.

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 9

Furniture placements
10 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

Furniture placements

facGeive-alift

your tso pace

Whether you are designing or revamping
your space, your furniture arrangement is
an important aspect. Its proper placement
goes a long way in making your living area
feel more welcoming and comfortable

By Rukhsar Moeen

Home decoration is an art and positioning furniture
properly makes a house feel like a home in true
senses. Arranging your furniture correctly can bring
a huge difference to an unhappy and lack-lustrous
room. Whether you are designing or revamping your
space, your furniture arrangement is an important aspect. And this is
one such thing that often gets overlooked and you might awaken to
the fact that those pretty and beautiful chattels do not appear good.
Therefore, placing your furniture aptly will help you enhance the
good work you have done so far. In fact, proper placement of fur-
niture goes a long way in making the space feel more welcoming
and comfortable.

Now that you are ready to give a face-lift to your space consider the
place and the number of people who are going to use the space. This
will dictate the type of furnishings you will need and number of seating
required. You may also empty your room which will give you a better
idea of the room’s shape without influencing your judgment. Think of
arranging the functionality first and rest will follow itself.

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 11

Furniture placements

combining a
curved sofa with
an angular centre
table will set a
perfect example
of a wonderful
contrast of pair-
ing different kind

of furniture.

Try identifying the focal point of your place, instead go for the ones which are ap- If sofas are pushed back against the walls,
space. Every room has a focal point which propriate for the space in terms of size as the space looks cold and ample of space is
can be any object that draws your eyes like well as overall plan of the room. left in the middle of the room. Instead, main-
television, an art work, a window, etc. Try to tain some distance from the walls and group
arrange your furniture around it and you will Another important and a very basic tip to your furniture together. Keeping few inches
notice that this would create visual harmony keep in mind while arranging furniture is to of distance between the walls and seating
without making the arrangements look un- pay attention to the traffic flow. Make sure furniture will leave the room more warm
organised and cluttered. Whatever the focal that there is enough distance between the fur- and soothing.
point is, arrangements and designing should niture items like sofa and table or between
begin from there. the chairs so as to avoid tripping. There To add a touch of sophistication and ele-
should be ample room for people to walk gance you may mix and match different fur-
Sticking to the general rule, spacing freely. Moreover, it is equally important niture pieces too. Placing furniture of varied
should be considered while selecting the fur- to pay attention to the entrances and exits. sizes will move the eyes up and down while
niture for your space. It is always better to Place the pieces of furniture in a manner that scanning the space. Similarly pairing dif-
have less furniture than to overstuff the place they do not impede the door openings and ferent kind of furniture will also work very
making it look small and compact. Furniture movement of people. well to transform the look of the space. For
should be evenly spread and the place should instance, combining a curved sofa with an
not look messy and overcrowded. Don’t go Placing sofa sets against the walls is a big angular centre table or the opposite will set a
for furniture which doesn’t fit in particular no-no. Leave spaces between the walls and perfect example of a wonderful contrast.
the seating furniture like chairs or sofa sets.

12 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

Furniture placements

Proper furnishings can affect the mood and
visual appearances of the room in a big way.
When done properly, furniture placement
will make the space look good and make
the setting more calm and serene. What all
it includes is simply choosing the right fur-
niture which has to be placed in a right man-
ner to create the right atmosphere for more
comfortable conversation and relaxing areas.
Give the furnishing placement your personal
touch but make sure that the arrangement is
practical and doesn’t look awkward. An ad-
ditional tip is to avoid buying furnishings of
dark colour for small spaces as it can make
the space feel small. Balance is always im-
portant and when furnishing any space al-
ways consider the size of the area as well as
the furniture piece.

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 13

Globalscape

With GST regime and India scaling By Anuj Puri
higher on World Bank’s Logistics
Performance Index 2016, the sector I ndia has jumped 19 positions in the
poised for rapid growth Logistics Performance Index (LPI)
released recently by the World Bank.
Indian The country now stands at the 35th
logistics rank among 160 countries, up from the
sector to 54th position in 2014. The World Bank studies
attract policy regulation as well as supply chain per-
formance outcomes across six sub-indices for
more the Index and assigns scores to each country
FDI & PE based on their performance in these.
inflows
Among the six sub-indices, India im-
Source: World Bank proved the most on customs, jumping from
65 in 2014 to 38 in 2016. Introduction of
14 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016 a ‘Single Window Interface for Trade’ or
SWIFT, apart from other recent reforms car-
ried out in customs, helped India improve in
this indicator. This validates the improving
regulatory environment and ‘ease of doing
business’. India also improved significantly
in the other sub-indices:

This is just the beginning of a changing
era as India’s strategy to invest in funda-
mentals is expected to bring-in significant
changes in the long-term and near future. In-
dia’s investment in infrastructure is around
10% of GDP, which is significantly higher
than the BRICS block as well as developed
economies such as USA and Japan.

GST to have a
huge impact on
warehousing
and logistics

All eyes were on India to see whether the
government would keep its word on passage
of the crucial taxation reform – the Goods
and Services Tax (GST). With the current
government having negotiated well with the
Opposition, GST – touted as the most impor-
tant reform in modern India’s history – got
passed by the Parliament recently. The tax
will have positive implications on the ware-
housing and logistics sector in India.

It will lead to emergence of more than
a dozen new warehousing hubs apart from
an increase in warehousing supply within

Introduction
of a ‘Single

Window Interface
for Trade’ or SWIFT,

apart from
other recent

reforms
carried out in
customs, helped
India improve in
this indicator.

Globalscape

Rank in different sub-indices for India between the years 2014 and 2016

Year Customs Infrastructure International Logistics Tracking Timeliness
Shipments competence & tracing

2014 65 58 44 52 57 51

2016 38 36 39 32 33 42

the existing eight hubs. This bodes well for to higher efficiency in supply chains and compared to other asset classes, the returns
eCommerce players as they will be able to the former would become more produc- on investment in warehousing are more at-
service many more locations across the coun- tive and logical locations. Automation of tractive. Apart from the obvious benefits, all
try. As transit time taken during state border these assets will be seen, which will give these factors are expected to lead to an in-
crossings and the paper work involved will excellent cost benefits to the landlords/ op- creased interest of private equity players in
reduce, it will immensely benefit logistics erators. As the rents charged by organised the sector and India moving further up in the
players. These cost savings could even get warehouses will go down, the price advan- LPI 2018 rankings. Both logistics and ware-
passed onto the consumers. tage that unorganised warehouses presently housing look all set for a long, new phase of
enjoy will shrink. fast growth.
Under the new tax structure, focus would
shift from saving tax by having smaller Demand for organised warehouses will go (The author is chairman &
warehouses, to improving overall efficien- up and resultantly, more developers could country head, JLL India)
cy. Merger of smaller warehouses will lead get into the business. At lower investment

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 15

Trending

hHoouwsuinlgtrdaefliuexsuarlyl
market trends

Not only such high-end flats are built only by developers who have
specific expertise in this genre, but besides large size, customers look for
highly evolved amenities and facilities to create the necessary plush ethos

16 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

Trending

By Kishor Pate The higher ticket sizes
means that only investors
I n India, the definition of luxury housing varies from city to city, with considerable capital
and the demand for luxury homes in each city also differs. A at their disposal are active
plush 2 BHK flat in a central location or in an area near to corpo-
rate or IT employment hubs would qualify as a luxury home in in the luxury segment.
Mumbai, Pune or Bangalore solely on the basis of location. How-
ever, the classic Indian concept of a luxury home also involves generous
size - so a 3 or 4 BHK apartment is definitely defined as luxury.As a rule,
such luxury flats are built only by developers who have specific expertise
in this genre, as apart from large size, customers look for highly evolved
amenities and facilities to create the necessary luxury ethos.

What drives the demand for luxuryhomes

It is a mistake to club the demand for ultra-luxury housing with that
of the rest of the property market, because the dynamics are very dif-
ferent. In the first place, the luxury homes market tends to be quite
end-user centric in many cities. The higher ticket sizes mean that
only investors with considerable capital at their disposal are active in
the luxury segment. The end-users who largely patronise the luxury
housing segment generally do not need housing loans but buy such
properties from their own capital, being from the affluent class.

Cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi have
their well-established high-value luxury homes locations. The
people who live there have often been residents for several gen-
erations and are not open to relocating elsewhere. These locations
tend to have a rich share of natural ambience due to limited de-
velopment norms being enforced there, and at the same time a
high degree of social infrastructure which ensures that life there is
trouble-free and convenient.

Among this location-driven buyer set, the demand for genuine
luxury homes is considerable. Due to very limited supply in these
areas, such properties often tend to change hands among this specific
buyer segment. Prices for such ultra-luxury homes are a function of
both the high-value vanity addresses and the size and configuration.
Rarely, a large family-owned property will be sold and redeveloped
into limited-edition boutique homes which are immediately snapped
up. We can see this dynamic actively at play in areas like Cuffe Pa-
rade, Nepean Sea Road, Worli, Juhu and Lower Parel in Mumbai. In
Pune, the specific areas for such luxury housing are Sahakar Nagar,
Boat Club Road, Kalyani Nagar and Koregaon Park.

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 17

Trending

The marketing approach focuses more on the aspiration for exclu-
siveness and status among people who can afford to avail of it.

18 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

Trending

Immune to general Since they are meant to function as family estates, luxury homes in
market dynamics such areas doubtlessly need to get the size factor right. Such extra-large
ultra luxury living spaces are naturally expected to offer ultra-modern
The demand for luxury housing in luxurious amenities which can be upgraded as technological advance-
these elite locations is therefore al- ments push the luxury envelope further up the value chain. These ad-
ways steady. Developers who have the dresses may or may not be centrally located, but that factor does not, in
rare opportunity to create new luxury any case, play a big role.
housingprojectstherewillinvariablyhave
a dedicated inner circle of HNI buyers and in- Why core luxury addresses never change
vestorswhowillsnapuptheirlimited-editionoffer-
ings. Such housing is more or less impervious to the influence of recession, Spatial expansion of cities like Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi is
as the buyers are not dependent on home loans but largely use their own constantly pushing the city boundaries further and in different directions.
capitaltobuysuchhousing.ThedemandfrominvestorsandHNIend-users Simultaneously, new workplace hubs geared to the booming information
for luxury housing in the traditional core areas of the city is therefore al- technology sector spring up in the emerging locations, which Infotech
ways present. When the opportunity to acquire properties in a new luxury companies prefer because of the lower property costs. Residential catch-
project in such an area presents itself, such buyers will enter the project at ments form around these IT hubs to respond to the demand for homes
the pre-launch or under construction stage to avail of the best rates. from their employees.

The marketing strategy for homes in a city’s core luxury areas also dif- These new residential areas usually see high demand for homes of all
fers significantly from the kind of campaigns developers use to promote ticket sizes, including the more expensive ‘green homes.’ While these
mid-income housing projects. The marketing approach focuses more higher-end homes definitely fall in the category of premium housing,
on the aspiration for exclusiveness and status among people who can the locations themselves do not spell luxury. The same dynamic can be
afford to avail of it. While word-of-mouth communication among core seen around large manufacturing hubs, where premium housing can be
investors usually suffices to draw massive inquiries, developers will also found in locations which have essentially have an industrial, blue-collar
advertise these offerings in prestigious lifestyle magazines, airport image. Through all this expansion, a city’s core luxury address locations
lounges and similar platforms. remain static and continue to hold sway even as the city itself grows in
all directions.

These addresses have very little to do with Indian real estate’s primary
growth driver, which is employment generation. They are the home of
the city’s landed gentry - its long-established core of wealth. Though
property owners in these locations are often owners of very large busi-
nesses, they themselves are not dependent on quick access to workplace
hubs. They have earned a far more leisurely life long ago, and their main
objective and prerogative is to dwell among their peers in an environment
untouched by the mass development in every other part of the city.

(The author is CMD, Amit Enterprises Housing Ltd.)

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 19

cut to the chase

There are some
major issues that

merit attention

Rajeev Talwar, Chairman, n The government of India has recently What is your view?
NAREDCO, in an exclusive taken initiatives to revive the construction RT: The government’s resolve to provide
interview with Chromohomes, sector. Do you think it will help improve housing to all by 2022 is extremely impor-
talked about various initia- market sentiments as well as the business tant to address rapid growth in slums and un-
tives taken by the government environment in the country? authorised colonies, thereby paving the way
to strengthen the realty Rajeev Talwar: The series of measures an- for a better quality of life for the country’s
sector, explained about how nounced by the government to revive the citizens. It is a bold target but it can surely be
they can pave the way for a construction sector by enabling early redres- achieved, provided hindrances are removed
better quality of life for the sal of all pending disputes and release funds to usher in mega construction and renovation
country’s citizens and more stuck in arbitration awards will not only go a across the nation. It is critical to review the
importantly addressed some long way in reviving stalled projects but will current state, identify issues restricting de-
of the key reforms which are also have significant multiplier impact for the sired growth of housing stock and then build
needed to give push to the entire economy. The Cabinet meet also noted an effective execution strategy. According to
housing sector. Excerpts… the slowdown in real estate sector, leading to studies conducted by the Ministry of Rural
stretched liquidity. With RBI and department Development and the Ministry of Housing
of financial services working on a similar pack- and Urban Poverty Alleviation, almost a
age for the real estate sector, we are hopeful quarter of Indian households lack adequate
that such measures will help alleviate distress housing and India will require about 11 crore
in this segment. In the last few years, a number housing units on a pan India basis by 2022.
of infrastructure projects were massively de- That surely is a humongous task.
layed as they got stuck in arbitration but these
pragmatic steps by the government will help n How do you see the current pace of re-
break the logjam. With a faster and transparent forms in the sector?
mechanism that will give companies access to RT: We believe that to achieve PM Modi’s
much needed capital, construction activity is vision, we need to strengthen the sector by
bound to pick up steam across the country and streamlining the archaic norms and proce-
generate large number of jobs. dures of urban local bodies and incentivise
stakeholders. In the last few years, there have
n The government has set an ambitious been reforms across a wide series of real es-
target to provide housing to all by 2022. tate issues such as land acquisition, regula-

20 chromohomes w September 2016

cut to the chase

tion to protect customer interests, opening
the doors to foreign investors, and the intro-
duction of Real Estate Investments Trusts
(REITs). That said, there are still a number
of issues that need focused attention, failing
which the real estate sector will not be able
to deliver the promise it holds.

n What are the additional reforms you availability, approval delays, funding, and n How will passage of Real Estate Regula-
think are needed to give push to the hous- affordability. But first, government must ac- tory Bill help?
ing sector? cept that PPP is a partnership fraught with RT: The passage of the bill is indeed a posi-
RT: There are some key issues that merit at- risks; and not a contract that is given out to tive for the sector as the regulatory body
tention. For instance, India’s FAR/FSI norms squeeze the private player. will usher in much needed transparency
are much lower compared to international cit- in the sector. It will help address a num-
ies resulting in horizontal expansion of cities n Real estate developers also face issue ber of issues plaguing the sector and bring
and thus putting pressure on limited supply of with building bye-laws in the country, clarity for both developers and buyers. I be-
urban land. The density norms in India are also which vary from state to state… lieve that once state wise regulators are in
not adequate to facilitate economical develop- RT: I think harmonisation of bye laws is place, the real estate sector will get a much
ment of Community Service Providers (CSP)/ critical to ensure standardisation and pro- needed boost and give a bigger momentum
Economically Weaker Section (EWS) houses. vide for a more consistent framework across to sales. While the new law answers home-
There is an urgent need to relook at the exist- the country. The result of standardisation buyers’ concerns including delayed deliv-
ing development norms, especially from CSP/ will be lower component cost, better train- ery and change in project layout, develop-
EWS housing perspective. Further, additional ing of workers and improved quality. Given ers too will benefit as higher transparency
development norms such as internal roads large changes in technology, there is also a and accountability will improve fund flow
and parking space could be relooked at, and requirement to relook at building codes and from banks and other institutional investors
if possible, relaxed for affordable housing to there are opportunities to have both better into the sector.
facilitate movement of available land parcels design and lower costs.
towards development of increased housing.
A critical piece missing in the entire chain of
reforms is infrastructure status to the housing
sector, which is much needed for large-scale
urban infrastructure projects. Further, a num-
ber of developers wish to participate in afford-
able housing projects, provided the govern-
ment takes proactive steps.

n Do you think PPP model can play an
important role?
RT: PPPs can surely help bridge the gap be-
tween the housing need and supply, as they
can attract private capital for financially vi-
able affordable housing projects. The PPP
framework can be effectively used to address
issues in housing development such as land

September 2016 w chromohomes 21

Environmental Concerns
22 chromohomes w september 2016

Environmental Concerns

atAhogsohrpmaieerev?ene

september 2016 w chromohomes 23

Environmental Concerns

Just keep a few essential points in mind and By Nilanjan Bhowal
a little bit of attention towards creating an
efficient eco-friendly environment at home With the increasing envi-
ronmental concerns resi-
dents of metro cities are
not hesitant to spend a
little extra to own a green
and eco-friendly home today. Those who al-
ready have a lavish home are also looking
for avenues to create an eco-friendly envi-
ronment at home to pay back to the nature
and save the mother earth.

Here are a few important points to be kept
in mind while making a green home:

Structure

AAC blocks (autoclaved aerated concrete)
should be used for the external walls and
fly ash bricks for the inner walls as both of
these are natural insulators of heat and are
produced from the industrial waste.

Orientation

The plot’s longer sides should be north-south
oriented so that the house receives diffused
natural light and not glare from the direct
sunlight. If not then there can be east and
west facing windows which should be either
double glazed or have a chajja/balcony cov-
ering the length of the building sufficiently.

Openings

Windows should be placed maximum on the
north side so that the maximum light is and
minimum glare received from the sun. If not
then one can place it in the east and west di-
rections by making the balcony’s projection
in such a way so that it shades the window
and allow diffused lighting.

Preserve rain water

Rain water should be collected from the ter-
race and balconies for kitchen and bathroom
usage in a collection tank. Excess water can
be sent to the ground for raising underground

The collected Rain water
should be used for kitchen

and bathroom.

24 chromohomes w september 2016

Environmental Concerns

water level. Waste water should be chemically Most of the lated so that it gains less heat. Insulations in the
or organically treated and reused for garden. energy which is walls and roof e.g. - by using earthen pots in the
slab help reduce heat gain. solar panels and so-
Waste management consumed in lar heaters can also be used. Light fixtures can
India is to keep the be changed to LED’s and CFL’s for less energy
Sewage should not be released directly into consumption.
the municipal lines. Installing an STP (sew- buildings cool.
age treatment plant) on site does the 1st level Terrace
of treatment. After the treatment the water is
sent to the municipal treatment plant where The roof of any building gets the maximum
it is treated further. Also kitchen waste can heat. Insulations in the flooring such as ver-
be used to produce natural compost with the miculite can be used. Reflective mosaic tile
use of a vertical composter. This reduces the flooring helps reduce heat gain very effectively.
overall garbage from the building and pro- Landscaping on the roof is also helpful.
vides natural compost for the garden.
Water bodies
Judicious use of old
building materials Adding water bodies in some form at home
to manage the micro-climate of the building.
Reuse materials from old buildings such as old
chowkhats, bricks etc. in non-critical areas. Driveway and road

Energy To be lined with plants/trees to keep it shaded.

Most of the energy which is consumed in In- All appliances
dia is to keep the buildings cool. This can be
avoided if the envelope of the building is insu- Used should have a five star rating as they
conserve energy.

Apart from all this maintaining such a
house is also very important to keep it ef-
ficient and sustainable so that it does not
lose its promising green qualities, e.g.- solar
panels used for generating electricity should
be wiped every week to remove the dust col-
lecting on it as it reduces the efficiency of the
panel to generate sufficient electricity.

All these small efforts contribute a lot to-
wards creating an efficient green home and
require just a little bit of attention. The coun-
try is moving towards a developed status so
a conscious effort is required from each of
us. Just like the dynamic technological de-
velopments we see each day, environmental
concerns also need to be addressed with the
same importance and efforts.

(The author is founder and principal
architect at Design Consortium)

like techno-
logical devel-
opments we see
every day, envi-
ronmental con-
cerns also need
to be addressed
with the same
importance .

september 2016 w chromohomes 25

Connoisseur
26 chromohomes w september 2016

Connoisseur

By Chromohomes Bureau HAn ecolectmic mixeof without having to import, so set about
finding a few local craftsmen to help
Indian craftsmanship fascinates her her make her own furniture. She found
probably more than anything else. a team that has been making furniture
Vijaya Eastwood, who runs an for generations, with skills handed down
ITeS business, a bespoke furniture over the decades. Her furniture is made
firm amongst other business inter- with very little machinery, resulting in a
est, has been collecting antique furniture perfect fusion, which has been a very re-
and artifacts for years for her homes in stylefurnishing warding experience. “My design and ex-
the UK and India. “This has always cre- ecution is simple as the house has a lot of
ated great talking points when I entertain, light I have used light colours, because
and even more so with the movers and of my stringent belief that elegance lies in
packers …. I must be blacklisted, you will simplicity,” she proclaims. Over the last
know what I mean if you have tried lift- year she has been persuaded by friends
ing one,” quips the dynamic entrepreneur, to make furniture for them and others,
who is originally from Manipur and keen it’s a pleasure to make pieces for people
to contribute to the economic growth of who enjoy a similar passion for furniture
the North-east India and showcase the in- and design. She has set up a brand called

credible beauty of the region. Pasture House…still in its infancy but

Vijaya’s place in Delhi is also in- growing nicely.

spired by her travels, her life in the UK Vijaya ispleased to be able to offer

and the vast variations of cultural in- A bespoke furniture company work to these traditional craftsmen and
fluences she rubbed shoulders in India, owner, Vijaya Eastwood’s home artisans,the sad reality of present times,
South-east Asia and Europe. European in Delhi is inspired by her travels, is that this beautiful traditional craftsman-
lifestyle and properties are quite differ- ship is slowly being lost, cheap imported

ent from India, in terms of size, shape, her life in the UK and hence is the furniture from overseas is being the main
material used etc. However, there is one perfect blend of the traditional culprit here. Usually, imports are cheaper,
common thread when she furnishes, she handmade Indian craftsmanship easily and readily available, however, most
likes to mix styles and materials which is often of inferior quality and just don’t last.

a challenge to get right, but this is what with a European aesthetic Over the years, this buying behaviour has
she enjoys.“I love beautiful things, as eroded the traditional Indian art. With

most of us do, having travelled exten- some commitment and patience and a bit

sively around the world over the years, more effort you can also acquire beautiful

I have been lucky enough to be able to pieces of art in the form of furniture. “We

absorb myself in many different cultures need to preserve the traditional skills, art

and experience an eclectic mix of home and craft of the people who make these

furnishing styles as a result,” she avers. marvelous artifacts, promote and preserve

She doesn’t think there is a formula to them,” emphasises Vijaya.

a beautiful home, it’s what and how you She believes that a house should have a

like. What also fascinates her here in In- garden or plants, any forms representing

dia is the age old history of the country greenery and a water feature, they bring

and the traditions followed locally. Her tranquility and peace to the home, both

home in Delhi is the perfect blend of the of which are evident at her residence in

traditional handmade Indian craftsman- Delhi, giving it a spacious livable feel.

ship with a European aesthetic. Together “I sincerely hope that in some way,

they work well. our brand Pasture House and our team

Living between the two continents, ex- can support and promote the artisan and

periencing the two cultures and lifestyle craftsmen talent throughout the country,”

Vijaya wanted to bring them together she signs off.

september 2016 w chromohomes 27

Cover story

Strengthening
infrastrtheucture

Experts believe that smart cities initiative will not just go a long way in alleviat-
ing the concerns thrown up by the breakneck speed of urbanisation in India, but
also create a massive magnet of employment opportunities in the country

28 chromohomes w september 2016

Cover story

By Tasneem Firdausi

The buzz word in the developmental arena,
of late, has been smart city and now it took
another leap forward with the shift in focus
on how the cities will become adaptable to
the changes and become sustainable. The
urban planning is an important aspect of our future smart
cities. As a concept, the mission of smart city is a well
thought out, well-planned initiative of the Government
of India. The cities intend to monetise the assets.

“We need smart cities as there is a lot of urban pres-
sure and a lot of wastage of resources. The inspirational
part is already under way as the small townships that are
growing at present are trying to fit into the smart city
frame,” says Pratap Padode, founder & director, Smart
Cities Council India.

However, there is no urban planner in the picture,
there is much more to uniformity in design. Indraneel
Ghosh, assistant vice president, Brillio India, is of the
view, “We have to have the vision as to how our cities are
going to become in the next five years and later. Smart
spaces have to be focused on.

september 2016 w chromohomes 29

Cover story
30 chromohomes w september 2016

Cover story

We have to define future-ready cities.”
Echoing the similar notion Prof. Dr. P.S.N.
Rao, head of housing, School of Planning
and Architecture &chairman, DUAC, says,
“Five years is just a warming period to re-
do Indian cities. We surely need much more
time.How you manage the garbage, water
and other important resources is a very criti-
cal part of the whole process.”

By 2050, about two-thirds of the world’s
population is expected to reside in urban ar-
eas, with the largest growth taking place in
just three countries – India, China and Nigeria
– which will account for close to 37 per cent
of the projected growth of nearly 2.5 billion
people in the urban population. In the next 34
years, India alone is projected to add 404 mil-
lion urban dwellers, while China 292 million
and Nigeria 212 million, according to a United
Nations report released some time back.

The world’s urban population, in fact, is
expected to reach 6.3 billion by 2050 from
3.9 billion currently. “Even as population in
cities and towns keeps growing, a key cause
for concern is the quality of life that accom-
panies such urbanisation,” says Pradeep
Misra, CMD, REPL (Rudrabhishek
Enterprise Pvt. Ltd.), giving a sim-
ple reason that these urban areas
will face numerous challenges in
meeting the needs of their growing popula-
tion, including for housing, infrastructure,
transportation, energy and employment, as
well as for basic services such as education
and healthcare.

september 2016 w chromohomes 31

Cover story

The mission statement
and guidelines published
by the ministry of urban
development in 2015
address the following
as core infrastructure
elements of smart cities:

n Adequate water supply
n Assured electricity supply
n Sanitation, including solid waste
management
n Efficient urban mobility and public
transport
n Affordable housing, especially for the poor
n Robust IT connectivity and digitalisation
n Good governance, especially e-Gover-
nance and citizen participation
n Sustainable environment
n Safety and security of citizens, particu-
larly women, children and the elderly
n Health and education

In India, trends over the past few decades
have indicated that although urbanisation has
been increasing over time, the major portion
of the urban population (about 70 per cent)
is largely concentrated in only about six per
cent of cities and towns. As a result, there
is tremendous pressure on existing larger
cities, and stagnation in smaller ones. “The
pressures are being felt by way of stresses
on infrastructure assets, public services and
housing, with no city being able to provide
a quality of life that is comparable to devel-
oped nations,” states a white paper released
recently by RICS.

This explains why along with the de-
velopment of existing cities, there is need
to develop some new cities in sync with
population growth to avoid the burgeon-
ing of existing cities. “However, mindless
development of new cities without proper
infrastructure in place could lead to degra-
dation of urban life, which is not sustainable
in future,” points out Misra.

32 chromohomes w september 2016

Cover story
september 2016 w chromohomes 33

Cover story Here comes the role of smart cities, as pro-
posed by the Modi government. Although
The role of technology and launched formally in June 2015, the idea to
internet will be essential to build 100 smart cities was in place in 2014
sustain the future developmental itself, days after the current political dispen-
sation assumed office.
dynamics of smart cities.
As the name suggests, a smart city is one
that offers a superior way or life to its resi-
dents, and one wherein economic develop-
ment and activity are sustainable and logi-
cally incremental by virtue of being based
on success-oriented market drivers such as
supply and demand. Smart city, in fact, is
a broad, integrated approach to improving
the efficiency of city operations, the quality
of life for its citizens and growing the local
economy. A smart city judiciously utilises
the resources avail to it, such as water, land,
power, roads, public transport, and funds,
among others.

As already mentioned, most of the In-
dian cities are grappling with issues such as
poor quality of ambient air, water scarcity or
flooding, traffic snarls and challenges related
to municipal solid waste disposal, amongst
many other problems. “For urbanisation,
the key areas of focus from a sustainability
and liveability perspective are energy, water,
air, waste and urban transportation. Besides,
natural disasters such as the Chennai floods
and the Nepal earthquake - and their impact
on the respective cities - have laid bare the
dire need for resilience as a leading objective
in urban planning and infrastructure design
and development.

34 chromohomes w september 2016

Cover story

Cites need to protect people, buildings tic concept and having numerous plus points frastructure of India, including mobility and
and critical operating infrastructure from the to their side, smart cities are said to have housing. These satellite towns will create a
effects of major storms and other events,” some limitations. Excessive dependency on massive magnet of employment opportunities
says a JLL India report. At a conceptual and information technology is one such thing. In in big, medium and small-scale industries.
implementation level, smart cities represent case of failure of the system, for instance, the Besides, a smart city is expected to improve
a convergence of these focus areas, says the whole city can come to a standstill. Further, economic efficiency, provide better quality of
report, adding that the smart cities initiative there are high chances of vulnerability of city life and promote sustainable urban develop-
will go a long way in alleviating the concerns data. Some critics are also of the view that ment. More importantly, as the massive rise
thrown up by the breakneck speed of urbani- building new high-tech cities could be a case in urban population is bound to entail envi-
sation in present-day India. For, smart cities of misplaced priorities, especially in a coun- ronmental and infrastructural changes, and
aim at optimum utilisation of infrastructure try like India where many people still live our government and local bodies have to si-
and resources, combining growth and infra- without basic infrastructure. multaneously rise to the occasion to manage
structure demands enabled by Information the show, our cities also need to get smarter.
and Communication Technologies (ICT). Whatever be the case, experts feel that And smart cities are surely a way out!
smart cities will certainly strengthen the in-
The smart city concept thus aims to take
into account not only the infrastructure de-
velopment and associated real estate growth,
but the assimilation of technology to increase
the efficiency of the public service systems as
well. “A smart city is a highly urban region
that is highly developed in terms of overall
infrastructure, communications, sustainable
real estate, and overall market viability. And
they literally benefit everyone, including res-
idents, businesses, the government and even
the environment,” adds Misra.

The role of technology and internet will be
essential to sustain the future developmental
dynamics. According to Stefan Sjöström,
vice president Asia, public sector, Micro-
soft Operations Pte Ltd., technology today
touches every aspect of our life. “Technology
is the backbone of all the development that
smart cities can expect in future,” emphasises
Sjöström. However, despite being a futuris-

september 2016 w chromohomes 35

Focus

The
Industry experts
believe that the
initiatives taken by
the government to

right revivetheconstruction
sector will help
improve market senti-
ments as well as the

push businessenvironment
in the country

36 chromohomes w september 2016

Focus

By Chromohomes Bureau

Last month Cabinet approved
initiatives that are expected to
revive the construction sector.
The real estate sector is hopeful
that it will bring in a change and
see to it that the sector does what is intended
to do, which is to deliver projects on time.

Rajeev Talwar, chairman, NAREDCO,
says, “The series of measures announced
by the government to revive the construc-
tion sector by enabling early redressal of all
pending disputes and release funds stuck in
arbitration awards will not only go a long
way in reviving stalled projects but will also
have significant multiplier impact for the en-
tire economy. The Cabinet meet also noted
the slowdown in real estate sector, leading
to stretched liquidity. With RBI and Depart-
ment of Financial Services working on a
similar package for the real estate sector, we
are hopeful that such measures will help al-
leviate distress in this segment.”

Talwar adds, “In the last few years, a num-
ber of infrastructure projects were massively
delayed as they got stuck in arbitration but
these pragmatic steps by the government
will help break the logjam. With a faster and
transparent mechanism that will give com-
panies access to much needed capital, con-
struction activity is bound to pick up steam
across the country and generate large num-
ber of jobs.”

The Cabinet meet
also noted the
slowdown in

real estate
sector, leading

to stretched
liquidity.

september 2016 w chromohomes 37

Focus

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Af- “The new announcements are within The government departments have further
fairs (CCEA) in August sought to provide a the spirit of the new government to enable been advised to switch to the new arbitration
positive push to the construction sector via a ‘ease of doing business’. With the signifi- rules with the consent of the execution party
slew of initiatives to give a fillip to private cant contribution of the construction sector to ensure timely redressal of grievances dur-
participation and investments while also and its forward linkages to various economic ing project implementation phase. Setting
providing oxygen to revive stalled projects activities, it is very necessary to remove up of Conciliation Councils comprising of
in the sector. The announcement that govern- roadblocks that stall the sector’s growth. subject matter experts has also been sug-
ment agencies would pay 75% of the arbitral The government itself has acknowledged gested for speedy disposal of disagreements.
award amount to an escrow account against that arbitration proceedings are long-drawn “Stalled projects also have a major bearing
margin free bank guarantee, in those cases and they have a cascading effect of stalling on debt recovery of the financial institutions,
where the award is challenged, is a major the projects, cost escalations, pressure on which in turn fuel stress within the financial
step towards ensuring continued liquidity the financial institutions and impeding firms system by increasing bad debts and stretch-
provisioning for the capital intensive sector. to complete the projects, with their experi- ing the recovery period. The new measures
This escrow account will be used to meet on- ence also putting them off from future such will ensure that the resulting financial stress
going project commitments while also ser- engagements,” says Anuj Puri, chairman & on the funding institutions is managed to en-
vicing the bank loans. country head, JLL India. sure bad debts are controlled and the fund-

38 chromohomes w september 2016

Focus

The new measures will ensure that
the resulting financial stress on the
funding institutions is managed to ensure
bad debts are controlled and the funding

supply remains healthy.

ing supply remains healthy. This is possible projects will also give a boost to residential ternational best practices and clearly outlines
only when construction loans are recovered projects along these routes,” says Talwar. the risk and rewards along with ensuring a
in time,” says Puri. fair and transparent process through its con-
Another positive has been the advisory to tractual framework. Infrastructure capacity-
The steps will also give fillip to new proj- switch from item-rate contracts to EPC mode building remains a prime objective, and such
ects as the liquidity will likely improve once of contracts. Under the item rate contract, the initiatives will ensure that projects are not
these initiatives by the government take government or the nodal agency provides the stalled due to ongoing disputes. Financial
place. “The set of new well defined rules will detailed design and the estimates of quanti- support and quicker project execution will
encourage construction companies to take ties of different items of work called Bill of ensure that the objectives of the government
up fresh projects. The move will also give a Quantities, that would be needed for execu- and the industry remain in sync, and that
breather to banks battling mounting NPAs on tion. Payments are made to the contractor both move forward together. The cascading
their books. We also expect this key reform based on measurement of work done in re- impact on the economy will be significant,”
to give much needed impetus to key road spect of each item. Inadequate project prepa- says Puri.
projects in NCR region including Dwarka ration and estimation under this method usu-
Expressway, Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Ex- ally result in cost and timeline overruns. These positive initiatives will rekindle the
pressway, and Faridabad-Noida-Gurgaon Ex- real estate market with revival of cash flow
pressway. The completion of these key road The EPC contract mode is largely used and generating ample amount of employ-
in across most big projects in the developed ment opportunities. Getamber Anand, presi-
countries. Under this contract, the entire dent, CREDAI National, says, “If the banks
responsibility of project analysis, investiga- extend the repayment schedule, developers
tion, design and construction is given to the will use the cash flow in completing the proj-
project contractor for a lump sum amount ects instead of repaying the loan. This will
achieved through a competitive bidding pro- help the sector and economy.”
cess. This allows for project implementation
to specified standards with a higher degree This development will clearly unleash a
of certainty related to costs and time. It sets revival for the cash starving sector. Release
a higher liability and risk on the execution of money stuck in the arbitration will push
party. the working capital cycle of construction
companies, and will eventually lead to faster
“Also, government departments have completion of projects and payment of bank
been advised to adopt the model EPC con- liabilities.
tract which has been designed based on in-

september 2016 w chromohomes 39

Skyline | Coimbatore

reaFalsttyemheortgisnpgot
With the onset of positive sentiments and its business-friendly environment,
Coimbatore’s real estate market will grow tremendously in the coming years

40 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

Skyline | Coimbatore

By A. Shankar Coimbatore has been identified as one of the top 10 cities in the
country that offers low budget real estate investment opportunities,
L ocated in the Southern state of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore according to a recent study done on ‘Emerging Hotspots in India’ by
is advantageously sandwiched between tourist attrac- JLL. Eventually, the city is strongly visualised to captivate upcoming
tions like Ooty, Kodaikanal and Coorg. The city is investments into its real estate sector in the near future due to follow-
swiftly moving into fast-track development. In India, ing attributes:
the focus has already shifted towards tier II cities own-
ing to the huge demand in these cities, and many investments are One of the top 20 smart cities of India
pouring to them because of the good business propositions they offer. Coimbatore, categorised as a business & industrial centre, has the
Coimbatore is already witnessing increased real estate demand. pride label of one of the top 20 cities chosen by the Ministry of Urban
Development, Government of India under the Smart Cities Mission
Coimbatore’s massive manufacturing sector makes it one of the initiative. The city focuses on five nodes for the smart city proposal,
fastest-growing economies in the country; the city justifiably enjoys such as best-in-class civic services which envision to strengthen all
the tag of ‘Manchester of South India’. Its surrounding cotton feed a the utilities, seamless mobility which focuses on NMT, parking and
flourishing textile industry, contributing to the diversity of its econ- intelligent transport system through CCTV surveillance, a sustainable
omy. Coimbatore also holds many other alluring economic features environment by implementing LED street lighting and increasing
– for instance, it is a renowned manufacturing centre producing spe- green cover, E-governance and efficient infrastructure for industries.
cialised products intrinsic to the region, auto components, motors and
pumps, etc. The exports from the city range from poultry, jewellery to Central Coimbatore, adjoining an eight- lake network, is selected
software. In fact, Coimbatore caters a lot to the growing IT industry as the area for development under the smart city initiative, and will
and is supported by huge skilled labour pool and special economic witness intense development in the vicinity in the coming years. Re-
zones (SEZs) that have attracted leading IT companies and technol- cently, German experts have indicated to the state government their
ogy service providers. The city also has a strong economy from medi- interest in extending assistance to the smart city project to be imple-
cal tourism from various parts of the country. mented in Coimbatore.

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 41

Skyline | Coimbatore

Coimbatore is a prime-node on the industrial
corridor between Salem and Coimbatore which
could bring in substantial incremental invest-

ments in the region to help infuse positive
economic developments in the city.

Already an established indus- Technology Solutions, Wipro, FORD, Aditi
trial hub of South India Technologies, Robert Bosch GmbH, IBM,
Coimbatore has over 25,000 small, medium Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Elxsi, Dell,
and large business enterprises functioning CSS Corp and KGISL have already started
in the city. The major industries are textile their entry into the city. In fact, Cognizant’s
and engineering, and the city still continues second-biggest hub is located in Coimbatore,
on its track of being hardware-centric. This employing about 5000 employees. Coim-
makes it unique when viewed against other batore is also known as a business process
South Indian cities like Chennai and Ban- outsourcing (BPO) hub of note. Further, it is
galore, which rely more on the software the largest non-metro city for e-commerce in
industry for growth. With the implementa- South India due to the growing online shop-
tion of GST, this region will benefit from its ping, e-ticketing and e-billing adaptation be-
locational juxtaposition with neighbouring ing deployed in the city. Several e-commerce
states of Kerala and Karnataka. The Coim- companies are also based out of Coimbatore,
batore Salem Industrial Corridor strengthens including Gajgallery.com and Krizda.com.
its advantage. Coimbatore is a prime-node
on the industrial corridor between Salem Availability of quality labour is an important
and Coimbatore proposed by GoTN’s Vision factor driving factor that makes Coimbatore a
2023 Agenda. This could bring in substantial preferred business destination. The low attri-
incremental investments in the region to help tion rate (>10%) and limited competition add
infuse positive economic developments in to the positive business environment. It also
the city. According to the Confederation of houses 7 universities, 54 engineering colleges,
Indian Industry (CII) South, this corridor is 2 medical colleges, 35 polytechnics and over
expected to attract an investment of about Rs. 700 other educational institutions. This attracts
14,700 crore to create further infrastructure, a major population both from within and out-
thereby creating a wide range of investment side the state for quality education.
opportunities to the tune of about Rs. 43,000
crore. It is also being expected to create jobs Increased demand for commer-
for approximately 18 lakh white and blue col- cial real estate
lar personnel. This has already pulled in resi- In the past, the city’s market was not signifi-
dential developers planning to expand their cantly office-driven and the demand of real
offerings in the city. estate was by and large in the residential and
industrial segments. However, the city’s cur-
Emerging IT / ITeS destination rent outlook has changed drastically by shift-
On the software side, Coimbatore ranks ing towards increasing uptake of commercial
second following Chennai in terms of soft- real estate. In fact, Coimbatore is among the
ware production in the state. Cognizant rare Indian markets where office space uptake
has been in the positive zone in recent years.

42 chromohomes w sEPTEMBER 2016

Skyline | Coimbatore

The city has witnessed an increasing trend unabated. Coimbatore’s residential market
of relocation of companies to bigger spaces. has witnessed a positive push in demand for
Though the majority of such relocations are residential units in the key areas of the city
seen in the CBDs and off-CBDs in other major such as R.S. Puram, Avinashi Road, and Race
markets, in Coimbatore the rapid increase in Course, which are considered posh areas. Lo-
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has led cations off Avinashi Road and Saravanam-
to emerging locations commanding a higher patti, Mettupalayam Road and Trichy Road
increase in rentals than the established loca- are seeing a lot of low-budget projects.
tions. While IT/ITeS companies are increas-
ingly relocating from their existing buildings In Coimbatore’s residential market, 40%
to others within the same micro markets due of real estate investments come from those
to cost advantages, the real demand has started living in cities such as Bangalore, Kochi,
coming from the SMEs in the city. The rent- and Chennai. The preference for smaller
als for warm-shell office spaces are in range of apartments (1-BHK, 2-BHK) is high among
Rs.40 to 45 per sq.ft. Spaces of sizes 1,000 to young IT professionals, while villas and row
1,500 sq.ft. or 3,000 to 4,000 sq.ft. are highly houses are perceived in demand from NRIs,
preferred in this market. The requirement con- retired persons and top management IT and
tinues to be good for buildings that are located business professionals.
within 30 km from the city centre. The city
has a total supply of 4.5 million sft of com- Coimbatore is currently witnessing rela-
mercial space across various locations such tively low new supply, as developers are keen
as Avinashi Road, Trichy Road, R.S. Puram, to utilise the growing demand to clear their ex-
Mettupalayam Road and Gandhipuram areas, isting stock. The projects in the city are selling
with an average vacancy of 20%. This clearly between INR 4,000 to 6,500 per sq.ft. Like-
shows that Coimbatore is slowly transforming wise, they are keeping residential launches in
into an end-user driven commercial market. sync with the overall consumer spending ca-
pacity in the city by avoiding a lot of high-end
High potential for residential or super-luxury launches in the market. Con-
real estate clusively, Coimbatore has emerged as a strong
With the increased demand for commercial and growing economy based on manufactur-
activity, coupled with the smart city initiative ing and services sectors. This tier-II city boasts
and industrial demand, Coimbatore is emerg- of a distinctive economy, quality education, an
ing as a major nexus for well-established and extensive labour pool and focused sustainable
sustainable residential real estate. The market development objectives, making it an attrac-
has witnessed substantial increase in demand tive destination in South India giving a posi-
for housing, and the demand for second tive anticipation for the future investments.
home and retirement communities continues
(The author is national director & head
of operations – strategic consulting,
JLL India)

SEPTEMBER 2016 w chromohomes 43

Spaces | Open kitchen

cNootojukstifnorg
The new breed of kitchen serves multiple
purposes – blurring the lines between rooms, and

incorporating features, functions and decor
typically associated with other parts of the home

By Rukhsar Moeen floor plans are certainly here to stay. Gener-
alising a bit, new footprints of homes are get-
Look around any new or remod- ting a bit smaller, so we need to use space in
eled home and you’re likely to a multipurpose sense. The kitchen is a room
see one thing they all have in where most gravitate towards naturally, so it
common: the open kitchen.The makes sense for the open plan.
trend has been overwhelmingly
embraced by homeowners across the coun- Often combining one or more rooms are
try today. Kitchens have evolved beyond a utilised for an open floor layout function-
space for preparing meals. Whether they’re ing as an open and shared area. This concept
cooking, entertaining, socialising, or read- helps giving a more visual space by creating
ing, nearly two-thirds of women are spending an illusion of larger space. Without sacrific-
more than six hours a day in their kitchens. ing functionality, this concept simplifies the
design layout and gives the space more so-
Due to the lifestyle of a family today, open phisticated and elegant look.

44 chromohomes w september 2016

Spaces | Open kitchen
september 2016 w chromohomes 45

Spaces | Open kitchen
46 chromohomes w september 2016

Spaces | Open kitchen

reigning as the most popular colour choices.
Shades of beige, gray and white are preferred
for refreshed walls, while white-painted and
medium-light wood are still trending for
cabinets. Updated countertops either inte-
grate multiple colours, or are primarily white
or black.

The kitchen is This concept allows free flow of energy A more engaging area
a room where between the rooms and makes it easier for
most gravitate everyone to mingle and spend some valuable Eliminating doors and walls makes it much
time together. Moreover, these open floor easier for family and friends to feel con-
towards plans are more entertaining, airy, bright, styl- nected. When you are in the kitchen, you
naturally, so it ish and fun. may cook food and be connected with rest
makes sense for of the family who might sit in the living area.
the open plan. The majority of homeowners are remov- You can enjoy with your guests as well while
ing the confines between their kitchens from working in the kitchen. The concept is just
rest of the house to treat them as a multi- perfect to create an environment of together-
purpose hub. Blurring the lines between the ness which is not possible in case of com-
functional and living areas of their home, partmentalised floor plans.
while many homeowners have begun to use
their kitchen for eating and dining over a for- Extra visibility
mal dining room, numerousof them are using
the space to entertain. Many are adding fea- By eliminating walls, the open floor concept
tures traditionally associated with living and creates uninterrupted line of sight across the
dining rooms to their updated kitchens, such entire space. This means that the one stand-
as dining tables, chandeliers, televisions, etc. ing in kitchen can have a view of the outer
Customised features such as wine refrigera- space and this really comes beneficial for
tors and built-in coffee/tea stations are also those families with children and pets. It sim-
increasingly becoming a part of the multi- ply aids in getting a clear of the living area
purpose hub. and you may also continue to watch your fa-
vourite show while cooking.
Layouts and décor
A better flow of
The homeowners today expect kitchen reno- natural light
vations to go far beyond improving flow,
storage or aesthetics. Theirkitchen has liter- The open floor plan would invite natural light
ally become a living room or a family room, and your indoor spaces get better connected
with finishes, layouts and decor that chal- with the outdoor ones. In the absence of walls
lenge us to define where the kitchen ends and or partitions, the space will have light to flow
the rest of the home begins. smoothly making the space look illuminated,
Building upon the trend, neutral shades are warm and bright. A large window in kitchen
or a glass wall in the living area would let
the natural light flow efficiently through the
entire space.

september 2016 w chromohomes 47

Spaces | Pooja Room
48 chromohomes w september 2016