RAPID CONNECT TO CAPITAL

Travelling to Delhi from neighbouring towns of Panipat, Meerut and Alwar is all set to get easier, with the ambitious regional rapid transit system inching towards reality. 
    The feasibility study of the project, proposed by the urban development ministry and National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), is ready. The cabinet note on National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the special purpose vehicle that will execute the project, has been put up along with a note to the ministry's expenditure finance committee. 
    Delhi Integrated Multi-modal Transit System (DIMTS), which is preparing the detailed project report for two of the alignments — the Delhi-Panipat and Delhi-Meerut lines, says the basic framework for the project is ready along with the fare structure. “The feasibility study also chalks out the financial structure of the project, along with the structure of NCRTC,” said a DIMTS spokesperson. 
    According to officials, the states involved in the project, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, have agreed on the equity amount to be contributed by each to the corpus for NCRTC, 50% of which will come from the Centre. “The Planning Commission has also approved the project in principle,” said a senior official from NCRPB. National Highways Authority of India has also given the goahead to the Delhi-Panipat section, added the official. 
    The three alignments will connect these NCR towns to the capital through high-speed trains. “The trains will operate at a speed of 60kmph, and will run on broad gauge. Unlike the Metro, which has stations at a distance of one-two km, these alignments will have stations at a distance of five-10km,” said the DIMTS spokesperson. 
    Bigger coaches as well as luggage space will be the hallmarks of the trains, which will initially consist of three coaches. The fare, according to DIMTS, will be around Re 1 per km, with the Meerut line costing Rs 90 while the ticket for the 111km Delhi-Panipat line costing Rs 100. The most expensive will be the 180km Delhi-Alwar line at Rs 193. The fare will be graded according to the distance of the station from the originating point. According to the feasibility study, the frequency of the trains will be five minutes. 
    “The idea is to reduce the congestion on the road by tapping the two- and four-wheelers and buses,” said the DIMTS official. According to a 2007 survey, over a crore vehicles travel through Delhi every day. “With the high-speed corridors in place, the cost-benefit will be huge, in terms of fuel, highway, pollution, capital and time. There will be a benefit of 31% to Delhi,” said the spokesperson. 
    The 111km Delhi-Panipat alignment, which starts from ISBT Kashmere Gate, will reach the IOCL plant in 74 minutes. The 90km Delhi-Meerut line from ISBT Sarai Kale Khan will go to Modipuram in 62 minutes while the Delhi-Alwar line will start from ISBT Kashmere Gate and cover 180km in 117 minutes. 
    The government is also planning to develop pockets of real estate along the high-speed rail corridors, said DIMTS officials. “The development will be based on the transit-oriented development concept, with emphasis on high-density residential and commercial projects in these areas. The access to the rapid rail corridor is the backbone of this development,” said the official.

(Source TOI) 
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Bhiwadi: The next boom town

   Bhiwadi, is strategically located between Delhi, Gurgaon and Jaipur now enjoys the status of a Regional Centre or Priority Town of the National Capital Region (NCR), and has been able to create a niche for itself among the fast growing cities of India.

For developers and small investors in real estate, it has already become a destination of choice.

Bhiwadi, in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, is a fast modernising town with all facilities available. Numerous industries have come up in the surrounding regions such as Bhiwadi-Neemrana, Dharuhera, Tapukhera, Khushkhera, Chopanki, Bawal, etc.

Modern agri practices to be introduced Khushkhera-Bhiwadi-Neemrana zone

   The ensure availability of water for industrial use in Khushkhera-Bhiwadi-Neemrana (KBN) zone on the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor (DMIC), state government will develop the zone as the modern agriculture hub. State government officials have been asked to submit a detailed plan to department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) by December 2012.

While 85% water in the zone is utilized for agricultural purposes, the state government has intensified efforts to implement modern and efficient practices to ensure optimum use of resource and check wastage. This, in turn, will ensure adequate water supply for the industrial and manufacturing zone.

Haryana, Rajasthan clear alignment of Delhi-Jaipur expressway

   The proposed six-lane expressway from Delhi to Jaipur has cleared a major hurdle. The new alignment of the expressway, which will have a limited number of entries and exits, has been approved by Haryana and Rajasthan. The two states want National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the highways ministry to consult them while proposing real estate development along the expressway. 

    Delhi government has already given an in-principle approval to the access-controlled expressway which is expected to slash travel time between the two cities to less than three hours. The length of the new alignment will be around 230-240 km. The portion of the expressway falling in Delhi will be elevated since availability of land is a problem in the national capital. 

Raheja to develop over 17,000 housing units in 5 yrs in NCR

   Realty firm Raheja Developers today said it would construct over 17,000 residential units in next five years aiming to generate revenues of nearly Rs 4,100 crore.The company also said it would develop about 2,800 affordable flats in the Capital during the same time period.

"We are planning to construct around 17,160 units in next five years. These will be spread across four projects. The project revenue will be nearly Rs 4,100 crore," Raheja Developers Chairman Navin M Raheja told PTI.

Reliance asks Haryana to declare agri land 'urban'

  Reliance Haryana SEZ Limited (RHSL), the special purpose vehicle (SPV) incorporated to implement the now-shelved Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts, has asked the Haryana government to declare "urban" the chunks of agricultural land in Gurgaon district which Reliance had bought from farmers.

   Reliance's request is being viewed as an attempt to get round the land ceiling law in Haryana. As per the Haryana Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, the permissible area allowed for an individual to possess ranged from 18.12 to 54.5 acres. However, an amendment was made in the Act in October 2011, which exempted land acquired for non-agricultural purposes and falling within an "urban area" - as defined in the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act - from the ceiling law.

Panasonic India plans to invest $300 mn in Jhajjar by 2015

  Panasonic India, the Indian subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation, is planning to invest $300 million by 2015, a top company official said on Monday.
“In order to become a $5 billion company, we are planning to invest about $300 million by 2015. Out of this, a huge chunk will go to our upcoming manufacturing unit at Jhajjar in Haryana,” said Manish Sharma, managing director, consumer products division, Panasonic India, on the sidelines of the launch of its new beauty care and grooming products here. The Jhajjar facility is expected to be commissioned by December this year, which will see an investment of $200 million.

Rajasthan Govt gears up to acquire land for Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor project

The Rajasthan  government has initiated the process of land acquisition for the Delhi-Mumbai-Industrial Corridor, a top official of RIICO said on Tuesday.
Rajendra Bhanawat, managing director of RIICO, said, "The government has recently issued notification under Section 4 of the land acquisition Act. RIICO will acquire 1,506 hectares of land for the first node of the project."
The first node would cover Khushkhera-Bhiwadi-Neemrana investment region, which will have early bird projects like arerotropolis, knowledge city and a road link of 70 km between Neemrana and Bhiwadi.

Bhanawat said the land will be used to develop trunk infrastructure.

Are risks in soft launches worth low prices?

Recently, a well-known New Delhi-based real estate firm went for a soft launch, or pre-launch, of its residential project at Gurgaon’s Dwarka Expressway at Rs. 4,350 per sq. ft. In other words, the project hasn’t been advertised yet but select investors/buyers have been apprised about it through the developer’s network of brokers and given an offer at lower rates.

The project has attracted many investors and end-users, who would have had to shell out up to Rs. 5,500 per sq. ft for a similar project in the same area.
For developers, soft launches are an opportunity to attract a large bunch of investors. But the low prices shouldn’t blind you to the risks that soft launches come with.
Says Anand Naraynan, national director, Knight Frank India Pvt. Ltd, a property consultant firm, “This is definitely not a good idea when there is no regulation over the practice. But since returns are higher when you invest at the time of launch this has become a national trend.”
The risks
Incomplete paperwork/approvals: At the soft launch stage, developers may not have the paperwork complete and permissions in place.
Says a Delhi-based resident, who booked in a project on the Noida Expressway at the soft launch stage, “I didn’t know at the time of booking that some approvals were not in place. Luckily, for me those issues have been sorted out, but what if they hadn’t been?” He didn’t want to be named himself or name the project.
At the time of soft launch, many builders do not disclose entire details such as map, land acquisition details and building layouts. So you put your money without even knowing the project’s details. “Often these investments are done on the basis of the developer’s track record. In many cases, builders do not give enough details on the project,” says another Gurgaon-based broker, who did not want to be named.
No regulation: What is worrying is there is no regulation in place in case something actually went wrong in the above-mentioned case.
At present, there is a no regulation that governs the practice of soft launch. It is for this reason that the draft Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2011, has proposed that no promoter would be allowed to advertise about the project without obtaining complete permissions from the authority. Also, the draft says that the promoter will have to furnish all the details related to project, including sanctions and approvals.
Says Samarjit Singh, managing director, India Homes Pvt. Ltd, a pan-India brokerage firm, “State authorities and the government do not have any laws governing soft launches. However, people invest in such projects only to get lower rates. When the project’s construction advances, there is a decent appreciation in the property value.” As a brokerage firm, India Homes does not endorse investments at the soft launch stage.
“You will get the allotment only at a later stage. Companies usually show the receiving (initial booking amount) as proceeds taken in favour of a future project,” says Ajay Singhal, director, Avlon Group, a New Delhi-based real estate firm with projects in Bhiwadi and Dharuhera. Avlon Group does not follow the malpractice of soft launches in its projects.
No initial allotment: It is usually seen that developers take some initial deposit from brokers and end-users through cheques and book a flat without giving any allotment or flat number. Once the project is officially announced “open for all”, these initial buyers are considered first. At this stage, they are allotted flat numbers.
After these initial bookings, the company takes fresh bookings for the remaining inventory of unsold flats. The resident we spoke to has a similar story, “I got my tower and unit number only around the time my home loan was processed, not at the time of the initial booking. At that stage, it was just a piece of paper.”
Moreover, the developer may assure you at the beginning that your preference will be considered, that may not happen at the time of booking when the rush and pressure increases. Adds Singhal, “You may give a preference of a flat on the second floor but you may get something on the fourth or fifth floor. Your developer may give the same flat to someone else who has given a larger lump sum or asked for less discount.”
Risk of delay: Since there is no grievance redressal mechanism in terms of loss due to delay, you may get stuck. Therefore, your investments could be a risky one. “Only investors and deep-pocketed brokers have the capacity to absorb such risks arising out of a delay in projects,” says Ashutosh Limaye, head-research and real estate intelligence services, Jones Lang LaSalle India, an international property consultant firm.
Despite the risks, data shows that soft launches are pretty popular and investors jump at them. Data from Noida-based brokerage firm, Investor’s Clinic, corroborates the trend that soft launch has been a practice in the Indian real estate market. Mint has independently confirmed the trend. This clearly shows that there is little knowledge or realization about the associated risks among investors and buyers. So are these risks worth the low prices? We would say no. Go for it only if you can check each approval and permission of the project before booking, which may be practically difficult to find out since these offers are open for very short periods—about 10 days or so. Our advice: stay away from soft launches.

(http://www.livemint.com/2012/06/12192447/Are-risks-in-soft-launches-wor.html)

NCR is the largest residential market

  The NCR is the largest residential market in the country by sheer volume of residential units launched. Currently, it has more units than the combined tally of the other five metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
One reason is that the NCR has a huge floating population pouring into Gurgaon, Noida, Greater Noida and Faridabad every year, comprising higher, middle and lower-middle income groups from different parts of the country. Due to a lack of infrastructure and the steep prices of available land in other parts of the NCR, Gurgaon and Noida cater to the demand for major affordable and luxury housing in the area.

A new study by Knight Frank India says that nearly 86,000 residential units entered the market in the financial year (FY) of 2011-12 . Developers and promoters were able to gauge the pulse of the market and launched more affordable and mid-segment projects than premium projects during this period.
Nearly 40% of the units launched are in the Rs 25-50 lakh ticket sizes. As of March 2012, nearly 5,00,000 units were under various stages of construction in the NCR market. The vacancy levels have improved and stand at 36% in Q4 of FY 2011-12, compared to 40% in Q2 of FY 2011-12. Knight Frank India's report says that the market shows a positive outlook, as sales have picked up in Q4 of FY 2011-12 .
Market appreciation
Samarjit Singh, the managing director of India Homes, says that the property rates in Delhi and the NCR were on a steady upward rise till 2008, showing an increase of 25%, but fell sharply during the global slowdown which affected the real estate sector. They have shown an upward trend since mid-2009 and there has been a constant increase in property prices with prices growing by 50% since 2007,
Compared to Delhi and the NCR, the rates in Chennai went slightly down in the latter half of 2007, but since then they have grown almost 150% showing a steady upward trend. Mumbai has shown a balanced increase in property rates over the years and has been the only city to survive the slowdown of 2008-09 with no effect on property rates. It has shown a 50% appreciation in rates over the years. Jaipur property rates initially showed an upward trend from 2007 till early 2008, but then plummeted sharply due to the slowdown. Rates haven't recovered from the downfall, having fallen by almost more than 40% from the 2007 level.
The IT city of Bangalore has showed a very sharp fall in property rates right from 2007 and stayed on a declining trend till mid-2008, falling by almost 45%, but picked up steadily over the years. Rates showed a sharp upward movement in the first half of 2010 by gaining almost 25% but fell again within the same year indicating a correction in the rates, Samarjit Singh says.
Another report says that the NCR will have a total demand of 10.2 lakh residential units, 249 lakh sq ft for office and 66.6 lakh sq ft for retail spaces by 2013. With rising demand in residential, office, retail, and hospitality sectors, Gurgaon is top on the demand chart. Forthcoming worldclass projects, proximity and good connectivity to Delhi are a few factors driving these figures.

Under the new Gurgaon-Manesar Master Plan 2025, the availability of land for development and avenues for new growth corridors has opened up. The new master plan allocates 14,930 hectares for residential use; this is good enough for over 58 new sectors. Most of the new developments are taking place in these sectors.

Records show that 35% of the proposed residential land is under the process of licensing.
The major new growth corridors in Gurgaon include extended Golf Course Road, Sohna Road, Pataudi Road, Manesar, Jaipur Highway and a concentrated growth in Bhiwadi and Dharuhera. Around NH-8, the sectors of New Gurgaon like 37, 37D, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 90, 9, 92, 93, 95, and 99 are having a tremendous response.
A proposal by Huda and other authorities concerned to allow developers do the sector roads is a positive development for these sectors. Vijay Gupta, the chairman CMD, Orris Infrastructure, says: "Another factor is the proximity of these areas from Dwarka-Gurgaon link expressway, which will help residents here bypass the traffic at Gurgaon toll near Delhi during peak hours. The gap between demand and supply is still widening. The earlier expansion plans of retailers have been revised. With high vacancy levels, developers are evaluating revenuesharing models to attract retailers. But, now, with the correction in prices, construction activities are picking up."
Developers like DLF, Unitech, MGF EMAAR, Chintels, Ansal, Orris Infrastructure, Antriksh, Assotech Ltd, Raheja Developers, CHD, among others, have already a good presence in the real estate market here.
(http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-05-26/news/31869503_1_property-rates-projects-than-premium-projects-ncr-market)

KMP, progress in slow motion

It was supposed to connect India's four busiest national highways. But seven years after the project was first conceived, the 135-km-long Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway is stuck up in a blame-game between the concessionaire and the HSIIDC. Also known as Western Peripheral Expressway, the KMP corridor passes through Palwal, Faridabad, Mewat, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat districts.

The project has been delayed by more than two years following which the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Corporation (HSIIDC) cracked whip on the concessionaire.

After the HSIIDC served a notice to the concessionaire, a blame game  ensued between it and concessionaire.
 The ambitious Rs. 1,915 crore project was allotted to KMP Expressway Ltd on November 14, 2005 on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis with completion time of July 29, 2009.
Even two aerial surveys by Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, first on July 10, 2008 and second on December 21, 2010, could not speed up the work on this project.
"The delay is not because of the fault on part of the concessionaire. Rather, the fault lies on part of the HSIIDC which has not acquired land to hand over to the concessionaire till date," said a spokesperson of the concessionaire.
According to the concessionaire, the HSIIDC has to acquire as much as 67 acres of land between Palwal and Manesar since most of the problematic areas are somewhere close to Sonepat.
"Besides land acquisition, change of scope in the project is another reason that has caused the delay.
The HSIIDC has agreed in principle to act accordingly," said the spokesperson.
The HSIIDC, on the other hand, has vehemently refuted the allegations of the concessionaire. It says it will impose a heavy penalty on the concessionaire for the delay, besides putting more restrictive measures.
"We will take all possible steps to tighten the noose around the concessionaire. A committee is taking care of the matter. May be in a week we will come clear on action against the concessionaire," said Rajiv Arora, MD, HSIIDC.
Till date, work on only 48 km of the 135 km stretch has been completed. The stretch is ready to become operational. The work on the rest of the road is still in progress.
"If the land acquisition issue had not cropped up, the stretch would have been covered up to the maximum level," said the concessionaire.
According to the government, had it invoked the penalty in July 2009, the concessionaire would have been forced to pay about Rs. 27 crore till April 2012.
(http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Haryana/Road-to-progress-in-slow-motion/Article1-852362.aspx) 

Road Ministry considering building expressways on busy stretches

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is examining the possibility of setting up high-speed roads on routes with high vehicular traffic density, Parliament was informed today.

"The ministry is examining the feasibility of building of greenfield expressways on stretches with high vehicular traffic density on public-private-partnership mode," Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Jitin Prasada told Rajya Sabha today.

These projects are being proposed along with appropriate development of real estate to make them viable, he said, adding that these projects are at a planning stage.

Meanwhile, the ministry is already in talks with the state governments of Delhi and Haryana for constructing two more expressways from Delhi to Jaipur and Chandigarh.

These are green field projects and expected to cut through separate routes from the existing highways.

The proposed 230 km Delhi-Jaipur expressway is likely to connect Manesar, Bawal, Kushkhera, Bhiwadi, Neemrana to the stretch for the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor and other national highway networks.

At present, National Highway 8 (NH-8) is the only high speed link between Delhi and Jaipur. The ministry is yet to workout the plan for Delhi-Chandigarh expressway.

(http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-05-03/news/31559127_1_expressways-highways-road-ministry)

Bhiwadi, a gateway of Rajasthan, is a sound alternative to Gurgaon

Today , Bhiwadi, in Rajasthan's Alwar district, has developed into a modern city. A number of industrial centres have come up in around Bhiwadi-Neemrana , Dharuhera, Khushkhera, Chopanki, Bawal, etc. 

Bhiwadi is the fastest growing industrial town on the outskirts of Delhi. A prime industrial town of the NCR and Rajasthan , Bhiwadi comprises three industrial areas: Bhiwadi, Chopanki and Khushkhera. Spread over nearly 5,300 acres, there are around 2,500 industries operating in these three places. 

Bhiwadi is located at the east end of Rajasthan in Tijara tehsil of Alwar district , 55km from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, 200km form the capital Jaipur, 90km from Alwar , 40km from Gurgaon, 60km from Faridabad and 5km from NH-8 (Delhi-Jaipur highway) on the Dharuhera-Sohna Road. All in all, Bhiwadi is extremely well connected and keeps you in touch with the world without the noise and pollution of a metro city. 

The Bhiwadi sub-region is playing a major role in the economic development of Rajasthan. Spread over 3,347 acres, and an additional 3,000 acres proposed for its extension , Bhiwadi has around 2,500 tiny, small, medium, large, industries including MNC industrial units manufacturing various types of products. They include industries like steel, furnace, electronics, engineering, textiles, pharmaceuticals, printing, cables, rolling mills, food processing , herbal care, etc. 

Bhiwadi-Dharuhera , with social and physical infrastructure and civil amenities in place, have emerged as a credible alternative to Gurgaon. The real estate sector has a robust future here along the NH-8 (Delhi-Jaipur highway). 

Some of the residential colonies and housing boards include Ashiana, Konark Oasis, UIT and Bhagat Singh Colony, among others. A fairly good number of healthcare facilities, including private clinics and hospitals, nursing homes and government hospitals are located here. Shopping complexes and malls are also coming up fast. Top-notch recreation facilities like Classic Golf Course, Wet & Wild Resort, Country Club Resort and Heritage Village are in proximity too. 

Ashiana Housing Ltd has just completed Utsav Care Homes, a housing society for the elderly, in Bhiwadi. Utsav Care Homes is a pragmatic concept that provides housing, support services and personalized care for elderly people who may need help with their daily activities, hygiene and health and medication management . It is a combination of home-living with professional and customized care: an option that makes it possible for senior citizens to maintain and in fact, improve their quality of life, while getting the nursing care they need at an affordable price. 

Vishal Gupta, the managing director of Ashiana Housing Ltd, says: "Care Home is a care-oriented service for senior citizens . It has a limited aspect of the actual medical treatment, unlike a nursing home where treatment is the key. It emphasizes more on assistance in activities of daily living like eating, bathing and changing clothes, as well as recreational activities for that age group. At present, seven care homes with 14 occupants have been launched in Phase 1." 

Bhiwadi is already acquiring a name for itself as a real estate destination and competing on an equal footing with Gurgaon in this respect. Already home to over 2,500 industrial units, Bhiwadi serves as a gateway to Rajasthan. Developers who have a presence here include  Avalon, Krish, Parsvnath, MVL (real estate division), Ashiana, Jagriti Infrastructure, Kajaria, M Tech, etc. 
For more details about this region contact us.

(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/realty-trends/bhiwadi-a-gateway-of-rajasthan-is-a-sound-alternative-to-gurgaon/articleshow/13007509.cms)

KMP corridor in Haryana to have orbital rail, tech hubs

The Kundli-Manesar-Palwal global corridor (KMP) in Haryana will have orbital railway and 12 specialized hubs including world trade, fashion, entertainment, leisure and dry ports. 

The development plan of the KMP global corridor was approved at the meeting of the State Level Committee which was chaired by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here today. 

The KMP Corridor passes through districts of Palwal, Faridabad, Mewat, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonipat of the state. 

Twelve specialised hubs including world trade, fashion, entertainment, leather, leisure, education, cyber, sports, medi hub, bio-science and dry port hubs would be developed along the KMP Expressway, an official spokesman said here. 

The width of the Expressway Amenities Zone would be one kilometre and the remaining area would be kept as agriculture zone. 

As per the plan approved, the Right of Way (ROW) of Expressway would be 100 meters with green belt of 100 meters on either sides and 50 meter wide orbital rail corridor on Delhi side. 

The Committee approved the Entertainment Hub, World Trade Hub and Fashion Hub would be set up in district Gurgaon. 

The Entertainment Hub would be a technological cutting- edge entertainment sector set up over an area of 140 hectares. It would have hotels, motels, restaurants, shopping malls, multiplexes, concerts, music halls, night clubs and show theatres along with rapid transit facilities, the spokesman said.


(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/transportation/railways/kmp-corridor-in-haryana-to-have-orbital-rail-tech-hubs/articleshow/12952613.cms)

Avalon Group to invest Rs 400 cr on four housing projects

Realty company Avalon Group will invest about Rs 400 crore over the next three years to develop four housing projects in North India.

The Gurgaon-based company is coming up with these four projects, comprising nearly 3,000 apartments, at Bhiwadi, Dharuhera and Vrindavan.

"We have launched a housing project at Dharuhera having 800 units. We have also roped in Karishma Kapoor as our brand ambassador," Avalon Director Ajay Singal said.

Avalon Group is developing two housing projects at Bhiwadi and one at Vrindavan that together have about 2,100 apartments. The company is offering these flats in a price range of Rs 10-40 lakh.

Asked about investment on these four projects, Singal said: "The total project cost will be around Rs 400 crore, which includes land cost".

The company would fund the investment through internal accruals and advances from customers, director Ankit Aggarwal said.

Avalon Group has completed one housing project at Bhiwadi & 3 projects in under construction. Company  has started delivering the other housing project in the same city in phases. All projects have about 4000 units.

Talking about expansion, Aggarwal said the company has 200 acres of land bank in Rajasthan and Haryana for future developments. 


(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/real-estate/news-/avalon-group-to-invest-rs-400-cr-on-four-housing-projects/articleshow/12920631.cms) 

Bahadurgarh and Rohtak are the new business destinations

Bahadurgarh, which may confuse you with some tourist ‘garh’ or fort, has been much talked about as an upcoming industrial hub these days. The place is highly approachable from Delhi for it is less distant from the capital and has good road infrastructure now.
The Delhi Metro route till Mundka has also benefited many people commuting to Bahadurgarh. Soon, Delhi Metro is slated to extend and pass through the heart of Bahadurgarh, which will change the face of this place. Similarly, Rohtak industrial belt is too set for a robust growth in the coming years because of the fast paced infrastructural development in the area.
Bahadurgarh
Industries and commerce poised to leap forward Earlier, the development of industrial belt or residential zone used to be the driving force behind creating road connectivity. But now, the road development plans and connectivity is deciding the way future cities are emerging, or are likely to come up. Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway, 135km-long, coming up around Delhi, is one of the best examples here, which would prove to be a bonus to Bahadurgarh.
Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway is set to prove the single major catalyst of both residential and commercial development in Haryana. Also known as Western Peripheral Expressway (WPE), it is already under construction. The corridor will see major industrial and residential development in the next few years. Already, major developers like TDI, Parsvnath, Ansals, Omaxe, etc. have started coming up with mega residential and commercial projects close to the expressway to cater to future needs.
The alignment of the expressway takes off from National Highway-1 near Kundli, crosses NH-10 at West Bahadurgarh, crosses NH-8 near Manesar, and finally joins NH-2 near Palwal. It passes through Gurgaon, Mewat, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Faridabad, which are the fastest growing urban centres in NCR.
To boost industrial development along the corridor, specialized industrial estates have been planned at strategic locations. They include footwear and leather-garments parks at Bahadurgarh, food park at Kundli in Sonipat, gems and jewellery park at Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon, and two apparel parks, one in Gurgaon and another at Barhi in Sonipat. Besides, we will soon see completion of a six lane project on Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak Road, which will bring major relief to the commuters on this highway.
Industrialists are quite happy with the on-going progress in and around Bahadurgarh. Amit Kapur, MD, Everest Blowers, says, “In terms of overall development of Bahadurgarh, it is progressing with good pace now. With Delhi Metro’s expansion plans, six lane Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak highway and KMP expressway, I can easily foresee a new Bahadurgarh in next five years.” Apart from widening the existing national highway, two long bypasses are also in the process of construction at Bahadurgarh and Rohtak. The bypass of Bahadurgarh would be 13 km long and bypass of Rohtak would be of 25 km.
“Though these road projects are running behind scheduled time, yet, once they become operational, will prove to be a boon for Bahadurgarh’s and the State’s economy”, says N.L. Narang, general secretary, BCCI, and owner, Filcard Industries. The Sector 16 of Bahadurgarh has been developed as a generalpurpose industrial area, Sector17 as a Footwear Park and Sector 4B, which is spread over an area of 189 acres, is the newest expansion area of the estate. Gulshan Kumar, DGM, HSIIDC, Industrial Estate, Bahadurgarh, District Jhajjar, gave a clear idea of current scenario these three sectors.
In Sector 17, out of 368, more than 200 plots are under construction and 10 units are carrying out production in full swing. Sector 16 has 241 plots in total, out of which 100 are in the construction mode and five units are in the production phase. Sector 4B, has 46 plots and only two are in the process of construction so far.
According to Amit Kapur, MD, Everest Blowers, “The industrial belt of Bahadurgarh is one of the oldest of all industrial areas in the NCR and up country areas. The industrial zone here is more that 50 years old, and we have been operational here since past 15 years. Talking specifically about Modern Industrial Area (MIE), nothing has been done for the area’s progress. The word ‘modern’ does not gel with MIE given problems like muddy roads and bad sewerage systems.
Water and electricity problems also exist but they are manageable somehow. In terms of overall development of Bahadurgarh, it’s developing with good pace now. With Delhi Metro’s expansion plans, six lane Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak highway and KMP expressway, I can easily foresee a new Bahadurgarh in next five years.”
Rohtak
The last one decade has seen remarkable growth and development in the NCR. Be it residential, educational or industrial sector several areas in NCR are on the upward move. While talking about industrial development in NCR one area that occupies the prime place is the Rohtak industrial belt. It has fast become a commercial and industrial hub in the NCR and offers a promising future for the new age entrepreneurs.
The locational advantage of the Rohtak Industrial Belt provides it a unique place and a large number of medium and small scale industries are located here. Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) has developed an Industrial Model Township (IMT) in the area which is spread over 1200 hectares and runs along NH 10. “There are tremendous growth opportunities in this belt because of its strategic location and the absolutely no problems related to availability of labour and law and order in this part of the NCR. What we need to do is to improve upon the existing resources,” says Neeraj Gulati, a resident.
What will act as the prime mover for this industrial hub is the large scale infrastructural development and enhanced connectivity. “Focus should be on providing better transport and communication facilities to all those who all are working here. There should be proper bus and train services as a large number of people are working here in this industrial zone. Metro services should also be extended to this area,” says Nikhil Awasthi, who works in the area. To provide a further momentum for the growth of this industrial hub proper maintenance of the basic services is required.
Says Shikhar Sharma, owner of a manufacturing unit, “The need of the hour is to focus on problems like power shortage, sewerage system, maintenance and cleanliness of the area, etc. It is crucial for the future growth of Rohtak Industrial Area.”
In this regard some steps have been taken and in various industrial towns of Haryana work is already allotted for development of infrastructure. “As per sources, this includes a package of Rs. 166.22 crore for Industrial Estate at Panipat; Rs 85.22 crore for Industrial Estate at Bahadurgarh (Sector 4B) and Rs 78.40 crore for Industrial Estate Rai, Ph-II (Sector-38).
The work involves creation of services like road network, water supply, sewage system, storm water drainage system, horticulture works, electricity distribution network, etc”, says Romesh Vig, CMD, Micron Precision Screws Ltd, manufacturer and exporter of industrial and automobile high tensile fasteners. To sum up, looking at the state of affairs, it will not be a surprise to see Rohtak Industrial Area becoming one of the leading industrial areas in and around Delhi-NCR in times to come.

(Source- Economics Times)

Smart Community project initiative in Jhajjar by METI, Japan

Haryana The Japanese Government, through Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), is sponsoring a Feasibility Study to build a ‘Smart Community’ at the proposed Model Economic Township in Jhajjar, Haryana. The study is being conducted by a consortium led by Mitsui & Co. Ltd Tokyo along with Toshiba Corporation, Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd, Energy Advance Co. Ltd, NEC Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Tokyo Engineering Corporation and Mitsui & Co. Plant Systems Ltd.  On June 2, 2011, a Memorandum of Undertaking has been signed with IL&FS to assist the Consortium in its initiative. The Model Economic Township (MET) at Jhajjar, Haryana is being promoted by Reliance Industries and IL&FS, and HSIIDC, and is spread over an area of over 10,000 acres in Jhajjar District, a declared backward district, near Gurgaon. The total quantum of investment envisaged in the project is of the magnitude of Rs 150 billion to 200 billion, and will be developed in a phased manner. MET is envisioned as a distinctive integrated City which will be a bench mark for Industrial Townships in India. The MET will comprise of industrial, commercial, residential and Institutional sites integrated together for operational convenience and promoting a walk-to-work culture. These will be supported by social infrastructure, integrated connectivity and transport infrastructure, reliable and uninterrupted power supply, non-conventional energy sources and state-of-art information and communication technology. MET is being especially positioned for Japanese Corporates through the provision of high quality infrastructure and services of global standards. Several Japanese majors have shown a keen interest to set up their high end operations in MET. These include Mitsui and Panasonic amongst several others. The METI sponsored study is a validation of the keen interest of Japanese Corporates in MET and the State of Haryana. In addition to Master Planning, the study will primarily focus on the fields of Energy, Water Supply, ICT, Security systems & Eco Friendly Housing. The objective is to assess the needs, determine the applicable technology and formulate appropriate business models for delivery. The study will also cover projectising individual initiatives on a commercially sustainable basis through appropriate corporate frameworks.

(http://content.magicbricks.com/smart-community-project-initiative-in-haryanaby-meti-japan)

Dharuhera: Bridging distances

Dharuhera and Bhiwadi, which are now easily accessible through Gurgaon-Jaipur highway, are an ideal destination to set up homes for scores of middle class families who cannot otherwise afford a house in Gurgaon or Delhi. The townships are better developed in terms of industry and infrastructure, making it more feasible for real estate development, compared to Manesar. With Gurgaon becoming a megapolis, and over commercialization turning into a bane, prospective buyers now have to scout for alternative destinations around the city. The beneficiary of this spillover is NH-8, also known as the Jaipur highway. Two places benefiting directly from this malady, something that is fast becoming visible as well, are Dharuhera and Bhiwadi. Located along the NH-8, they promise to grow bigger in the years to come. Already dotted with scores of industrial units manufacturing everything from sanitary ware and biscuits to auto components, some realtors say the Reliance SEZ could have a two-fold effect on real estate development in Neemrana. Coupled with the already skyrocketing property rates, Neemrana is also expected to be the most viable option for those looking for a weekend home. Experts say it would still turn out to be cheaper than staying at the Fort hotel. AC Michael, general manager (Corporate Communications) of BPTP Limited, says the graph, has already started on its upward swing. The proposed 25,000-acre Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) promoted special economic zone (SEZ) promises to change the face of the road. To be set up on land stretching along Garhi Harsuru near Manesar and Badli on the Farrukhanagar-Jhajjar road, India’s largest SEZ promises to catalyze investments up to Rs 1,00,000 crore, when completed in 5-10 years. To top it, the much-awaited Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway will also cut through NH-8, further fuelling rates in Bhiwadi, Neemrana and even in the outskirts of the Pink City — Jaipur. Since the RIL announcement, although the market was facing a downturn for some time now, realty rates in the area have not fallen. And, once again, Dharuhera and Bhiwadi have cashed in on this phenomenon. This is a reason why every major builder in the NCR has invested here and is developing apartment complexes/townships. According to Sandeep Goel, MD of MSX Developers Pvt Ltd, Dharuhera, even before Bhiwadi, has witnessed record progress on the industrial front in Haryana, in the last few years. The fast-paced industrial and IT development taking place in the area has provided impetus for a rapid growth to real estate and encouraged developers like Parsvnath, Omaxe, Dwarkadhis, GTM, Raheja, Bestech, Avalon etc, to set up townships and retail centers in the area. This naturally puts pressure on the housing needs, prompting real estate developers to cash in on the boom. Though primarily an industrial town, Bhiwadi picked up momentum after residential developments started mushrooming in the area a few years ago. Being the gateway to Rajasthan, it is now the most promising industrial area in the NCR where more than 1,400 industries are already operating. The town is also building a dry port to allow direct dispatch of export consignments. Rohit Modi, MD of Aashiayana Group, says the town now boasts of state-of-the-art residential projects, including a retirement village. He adds that as people make a beeline for Gurgaon, Bhiwadi will be the next big stop in the area. Rakesh Yadav, MD of Antriksh Group, says with regular transportation system operating between Delhi and Bhiwadi and with the proposal to convert the Delhi-Jaipur highway into an expressway, it won’t be long before you have breakfast in Bhiwadi, lunch in Delhi and dinner back in Bhiwadi. In fact, real estate developers says Bhiwadi is one of the most suited destinations for both working-class couples in the NCR and even senior citizens who want to settle down in a peaceful and pollution-free environment. Experts say it would still turn out to be cheaper than staying at the Fort hotel.

(http://content.magicbricks.com/delhi-jaipur-highway-on-fast-track)

Neemrana likely to get new airport

With a push from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Rajasthan may soon see two new airports — in Neemrana and Jodhpur — while the international airport in Jaipur may be upgraded.
Saying that Union Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma had pledged his full support, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the airports would help boost exports from Rajasthan.
According to the state bureau for investment promotion, the Neemrana and Jodhpur airports would serve two national investment and manufacturing zone (NIMZ) projects already notified by the union cabinet. “The approval for the Neemrana airport has been given, but Anand Sharma has promised to expedite its realisation,” Gehlot said.
The two NIMZ projects include the Khushkhera-Bhiwadi zone and the Jodhpur-Pali zone. While the former has already been approved, the latter is to be developed in the near future.
“The Government of India will fund the cost of infrastructure of Rs 2,500 crore for five years for the Khuskhera-Bhiwadi Zone,” said Sharma, a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan.
Sharma and Gehlot held several meetings on Friday and Saturday to discuss among other industrial projects, the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). The union minister also inaugurated the country’s second spice park in Jodhpur on Saturday.

(http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rajasthan-likely-to-get-2-new-airports/933873/)

Raheja Developers to invest Rs 300 crore in group housing project at Dharuhera

Raheja Developers today said it will invest about Rs 300 crore in a group housing project at Dharuhera in Haryana over the next 4-5 years.
The project, Oma, will house 640 apartments and will be one of the tallest buildings in the area with 40 storeys, the company claimed.  ”This is a very important project for us that will have all the luxury elements. We have already started construction and will invest about Rs 300 crore to develop it,” Raheja Developers Chairman and MD Navin M Raheja said on the sidelines of an Assocham event on green buildings here.

The company will take slightly longer duration to complete the project than in usual cases due to its height and will hand over the flats in the next 4-5 years, he added.
“We are targeting foreign nationals working in different MNCs, especially those in the auto firms, located in the industrial areas nearby. We are offering a wide range of flats from 1-BHK to 6-BHK,” Raheja said, adding the total number of flats will be 640, including service apartments.
The sizes of the flats will vary between 550 sq ft and 4,500 sq ft. The company will offer the apartments at a price ranging from Rs 17.5 lakh to over Rs 1 crore, he said.  When asked about source of funding, he said it will primarily be internal accruals.
Elaborating the project, Raheja said ‘Oma’ will offer a host of facilities of “global standards” to the residents such as international restaurants, spas and swimming pools. Last year, Raheja Developers had announced its plans to build the tallest housing project ‘Raheja Phoenix’, comprising a 54-story tower with a helipad, in the heart of the National Capital for about Rs 300 crore.
At present, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre that houses the headquarter of Municipal Corporation of Delhi is the tallest building in Delhi that has 28 storeys with a height of 112 metres.
The company had also formed a joint venture with Dubai-based Arabtec Construction to build real estateprojects in India and awarded contracts worth Rs 1,020 crore to the JV firm for three housing projects.
Arabtec Construction, which built the world’s tallest tower Burj Khalifa in Dubai, holds 63 per cent in the JV ‘Arabtec Raheja’ and the remaining 37 per cent lies with Raheja Developers.  The JV will develop the housing project ‘Raheja Revanta’ with 56 storeys (195 metre) in Gurgaon comprising 1,200 units. It will later build the ‘Raheja Phoenix’.

 The height clearances for both the building has been cleared by the Director General Civil Aviation.

(http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-27/news/31245211_1_housing-project-tallest-tower-burj-khalifa)