WITH
CITIES such as Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad becoming congested,
there is a growing preference for cities such as Coimbatore. Buying
a house in Coimbatore is cheaper than acquiring one in one of
the metro cities. Shopping malls and multiplexes are coming up,
and the Cotton City will not lag behind bigger cities when it
comes to development, says Vikram Mohan, Director, Pricol Property
Development Ltd.
Judging by the way urban development is taking place, it seems
likely that Tirupur and Coimbatore will merge in course of time,
somewhat like Chennai and Tambaram. Flight connections have improved,
and it is easier to arrive in the urban centre and leave at short
notice for any important destination. A major advantage for Coimbatore
is the availability of weekend getaways nearby. A large number
of schools and colleges that offer good education is another reason
for people choosing to settle down in the city. Well connected
by road networks with other major towns in the State, Coimbatore
is easily the "Best `B' city" that is likely to be on
a par with any other `B' city in the country, within the next
two or three years, he says.
His estimation is that Coimbatore city alone will require 10,000
dwelling units within the next 36 to 48 months alone, to meet
the demand from employees in the engineering and textile sectors.
This is apart from the demand likely to be created by Information
Technology companies.
"A year ago, we put together a team," he tells Property
Plus. "One of the first decisions was that we would never
flout Government norms, and would improve on them if we could.
We also decided that a minimum of 25 per cent of the property
would be developed as a green area, with landscaping, lung spaces
and a place for kids to play outdoors."
He says the first project, `Saffron Summers', is a Spanish-style
construction coming up at Red Fields. It will have 16 apartments,
costing Rs. 3,500 a sq.ft., with each dwelling having its own
servants' quarters and two covered car parks, besides parking
space for visitors. Every major room, including the living room
and the dining room, will have windows on two walls, for cross-ventilation.
Each apartment will have 1,500 watts of back-up power.
Residents will be able to use full-fledged gymnasium facilities,
an open-air theatre, a party hall, swimming pool and covered children's
play area. Two lifts, both designed for stretcher evacuation,
will facilitate speedy emergency care. It will be completed by
the end of 2007 or earlier, in two blocks of four storeys.
A second project is on Kamaraj Road in Singanallur over 7.6 acres,
with 400 apartments for the middle and upper middle class, each
one ranging from Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 40 lakh. Architects from Singapore
are designing the structure. Owners will enjoy the use of tennis,
shuttle and squash courts, as well as swimming pools and gymnasia.
Daily shopping
These 400 families will be able to do their daily shopping
on the campus, eat at restaurants and consult doctors. It will
be a multiple tower property featuring eight-storey buildings
and 40 per cent green area that the property developers want to
increase to 50 per cent.
"In the planning stage itself we would like to liberate
space to create walking paths for the elderly and provide enough
space for children to play. It will be completed over a 36-month
period and will be ready by the middle of 2009," Mr. Mohan
says.
A third property being developed on 3.3 acres off Avanashi Road
will have 140 apartments priced between Rs. 35 lakh and Rs. 60
lakh, designed by architects from Singapore. Green cover will
be 50 per cent. The launch is scheduled for Pongal next year.
A fourth project on Tiruchi Road is a one-lakh sq.ft. property
with 60 apartments ranging from Rs. 35 lakh to Rs. 45 lakh, with
most of the apartments offering a view of the Singanallur Lake.
Yet another project is a gated community with 24 villas constructed
about four km from Charing Cross in Udhagamandalam. Apartments
will carry a price tag of Rs. 75 lakh.
Mr. Mohan says the volume of the projects by the company is to
create dwelling places for people in every price bracket. His
`dream project' is to create a complex in which all facilities
are available, about five to six km from the urban centre, with
1,500 apartments costing Rs. 12 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh. Though it
may mean having to sacrifice profitability, the effort will be
part of a social responsibility that the company desires to fulfil.
The company has opted for the services of architects from Singapore
despite the higher cost involved, because of their expertise in
putting up buildings with better ventilation, and the ability
to make optimum use of sunlight.
All buildings will have sewage treatment facilities. Besides
this, all structures will have rainwater-harvesting systems.
Another factor the company has taken into consideration right
at the planning stage is to provide all buildings with fire exits
and medical evacuation facilities. To deal with emergencies, fire
tenders will have access to every apartment. This is in addition
to the individual fire-fighting facilities such as wet risers
on every floor.
Accommodating expansion
Pricol's projects are mainly on Avanashi Road and Tiruchi
Road because these are the two arterial highways that can accommodate
expansion. Pricol wishes to differentiate itself from other buildings
by offering a one-year warranty on every aspect of construction.
While the high-end buildings will have facilities for security
gadgets, all locations will have adequate lighting to make it
an easier task for security personnel doing their night rounds.
Mr. Mohan says the company will soon put up a website to provide
a "virtual walk through" for prospective owners. Using
a high-speed Internet connection, visitors to the website will
be able to examine the layout of the building, and see the view
from each room.
What matters is the quality of living possible in a particular
house, because people spend the major portion of their lives at
home.
