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2011/12/30

Affordable housing in PMC


http://m.timesofindia.com/city/pune/Affordable-housing-remains-a-distant-dream-for-many/articleshow/11227887.cms

The Times of India on Mobile

PUNE: In the last five years, elected representatives of the Pune Municipal Corporatio

n (PMC) discussed transfer and appointment of civic officers, shifting of statues and work tenders worth crores. Sadly, the topic of creating affordable housing for the lower middle class and the poor hardly ever came up.

One cannot deny the fact that Pune is among the fastest growing cities in the country, and among the best places to live in. Over the last few years, the educated class and businesspeople have made the city their home. This has been mainly due to the growth of education centres, manufacturing units, the Information Technology boom and the spurt in BPOs - which have vastly opened up career opportunities. The population escalation has led to a direct growth of the realty sector and property prices of the once pensioner"s paradise have rocketed.

But close on the heels of the educated class of job seekers and businessmen came the working class - the migrants from the state and the rest of India. They came looking for small-time jobs and began to work at construction sites, in offices, as drivers, as cooks, as night watchmen... and the list is endless. Despite the fact that they worked night and day to make others" lives easier, they did not have much of a choice for accommodation. The civic body remained mute on the subject.

"Urban growth is an inevitable development," say social experts, and many perceive it as a stepping stone to prosperity, thus boosting economic growth. However, fallouts of this very development are poverty, unemployment, lack of proper housing and sanitation.
"I came to the city a few years ago from Satara district. Last year, I got married and was looking for a small rental house or an affordable one-room flat. But my search was in vain. I continue to live in a shared room and my wife stays in Satara," says Anand Jagdale, who works as a driver in a private firm.

There are thousands like Anand in the city. These are the people, forming a big chunk of the populace in Pune, who do not want to live in slums, but cannot afford luxury residences, especially the kind advertised on huge hoardings across the city. The question posed to the PMC remains - where should these people go?

The Pune city has notched up some thought-provoking numbers in the last few years. There has been 30.34% growth in population in the last 10 years. The growth in the urban population in the last decade has been 36.63%. On the other hand, population in rural areas of the district increased by 21.62%. Urbanisation in Pune district is among the highest in the state with over 57.39 lakh city-dwellers, the newly released provisional Census 2011 data shows. Census data also shows that 60.88% people are concentrated in urban areas of Pune district, up from 58.08% in 2001. On the other hand, population in rural areas was 36.87 lakh, falling from 41.92% in 2001 to 39.11% in 2011. What comes out clearly from these numbers is that the urban population is growing by leaps and bounds and the civic body better start figuring out as to how these numbers will be accommodated within the city limits.

In fact, a recent study on housing conducted by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Mashal for the PMC has highlighted the lack of affordable housing in the city. It says there is a shortfall of 2.5 to 3 lakh affordable housing units - which is likely to double in the next few years, considering the rate of migration. According to experts, ongoing efforts on housing for the economically weaker sections are piecemeal and a comprehensive policy is needed, if anything is to be achieved.

The study states, "The most stark and visible sign of the severe shortage of affordable housing that afflicts Pune, and other fast-growing cities across India, is the incessant growth in the number of slums. In Pune, it is estimated that 40.56% of the city"s population lives in slums at present, as compared to fewer than 20% 15 years ago. The housing stock periodically created over the years, by both the public and private sectors, under labels like Economically Weaker Section (EWS) or Low Income Group (LIG) have proved to be grossly inadequate to provide for the growing squatter settlements and slums in urban areas."

The PMC remains unmoved. This is evident by the fact that in the last five year, no steps were taken by the civic body to have a master plan to assemble land for affordable housings through either the development plans or the development control rules.

According to the PMC and the Mashal survey, affordable housing remains a distant dream for many in the city even though a sizeable 18% vacancy exists in the housing sector. This vacancy, which is far higher than the state average of 12%, is despite the fact that more than 40% of the city"s population lives in slums. That the number of slum-dwellers in the city has increased over the years is a reflection of housing options being way out of their reach. This, despite many slum households having relatively stable incomes, reveals the survey report.

Meanwhile, the PMC General Body, in the last five years, hardly discussed and framed policies for affordable housing. City builders want that affordable housing schemes should be introduced by the PMC, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and the Housing Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO). However, the PMC, which failed to acquire land reserved for the EWS, did not take any major initiatives in this regard.

In 2008, the PMC had made a feeble effort to promote construction of affordable housing in the city. The civic body decided to substantially reduce the premium charges incurred from developers if they constructed housing in the range of 30 sq m to 50 sq m and 50sq m to 80 sq m, but this didn"t help much.

The state government had declared 2009 as the year of "housing for the common man". The PMC had aped the effort and announced that it would focus its attention on providing affordable housing in the city. But, yet again, everything was limited to plans, the implementation never became a reality.

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said the state government is considering replicating the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority"s (MMRDA) rental housing policy in the Pune Metropolitan Region, once the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) is formed. Under the Slum Prevention Programme (SPP), the MMRDA decided to take up construction of 5 lakh houses in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). For development of rental housing stock, the MMRDA is exploring all the options, like public-private partnership model and it will also develop some housing stock on its own. However, the concept of rental housing built by the civic authorities did not find roots in Pune and the PMRDA remains on paper.

Accommodation for floating population remains on paper

An estimated over 1 lakh students come to Pune for education every year. The PMC had proposed construction of youth hostels for migrant students in the draft budget for 2010-11, but it never took off.

In the 2008-09 budget, then standing committee chairman Bapu Pathare had proposed the Rs 1-crore Dr Ambedkar hostel scheme, which never saw the light of the day.

In 2009-10, then standing committee chairman Sham Deshpande had proposed the Rajmata Jijau Gharkul project for rehabilitating hutment dwellers, the scheme has remained on paper.

The civic body also sought to address the problems of urban poor by constructing dormitories where migrant job-seekers could stay for a minimal rent, instead of living in slums. The central government approved the project, but the civic body failed to acquire the land.
According to a survey by the Shelter Associates, a city-based group working for the urban poor, about 25% to 30% of population of the city"s slums is floating and faces a major accommodation crisis. The survey stated that a policy to accommodate the floating population in the city is necessary.

Meanwhile, the state had also mooted the Mumbai model in Pune - wherein people travel to the city to work and then return to the satellite nodes and townships. This remains a non-starter. Pune has a comprehensive mobility plan which has suggestions for various mass transport modes so that the population moves out of the city. However, plans to set up the satellite townships around Pune for reasonable accommodation was not even touched by the state government and the PMC.

Home Truths

* Pune has been listed as one of the top seven Indian cities that will witness a spike in demand for affordable housing by 2015, way beyond the supply, according to the report by global property consultant Cushman & Wakefield titled "Embracing Change Scripting the Future of Indian Real Estate"

* The housing requirement for the lower- and middle-income groups is around 40%. But with the high rates and the unavailability of small houses, decent and legal affordable housing has remained an unfulfilled dream for many
* According to the housing study by NGO Mashal, past efforts at addressing this issue have been fragmented, reactive and narrowly focused on symptoms, rather than root causes. There is the general trend amongst developers to build larger and more expensive dwelling units, which tend to be more profitable

* Using the general thumb rule that one can afford a home no more than four times one"s annual income, the formal housing market only caters to the needs of those earning Rs 2 lakh or more per annum

* The problem of lack of affordable housing for those who want to buy, but have meagre or modest means, is compounded by the virtual lack of affordable housing on a rental basis, other than in slums, especially for those who do not have either the future stability or the down payment required to own a home

Developers" Argument

* Reduce the input costs and make a cohesive plan of action to get different types of licenses and approvals without any delay. The input cost comprises service tax, sales tax, VAT, octroi, cess from local governing bodies, premiums and other taxes. These taxes raise the flat prices by up to 30% to 35%

* The government should also give a nudge to "vertical development" in a few metropolitan cities
* Single-window clearance should be created to avoid delays

* The land prices that have risen are not likely to come down, so the increase the FSI, so the supply will rise proportionately
* Set a time limit to complete an affordable housing project. Additionally, the government can extend tax benefits
* The biggest hurdle in high property rates is the high cost of land. There is a short supply of land because of approval of the Development Plan is pending

* High taxes levied by the government and urban local body is another reason why property tax is high
* Explore the paid Floor Space Index, so that potential of land increases

2011/12/23

PCMC is the leading city in the country in the field of implementation of sustainable urban transport project (SUTP).


http://m.timesofindia.com/city/pune/PCMC-leading-in-implementation-of-sustainable-transport/articleshow/11213277.cms

The Times of India on Mobile

PUNE: Officer on special duty of the Union urban transport ministry S K Lohia said here on Thursday that the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is the leading city in the country in the field of implementation of sustainable urban transport project (SUTP).

Speaking at a dissemination workshop on SUTP organised by the PCMC and the Union ministry of urban development, Lohia said that although the PCMC was the last civic body to submit its proposal for constructing two Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridors on a 19-km stretch, it is leading in the implementation of the projects as compared to other cities in the country.

He further said, "Whatever was done in Delhi and Pune cannot be called BRTS. What one experiences in a metro railway should be also experienced in the BRTS to make it successful. A metro rail has features like level boarding and alighting, off board ticketing, passenger information system and other facilities. All these features need to be replicated in the BRTS."

Speaking about the benefits slot machines online of BRTS over the metro rail, Lohia said, "Replicating the metro experience in a bus is the basic characteristic of an urban transport project, though its execution may vary from city to city or country to country. We can do scaling of investment and capacity in a BRTS which is not possible in a metro rail. The BRTS is less expensive than the metro rail and can be implemented over a longer distance. Urban transport is crucial for the survival and growth of any city."

Municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma stressed on the need for flexibility in implementation of urban transport projects and that the suggestions of the implementing city should be considered. "Under SUTP, the municipal corporation is constructing two BRTS routes - Nashik Phata-Wakad and Kalewadi phata-Dehu Alandi road. These projects will be completed by the end of 2013."

Mayor Yogesh Behl said there is a need to strengthen public transport in the city. "We want people to use public transport for commuting instead of their private vehicles."

2011/12/15

Pune pips metros in realty race


http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_pune-pips-metros-in-realty-race_1625997

Pune pips metros in realty race

When it comes to residential project construction activities in major metropolis, Pune is a clear winner. As per a report brought out by Liases and Foras — a real estate research firm — construction activity for residential housing in the last two years has witnessed a sustained growth in Pune, while signs of a significant slowdown have been observed in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. Reasons: exorbitant property prices, less demand and stringent government approval procedure.

In fact, the residential projects construction activities are directly linked to and indicative of property sale. According to Pankaj Kapoor, managing director of Liases and Foras, “Developers are not launching and constructing as many projects as they used to earlier. For, most of them have sold out their present under-construction stock to investors after taking the token amount. But the projects could not be completed on time due to many reasons, including limited demand owing to exorbitant property rates, inflation, high EMI, etc,” he said.

In the past two years, when the market has been routinely flooded with investors, the Pune property market has witnessed significant growth. “The primary reasons for this sustained growth is that the Pune market is purely consumer-driven, and not investor-driven. It is not a highly inflated market as the other metros and even the appreciation ratio is low. This does not hike up property rates immediately and frequently and is a good sign which needs to be maintained,” Kapoor added.


Further, nearly 1,147 residential projects have been delayed in six metros - Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, added Kapoor.

Others like Manohar Shroff, general secretary of the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (Navi Mumbai), are putting the onus of spurning construction of residential properties on the state government. According to Shroff, the snail pace of construction activities exists despite builders evincing keen interest.

“We’ve been regularly submitting the proposals, but the local coporations are not approving them on time, with several proposals struck down without any valid reasons. As a result, the construction activities has come to a grinding halt,” he said. Demanding that the government should resolve the issue and start approving the projects immediately, he added, “Or else the slow construction pace will result in lesser housing stock being available in future, thereby causing a price rise.”

Mumbai housing worries


It turned out to be a not-so-greater Mumbai when respondents to the The Times Of India-IMRB Quality Of Life Survey compared the Social Infrastructure on offer in the financial capital to that available in seven other mega-cities. In fact, Mumbai came a poor 6th, with even Pune ranked a notch ahead. But, for a sprawling metro weighed down by a space crunch and an indifferent government, Mumbai"s Social Infrastructure still got a favourable mark of 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. This category carried the most weightage-23%-when the overall rankings for how urban Indians perceive their mega-cities were decided.

It comes as no surprise that Mumbai is viewed as a metro in which it"s near impossible to get a decent, affordable roof over your head - at least not within city limits. Respondents to The Times Of India-IMRB Quality of Life Survey, which ranked eight Indian mega-cities according to the general public"s and experts" perceptions of them, ranked Mumbai the worst when it comes to housing facilities.

In the six parameters that comprised Social Infrastructure - housing, hospitals, schools, colleges, work culture and job opportunities - housing is the only one in which Mumbai occupied the cellar position.

While overall in the Quality Of Life Survey, Mumbai ranked as the third best city to live in along with Delhi - as detailed in the first report on the survey carried on Sunday - in Social Infrastructure (SI) this city tumbled to a poor 6th, though with a healthy work culture it still managed to post a favourable SI rating of 3 on a scale 1 to 5.

Not surprisingly, dragging the city down was housing, as the affordability of decent accommodation has become the primary grouse of residents of the city. Realty and rental rates have for long hovered at unreal heights.

Meanwhile, the city was perceived fairly positively for its education, with schools given a rating of 3.5 and colleges 3.3. But Delhi and Pune were still viewed as better on both counts, with Chennai and Bangalore also doing better on colleges. The city"s hospitalization facilities did a tad worse, getting an above average rating, though it was only 2.9. Delhi Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Chennai were viewed more favourably here.

However, local experts cautioned online casinos australia that the perception-based survey may not indicate the entire truth, as Mumbaikars are known to be exacting and critical of what their city offers them. Still, if the bureaucracy wasn"t so unwieldy and politicians not so apathetic, the city with the nation"s richest civic body, and which is capital of a state with one of the nation"s biggest economies, would be streets ahead in all the parameters surveyed.

Experts also cited the space crunch Mumbai deals with due to its geographical location. This crunch affects not only housing stock, but also leads to expensive realty, which drives up the cost of education, healthcare etc.

The one factor in which Mumbai continues to be viewed as being tops is work culture. But, while the work ethic of the financial capital was lauded, signs of trouble have risen with Delhi and Bangalore being viewed as having better job opportunities today than the financial capital. Job creation is definitely an issue.

The findings don"t surprise social analysts, who see Mumbai as a city of paradoxes. The metropolis, after all, boasts of corporate hospitals and International Baccalaureate schools that can compete with the best globally, even as public hospitals and civic schools creak under the weight of a severe shortage of resources and infrastructure.

On housing, experts said the paradox is that there are units, but they are unaffordable. "There is plenty of housing, but spiralling real estate prices put it out of reach of the middle class," said R N Sharma of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Pankaj Joshi, of the Urban Design Research Institute UDRI), said, "The accommodation being built is inappropriate and unsustainable. Even working Mumbaikars live in slums today." In a survey done earlier this year by UDRI, around 2,000 Mumbaikars said the lack of affordable housing was their top issue. An increasing dependence on private healthcare was also a concern, with 70% saying they go to private doctors.

Fewer people view this as a destination for jobs. "There is a fantastic work culture here," said sociologist Nandini Sardesai, "but people have no work. It"s a city of gold for a handful but on the decline for many." She said housing, education and healthcare haven"t kept up with population growth. The government must invest in social infrastructure, said R A Potdar, of the Centre for the Study of Social Change, adding that there"s little coordination between government departments.

2011/12/08

Booming education sector attracts home buyers to Pune


Pune

From time immemorial, Pune has been home to some of high profile educational institutes. This has, in fact, been a strong driving factor for several families who opted to settle here.

Lakshmi Krishnamurthy, who works for a prominent bank in Pune, is a suitable example of a family that prefers to settle here as they did not want to compromise on the education of their children, her husband’s transferable job notwithstanding. “Quality of education is a class apart in Pune,” she says. “It caters to a variety of fields, including engineering, medicine, fashion and entertainment. Every year a lot of students take admissions in the various educational centres and come to Pune city. With these courses being generally of fouryear duration, a lot of students continue to stay in the city even after completing their education, thanks to some great placements offered by several prominent companies.”


The fact that Pune takes its educational hub tag quite seriously is suitably buttressed by the development of a Special Education Zone in Lavale, which is a village located in the Mulshi taluka of Pune district. The area is known for its picturesque surroundings. A huge hillock separates Lavale village from Pune city.

A large number of educational institutions have set up huge premises inside this valley located in the ridges of the Western Ghat, around 10 kilometres away from Pune.

Some prominent institutes like Symbiosis International University, Bharati Vidyapeeth and the Foundation for Liberal and Management Education already have their presence in this valley, which is building its brand as the country’s largest education hub.

Symbiosis International University has also developed Dyangram campus here. Symbiosis Institute of Business Management and Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management have shifted their premises. It also plans to set up a hospital near its campus with an investment of Rs 60 crore.
Twenty-four-year-old Sandhya Ravi, who came to Pune from Mumbai for her post graduation, says that she settled here as she bagged a job with a bank soon after completing her studies. “I have been staying here for the last four years now and I like this area because my work place is nearby. Besides, Pune is in close proximity of Mumbai. Owing to this, I have now invested in a 2BHK near Aundh area.”

In a similar vein, Sonali Vaidya, a homemaker and Bavdhan resident, says that when she moved from Mumbai, her son’s education was a priority. “When we shifted here, the first thing that attracted me was the option of several schools in the vicinity for my son, Aryan. It’s been quite a while now and I have seen the area grow like anything.”

The educational institutes are known to fuel a boost in infrastructure as well with construction of roads and other civic facilities coming up near the campus. Also, these educational facilities are known to attract students even from countries such as Europe, the US and Australia, thus upping the realty quotient of the area.

Moreover, developers maintain that the educational hub tag has been a motivating factor for several prominent companies to set up base in Pune. Rohit Gera, Joint Managing Director, Gera Developments, says: “It’s absolutely true; education infrastructure in Pune is quite robust. The city, in fact, produces the most number of graduates in the country. Several companies have set up shop here as they find it easy to get a trained and professional workforce. An individual spends threefour years of education and lands up a job and finally ends up buying a home.”

According to him, the education sector has done quite well in the past decade or so and would continue be the motivating factor for several families to invest or buy a home in Pune. “Colleges are adding verticals, classrooms and teaching capacity; this only means that it’s all set for a move in the right direction. This, in a way, augurs well for the realty sector as well.”
Source: Times Property in The Times of India, Pune

2011/12/07


From: 7bigha.com

Pune
Over the past few years, Thergaon has transformed drastically. Initially, it was no
thing more than a hamlet with very less facilities in terms of infrastructure and entertainment. However, now it is coming up in a big way as an ideal place of residence with not only good infrastructure and connectivity but also adequate educational and medical facilities.

Thergaon is also become popular because it is in close proximity to IT parks as well as other commercial areas. Arun Gupta, Director, Arun Developers, says, “We launched our project in 1998 since it has close proximity to Chinchwad, Hinjewadi and other commercial areas and we saw a lot of opportunities in this area.”

Avers Sanjay Bajaj, Managing Director – Pune, Jones Lang LaSalle, “Wakad and the Hinjewadi Software Technology Park lie at a convenient distance from Thergaon along the Pune-Mumbai Highway, bestowing their various benefits as well.”

According to him, in the real estate terms, Thergaon being unsaturated and relatively free from congestion, offers a pollution-free environment, spacious living conditions and affordable land rates and is the latest rising star of Pune.

He adds, “Now that most of the urban areas within the city have reached saturation point, it is the suburbia and outlying localities that are receiving increasing attention – Thergaon is amongst the most favoured ones.”

According to Anil Kawle, Proprietor, Mr Broker Online, the prevailing residential rate in Thergaon, is approximately Rs 3,800 per sq. ft.

Thergaon is now considered as an optimal location for buying home not only from investment perspective but also with the idea of buying a home for living. Bajaj says, “This is a ‘have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too’ situation that is not available often on the property market. The pace of development in Thergaon is carefully controlled. Only residential and commercial projects that fit well into the overall master plan are encouraged. From both an investment and home-buying angle, localities like Thergaon make eminent economic and aesthetic real estate sense.”

Gupta also believes that the development in Thergaon is systematic and not haphazard considering significant growth in terms of infrastructure development and casino internet other facilities. The working class community mostly dominates this place.

Thergaon is a perfect blend of good entertainment options, health facilities and sports clubs too. It has concrete roads and adequate water supply too. This place has the only boat club in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) besides a number of gardens and play grounds in the area. A lot of people go for a walk near the Shivaji Maharaj statue at Dange Chowk. The place also has Dilip Vengasarkar cricket academy ground which is one of the best compliments to the cricket lovers. It also has one of the best multi-facility hospitals in Pune, Aditya Birla Hospital, besides several other comparatively small hospitals.

While places like Chinchwad, Aundh and such other places are over-crowded and polluted, Thergaon offers relatively good residential options. Bajaj says, “What these places lack is adequate residential ambience. Since the accent is on industrialisation and its many needs, finding a home on par with contemporary living standards is almost out of the question.”

In such a conundrum, Thergaon offers the ideal solution. With easy access to the commercial areas, it remains inherently peaceful, free of excesses and highly affordable.

On a similar note, Kawle says, “This area is mainly well known for its close proximity to IT Parks and other commercial areas and peaceful environment compared to the neighbouring places of Thergaon. It is also in close proximity to the Mumbai Pune express highway.”

Shabnam Javed Tamboli, a resident of Thergaon, finds it an ideal place in Pune to reside. “When we shifted to Thergaon, the area was not well developed and was comparatively cheap,” she recalls. “Besides, my husband’s work place is very close. Though there are not too many facilities available within Thergaon, I love this place for its peaceful environment. Entertainment facilities are developing at a fast pace but for now entertainment options are available at a distance of mere 5 to 6 km from Thergaon,” she says.

The residents of the vicinity are also happy with the education, transport and medical facilities. For transport facility, bus, six-seaters and auto-rickshaws are available. There are enough educational institutions and medical services available in Thergaon. Also, there are many famous schools like New Sinhgad School among others and also some municipal corporation schools. Also it is in close vicinity to established reputed educational institutions like NICMAR, Symbiosis Institute, D.Y Patil College and Mercedes Benz International School.

Bajaj concludes, “Numerous notable builders are taking an active interest in establishing projects there, and the future of this charming little locality is as bright as that of Wakad, Pimple Nilakh and other outlying areas of Pune.”

http://7bighagroup.over-blog.com/article-thergaon-a-fast-growing-suburb-of-pune-81109796.html