A Review of PCMC Property Market in 2016

Anil Pharande

As the new year dawns, India's real estate market has begun navigating the potentially choppy seas of 2017 with a lot of uncertainty. When it comes to the past year, it is safe to say that nothing went as anticipated for the property market. The hoped- for recovery in the residential sector did not happen, and the Government's unexpected demonetisation move in early November put paid to any chances for a last-minute turnaround.

Robust economy: Through the entire gamut of churn and setbacks in 2016, only one city's real estate market managed to hold its own and even achieve some modest growth. West Pune, with its dominant market PCMC (Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation), has always been a unique as it rides on an unbeatable trinity of residential demand drivers - manufacturing, Information Technology and the services sector. 

This equation has perennially acted like a healthily diversified investment portfolio, with the inherent strength of one or two of these sectors compensating for the occasional de-growth in the others. As always, this factor came to the rescue of the PCMC residential market.

Employment still drives housing demand: While the manufacturing sector in PCMC has always been robust thanks to the MIDC belt, continued growth in IT and the various services streams additionally ensured that the employment graph remained strong. With job creation continuing to drive the demand for homes, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation crossed the finish line of 2016 ahead of the other major cities - with room to spare. Though the demand for prime and luxury housing has remained somewhat subdued, budget and mid-income housing saved the day. If anything, 2016 amply illustrated that the middle class in Pune and PCMC has become extremely choosy about its home purchases.

Unsold inventory: Many of Pune's peripheral areas - the hot investment favourites of 2014-15 - saw a depressing build-up of unsold supply even in completed projects. The lack of support infrastructure and known deficiencies such as inadequate or non-existent water supply put paid to many a developer's hopes of selling his stock solely on the basis of enticingly low rates and freebies.

Of course, every large city in the country has its share of unsold inventory today, either because of muted market sentiment, the fact that a lot of supply is still in the early stages of construction, supply in the wrong locations, or unrealistic pricing of certain projects by developers. In the case of West Pune, most of the non-selling oversupply has been in locations lacking infrastructure. In PCMC, the supply overhang is largely from smaller developers without a good track record and credibility on the market.

Evolving buyer preferences: Diwali, the traditional period for increased home purchases in Pune, saw very few takers for inferior projects in inferior locations. Even the prospect of acquiring larger homes than their current ones did not draw mid-income buyers to lagging locations. On the other hand, there was a distinct uptick for smaller but 'high-performance' homes in properly connected areas. The accent was on a high degree of facilitation within such projects.
 
Price corrections: With 2016 bringing a slow but steady erosion of property pricing in most of its markets, some of the previously unaffordable locations in West Pune / PCMC have once again become attainable to homebuyers. If Budget 2017-18 brings the hoped-for benefits for first-time property buyers and the RBI rolls out lower interest rates, there is every reason to expect a major revival in home buying sentiment - and it is the superior locations which will see the highest demand.

Outlook for 2017

The trend of the real estate market in Pune and PCMC performing against the larger odds will definitely continue. Not only do the twin cities have all the right economic and demand drivers firmly in place, but their inclusion in the 100 Smart Cities program will only increase the interest from multinational companies to set up and expand operations here. This will, in turn, increase inward migration and fuel greater demand from investors, even as local end-user demand continues unabated.

While the bulk of demand today comes from end-users, investors are still very much a force on Pune's property market. The city offers several budget bandwidths and property typologies into which one can invest. Well-timed and properly researched real estate purchases can reap very satisfactory returns.

However, it should be borne in mind that not every kind of investment pays off equally in Pune - one needs to know precisely how each sub-market works, what it responds to and where the demand is headed. A poorly-judged property investment can be a disappointing proposition. Particularly, investors need to be wary of the cheap, potentially illegal 'gray market' residential constructions happening on the outskirts.

Content by 

Anil Pharande, 

Chairman, 

Pharande Spaces

Real Estate Regulatory Bill gives more power to buyers to take on errant builders

The much-awaited Real Estate Regulatory Bill has now broken the last hurdle to become a concrete legislation when it was passed by the Upper House of the Parliament – Rajya Sabha on Thursday much to the relief of home buyers who now got a legal arm to protect their interests.

The Bill has various provisions which can protect the interest of buyers, who have remained mute victims for years due to irregularities in the real estate dealings by unscrupulous builders across the nation. The provisions of the bill now will make the developers accountable and also bring in the much-needed transparency in terms of dealings and quality of the products.

Indian real estate has so far been remained unregulated which has made many becoming fly-by-night builders to take advantage of the gullible home buyers. Big builders are now happy because this bill will regulate the industry and cut-to-size the small-time developers who account for more than 60 per cent of realty transactions in India.

However, certain developers did express their disappointment saying that the Bill did not take Government agencies, whose delay in approvals can impact on project completion schedule, from its purview. It’s now up the state governments to implement it with or without further amendments.

Let’s see what builders, analysts and industry organizations have to say about the Bill becoming a Law.

T Chitty Babu, National Chairman of CREDAI:

T Chitty Babu, while welcoming the Bill, said, “This will give a level playing field for developers and also regulate the approval process.” However, he said that the Bill has failed to bring an important stakeholder into its fold — the government agencies.

Explaining further, he told New Indian Express, There are four stake holders in the development of a real estate project - the developer, the financial institutions and the customer. The fourth stake holder, the government, has not been brought into the ambit of the bill. The government plays an important role in the approval process. Now we will have 58 windows and a door.”

Sunil Kanoria, president, ASSOCHAM:

Apex industry body ASSOCHAM said the Bill would to lead development of urban infrastructure,  help realise government’s vision of ‘Housing for every Indian by 2022’ and play a pivotal role in structural transformation of India’s economy.

“Apart from resolving key issues that are hampering the growth of the real estate sector, this bill will lead to institutional reforms in land acquisition, approval processes and taxation that are much needed to expedite development of affordable housing,” said Sunil Kanoria, president of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

“Besides, it will also help in facilitating investments through FDI, REITs and other innovative real estate financing models will help attract long term funds from foreign and domestic investors,” Kanoria said.

Arvind Jain, Managing Director - Pride Group: 

The real estate regulatory bill has been long in the pipeline, and has now cleared all roadblocks and become a law. Various decision makers involved in it had been ambiguous about their stance towards this vital regulator, and as a result it remained pending. Now, it has finally received the green signal and is all set to revolutionize the Indian realty market. It will empower consumers by giving them confidence while making their real estate investments. It imposes strict regulations on how developers conduct their business, and underwent various redrafts aimed at doing this. It is very encouraging that the bill is now a reality. 

Kishor Pate, CMD - Amit Enterprises Housing Ltd: 

The real estate needed the Real Estate Regulatory bill more than any other single piece of legislation, even though GST, the Land Aquisition & Rehabilitation Bill, single window clearance and industry status are by now means of less importance.  The industry has been in express need of an apex body through which all concerns of consumers can be addressed transparently and efficiently. We will now see a radical transformation of the entire residential sector. Strict enforcement of project delivery timelines, verifiable construction quality and assurance of legal clearances will finally become a reality, and the consumer confidence which had all but evaporated will return. It is a most welcome development.

Anil Pharande, Chairman - Pharande Spaces: 

The Indian real estate sector has historically been unregulated and ill-organized. Unfortunately, the unorganized segment has so far represented the largest share of the market, and it is in this segment that consumers have in innumerable cases been held hostage to by unscrupulous practices of ruthless developers. The real estate regulatory bill was drafted with a vision to give clarity and assurance to real estate buyers via various strictures. Now that it has become an enforceable law, it will have a profoundly positive effect on how both domestic and global investors view Indian real estate. More importantly, it will give homebuyers a strong measure of assurance. 

 

Anuj Puri, Chairman & Country Head, JLL India:

The passing of the long-pending Real Estate Regulatory Bill is an unequivocal victory for the Indian real estate sector. Its enactment as a law will almost single-handedly revamp the way the sector works across the board, from developers to end-users and investors, to lending institutions and government agencies involved in the buying and selling of property. It is by far the most decisive step the sector has taken towards transparency and reaching towards the kind of standardized processes, procedures and accountability guidelines that the industry requires to progress.

Harshvardhan Neotia, President, FICCI:

Commenting on the Real Estate Regulatory Bill, Harshvardhan Neotia, President of FICCI, said, “The passing of Real Estate Bill, 2016 in Rajya Sabha is a landmark step towards enhancing the credibility of construction industry by bringing in transparency and accountability in execution of projects. I hope this bill will put in place an effective regulatory mechanism that would safeguard the interest of consumers as well as provide protection against fly by night operators. The passing of bill should enable timely approval and execution of projects which will raise the confidence of consumers and also give a huge boost to the growth of real estate sector.”

Though this is a good beginning after a prolonged delay, the Real Estate Regulation and Development Bill becoming a Law, in a way would prompt buyers to go for purchasing homes without any apprehension of being cheated. This will help the sagging real estate sector to stand up to meet the increase in demand. Though there are still uncertainities like the appointment of regulators   in states and implementation in toto by state governments, the bill in the long term would provide the much-needed impetus to the sector's overall growth.

Also read the article in Press Release Point.

How Real Estate Regulatory Bill Can Help Revive Property Sector

Anil Pharande

The Real Estate Regulatory Bill has been waiting for a long time to be passed as a law. Though several new recommendations by various bodies were incorporated into the draft Bill and approved by the cabinet, it has still not been passed as an enforceable law by the Parliament. It is now high time that this happens - for several reasons

The changes which have been made in the original draft over time are quite progressive. For instance, a real estate developer must keep a minimum balance of 50% of the funds collected for his project in an escrow account. Before the Real Estate Regulatory Bill was drafted, the concept of creating an escrow account for a real estate project in which to hold funds for a project did not exist at all. In the absence of such a regulation, builders are at liberty to siphon off funds collected for their projects and use them to purchase more land or in the construction of other projects.

The Real Estate Regulatory Bill will make it compulsory for builders to ensure that at least 50% of such funds will remain reserved solely for the development of the project for which they were collected from buyers. To ensure that this actually happens, they will have to pay these funds into an escrow account within 15 days. While this is definitely a rule which will protect the interests of property buyers to some extent, it still means that builders can use half of the funds collected from buyers for other purposes.

This gives rise to a pertinent question - why would they want to do that? Isn't it in the builder's own interest to complete a project on time? Unfortunately, many developers don't look at it that way at all. The reason why they divert funds from ongoing projects is so that they can purchase land to build land banks, which allows them to showcase more projects on their balance sheets. Doing so makes allows them to raise more capital from banks or private equity funds, and also to give an inflated image of the size of their business.

There have been several other changes to the draft Real Estate Regulatory Bill, as well - each giving a clear message that the era in which developers could do whatever they want is going to be history once it is implemented. Not least among these important changes is that developers will have to register all projects which they are constructing within 3 months once the Bill becomes a law. If they fail to do so, they will be penalized to the tune of 10% of the overall project cost, and will have to bear an additional penalty of 10% and even face a prison term for any further delay to register their project.

The Real Estate regulatory Bill will also bring an end to developers' freedom to make changes in the original plans or structural designs of their projects once they have been registered. They will only be able to make any changes if they are able to get the signed approval of at least 2/3rds of those who have invested into the project. Projects which do not have completion certificates issued as yet are now also included, meaning that an even bigger segment of buyers will benefit from protection of their interests.

The current version of the Real Estate Regulatory Bill also has another noteworthy amendment in the fact that it now includes commercial office projects. In other words, investors who have plugged their funds into commercial office properties will also be protected by the Bill. Of course, the fact is that 85% of the Indian real estate market consists of the residential sector. However, this amendment is important because it will help the sector become more transparent in every respect, and not just in some segments. Real estate brokers and agents are now also included in the latest draft of the Bill, which means that will also be liable for legal action if they engage in any practices which are not in line with the new law.

Finally, the latest draft of the Real Estate Regulatory Bill permits customers with grievances to move the consumer courts, and does not position itself as their only legal recourse.

With all these positive amendments now in place, the Real Estate regulatory Bill is indeed a powerful means to make the chronically opaque Indian real estate sector more transparent. Once it becomes a law, people will feel more confident in investing into real estate, and this will result in the revival which everyone has been waiting for. This confidence will take time to become evident, but it will definitely come – and when it does, we will see massive changes on the ground.

Contributed by: Anil Pharande, Chairman - Pharande Spaces

Parliament Lockjam: Will Real Estate Regulatory Bill Ever See the Light?

K Ramanathan

The tall climes of steady upward growth are notwithstanding, the real estate sector in India, which is the second largest employment generator after agriculture, has been in doldrums for the last few years owing to economic downturn with developers looking for a ‘miracle’ which can turn the tide for the sector in 2016.

There have been a few positive developments in the recent past such as opening up of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), introduction of REITs and recently, the cabinet passing the much-awaited Real Estate Regulatory Bill which have created positive vibes among the real estate community.

Though the success of the first two initiatives can be gauged on the basis of investment scenario, which again depends on the economic growth, the enactment of real estate regulatory Bill as law is expected to add the much required impetus to the sector’s growth vehicle in the year 2016, feel real estate experts. 

N. Nandakumar, President, CREDAI Tamil Nadu & Managing Director, Devinarayan Housing & Property Developments Pvt Ltd.

The Bill will become a reality as the Government has given great impetus to Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill (RERA).  It is only a matter of time before the Rajya Sabha clears the Bill and consequent adaptation by the State Governments in setting up the Regulatory authorities.  The transition time for this would take about 9 to 12 months and thereafter which, implementation is expected to commence.

The year 2015 has been a turbulent year for the Real Estate industry in India.  The market conditions being extremely volatile would have cascading impact for the immediate future. The Bill will bring the much needed push to the real estate sector’s growth.

Anil Pharande, Vice President, CREDAI Pune Metro and Chairman - Pharande Spaces
The Indian real estate sector has historically been unregulated and unorganized with the later having the largest share of the market. It is in this segment consumers face a lot of problems due to unscrupulous practices followed by ruthless developers. 

The Real Estate Regulatory Bill was conceived to give assurance and clarity to home buyers through various means. After several changes, it has now overcome the important hurdle. As an enforceable law post clearance, it will have a far reaching positive impact on both domestic and global investors. Most importantly, the independent regulators will give homebuyers a strong sense of assurance.

Anuj Puri, Chairman and Country Head at JLL India

The Real Estate Regulatory Bill has seen several changes in the recent past. The latest one, which has made amendments as per a Rajya Sabha committee, is expected to pass in the Upper House in the current session. 

The Bill, if becomes a Law after President’s assent, will provide the much needed boost to the sagging real estate sector and have far-reaching consequences in terms of operating procedures and creating transparency in consumer redressal system. If it happens, it will be a year-end bonus for the struggling realty sector. 

The Bill will bring in much-required accountability and transparency in the real estate sector. It will also guarantee consumer right protection, thereby increasing customers’ confidence and also aid improved quality and timely delivery of projects.

Surendra Hiranandani, Founder and Managing, Director of House of Hiranandani

The Real Estate Regulatory Bill should act as a level playing field between home buyers, builders and authorities. Though we believe that the proposed Bill will bring in transparency and protect consumers’ interests, the lack of clarity on certain proposed measures is likely to add the construction costs through delay. 

This will make the housing projects more expensive thus buying homes will become a distant dream for middle-class and poor.

Setting up of state-wise regulators, compulsory registration of all residential and commercial projects, enhancement of power to grievances cells will help regulate the sector further by bringing in a systematic approach and transparency.

With opposition parties headed by Congress making tough for the ruling NDA to pass Bills in the Rajya Sabha by bringing in various issues to adjourn the Houses repeatedly, several important bills such as GST, Real Estate Regulatory Bill, Prevention of Corruption Bill, Whistle-blowers Protection Bill, and many more are waiting endlessly to see the light. 

Will these parties rise above the petty politics and help nation building by doing some serious works at the Parliament? Only time will tell!

The article also published in Merinews.com.

Pradhikaran, PCMC emerges as Pune realty’s Hottest Growth Corridor

Anil Pharande, Chairman of Pharande Spaces, a leading construction and development firm operating in the PCMC area of Pune, speaks about Pradhikaran, PCMC, as Pune Real estate’s new residential property investment hotspot.

The Pune residential real estate boom, initially kick-started by the IT/ITeS industry, has brought about a lot of unregulated development. While property prices in Pune rose unrealistically, the city’s traditional ease of living and pleasant climate, which were previously its USPs, suffered. 

Hills and trees have been razed to accommodate the rapidly expanding concrete jungle that all but defines central Pune today. The town planning commission found itself impotent in the face of the development mania, which soon transcended all reasonable, sustainable boundaries.

Real Estate Woes In Central Pune

In Pune, infrastructure challenges have been increasing because of the ever-increasing population. This has also put escalating pressure on available land, resulting in the forced extension of the city limits.

The pattern of development has been decidedly mercenary and unplanned, with the only criteria being accessibility to existing and upcoming IT hubs. While the rise of Hinjewadi created increasing demand for homes in its immediate vicinity, places like Aundh soon witnessed a slew of projects by property developers. Similarly, property prices in Baner and Wakad rose so steeply that they finally corrected.

New Focus On Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)

As things stand now, central Pune no longer has an iota of its previous quality and ambience in residential property offerings. It is therefore not surprising that homebuyers are beginning to focus on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. This area has, in fact, emerged as the last outpost Pune’s previous residential property comfort levels.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation first came into the limelight as an industrial area. However, it also has an advantage that central Pune does not – planned development. The growth of the real estate sector in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is closely regulated by the PCNTDA, which works together with the PCMC to ensure planned and realistic growth.

Central Pune continues to suffer from pollution, depleting greenery, traffic jams, water and power scarcity, lack of proper infrastructure and unrealistic residential property rates. Meanwhile, Pradhikaran (the location that defines the PCNTDA) has been benefiting from sensible real estate development.

If one studies the demographical development of Pune real estate growth, it is evident that Pradhikaran is precisely where the city’s growth is headed in the North/North-Western direction. This is extremely significant in terms of long-term residential property investment.

The Importance Of Pradhikaran

In years gone by, the PCNTDA began to acquire land in the PCMC area so that planned development could take place in the future. This planning included the allocation of specific areas for industrial activity, residential property development, public parks, unobstructed spaces, shopping centres, office buildings, roads and utilities.

Water supply to all sectors was ensured by the construction of several mammoth water tanks, each with capacities of several million litres, before development was permitted in each sector. Once this was done, the PCNTDA made the developed land parcels available to property developers.

The PCMC master plan also provides for generous road widths, the likes of which are impossible elsewhere in Pune. This goes a long way in preserving one of Pradhikaran’s natural splendour and hygiene.

Because of these factors, and also because of the growth in the PCMC industrial belt, the last two years have witnessed a huge increase in demand for residential property in the Pradhikaran area.

The fact that a number of large international companies are operating in nearby Chakan has, in fact, been a primary criterion for the area’s development profile. These companies regularly deliver thousands of jobs at all levels, which has had a telling effect on Pradhikaran’s general economic status. Specifically, there has been a huge surge in demand for residential property there.

Pradhikaran’s expansion, which has been inspired by the Chandigarh model of controlled development, began with a few hundred acres. Today, the area speaks for about 7000 acres. Pradhikaran is continually seeing infrastructural enhancements on all fronts – including roads, water and electricity supply and digital connectivity.

Pradhikaran now boasts of massive integrated township projects that offer all the hallmarks of ambient, sustainable living. Apart from the high lifestyle quotient, the investment potential of these townships benefits from a magic mix of real estate market drivers. The presence of Tata Motors, Talawade, Hinjewadi, Chakan and the Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial belt add to the value of these townships, while the Mumbai-Pune highway and Expressway make it advantageously accessible to the financial capital of Mumbai.

No wonder that Pradhikaran is now being seen as both, the best option for first home buyers, and as the new residential property investment hotspot in Pune’s real estate market

For The Lack Of A Road…

Pune has an advantage by virtue of the fact that it has been able to add to its borders by means of surrounding villages. This has served to decrease the pressure on the central city and encouraged an outward growth pattern, writes Anil Pharande, Chairman – Pharande Spaces & Vice President – CREDAI (Pune Metro).

There are often comparisons made between the infrastructure of Mumbai and Pune. The popular consensus seems to be that both cities are equally challenged as far as supportive infrastructure is concerned. This is inappropriate for two reasons – one, Mumbai’s growth pattern has been very different from Pune’s. 

The city has evolved into the country’s financial capital, and the pressures on it are enormous and overwhelming, considering the fact that a significant part of it is an island that cannot grow horizontally to accommodate the growing real estate demands.

Pune, on the other hand, has an advantage by virtue of the fact that it has been able to add to its borders by means of surrounding villages. This has served to decreased pressure on the central city and encouraged an outward growth pattern. 

The challenges on Pune’s infrastructure – particularly its road network - have more to do with the speed of this growth. While there are various proposals for roads and road widening, these have to be translated into real time to be effective.

The pockets of infrastructural under-development are the result of both developers and the Government concentrating on existing growth areas and sidelining those with high future potential. It is a known fact that no area can grow in terms of residential, commercial and retail real estate unless the necessary infrastructure is first put in place.

This is quite a common phenomenon that is the result of the principle of fastest returns almost instinctually followed by both developers and the Government. Bangalore, for instance, was initially not well planned for radial expansion. The approach in this city was simple – where Information Technology projects went, residential projects followed. IT and ITeS, as business lines, are not dependent on a city’s CBD areas and can workably exist in areas where property prices are low.

Once such a project is established, residential, commercial and retail establishments follow. Since this kind of growth in no way follows a master plan, the result is haphazard pockets of growth. This naturally leads to the neglect of areas that have not been so favoured. The syndrome is also evident in the case of other industries such as manufacturing.

To identity another factor that has compromised Pune’s holistic growth in terms of real estate viability - the first masterplan for the city designated a much more progressive ‘roadmap’ for the city’s road network. However, even today, key roads leading to new growth areas are not being put in place with the speed necessary to ensure that these new areas have the requisite connectivity.

In comparison, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has been proactive in terms of a proper road network. This explains why there have been such spurts in growth and corresponding real estate values in this region. Even within Pune, there were earlier precedents wherein languishing areas were given fast-paced infrastructure upgrades because of an new market catalyst. For instance, the Youth Commonwealth Games brought with them the fast-tracked enhancement of Baner Road and Pashan Road.

New Real Estate Mantra - Integrated Residential Projects

Land constraints, zoning laws and the budgetary considerations that govern property buyers in many areas often do not make the integrated township model feasible, opines Anil Pharande is Vice President - CREDAI (Pune Metro) and Chairman of Pharande Spaces.

When you are setting out to purchase the home you always dreamed of and saved for, you obviously wanted something more than just an orphaned, anonymous set of walls in some congested city center. The problem is that’s all that most residential projects in India offer these days.

There is a lot more to the perfect home than good construction, layout and fittings – a residential property needs supporting social and physical infrastructure to become a suitable home. Moreover, the beleaguered city dweller’s heart yearns for the sight of greenery, open spaces and fresh air.

After all, we want our children to grow up in better conditions than we possibly experienced at their age…

In Pune, integrated townships have been seen as the answer to these requirements. However, land constraints, zoning laws and the budgetary considerations that govern property buyers in many areas often do not make the integrated township model feasible. A more practical and feasible alternative is Integrated Residential Projects. 

What Are Integrated Residential Projects?

Like integrated townships, this more compact and serviceable model offers home buyers everything they need for a comfortable and healthy lifestyle. Children have enough room to play in, and both they and their parents are free from the stress, noise and pollution of central urban life. Such projects have schools, shopping and entertainment facilities, healthcare and easy access to public transport.

Also (very importantly) they are a boon to people who wish to live in a non-urban environment while attending to their jobs in the workplace catchments of the city. They get a dream location, excellent infrastructure and a lot more.

Residential real estate investors, on their part, can capitalize on the higher demand – and therefore the higher ROI (returns on investment) that such properties offer. The higher investment potential of homes in integrated residential projects stems from the fact that they are self-sufficient and self-sustaining. A direct outcome of this is that the resale value of such properties is as good as immune to market volatility. Because of the diversified nature of such projects, they represent a very low risk to property investors, even while they benefit from the larger upside potential despite low entry costs.

Unique Challenges For Developers

Builders who cater to the demand for integrated residential projects face quite few challenges. After all, they have to provide the advantages of integrated townships while having to forgo the considerable incentives that the Indian Government offers for the development of larger townships. Therefore, the initial capital required is extremely steep – right from land acquisition to the providing of physical and social infrastructure.

The integrated residential project concept is just beginning to emerge on the Indian real estate landscape. One of the areas where it has been successfully implemented is Pune’s sister city – the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. One of the primary reasons for the success of the integrated residential projects in the PCMC areas of Pradhikaran and Ravet is the fact that these are located very close to vital workplace hubs such as the MIDC and Hinjewadi, Pune’s software hub. This, coupled with the advantages of having ‘everything inside’, has contributed to the demand for homes in such projects.

For The Lack Of A Road…

 The challenges on Pune’s infrastructure – particularly its road network - have more to do with the speed of this growth. While there are various proposals for roads and road widening, these have to be translated into real time to be effective, says Anil Pharande, Chairman – Pharande Spaces & Vice President – CREDAI (Pune Metro).

There are often comparisons made between the infrastructure of Mumbai and Pune. The popular consensus seems to be that both cities are equally challenged as far as supportive infrastructure is concerned. This is inappropriate for two reasons – one, Mumbai’s growth pattern has been very different from Pune’s. 

The city has evolved into the country’s financial capital, and the pressures on it are enormous and overwhelming, considering the fact that a significant part of it is an island that cannot grow horizontally to accommodate the growing real estate demands.

Pune, on the other hand, has an advantage by virtue of the fact that it has been able to add to its borders by means of surrounding villages. This has served to decreased pressure on the central city and encouraged an outward growth pattern. The challenges on Pune’s infrastructure – particularly its road network - have more to do with the speed of this growth. While there are various proposals for roads and road widening, these have to be translated into real time to be effective.

The pockets of infrastructural under-development are the result of both developers and the Government concentrating on existing growth areas and sidelining those with high future potential. It is a known fact that no area can grow in terms of residential, commercial and retail real estate unless the necessary infrastructure is first put in place.

This is quite a common phenomenon that is the result of the principle of fastest returns almost instinctually followed by both developers and the Government. Bangalore, for instance, was initially not well planned for radial expansion. The approach in this city was simple – where Information Technology projects went, residential projects followed. IT and ITeS, as business lines, are not dependent on a city’s CBD areas and can workably exist in areas where property prices are low.

Once such a project is established, residential, commercial and retail establishments follow. Since this kind of growth in no way follows a master plan, the result is haphazard pockets of growth. This naturally leads to the neglect of areas that have not been so favoured. The syndrome is also evident in the case of other industries such as manufacturing.

To identity another factor that has compromised Pune’s holistic growth in terms of real estate viability - the first masterplan for the city designated a much more progressive ‘roadmap’ for the city’s road network, while the second one is decidedly sotto voce on these. Also, key roads leading to new growth areas are not being put in place with the speed necessary to ensure that these new areas have the requisite connectivity.

In comparison, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has been proactive in terms of a proper road network. This explains why there have been such spurts in growth and corresponding real estate values in this region. Considering how much the authorities have already achieved, it is distressing that certain pockets in the region still show signs of infrastructure deficit.

A continuing area of concern in this regard is the lack of adequate road connectivity between certain key areas of the PCMC and areas such as Talegaon. Because of the massive potential for industrial and residential development in and around these areas, they have seen most of the road construction initiatives. In the process, road connectivity from these locations to some of the most important growth areas of PCMC has been largely ignored.

Paradoxically, the areas referred to as Phase 2 in the PCMC development plan hold the highest potential for real estate growth. Thanks to the availability of large land parcels at relatively lower prices, residential and commercial realty development has picking up rapidly in areas such as Moshi. In the meantime, Moshi has become a hotbed for property investments because of the International Convention Centre being jointly developed by the Maratha Chamber of Commerce and the PCMC.

Despite this, there is still no sufficient road connectivity between Phase 2 and the larger industrial hubs. This is going to prove to be a huge stumbling-block for the overall growth of the region. The lack of a suitable road network means that people living in areas like Moshi face difficulties in reaching their workplaces in these employment clusters. This issue must be addressed on a priority basis. A city like PCMC must do everything in its power to ensure that its growth pockets are not isolated from each other.

The potential of this key area apparently lacks recognition of its inherent future value. A closer look at its promise for the PCMC real estate market would very likely cause a more fast-paced development of its road network.

There are earlier precedents in Pune, wherein languishing areas were given fast-paced infrastructure upgrades because of an upcoming market catalyst. When the recent Youth Commonwealth Games loomed closer, the enhancement of Baner Road and Pashan Road were put on the fast track.

In the same manner, it is not unreasonable to anticipate that the planning authorities will take cognizance of the fact that PCMC’s Phase 2 is extremely important, and that it must at all costs be enabled with the requisite road connectivity.

How to develop PCMC - Anil Pharande has few suggestions

Anil Pharande, Chairman of Pharande Spaces & Vice President – CREDAI (Pune Metro) has called for action to develop Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in Pune, saying that the region requires overall development and seek authorities help to improve infrastructure and other facilities there.

“Considering the pace at which real estate development has been taking place, certain lacunae in adhering to the PCNTDA's master plan were unavoidable. One of the most glaring examples of this was the emergence of unauthorized structures in various pockets of the PCMC,” he said.

Thanking authorities for their drive against such structures, he said, “We are confident that all illegal constructions will be erased from the landscape by the end of 2013.” 

Pointing out the lack of lack of adequate road connectivity between certain key areas of the PCMC and areas such as Talegaon, Anil Pharande said, “Because of the massive potential for industrial and residential development in and around these areas, they have seen most of the road construction initiatives. In the process, road connectivity from these locations to some of the most important growth areas of PCMC has been largely ignored.”

Paradoxically, the areas referred to as Phase 2 in the PCMC development plan hold the highest potential for real estate growth. Thanks to the availability of large land parcels at relatively lower prices, residential and commercial realty development has picking up rapidly in areas such as Moshi. In the meantime, Moshi has become a hotbed for property investments because of the International Convention Centre being jointly developed by the Maratha Chamber of Commerce and the PCMC, he said.

Ruing for insufficient road connectivity between Phase 2 and the larger industrial hubs, he said this was going be a huge stumbling-block for the overall growth of the region. “The lack of a suitable road network means that people living in areas like Moshi face difficulties in reaching their workplaces in these employment clusters. This issue must be addressed on a priority basis. A city like PCMC must do everything in its power to ensure that its growth pockets are not isolated from each other,” he noted.

Growth prospects

Yet another issue is that the population within the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is growing at an annual rate of 73%. Such a rate of growth makes it necessary to provide more spaces for development. Unfortunately, there have been limitations put on the city's potential for geographic expansion by Red Zones (non-development areas).

It is imperative that more of the region's outlying villages be included in the urbanization plan. There are enough examples in India of what happens when a city does not expand geographically in tandem with its population growth. Such a situation must not be allowed to develop in the PCMC. Also, PCMC needs to be able to accommodate the rapid growth in population in terms of providing more educational institutions, shopping complexes, healthcare establishments and entertainment zones, he said.

Sustainable development

“Finally, I would like to touch on PCMC's major thrust towards sustainable real estate development. It is no secret that green development is the future of real estate all over the world. In fact, many of the bigger residential townships and commercial complexes in the PCMC have already adopted the 'green development' mantra. The new PCNTDA building itself is a resounding statement to how important sustainable development has become to the city, “he said.

Nevertheless, there is still a noticeable lack of enthusiasm within the region about the benefits of green homes and workplaces. One of the reasons for this is lack of awareness. Many of the region’s residential property developers and buyers have not been attuned to the advantages of environmentally sustainable properties. I urge the State Government to join hands with the PCMC to bring about greater awareness and eventual adoption of this vitally important principle, the Vice President of CREDAI (Pune Metro) said.

Pitching for better incentives for developers and buyers of green homes in the PCMC, he said, “The use of non-conventional energy sources and sustainable waste water management does not only have a positive impact on the environment and on the overall quality of life. Such measures reduce the strain on municipal resources, resulting in significant revenue savings. Unless the benefits of these savings are passed back on to the developers and buyers of sustainable properties, we cannot expect a more wide-spread adoption of the 'green' mantra in PCMC.”