Budget or Luxury Property: Which Is a Better Investment?

This is a big question in every property investor's mind - do you stand to profit more from luxury properties or budget homes? Generally, lower-end real estate needs lower capital, which makes it especially appealing to small-time investors. Luxurious real estate, however, is an asset class reserved for people with a lot of capital to spend on a prime residential property.

So, what are budget properties?

Budget housing primarily targets the middle and lower-middle income bracket of buyers. This would include regular starter homes in emerging or non-prime areas. Such homes are cheaper and not top of the line, but they are adequate to meet the requirements of the mid and lower income groups. In other words, investors with smaller budgets can invest in such properties - though even the more well- heeled property investors in India often investing in bulk in budget housing projects to capitalize on the high-demand middle and lower middle-class marketplace.

Now that we've defined budget housing in a nutshell, what is high-end real estate and how does it compare as an investment with budget housing?

What is luxury property?

Luxury housing caters to the wealthy who have a predilection for first-class amenities and facilities, which they are not averse to paying a premium for. Basically, such properties must be exclusive, desirable and unique in many ways. Premium central location used to be a primary factor while selecting a luxury property - but with the new trend of extremely prime and ultra-modern projects coming up even in newer areas, this is no longer strictly true.

What exactly does exclusivity mean? After all, by virtue of every home having only a single owner, can it not be argued that all homes are technically 'exclusive'? Not really. As far as high-end real estate is concerned, exclusivity means closeness to other high-end residences, and suitable access to a variety of tasteful conveniences like five-star hotels, shopping malls, sports complexes, and parks.

In areas like Pune's PCMC where planned urbanization has preserved a lot of the available green cover, natural beauty is also an essential determinant in defining exclusiveness. While some buyers may favor mountainside views, others are more into countryside or lakeside and park views. In recent years, integrated luxury townships have been offering such features - and a lot more.

Generally, well-to-do luxury home buyers want the same things that all buyers for lower-end properties do, just on a considerably bigger scale. While budget home buyers are satisfied with rudimentary security, regular maintenance of the project and basic fixtures and fittings, luxury homeowners expect advanced facilities and project management that provide a seamlessly comfortable, convenient and visually enriching experience. They also expect round-the-clock electronic and human surveillance of the premises, smart security and convenience features in the properties, and top-grade international branded fittings.

Obviously, luxury properties cost a lot more than budget homes. The question is, do luxury properties make more sense investment-wise than budget homes? There are various schools of thought on this, with a lot of emphasis being laid on the fact that the highest demand in India is for budget housing.

However, market readings also indicate that the number of wealthy home buyers in India is on the rise - and these buyers all seek top-class, refined housing with all the latest amenities and facilities. 

Moreover, they are invariably not dependent on home loans and have enough wealth to make outright purchases. Simultaneously, a huge complement of India's highly cost-sensitive budget housing segment of buyers is sitting on the fence, waiting for declining home loan interest rates and a correction in property prices.

Also, over the last couple of years, a volatile economy has significantly impacted pricing of luxury homes, making them more affordable.

Closing Verdict

It is fairly safe to say that both budget housing and luxury properties are finding buyers in India. It is certainly advisable to run an all-inclusive market analysis locally before embarking on a real estate investment, since the exact dynamics driving ROI on different property typologies differ on a market to market basis.

For instance, investment in a luxury integrated township in the Pimpri- Chinchwad Municipal Corporation make a lot more sense that investment in a small budget housing project, because luxury townships offer residents neighbours of comparable status and purchasing power, highly adequate facilities such as green open spaces, in-project schools and shopping malls and superlative project maintenance and smart home features at a unit level.

 By Anil Pharande, 

Chairman - 

Pharande Spaces

PCMC Townships Offer Great Value for Money for Pune Home Buyers

Townships are a new property mantra in India, and for the bigger cities they're without any doubt the sole remaining hope for good quality living standards. Slowly but surely, residential quality of life in cities like Pune are on the decrease, and township properties are rightfully getting increasing importance as the most logical response to the increasing need for quality-based living.

Anil Pharande

In cities such as the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the ‘Infrastructure First’ strategy being employed by the governing authorities since several decades has served to provide highly adequate living conditions for PCMC residents. On the other hand, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has not been able to keep up to speed on its own infrastructure scenario. The heedless way with which real estate development has been taking place in Pune has not only resulted in a veritable concrete jungle but also made problems like traffic congestion, air and noise pollution and also water depletion much worse over the past several years.

PCMC - The New Townships Capital

In this depressing scenario, the massive integrated townships being developed in the booming city of PCMC has offered Pune's citizens a new and invigorating lifestyle standard. In the PCMC, the integrated township revolution started in areas like Ravet and Moshi, and today the city's leading developers have also established high-end townships in Punavale and on Spine Road.

Though negligence and greed are definitely operative factors in the illogical way the Pune Municipal Corporation has been developing, it also has certain limitations. In the first place, integrated township projects require substantial acreage, and large plots have essentially been completely used up in the central regions of the PMC. As consequence, the focus has now shifted to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, where superlative support infrastructure, affordable property rates and a scientific approach to real estate development still make townships a very workable proposal.

In integrated townships, the issues are infrastructure shortfall and deteriorating living conditions are totally negated. These projects provide an extremely high grade of living standards, set to the backdrop of tasteful natural surroundings and adequate open spaces.

Providing township-level facilities in smaller residential projects would entail prohibitive prices for the developers – and the cost escalations would have to be passed on to the property buyers. Such facilities would immediately boost a smaller residential project into the luxury category, with consummate price implications to buyers. However, as a result of the economies of scale, township developers in the PCMC are giving the township lifestyle option to buyers at prices that reasonable and attractive. 

High-quality infrastructure, open spaces and instant accessibility to every requirement of day-to-day living in these townships result in a first-class lifestyle equation since all residents in a township gain from one big integrated and centrally managed system.

Township Properties - Higher Price but Ultimate Value

As already mentioned, when a builder offers township-level facilities in smaller housing projects, the prices to consumers are comparable to those of high-end luxury residences. In townships, the vast variety of facilities, fully-integrated infrastructure as well as the availability of schools, hospitals and shopping complexes within the premises obviously means that township properties come at a price that is somewhat higher than standard multi-storey flats. On the other hand, the added expense is vindicated by the reality that people who buy into township properties are guaranteed a greatly superior living standard – not to mention vastly higher yields on investment.

For property buyers who just don't desire to compromise on their lifestyle choices, the township properties of PCMC are the most logical and intelligent options. The direct benefits include a healthier life thanks to open spaces and greenery, complete security, the guarantee of high-grade infrastructure and facilities within the premises, and instant accessibility to recreational facilities and retail outlets. This results in a very high measure of convenience and comfort within an entirely cosmopolitan ethos.

By Anil Pharande, 

Chairman, 

Pharande Spaces.

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

PCMC Beats Pune To Rank Among India's 10 Cleanest Cities

Anil Pharande

The verdict by Swachh Survekshan 2016, a survey undertaken by the Ministry of Urban Development February 15, 2016 to monitor how far the Union Government's Swachh Bharat Mission has progressed, was an eye-opener for India. While the multiple award-winning Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation ranked 9th on the list of India's 10 Cleanest Cities, Pune - administered by the Pune Municipal Corporation, did not make it to the Top 10 list at all.

Altogether, the Swachh Survekshan 2016 survey studied 73 cities having populations of 10 lakh or above, and focused on aspects such availability of public and private latrines, the efficiency of services delivery, solid waste management and infrastructure development. Always at the forefront when it comes to providing a healthy, wholesome life to its residents, PCMC had in the recent past added to its solid waste processing capabilities via a new garbage depot. This mechanised plant processes 500 tonnes of garbage into compost useful for agriculture on a daily basis. Moreover,PCMC has set the national trend in its progressive and scientific management of landfills, as well as its initiative to turn waste plastic into energy.

Another variable which the Swachh Survekshan 2016 survey focused on was the effectiveness of communication in the identified cities, specifically their citizens' access to information and education, and the civic authorities' proactive approach to in Behaviour Change Communication (BCC). BCC is a very important interactive function via which a city’s governing authorities communicate with the city's population to ensure that initiatives to help the city to grow and prosper are understood and adopted.

Without a doubt, PCMC has been consistent in upholding its promises to provide the very best living standards to its residents. Therefore, the fact that it has been numbered in the 10 Cleanest Cities of India comes as no surprise. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is a veritable masterpiece of urban planning, driven by an unrelenting focus on infrastructure, sustainability and future-readiness. It offers a sharp contrast to the confused and retrograde approach being followed by the Pune Municipal Corporation, which has not been able to deliver on the functions and aspects that make a city worth living in.

The fact that PCMC has been able to come out a winner on the list of India's 10 Cleanest Cities is all the more remarkable if we consider that this region is home to the thriving MIDC industrial belt, as well as the Hinjawadi Infotech Park. These hubs are among the country's most prolific employment generators, causing countless new skilled professionals to make PCMC their home every year. 

Despite the immense complexities this presents to the city authorities, PCMC has consistently risen to the challenges and continues to provide people from all walks of life and income segments with a wholesome, healthy environment to live and work in. It has been able to do this is by encouraging the development of integrated townships and ensuring that all real estate development happens with strict compliance to its town planning norms.

In PCMC, open spaces and green 'lung' pockets are available in every sector to control pollution and provide citizens with places to meet and relax, and wide roads and over/underpasses allow for free-flowing traffic. Water and electricity supply is several times more reliable than in the Pune Municipal Corporation, and highly efficient civic sanitation services ensure that all residential and commercial zones are kept clean.        

Thanks to these factors, there is no doubt that PCMC will move further up the rankings over the next few years. In the meantime, it will continue to focus on maintaining its well-deserved reputation for being the best region in the country for people to work, live and prosper in.

Contributed by  Anil Pharande, Chairman - Pharande Spaces.

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…

 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.”