Indian Real Estate

It is a well-accepted fact that elevations at eye levels get more easily noticed. However, giving ceilings the illusion of height always lends character to the area in which they flow. High ceilings have a majestic feel where as low heights create a cosy ambience. Today ceiling decor is being incorporated as a trick to hide beam structures, ducting for air-conditioning and set-in lighting.

The basic utility features in ceilings are lights and fans. Interior architects constantly endeavour to add a touch to glamour to these elements. For eg. Different looking fans, in varied finishes give the ceiling a unique look. Antique looking fans with long suspended rods bring back the magic of yester years. Again a dramatic effect can be added with the suspension of chandeliers.

* Dressing up of ceilings can also be done by leaving them white, with the corner between the wall and the ceiling being given a decorative look.

* A neat, clear cut finish ensures a sharp look. The corner could be adorned with a cornice, which is hugely popular. They could be wooden, pre-fabricated or of readymade PVC. Wood gives an exotic feel and adds grandeur to the room.

* Patterning of the cornice must go with the rest of the decor style. For instance, an ornate decorative filligri pattern on the ceiling, surrounding the fan in an antique finish on a white background gives the ceiling a Greeko-Roman look. Roman patterns are also very popular these days.

* Of late designers have also been experimenting with dome ceilings with glass paintings. Sometimes translucent glass is used and candles are lit below to illuminate the place, through reflection.

* This strategic lighting may show off only a part of your ceiling but it diffuses the light. In foyers or smaller areas artwork can be used.

* In places that have narrow corridors, wave ceiling patterns are used to give the space an unusual look. Lastly, fabric is often blended in with the light fixtures to give the ceiling a touch of warmth

Very few people are aware of the fact that certain properties, especially those owned by the government, are not covered by the Rent Control Act (RCA). This Act was introduced with the aim to protect the rights of middle-class tenants and owners of small houses. Therefore, it cannot be extended to resolve the disputes pertaining to skyscrapers, multi-storied building owners and huge apartments that reap several thousands of rupees. It is not applicable to “able tenants” (residents with sound financial background) who can pay high rents, and tenants of government lands and buildings.

The RCA takes care of the interests of the tenants and the landlord and provides enough authority to the rent controller to control certain buildings under private ownership. But the law has its limitations. This law does not protect the rights of rich landlords and tenants who have to seek recourse to ordinary civil courts for justice if there is any breach of contract or lease. The RCA provides major reliefs on nominal payment of court fee. Whereas under the Transfer of Property Act, which governs the position of leases, the parties seeking justice have to pay court fee in proportion to the value of the justice they ask for.

Rich Buildings Excluded

Buildings that can fetch a rent of more than Rs 3,500 in municipal corporation areas like Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Warangal, etc., and the municipal council buildings which fetch more than Rs 2,000 as rent in other municipal areas are excluded from this law. The rent controller or courts constituted to resolve rent control disputes will not hear the tenant from a municipal corporation area, who is paying more than Rs 3,500, and a tenant from a municipal council building, who is paying Rs 2,000. They cannot file rent control petitions in the courts. This has been stated clearly in Section 32 (c).

Government Buildings out of Rent Control

According to Section 32, the Rent Control Act [AP Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1960] will not apply to State and Central government buildings, buildings within the Cantonment Board limits or any local authority. This Act will not apply to buildings constructed or substantially renovated, either before or after the commencement of the Act of 1960, for a period of 15 years from the date of completion of such construction or substantial renovation.

Substantial Renovation

A building may be said to be substantially renovated if, not less than 75 per cent of it is built in accordance with the criteria prescribed for determining the extent of renovation (Explanation I to Section 32).

Date of completion

The date of completion is crucial to decide the applicability of the Act. The date of completion is considered to be the date of completion as intimated to the concerned authority or of assessment of property tax, whichever is earlier. If the premises has been constructed in stages the date on which the initial building was completed and an intimation thereof was sent to the concerned authority or was assessed to property tax, whichever is earlier, (Explanation II to Section 32) is taken into account).

If you love colours and are open to the idea of having African or Moroccan prints adorning your bed, designer Sabhyasachi Mukherjee’s first ever bed and bath range is what you need to look out for. Kolkata’s couture king, who is known for his love for things vintage has tied up with Bombay Dyeing and is thrilled about his designer home pret line. “When Bombay Dyeing called me to conceptualise for them, I was excited. I wanted to do something substantial in the pret market and reach out to a larger number of people. Designer lines, if properly channelised can reach out even to the bottom of the pyramid, and needn’t be limited to the niche group,” he says.

The nonconformist designer has always believed that well-made things needn’t be exorbitantly priced. He therefore unfurls the world into your bedroom with an eclectic mix of Sanganeri, Keralite, Moroccan, Arabian, Japanese and African prints. To add his own creative touch, the bedsheets have been made to look like bed covers with a crazy mix of pillow covers. A set comprises one bedsheet, with four pillow cases, each with a unique print. “It could either be the 70s polka dots, stripes, Moroccan tiles or Japanese floral motifs,” he informs.

Sabhyasachi realises that no two individuals have the same tastes therefore he gives you the option of choosing combo prints. “The basic idea is to give the consumer a variety that he can relate to,” says Sabhyasachi. So you will have the dots blended with checks, African tribal prints worked into Viennese roses and traditional Malayali prints married to Rajasthani blocks.

What makes these designs stand out is that fact that they give you a break. You will not have one print adorning the sheet from head to toe. There is an interim breather given in between. As regards the themes for the prints, it could be, “Anything from 10 Janpath to a beautiful chair in Kerala to a rug from Rajasthan, a painting from Vienna and wrought iron gates from Japan, bagru and arkaish prints from rural India or Cambodian etching. Whatever it is, it should look funky. It should give you an impression of being expensive but be affordable,” the designer points out. He maintains that all the prints have been created keeping the international standards in mind.

According to him, the consumer has grown up, and no longer wants to be dictated to. He/she want his/her home to be interactive and unique. Predicting the future trends, and the make-up that will paint the face of home designer pret, Sabhyasachi says, “Mix ‘n’ match is the magic word here. Subdued colours married with bright hues on one side, with deep oranges, magenta, indigo, lime greens and purple dotting the other side, is what the palette will look like. Special fabrics are being brought, something with a soft, flattened weave, which gives a luxurious and warm feel to the entire space.”

TODAY, OVER 10 years after their introduction in the region, they are everywhere - in educational institutions, industrial establishments, temples, railway stations, etc, and in a big way at that.

Paver block's journey - as most new products - started from the metros, particularly petrol refuelling stations. The bunks in cities began using the blocks to cover barren ground - this was part of the process where the gas stations underwent a facelift with neon lights, raised canopies, etc.

In a big way

"They were the first ones to use the blocks in a big way a decade ago. Even today they are the industries' biggest clients," says S.K. Rajeshwaran of R.M. Concrete, Erode. From the metro stations, those on highways took the cue, and these in turn led petrol bunks in every nook and corner use the blocks.

Then, a decade ago, the blocks came in only a few designs - mostly hexagonal - and the colour, too, was mostly grey. And, with the market in its nascent stage, there were only very few manufacturers.

In Erode and its neighbouring areas there were only a couple of paver block manufacturers, who were mostly people into hollow-brick manufacturing. This was because it was easier for them to switch over, as the means of production is almost the same - except that the cement-fly ash-sand ratio varies marginally and so does the mould for pressing the blocks.

The extensive use of the blocks in petrol bunks spread to industrial units, particularly export houses in Tirupur that embraced it in a big way. "When knitwear manufacturers in Tirupur turned exporters, visited foreign countries where such blocks are widely used, they took a cue from there. Another reason they used the blocks is that they wanted their units to look good when buyers from abroad visited their factories," says S.C. Chenniappan of Chinaman Pavers, Perundurai. Majority of his clients are Tirupur export houses.

Next to use the blocks were industries and educational institutions. Here, too, the reason was more or less the same, in that, they wanted to beautify their campuses and the blocks only fit in well.

The blocks did not just fit in well; they could also be easily replaced any number of times. This is because the blocks are only laid closely over a bed of lose sand, meaning the blocks can be removed, stored and reused as many times as possible. They are not cemented.

"Remove, re-fix and reuse - these are the greatest advantages the blocks enjoy. Unlike a cement platform they don't develop cracks, can withstand heavy vehicles such as lorries - a reason for prevalence in petrol bunks - and are easy to lay," points out Mr. Rajeshwaran.

Easy to open

"Another advantage," Mr. Chenniappan says, "is that when industries want to lay pipelines, telephone cables or undertake any underground work, the blocks come as the best possible solution on the ground - easy to open and quick to relay."

In the cities, shopping malls and corporate offices and IT parks took care of the paver block manufacturers' business. Even civic bodies embraced the blocks and used them on pedestrian pathways.

In the cities, though, the use was largely recommended by a building consultant or an architect. "The architects, and in particular, landscape artists had a major role in promoting the blocks in cities," says C. Devarajan of URC Constructions, Erode. He had used them extensively in several of his projects.

Apart from the aesthetic appeal and its reusability, the blocks enjoy another plus - they allow rainwater harvesting. "Unlike concrete floors they let rainwater down and the sand bed beneath it takes care of the percolation," says Mr. Devarajan, adding that they do not radiate heat like concrete.

Today, after their extensive use the blocks have reinvented themselves in the hands of manufacturers. They come in different shapes and colours. There are also interlocking pavers, flexi pavers etc.

The latter is unique, in that, it allows grass to grow in between. "This is a big hit now. Narrow strips of grass between blocks appear as though the entire covered area is green. Many people are now going in for it," says Mr. Rajeshwaran.

However, the blocks have not yet entered individual houses. Probably it may be the next market, feels Mr. Devarajan.

KNOW MORE

Used extensively in petrol bunks and export house Don't develop cracks; can withstand heavy vehicles Allow rainwater harvesting

Real estate sensitivity index launched

Real estate rating and research agency Liases Foras has launched the country's first real estate sensitivity index - Ressex. The index, to be updated every quarter, factors price, availability and supply of real estate juxtaposed with demand, to figure out the efficiency quotient of pricing, Pankaj Kapoor, chief executive officer of the company, said in Mumbai. Depending upon the requirement of the market, it would be updated every month.

``Ressex is the numeric representation of potential and variation of the real estate industry. It enables to view the market potentiality in macro to the micro perspective,'' he said.

Claiming that the index would be a ``helpful'' tool for real estate investment, Mr. Kapoor said the impact of price variation, interest rate variation, change in government policies and other factors could be measured through the Ressex.

``It will represent the organised outlook of real estate market, which will be useful for suppliers, consumers, financial institutions, developers and landowners,'' he claimed.

Construction firm to raise FII limit

Construction company Madhucon Projects Limited has decided to increase the limit of investment by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) to 40 per cent. The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the AGM held recently approved the proposal to raise the FII limit to 40 per cent. A borrowing limit of up to Rs 2,000 crore and an investment limit of up to Rs.500 crore were also approved by the shareholders at the meeting, the company said.

Singapore's tallest retail mall

The construction of Singapore's tallest retail mall, Orchard Central, is likely to be completed by the end of 2008, according to a Channel NewsAsia report.

Located near the east end of the Orchard Road, Singapore's key shopping belt, Orchard Central will have 12 levels, including two basements, which are to render some 290,000 square feet (about 27,000 square meters) of retail space.

New brands are expected to open retail outlets in the mall, which will be developed by the Far East Organisation, while the rooftop will become a food centre, the report said.

Rising interest rates are not likely to dampen demand in the housing sector, feels economic think-tank NCAER.

Increasing interest rates are less likely to slow down housing demand and consequently may raise real estate prices further, NCAER said in its Quarterly Review of the Economy released recently. Citing the reason for the rise in prices, the report said, there is a shortage of homes in every segment of society and with rising income and improvement in quality of houses, the prices are bound to rise.

Home loans over one last year have moved quite substantially as there is sharp increase in credit to deposit ratio of commercial banks. The credit to deposit ratio has gone up from 0.62 in 2004-05 to 0.70 in 2005-06. However, it remained unchanged in the first quarter of the current financial year, the review said.

According to industry estimates, home loan disbursement was pegged to grow by 18 per cent to Rs.1,00,000 crore.

However, leading global wealth manager Morgan Stanley has said that there may be a slow down in the high-end real estate, which would eliminate speculators but not the actual users.

India may witness a slowdown in volume but not in prices, it said. Despite decline in the transactions, the prices have not gone down, it said, adding that there would be no depression in near future. Reserve Bank of India had hiked its short-term interest rates by 0.25 per cent in the July 25 quarterly review of monetary policy, which was the second such step in in less than two months. Cost of funds have been on the rise in the last 12 to 15 months and the 0.25 per cent increase will put further pressure, according to an official with LIC Housing Finance. He said the cost of funds has increased by 1 per cent in the last one year and margins are shrinking in every quarter. - PTI

Before you buy a plot

Check whether the seller has a right over the property.

Check whether the layout has been approved by CMDA and the local body. (Copy of approved layout can be obtained from CMDA for a fee.)

Check whether the roads and park area have been handed over to the local body through a gift deed.

Check whether the abutting road of the plot has been maintained by the local body or has been handed over to the local body.

Fed up of the noise from your or neighbour's water pump? Has it destroyed your sleep? If yes, this article is for you.

Some pumps create a huge noise when switched on to ensure 24-hour running water in your taps. The pump is music to your ears when it is new; but it gets noisier as it gets older. "My neighbour starts his motor at 1 a.m. and destroys my sleep," says Ravi of J.P. Nagar, 6th Phase. Manjunath S., another resident of the area, says that the water pump in his house is fixed near the window. "It is very old and when it is switched on, its sounds as though a train is moving."

The cause

Low quality and old bearings, problems in a part in the motor, problems in shaft, improper placement of pumps, low quality motors and exposure to rain are among the reasons for the noise. And there are ways of tackling these problems.

Low quality bearings are the major cause. Because the bearings get worn out fast, the noise from the pumps increases. Wear and tear in the bearings is also caused due to the exposure of the pumps to rain. When water enters the motor, the bearings and other parts get rusted, leading to faster wear-out. The result is unbearable noise. A motor should be given a proper covering and protection from rainwater. The shaft gets heated when the bearings run continuously and this can change the alignment of the shaft. And in some instances the shaft can also gets worn out, resulting in noise. The shaft also gets damaged due to the worn-out bearings.

Impeller is the component which pumps water in the motor and it is supported by a lock nut. If this lock nut is loose, the motor produces sound. Switching it on many times without letting it cool down can lead to the loosening of the lock nut, says Subramani of Rajarajeshwari Engineering Works. He is a technician who repairs motors. And fixing the motors in congested places means there is no space for the sound to escape freely. House owners often fix the water pump under the staircase, which is wrong. Fixing it crossly will also generate nois, says Sharieff, who sells water pumps.

The staircase may create an echo and worsen the situation, says S. Sampathraman, Chairman and Managing Director of DPK Engineers Pvt. Ltd. He feels that a spacious place will solve the problem.. While building a house, people should plan for an open place to keep the pump. A branded company motor, which has ISO certification, is billed to produce less noise when compared to low quality motors. People who buy inferior quality motors to save some money end up suffering.

Solutions

Changing the ball bearings can reduce the noise to a great extent. New quality bearings for 1/2 or 1 HP motors widely used in houses cost Rs. 200.The problems in the shaft can be set right by welding it and adjusting its alignment and all this for another Rs. 200. Glad packing (grease rope) is done to avoid the sound from the shafts. Tightening the lock nut of the impeller can cost you only a few rupees.

Mr. Subramani feels that the water pump should not be switched on when there is single-phase power. It is dangerous and the motor windings will get burnt. Fix the motor in a place where it is not exposed to rain water and do not place motor under the staircase. The water pump should not slant when fixed. Leave a properly covered space of 4'x4' for your motor. Ensure that the motor is not overloaded (using lesser capacity motor or using it non-stop).

Buying water pumps of branded companies is advised. The branded motors are manufactured with "best fit" technology. "Best fit" refers to good inter-connected parts inside the motor. They are durable and less noisy. A branded water pump for 1/2 HP ranges from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 4,000, only about Rs. 500 more that the low quality motors. A second-hand motor would have at least a few defects. If all these things do not reduce noise, you can opt for a sound-proof cover, depending on the size of the motor. It will cost around Rs. 900 to make a cover for a 1/2 HP or 1 HP water pump. This cover will have an open space (mouth) in the top and the sound can be diverted. This protects the pump from rainwater, says Mr. Subramani.

Opting for centrifugal pumps will be a good choice. It is more durable and its performance is good when compared to other kinds of motors, says Mr. Sharieff. For residential purposes, 1/2 HP motor is enough to pump water to the overhead tank up to the second floor. It can go up to 8 HP for high-rise buildings.

If you are looking for a totally soundless motor, you are in for disappointment. They are yet to be invented. Research has to be done in this regard, says Madhusudan L.G., of Kirloskar and Co. Silent pumps are the need of the hour, he says. One way of achieving it, according to Mr. Sampathraman, is to design a casing around the motors.

Apply grease to bearings once in six months. Protect pump from rain. Go for a casing to reduce sound. Avoid overloading. Use motor only for about 30 to 45 minutes. Use ISI-certified pump.

The building sector is the third largest consumer of energy after manufacturing industry and agriculture. In order to make the building sector socially and ecologically sensitive, we have to incorporate the best practices that result in environment protection, water conservation, energy efficiency, use of recycled products and renewable energy. In short, we have to go green.

Concrete is the material of choice for building modern infrastructure, be it buildings, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports or docks and harbours.

For achieving the "green goal," we may concentrate on three main factors, namely, conserving concrete and building materials, extending life and durability of infrastructure and adopting a holistic approach by maximisation of waste reuse.

Conservation of materials

Carbon dioxide discharge from cement plants deserves attention. For example, in the production of one tonne of cement, nearly one tonne of CO2 gas is discharged into the atmosphere. More than 50 per cent of the discharge is derived from decomposition of the raw material when limestone is changed to CaO in addition to some energy consumption during burning process. The mechanism of discharge is essential for the production of cement.

Aggregates, together with cement and water, are the primary components of the construction industry, but they are not any more freely available.

The use of demolition waste and recycled water and adoption of membrane curing are methods of saving the scarce resources. Recycled water from ready-mixed plants has been satisfactorily used for fresh mixing of water to make concrete.

Our country has huge amounts of disposable coal ash and blast furnace slag and rice husk convertible to admixture RHA. These can be effectively used as cement replacement materials in concrete or for the production of blended cements or as mineral admixtures, thereby conserving the use of clinker and reducing the CO2 emission related to cement production.

Innovative

The next issue is whether large-scale cement replacement is really possible in the construction industry. Successful structural use of high volume fly ash concrete in high rise structures the world over and especially in Canada indicates that this innovative, cheap, and high value fly ash concrete is the best waste material for use by the construction industry.

Urban infrastructure such as bridges and buildings generate environmental loading when they are constructed, served, demolished and disposed of. Emission of CO2 during the construction stage is large mainly due to the consumption of cement and steel.

Life Cycle CO2 emission (LCCO2) is an useful tool to evaluate infrastructure alternative in order to choose a system with low environmental loading during construction. During construction, the energy required for raw materials, processing and transportation is summed up to obtain energy consumption in terms of CO2 discharged into the atmosphere. Quantitative assessment of different counter-measures including utilisation of waste and recycled materials and alternative methods of construction are possible in terms equivalent to LCCO2.

A waste material like coal ash may not meet certain chemical or physical requirements prescribed for standard works but still it can have application where its fine particle size will be an advantage for roller-compacted concrete, concrete pavements, base course in embankments and special applications of controlled low strength slurry. Urban activities have an impact on urban climate. Higher temperature is observed in urban areas. Such temperature shift makes the urban areas more uncomfortable.

Energy consumption for space cooling would increase; in other words, more CO2 is emitted due to locally hotter climate conditions in summer. Passive solar architecture may be an useful alternative to consider.

Durability of infrastructure

Earth's natural resources are conserved if service life is prolonged. Concrete is the material of choice because it is cheap and produced with the simplest of technology. However, concrete should be made durable and a high performance material for the future structures if we want to make it green.

We have to combat corrosion in an effective, environment-friendly way. Concrete mixtures containing highly active pozzolans, high volume fly ash, rice husk ash or silica fume deserve to be considered. These concrete mixtures display dense microstructure free from pores and cracks. When cured well, they are an answer to both corrosion inhibition and sustainable material use.

Holistic approach

Currently, super-plasticisers have become an essential component of concrete. By substantially reducing the amount of water in concrete, they have contributed to the significant reduction in its porosity and consequent increase in strength and durability.

These chemical admixtures have also been responsible for use of other mineral admixtures in high performance concrete. By making possible the use of these mineral admixtures, which are industrial wastes as a partial replacement of cement, these super-plasticizers have contributed to reducing the CO2 emission.

There is no doubt that increased use of supplementary materials such as fly ash is by far the most powerful tool to reduce CO2 emission from production of concrete.

For this, the quantity of fly ash required is available. The technology to use it is known and proven. The investment involved is negligible.

The author is Emeritus Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras and former Dean, Anna University.

Use of demolition waste and recycled water and adoption of membrane curing are methods of saving scarce resources. Disposable coal ash, blast furnace slag and rice husk can be used as cement replacement materials in concrete or for the production of blended cement. Fly ash concrete is the best waste material for use by the construction industry. Super-plasticisers reduce porosity in concrete and consequently increase strength and durability. They reduce the CO2 emission in the atmosphere.

Newer materials that promise to revolutionise construction practices are taking shape in laboratories. "We will soon be using basalt rock and even bacteria to come up with stronger and eco-friendly structures," says Prof. Dr. V. Ramakrishnan of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, U.S.

On new construction material that are in the making:

There are four that could be described as future construction material. Three of these are in laboratory stage and will be available in the coming years. It includes 3D reinforced concrete and reinforcing rods made from basalt, bacterial concrete and geo-polymer concrete. The fourth is fibre-reinforced concrete, which has fibre replacing steel, and is being put to extensive use in U.S. and some other countries.

On use of bacteria in construction: `Bacillus pasteurii' could be the answer to the long quest for a crack-free concrete. This one does not die and provided the right food (medium), fills micro-cracks and makes it impermeable. Our findings have been repeated by others and proved to be quite effective.

On basalt replacing steel: Most structures fail due to steel corrosion. A building can be stronger if you get a material that does not corrode. We took basalt rock, melted it down to make fibre which does the required job. We proved that basalt rods could be used in reinforced concrete. In 15 to 20 years, this will come into practice.

On geopolymers as a substitute for cement: Geopolymer concrete uses fly ash, which is a waste material, and does away with cement. This new concrete is not only environmentally safe but also ensures more strength.

The poetic grace of Ravi Varma's "Shakunthala" and the mystic nature of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", which invited you to take a second look at them at art galleries or at your neighbour's house, may well be bought and mounted in your own home without your wallet getting thinner substantially. Wondering how?

Many shops sell the works that are either reprinted or copied by an artist using oil, acrylic paints and water shades over medium such as paper, canvas or board.

Sree Balaji Art Gallery on Bhagwan Mahaveer (Infantry) Road is one of the places where you get reprints and reproductions of the works of Raja Ravi Varma, M.F. Husain and da Vinci.

Parsram Mangharam, a publisher who has the rights to print Ravi Varma's works, supplies the reprints and reproductions of his original works to this gallery.

The rates

Ravi Varma reprints are available for Rs. 750 (1'x1.5') to Rs. 15,000 (for a fairly big one). An M.F. Husain reprint measuring 1'x1.5' costs Rs. 2,800. The same sized reproduction of da Vinci costs Rs. 5,000. Of course, the cost depends on the artist, his reputation and the size.

Lithographic prints of masters' works are available at shops such as Regal Decorative and Picture Frames at Richmond Circle.

Lithographic prints are one of the variants of reprint, which come both in paper and canvas with a striking resemblance to the original works when compared to other types of print. You can get the famous collections of Van Gogh, Alberto Valentini, Claude Monet etc.

The most common sizes in lithographic reprints are 10"x10", 16"x20" and 56"x43". When you can buy a 10"x12" reprint costing Rs. 550, the larger size (56"x43") will cost around Rs. 12,000.

The prices of lithographic reprints are fixed depending on the masterpiece's worth, print quality and the size. The frames are wall mountable.

Mahua-The Art Gallery (Rajmahal Vilas 2nd Stage, Dollars Colony) sells lithographic prints of sizes starting from 12"x12" and getting larger up to 48"x36". The price range is Rs. 5,000 to Rs.50,000. This shop also sells screen reprints of famous artists which are priced less than their lithographic counterparts.

Customer care

The paintings are usually ready-to-hang and will be delivered and fitted according to the specification given. Any defects found after purchase of an art piece will be repaired. Replacement of paintings is assured if there is a major damage.

The frames used for paintings are designer PVC frame, teak wood, rose wood, wax and rubber. The frames can be customised to have the needed look — either as PVC with a wooden finish or Medium Density Fibre. The reprint business is now extended to other paintings too. Many dealers in art in the city sell Indian painting styles such as Mysore, Tanjore and Rajasthani and styles from Italy and the U.S.

Deities and traditional dance postures are depicted in Tanjore paintings. Rajasthani artworks painted in silk fabric are also sold. The price ranges from Rs. 400 to Rs. 75,000 depending on the intricacy involved and size of the painting.

Now, get ready to surprise your neighbours by decorating your walls with some reprints and reproductions of masterworks available in the city.

Satish Arora (name changed), a resident of Bangalore, wanted to buy an apartment which had all the facilities he wanted and was located near Sahakarnagar. He was shown the plan of an upcoming apartment block after visiting it. The real estate agent who helped him introduced him to the builder. The C wing of the block was under completion and two flats were yet to be sold. Arora was told that the northern and southern sides of the apartment had a scenic view. A clubhouse and a swimming pool had been planned on the northern side.

An impressed Mr. Arora quickly struck a deal with the builder after reaching an understanding on the modifications he wanted to be made to the apartment. Mr. Arora paid an advance of Rs. 2 lakh to begin with. He later gave Rs. 7 lakh while entering into the sale agreement and another Rs. 10 lakh as part payment.

A few months later, Mr. Arora was in for a shock. The northern side view of the apartment had been completely blocked by another upcoming apartment that would also block the sunlight and air flow into the building!

Mr. Arora, who consulted the builder, was told that he should have seen the building plan before booking the apartment. He quickly realised that he had been shown the wrong building as apartment C!

Agreement cancelled

The alterations he suggested were not carried out. And a room had no window! Moreover the builder refused to make any further changes vis-à-vis the apartment. Mr. Arora had no alternative but to annul the agreement, after requesting the builder to return the advance payment.

"After making several calls, the builder gave a post-dated cheque after coercing me into agreeing to part with five per cent of the amount being deducted towards cancellation charges and other alterations. Only after this, the balance amount was paid," Mr. Arora bemoans. In the process, he lost a whooping Rs. 3.25 lakh.

Every hardworking professional dreams of having a luxurious life in a state-of-the-art apartment, that promises him/her of a fully equipped clubhouse, a swimming pool to cool tired nerves, a gym to help keep fit, and all the amenities provided under one roof. But before you go ahead and sign the papers, check the facts.

Sold to many

Alok Nath (named changed), a paediatrician, returned to India from the U.S. some time ago. With all his savings, he decided to construct his own residence. He narrowed down his choice to a 50x80 plot in Basaveshwarnagar and bought it.

When Dr. Alok decided to commence the construction, there others claimed that the property was theirs. Sadly, the property had been sold to them also and they too had the relevant documents!

It was a traumatic experience for the doctor who had invested a large percentage of his life savings in the deal. To this day, the doctor has not received the money invested. He continues to fight his case.

Precautions

Such cases are common and occur occasionally, when the consumers are not careful and don't inspect the background of the builder/owner, says K. Subramani, Chairman, Karnataka Bangalore Centre, Builders' Association of India. He opines, "Prospective buyers should associate themselves with reputed builders and should take the help of a legal expert in property matters, to prevent legal battles." The Builders Association of India has approximately 360 members out of which 80-100 builders are located in Bangalore. The rights of the builder members of the association are protected with regard to government laws and regulations.

There are certain precautions that one must take to before finalising a deal of any sort.

While it is advisable to get in touch with a builder of repute, it is important that one must do a thorough research into the background of the builder.

If you are dealing through a real estate broker, be sure of the percentage charged by him.

While visiting the apartment, obtain the sketch of the apartment and other documents. Make clear to the builder the additional facilities you want and the changes you want in the apartment. Know in advance the additional cost.

Yet, if one is cheated, how are the interests of the consumers protected? The consumer forum may be approached for justice, says K. Subramani.

Buyers must ensure that the flat chosen is rightly marked in the plan. Some builders may refuse to make alterations in construction as desired by the buyer. Those who want purchase agreement annulled may lose a hefty amount as cancellation charge. Buyers must also guard against same property being sold to many

NEW DELHI: Gurgaon-based realty firm Vipul Ltd plans to invest about Rs 6,500 crore in next 3-4 years for developing various residential, commercial, hotel and SEZ products across the country.

"We are working on various real estate projects that would be developed in Delhi NCR, Punjab, Kolkata and Nagpur over the next 3-4 years with an estimated investment of about Rs 6,500 crore," company's Managing Director Punit Beriwala told media.

The company has also got the in-principal approval to develop 150 acre SEZ in Gurgaon and the final approval was expected in another two months, Beriwala said.

Besides, the government has allotted 70 acres of land in Nagpur for developing SEZ, he said, adding the investment in two SEZs would be Rs 3,600 crore including the land cost.

The company has floated a separate SPV to develop SEZs, in which real estate venture fund Solitaire Capital, Singapore and US-based Banyan Tree has picked up 48 per cent stake.

On the source of funding Rs 6,500 crore investment, he said, "We will have to take loans of Rs 1,000-1,500 crore for SEZs, but for other projects, investment would be met through internal accruals, advances from customers."

Giving details about other projects, Beriwala said the company would be developing an integrated township spread over 130 acres in Ludhiana, which would include plots, villas, hotel, commercial space and group housing, in association with Solitaire Capital.

In Gurgaon, the company would be constructing 290 high-end villas spread over 50 acres, while in Amritsar, it would be developing hotel-cum-mall in 2.7 lakh sq ft of area

MUMBAI: Godrej Properties, the real-estate arm of Godrej group, is planning to enter Hyderabad. It is in advanced stage of negotiations with Bhagyanagar (earlier known as Bhagyanagar Metals), promoted by Surana group, to take over 12 acres in Hyderabad or form a JV, to develop the property market.

When contacted by ET, a senior Godrej official said they are in talks with various developers including Bhagyanagar. However, Narender Surana, managing director, Bhagyanagar, declined to comment on the development. Bhagyanagar’s Hyderabad property is valued at around Rs 120 crore.

Over the past two years, property prices in Hyderabad and its outskirts have spiralled. The prices, which were hovering around Rs 500 per sq ft few years back, soared from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per sq ft. Most of the demand came from IT companies, which preferred the city to any other city in the country.

The failure of Information Technology Park in Bangalore due to infrastructure-related snags has helped the demand soar. Industry officials said Hyderabad is providing the most suitable base for all IT activities. With majors like Microsoft, Oracle, Bann Info, Wipro, DE Shaw, Citicorp, Intergraph, Satyam Computers and Metamor Graphics, among others, entering the city territory, the local property market has seen a lot of takers.

Sources said last week that IT firm Visual Soft has also formed a JV with Bhagyanagar to develop a Rs 375 crore IT park project in Hyderabad. Bhagyanagar, which had restructured its operations earlier this year, along specific business lines and also diversified into real estate development.

As part of this diversification plan, it has embarked on development of properties and has acquired properties in Bangalore and Kolkata. The company is also planning to invest about Rs 300 crore in Hyderabad and focus on commercial projects like malls and residential complexes, Bhagyanagar officials said. The company is also negotiating with various private equity players to mobilise the required fund.

The Andhra Pradesh government is setting up the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in association with Microsoft, Oracle, Satyam Computers and Metamor Graphics.

Further, the state government has also earmarked Rs 1,500 crore for Hitech City in order to provide conducive base to IT companies. According to experts, Hyderabad is offering a clutch of incentives for investments in IT.

LUDHIANA: Real estate developing company, Akme Projects Ltd on Friday said it would invest Rs 1,000 crore to set up two premium integrated townships in Ludhiana.

"We would be pumping in close to Rs 1,000 crore for developing two township projects with a combined area of 276 acres in Ludhiana," Akme Projects Ltd CMD Anil Nanda told reporters here on Friday.

The company would be investing over Rs 250 crore for the setting up of 'Akmepolis' township project at an area of 76 acres in here, Nanda said.

The company has entered into a Joint Venture with Ireland-based Cathedral Financial Consultants to build another township project here, 'Cathedral Akme', that would be set up on an area of 200 acres.

"The Irish company will fund Rs 550 crore for this project and it would be a 50:50 joint venture between Akme and Cathedral," he informed after announcing the launch of 76 acres of project here on Friday.

Besides apartments, both these projects will contain malls, multiplexes and superstores.

The company is also looking at diversification of its business into hospitality and retail sectors.

"We have started construction at an area of 1 lakh square feet in Bangalore but it has not been decided whether it would be a service apartment or a three star hotel. Another project, a hotel in Bangalore, is also under construction. Both these projects would be completed by the end of this year," said Akme Projects Director Shruti Chaudhari.

Space, transparency, comfort and warmth are the four things that strike you when you enter Sunilla and Nilesh Eti’s home. Raised on a 600 Sq. yards expanse, the Eti home combines the construction style of the traditional Kerala homeand the linear patterns of Japanese homes. “We always wanted a house that would bring the beauty of the garden inside. We have actually brought the courtyard into the house so that we get to enjoy the beauty 24x7,” says Sunilla. A walk around the house actually gives one an idea of how the entire outer garden has been brought into the house. Beautiful plants adorn the house and the glass doors open up to the courtyard, giving the entire house a fresh green feel. Practicality is another aspect that is unique to this home. It’s been divided into two portions, the formal and the casual, so that privacy is maintained even when the inmates are entertaining guests. A ‘bridge over waters’ separates the four-bedroom house. Constructed in the Japanese style, the floor level bridge is made of wood and the water below is illuminated by underwater lights, definitely a sight not to be missed at night time. Moreover lots of pebbles have been used to add to the look. Though the entire house, including the flooring has been done in white, never does the decor have a drab, monotonous feeling. “The decor is minimalistic because both of us hate clutter. And to give the white a break we have used red furniture in the living room, much to the displeasure of Nilesh. But we have used silk instead of leather to give it a subdued look. Diffused, halogen lights illuminate the house and a hidden yellow halogen light highlights the outline of the ceiling. A lot of earth lighting has been used to give the house a warm, yet subdued feel. This family of three, which includes Eshaan, their eight-year-old son believes that every meal has to be enjoyed in the midst of nature. It’s not surprising then that their massive dining area faces the green patch. The table is in glass with wenge polished chairs. Their bedrooms reflect their personalities and the beds are very contemporary with long, wooden headboards. Here again bright coloured bed linen has been used to add some brightness. Going by the recent trends, green patches have been included in the restrooms too. Eshaan’s room is unlike any child’s bedroom. No cartoons here because “Eshaan is in the growing years and we didn’t want him to stay stuck with the toons,” explains Sunilla. This is the only room that has leather blinds with a wooden floor. Giving another angle to practicality is Sunilla’s kitchen. The Dado is done up in steel for easy maintenance. A little pantry space houses all her crockery and cutlery. Combining the added advantage of practicality, this beautifully done house is definitely full of surprises.

How to sort your papers and bills

You may not realise it but papers, documents, bills and reference material occupy the maximum space and tends to get retained even if you haven’t used them for more than six years. It’s bad Feng Shui too. However it’s necessary that you retain some of them for future reference. The trick is to label them and arrange them in separate files. Put them into new file folders, and label their contents. * Discard all the reference material you have gathered over the years, unless you have done the research yourself and put down notes. Most of the reference material is available on the Internet. * Do not keep receipts and bills for no more than three years. If you are into any kind of business, retain the records for no more than six years.

Can the landlord seek to occupy his own House?

Krishna, the owner of a two-bedroom house in a Municipal town has leased it out to Ramesh. The tenancy was running peacefully for over a year. Suddenly Krishna found it essential to shift to his own house as it was located nearer to the school where his two children studied. It was also more convenient for his wife to travel to her work place. He requested the tenant to vacate the house. Was he right in doing so?

On the ground of personal needs, the owner has a right to seek for the cancellation of the lease contract and there is an obligation on the tenant to vacate the premises, provided he’s given a reasonable notice period. Ramesh sought two months time to vacate the house, which was agreed upon as per the terms of the contract. Ramesh vacated the house within the stipulated time.

Then Krishna suddenly changed his mind and wanted to lease his house again to somebody else. Can he do it? As per the law, Krishna cannot let it out, either fully or partially. Once he takes the possession of house for his own residential purpose he is precluded from letting it out to others.

Landlord’s right to occupy his own house

According to Section 10 (3(a) of the AP Buildings (Lease, Rent and Eviction) Control Act, 1960 “A landlord may subject to the provisions of clause (d) apply to the Controller for an order directing the tenant to put the landlord in possession of the building (i) in case it is a residential building — (a) if the landlord is not occupying a residential building of his own in the city, town or village concerned and he requires it for his own occupation, (b) if the landlord who has more buildings than one in the city, town or village concerned is in occupation of one such building and he requires another building instead, for his own occupation.

If the landlord has two houses and occupies one of them, he cannot occupy the second house too, unless he has a bonafide reason for it. The Controller has to examine the genuineness of the claim of the landlord, and if it is proved to be correct and his need to occupy is established, he may order the tenant to vacate and direct him to hand over the possession to the landlord.

Tenant’s claim for possession

According to Section 10(5)(a), the owner has to occupy the building for which he secured the possession within one month. Having occupied it, if he vacates without reasonable cause within six months of such date, the evicted tenant gets a right to apply for restoration of the possession of that house.

Government’s power to occupy

If the Controller thinks fit, he may order the restoration of the possession to tenant. Where a tenant is entitled to apply for possession under clause (a) fails to do so within one month from the date on which the right to make the application accrued to him, the Government or the authorised officer shall have power, if the building is required for any of the purposes, or for occupation by any of the officers specified in the law.

NEW DELHI: Dreaming of owning a seaside villa in an idyllic island? The Mauritius government’s new Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS) could help turn that into reality. And as a bonus, you and your family would also acquire ‘resident status’ in Mauritius as long as you hold the property.

IRS is a project for construction and sale of luxury villas to foreigners near the coastal region of Mauritius. The acquisition of a villa for residential purposes only, under the scheme, will allow the foreigner and their family to reside in Mauritius as long as they hold the property.

The residence permit granted under the IRS to an investor, his or her spouse and dependants, remains in force until the non-citizen holds immovable property in Mauritius under the scheme. Applications for residence permit have to be made at the time of applying for IRS.

“The property market is now becoming a very important part of the investment arena, be it for a private individual or a fund manager managing a global diversified fund. With the recent introduction of the IRS, Mauritius has opened its doors to property investors from all over the world.

Being a small island means there can never be an oversupply of property, hence the great investment value,” says Mayank B Patel, chairman & CEO of Currencies Direct, a London-headquartered non-bank provider of international payments, treasury services and commercial forex, which has just set up an office in Mauritius. Mr Patel, who spoke to ET from London, feels that with the Indian community turning very investment savvy, IRS is likely to be a big hit in India.

Under IRS, a minimum investment of $500,000 is required for the luxury villas, which are sold as part of a complex with international standard facilities such as golf course, marina and individual swimming pool, nautical and other sport facilities, health centre and catering.

Maintenance, waste disposal, gardening, security and other household services are also included. Out of $500,000, an amount of $70,000 goes towards payment of land registration duty to the Mauritius government. The area of land with each villa cannot exceed 1.25 arpents (0.5276 hectares).

Feels Anuj Puri, MD, Trammell Crow Meghraj: “This is an astute move by Mauritius to bring in valuable forex. Mauritius has always been a popular destination for Indians. However, it is unlikely that many Indians will buy such properties there for year-round residential purposes.

A more likely scenario is that properties will be bought and let out for extensive periods, to be used by the owners only on a vacation basis.

Since Mauritius is a favoured tourist destination, this presents a win-win situation for both the Indian investor and the Mauritian government, considering that Mauritius serves as an international business hub.”

Besides non-citizens of Mauritius, foreign companies, local companies and local citizens can also avail of the resort scheme.

Right now, there’s only one way real estate is headed in Goa: northwards. And as land rates make new highs almost daily, local builders too are beginning to feel the heat of big-time entrants from ‘outside’.

Right now, there’s only one way real estate is headed in Goa: northwards. And as land rates make new highs almost daily, local builders too are beginning to feel the heat of big-time entrants from ‘outside’.

“Prices are spiralling not every month, but every fortnight,” says builder Dinar Tarcar who is finding the business “too hot to handle these days.” Were he to buy land at these inflated rates, his Rs 40 crore company could collapse in a crash, he fears.

One of the biggest land deals made here recently surprised even the government. The land auction by its subsidiary Economic Development Corporation (EDC) fetched Rs 90 crore for 18,120 square metres at Panjim’s Patto Plaza.

On the Calangute coast, land stands now at Rs 7,000 to Rs 9,000 a sq metre, depending on beach access. One plot was sold recently for Rs 10,000 per sq metre, said MLA and Sarpanch Agnelo Fernandes. At seaside Dona Paula, equated with Mumbai’s glitzy Malabar Hill, prices range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 22,000 per sq metre. Actor Shah Rukh Khan recently booked his piece of the Goan real estate pie at a manicured development there.

Tarcar who sold seaview apartments here for Rs 12,000 sq metre (built-up) three years ago, says the same flats are being resold for Rs 40,000 per sq metre today. It is the deals made over gracious old Portuguese-style mansions that surprise one almost on a daily basis. One such house at Altinho in Panjim was bought recently by a Goan mineowner for around Rs 7 crore, say builders.

The country is witnessing a Retail and Consumer boom and Retail is most developed in Bangalore when compared with the density of its population. Retail in Mumbai is the most underdeveloped, said Hemchandra Javeri, President, Madura Garments

The country is witnessing a Retail and Consumer boom and Retail is most developed in Bangalore when compared with the density of its population. Retail in Mumbai is the most underdeveloped, said Hemchandra Javeri, President, Madura Garments, at an interactive meeting on ‘The changing scenario of Retail in India - Impact on business’ organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Karnataka Branch, in the city on Friday.

He said, inspite of the Retail & Consumer boom, there is a serious mismatch as Retail is at a nascent stage with regard to the variety of formats and related infrastructure. The name of the game in the country today, primarily centres around acquiring retail space. The‘Mall’ culture has well and truly taken over the youth of today.

“There are over 750 malls, some established and many in various stages of construction coming up, but many are small under 2,50,000 sqft.

Ludhiana for instance has 22 malls, way too many for the city and 62 malls are coming up in Gurgaon. Most will fall by the wayside and will have to conform to a minimum size of half a million sqft at least” he said.

Real estate game

Malls have become a pure play real estate game, with real estate agents renting out space to retailers. One witnesses adjacencies when a Haldirams outlet is next to a Louis Vuitton outlet. Malls can survive only if the tenant makes a reasonable return on his investment and if the FSE (Food, Shopping, Entertainment) mix is appropriate to drive sustained traffic, he concluded.

Said Bijou Kurien, President & Chief Executive - Life Style, Reliance Retail “India is way behind in retail consumption and is handicapped by the lack of opportunities to consume with fewer outlets. The average sales in India per outlet is $20,000 as against $2.5 million per outlet in the US.”

Ninety seven per cent of retail sales in India is through single outlets in the unorganised sector, these single outlets will grow and expand in the future and new players will enter the business.”

Drivers of change

He said the drivers of change in Retail in India will be- the economy, consumer profile, brands, real estate, media habits, investments and technology. The good news is that most of the challenges and constraints that exist in Retail today are man-made and that can be eliminated to build a world class shopping environment for our consumers, concluded Mr Kurien

Concrete with adequate cement content and a low water cement ratio is inherently durable, if it ensured that it has been batched, mixed, placed, consolidated, finished and cured properly.

A thumb rule is to use not more than 0.5 as water-to-cement-ratio for making a dense concrete. In coastal areas as in Chennai this ratio may be limited to 0.4

Wastewater should never be used for construction.

CREDAI NCR, an apex body of realty developers of Delhi National Capital Region, will organise a `Real Estate Marketing Summit' here on August 18.

``This year's Real Estate Marketing Summit 2006 will provide a platform to address problems of real estate promoters and developers of NCR Delhi,'' CREDAI-NCR President Surendra Gupta said in a statement.

The summit would initiate organised action on matters related to the profession of building, construction and management to increase efficiency, productivity and quality by modernisation and technology advancement, he added.

Nitesh Estates, real estate division of the Nitesh Group, has bagged a Rs.500-crore project to set up a 300-room, five-star luxury hotel in Bangalore.

The project, which marks the company's foray into the hospitality segment, is expected to commence in six months time and completed in the next 24 months.

``The hospitality sector in Bangalore is at a very critical juncture right now, with demand far exceeding the supply. The city needs more five-star facilities that will offer discerning travellers the very best in terms of amenities and facilities,'' Nitesh Estates Limited Managing Director Nitesh Shetty said.

The hotel will be located on Residency Road, in the heart of Bangalore's Central Business District. The five-star hotel will offer amenities such as luxurious rooms, spa, three to four restaurants as well as banquets facilities.

The project holds tremendous potential as the area has only few other five star hotels like, the Oberois, the Taj Group, ITC Windsor Manor, Leela Palace and the upcoming JW Marriott, he said.

Nitesh Estates is in talks with some major international hospitality chains and hotel operators for this project. It, recently, announced a two million square feet SEZ in Mangalore and has bagged a Rs.100-crore housing deal from ITC Limited. Headquartered at Bangalore, Nitesh Estates is engaged in the development of residential apartments, office buildings, hospitality projects, townships, and IT parks.

Together with capital investment of 100 million dollars from New York-based Siachen Capital LLC, a private equity firm, the company is also speaking with the some leading golbal private equity firms and hedge funds to be a part of this project. - UNI

Delhi-based real estate firm Spirit Global Construction Limited will invest Rs.2,000 crores in the next three years to develop 60 malls and 15 hotels in Punjab and also announced a tie up with Chennai-based theatre chain Pyramid Saimira Theatre Limited for setting up multiplexes.

``We will develop 60 malls, multiplexes and 15 hotels across Punjab with an investment of Rs.2,000 crores in the next three year,'' SGCL Director Anuj Malhan told reporters in Delhi.

He also said the company has tied up with Pyramid Saimira Theatre for setting up multiplexes in the malls that it planned to construct in Punjab.

About raising Rs.2,000 crores, Mr. Malhan said the company planned to make 50 per cent of the investment needed for the project through the FDI route.

Pyramid Saimira Theatre Ltd Managing Director P.S. Saminathan said the company would take 75,000 to one lakh sq.ft. area on lease at each of the malls for multiplexes, food court and entertainment.

PSTL plans to build up at least three-screen multiplexes. Meanwhile, PSTL is planning to invest Rs.350 crores by 2007 to open about 2,000 screens across India.

``We plan to open 1,953 screens by 2007, of which 1,000 will be in south and remaining in north and western India,'' Mr. Saminathan said.

The investment would be met through internal accruals and Rs.85 crores raised from IPO, which is expected to hit the market by September end, Mr. Saminathan added. - PTI

Real estate developer Unitech Limited will invest Rs.1,800 crores in the next four to five years to develop a residential township at Greater Noida, which would have around 4,500 apartments.

Unitech has bagged 100 acre of land at Rs.556.44 crores from Greater Noida Authority recently to develop group housing project.

``We are planning to develop 4,500 apartments at Greater Noida that would involve an investment of Rs.1,800 crores, including the land cost of Rs.556.44 crores,'' Unitech Managing Director Sanjay Chandra told PTI.

On the source of funding the investment, Mr. Chandra said it would be met through internal accruals, advance against sales and added the company would raise loan of about Rs.500 crores.

The residential project would be developed at about eight million square feet area, he said. Besides apartments, the project would also have convenience malls, fitness centre, nursing homes, clinics and schools.

With acquisition of 100 acre of land, the company's total land bank in Greater Noida has reached 251 acres. - PTI

Is Kochi's skyline set to change dramatically? Is the horizon of the city going to sport sleek and slender columns of high-rises that resemble the skylines of the megalopolises the world over?

Though not quite soon, the chances are high. The Kochi buildings are going higher and higher. Once the upward trend has started, it is only a matter of increasing the height, it seems.

Strong foundation

It is only quite recently the buildings in Kochi started to grow taller. The three, four or a maximum of five floors gave way very fast to ten and fifteen floors. With deep rock foundation and piling, the builders discovered that high-rises could come up even in the clayey soil of Kochi. "Most of the new buildings coming up in and around Ernakulam now rest on the rock foundation," says the architect Lalichan Zacharias, chairman of the Cochin chapter of Indian Institute of Architects. "Which means, an average depth of 49 meters."

With such technology at hand, increasing the height of the building becomes quite feasible.

High-rise construction naturally throws up many challenges, right from the construction stage and throughout the long-term maintenance of the building. Energy efficiency and foolproof safety and security systems are essential for any high-rise building. However, the buildings coming up these days are fully equipped to deal with all such issues.

The tallest

The Mini Muthoottu Tech Towers, coming up at Kaloor, is at present the tallest building in Kochi, the construction of which has been completed. It has 22 floors.

However, it is reported that many more tall buildings are in the offing, with even a 30 storeyed apartment complex coming up in Kakkanad. But all the other projects are still in the initial stages.

The Tech Towers, conceived mainly as an Information Technology hub, is 21 floors, plus the ground floor and basement floor parking space.

The building will open next month, according to Roy M. Mathew, chairman of the Mini Muthoottu Group. He says that the height was `limited' to 21 floors only because the group would not have got permission for more given the available floor space ratio.

The building will have a total built-up area of 1,23,946 square feet. While it will mainly house IT offices, the top floors will also house nine executive residential apartments as well as three penthouses.

Star attraction

The rooftop will have a revolving restaurant, which is expected to be a star attraction of the building.

The entire building will be an `intelligent' building, according to Mr. Mathew. Which means, the moment anyone enters the premises, they will be `seen' by the building's intelligent systems.

The HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) systems, fire fighting and security systems and energy management will have Intelligent Building Controls.

Besides, the building will also house an exclusive Gymnasium, fitness centre, clubhouse and many more amenities catering to its executive clientele.

To all appearance, this might only be the beginning. In a few years to come, the very appearance of the city might change, with tall structures transforming the skyline.

To escape from the humiliation meted out by his friends and relatives (including his wife), Aneesh Kumar, an employee with a private firm, embarked on a mission to own a property in the Garden City.

News had spread that Mr. Kumar was looking for a property and his journey began on a happy note. A person approached him and introduced himself as the "big" real estate agent of the locality. He spoke highly of himself and gave some tips to Mr. Kumar on property hunting. The "good Samaritan" told Mr. Kumar that he should be "very careful" while dealing with matters pertaining to property and said that he had helped many people buy "good houses and sites at throwaway prices."

Impressed by his talk, Mr. Kumar felt his mission had began on a right note. His Sundays and holidays were packed with appointments and he went around Bangalore looking for his dream property along with the agent.

Finally, he zeroed in on a 30'X40' site located in one of the upcoming layouts of the city. The real estate agent, through his contacts, traced the owner of the site, who was a film distributor. Mr. Kumar, without informing his wife or relatives, went for a discussion with the owner, accompanied by the real estate agent.

Not interested

The owner said he was not interested in selling the property as he was expecting the prices to rise soon. Mr. Kumar and the real estate agent tried to convince the owner to sell the property but the owner did not yield.

He claimed that the rate per square foot in that area was Rs. 1,000 and he was expecting the rate to go up by another Rs. 300 in the next two months. Mr. Kumar returned disappointed, thinking that he was not destined to buy that property.

After a few days, he received a call from the real estate agent. He said that the owner had changed his mind and was ready to sell the property.. This time too, Mr. Kumar went for discussions without informing any of his relatives or friends, as he wanted to surprise them with the "good" news.

The property owner showed him the copies of the documents and told Mr. Kumar to get them verified from a legal adviser. The real estate agent intervened and said that it was not necessary, as the property owner was a well-known person. After a protracted discussion, the owner agreed to sell the property at Rs. 1,100 per sq. ft. He said he wanted the deal to be settled soon and needed the money in full. Mr. Kumar expressed his inability to do so, as he had to borrow money from others.

The owner then told Mr. Kumar to pay Rs. 5 lakh as advance and the balance amount at the time of registration. Finally, the owner agreed to accept Rs. 2 lakh as advance.

After a couple of days, Mr. Kumar met the owner and gave him the money. This time too, he had not informed his family members or friends.

The owner gave a letter that he had received Rs. 2 lakh as advance and the balance amount would be paid at the time of registration. Mr. Kumar had complete faith in the real estate agent and followed all his instructions. He did not think twice while paying the advance too.

Rude shock

In the next few days, Mr. Kumar got himself busy arranging the balance amount. On a Sunday, he went to see his site. He was surprised when he saw some men working at the property. When he spoke to a person, he came to know that the film distributor had sold the property to another person.

Mr. Kumar contacted the film distributor. The "well-known" person informed him that since another person agreed to pay the amount in full, he had sold the property to that person. The film distributor also assured Mr. Kumar that he would return his money soon. However, a year has passed and Mr. Kumar is yet to get his money back. All his attempts to contact the real estate agent have also gone in vain. The "good Samaritan" is "not at his office" or is "out of station" at any given time.

Muniraju, a real estate agent with 20 years experience, says that a buyer must choose a real estate agent with care. "Buyers must not go by the glib talk of a person. They must verify the facts."

If the agent says he has helped many people buy property, the buyer must speak to a few of them. They must know how the person handled the earlier deals. While buying a property, you must always inform your family members. They must not be kept in the dark.

A woman got her share of about 2,400 square feet of vacant land in a prime area in Chennai during a family partition. However, she did not construct a house for long years, as the `prime piece of land' had no approach road. The rear portion of her land was a poromboke property.

After several years, when the woman's husband went abroad for three years for work, the couple decided to build their dream home on the vacant land. Recently, she visited her property to clean up the place, but was baffled. A group of persons had encroached the land behind her property and allegedly trespassed into her land too.

When she inquired into the antecedents of the "trespassers", the reply was not only vague but came in a threatening tone. Unmindful of the threat, she approached the custodians of law and preferred a complaint. .

Preliminary inquiries revealed that the trespassers had allegedly connived with the staff of the Registration Department locally to prepare fake documents. Soon, investigators found that a bogus power of attorney had been registered on the aforesaid land with the authorities concerned. The woman had never given such a power to anyone, investigation showed.

While investigating officials said such cases of impersonation or preparing forged documents had become the order of the day, the State Government's recent guidelines for registration had come as a relief to law-abiding citizens.

The Government has made it mandatory that the photograph of both the buyer and seller should be affixed in the documents and all registration will henceforth be made only in the presence of both the parties - the buyer and seller. This might not signal an end to committing such frauds but law makers feel that the right beginning has been made.

Everyone agrees that good design is priceless but the question many ask is how much to pay for it. One goes through a range of emotions starting from quandary, quibble and outrage when agreeing or disagreeing on design fee. There is confusion. Some architects demand in terms of percentage of construction cost, some charge a lump sum, some on the basis of square feet and some even charge every drawing they release. There is always a lingering suspicion whether architects overcharge.

How much to pay an architect? This is not a million rupee question. Architectural practice is governed by the codes and scales fixed by the Council of Architecture. Council norms are elaborate. Projects are identified by their categories, scale and deliverables and the fee is accordingly decided. For example, to design a stand-alone regular residence, the fee payable is about 7.5 per cent of the cost of works assigned. This includes design drawing, approval plans, supervision and other services. It appears simple, straightforward and settled, but in practice it is not so.

Not only clients but also architects often ask why regulate professional fee? How do you fix it? Why follow codes and norms? Some even consider it a restrictive trade practice. Probably part of the answer lies in the definition of profession and a professional. Tom Spector, the author of the book The Ethical Architect, describes a professional as one who combines skilful application of technical knowledge with the ethics of practice. By this definition, an architect not only technically meets the client's needs but also has the responsibility to protect society from `dangers' of bad building. He or she is expected to mediate between `private demands and public concern'. In Spector's words, society benefits from the arrangement of giving a group of people the responsibility of shouldering such ethical dilemmas. Hence, professionals like lawyers, auditors and architects are governed by strict codes of practice. And the fee is very much a part of this code that ensures that quality work is delivered with reasonable profit. Undercutting and unethical soliciting of work have always proved to affect the responsibility of the professional. In such cases, fair negotiation between private and public concern is liable to be hampered.

It is not about making honesty affordable. Such a notion would trivialise the concern and effort. Council of Architecture norms is an arrangement done with trust and mutual benefit. Whenever architects and clients have attempted to cut corners both have suffered. Sometimes the fee charged or paid is abysmally low and it beats common sense understanding as to how such low fee would ensure quality work. There are instances of architects resorting to unethical practices in the form of receiving commission from contractors and material suppliers to make up for the lost money. There are also many cases of architects not having paid in full or clients disappearing after receiving the drawings. Many of these disputes are not legally resolved. Time and costs involved in legal contestations are more than the remuneration in dispute. What makes the profession of architect complex and different from that of a lawyer and a doctor is that the architect is not perceived to be involved in the process of making. Only contractors are considered indispensable to buildings. This peculiar division of labour portrays the architect a little removed from the making of the building. This adds to the quandary as to why pay an architect a good deal of money. Architects in defence argue that they are responsible for the conception, execution and save money for the client, which justifies the fee they charge.

There are two ways to settle the confusion. One is to legally tighten the fee structure and the responsibility and make it binding on all parties. The other is to do away with codes and norms and allow the market to decide. In fact, the second is what we are tending towards and it is very much the current norm, if not the preference. It is said that even the foreign architecture firms that operate in Chennai and other places in India are resorting to a square feet method of charging, with the bulk of the money going to them and the crumbs given to the local architect who does all the hard work. This is a separate story waiting to be told.

The professional institutions are upset about the current trend and wish to step in and regulate, but they will be ineffective since the architects themselves have decided not to conform. Architects fear rigid fee structures would out-price each other. Only star architects would be safe and the strong-willed would anyway never compromise on fee and quality. It is the clients' market. In many cases the builders call the shots. No matter what rules and framework we evolve nothing can be more effective than mutual trust. But in the era of increasing legalisation of responsibilities, traditional and moral instruments may not be sufficient.

In 1996, The New York Times reported that the architects of the Ciba-Geigy Lab in Tarrytown, New York, agreed to take one-third of their professional fee only if the occupants of the building decided it was worth it.

They had to wait till the building was not only completed but also occupied and assessed. In other words, the architects were risking all their hard toiled design hours. There is another way to look at it. . Architects were not only confident about their professional abilities but also enjoyed mutual trust. That may be the answer.