Track2Realty Exclusive: A recent commerce ministry discussion paper highlighted that there is a perception that many developers do not set up the proposed SEZ and continue to hold on to large parcels of land with the intention of benefiting from its alternative usage and land price escalation.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Signs of consumer activism backfiring have already started appearing. For instance, visibly upset with the increasing instances of protests by Noida Extension home buyers, which often obstruct traffic and law and order arrangements in the city, the district administration in November, 2012, asked the buyers’ association to not to protest in groups.
Track2Realty: With the dark cloud of LBT (Local Body Tax) hanging ominously over their heads, developers in Navi Mumbai joined forces to form a new body called Federation of Housing Industry Associations (FOHIA) and fight against the imposition of the new tax.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The fact that SEZ story in India was left on the private hands, the key policy plank of SEZ policy, to promote manufacturing and hence create jobs (both skilled and semi-skilled) for the rural masses took the back seat. IT/ITeS with limited scope of job creation, compared to manufacturing, started dominating the SEZs.
Track2Realty Exclusive: When the issue of Maharashtra Government levying 5 per cent Value-Added Tax (VAT) surfaced and the MCHI-CREDAI and a couple of other developers’ and trade associations moved to the court, a consumer group called FORAM–Flat Owners’ Rights protection Action committee in Maharashtra – was formed with consumer interest groups coming together and seeking to fight the vexed VAT issue on flats in Maharashtra.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Some of the factors that vociferously call for apartment culture. New initiatives like the construction of a metro in cities like New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, suburban railway in the areas like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata and Bus Rapid Transit System taken by the various state governments to improve the public transport systems in cities has raised the interest among people in the surrounding areas so as to save the commutation time.
Track2Realty Exclusive: In China, SEZs were developed along its southern coast in the areas of Shenzhen, Shantou, Zhuhai, Hainan and Xiamen which were backward small villages lacking in basic infrastructure and industrial resources. These zones were developed as manufacturing hubs and the open access to international trade sea lanes led to their success.
Track2Realty Exclusive: In Noida Extension buyers took to streets against the developers for allegedly using all available options to ensure that the original set of buyers were divested of their flats, which could then be resold at a higher rate. In a majority of the cases, the consumers were faced with a Hobson’s choice.
Track2Realty Exclusive: South India has emerged as the hub of IT sector and the main arm of outsourcing business for the US and the UK. With more and more foreign investors looking forward to establish their back offices through the prime locations of South India, the scope of corporate real estate has become immensely high.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Commerce Ministry data fails to give a comprehensive picture where many grandiose plans have failed to tap the potential that actually existed. Several SEZ projects and the expansion plans, like the SEZs at Navi Mumbai, Jhajjar in Haryana, Adani’s Mundra, DLF’s Cyber City in Gurgaon, Mahindra World City in Chennai, K Raheja Universal and Flagship Infrastructure in Maharashtra are facing difficulties. The SEZs cumulatively have been losing ground over the past couple of years.