The building approval process in India is relatively slower and more expensive in comparison to several other countries as indicated by a recent World Bank assessment. The report highlights that an average 37 procedures over a period of 195 days are needed for obtaining construction permits in the country vis-à-vis 15 approvals over an average 157 days in the OECD region.
By: Sameer Gholve, Manager – Capital Markets, Jones Lang LaSalle…
Sachin Sandhir: When the Government talks about affordable housing and expects the developers to do affordable housing, it is a misnomer because the Government is the first perpetuator of price escalation by auctioning the land to the highest bidder. Then to expect the developer to not make a profit of 50-60 per cent or whatever his expectation, is unrealistic.
ICS Realty India, the Mumbai-based retail asset management firm has announced to develop projects on its own. The company has hitherto raised and managed funds for other developers. It is also floating a joint venture firm for its hospitality foray in two week’s time.
India’s growth story has many facets; one of the integral parts of growth – and arguably the most important one – is urbanization. In fast-growing economies, cities are significant investment and employment generators, which in turn carry the growth momentum forward. The sustainability and livability of any city depends largely on the quality of its infrastructure and real estate stocks. Needless to say, cities also require large sums of money to create urban asset stocks, including buildings and infrastructure.
Hiranandanis have roped in Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and a Queen’s Counsel (QC), as an arbitrator for a Rs 1,400-crore dispute in the family. The other arbitrators are another QC and former Delhi High Court Chief Justice A P Shah. The panel is expected to solve by June the scrap between brother and sister, who are both high-fliers in their own right.
During the year 2011 when almost all other matured property market witnessed dip in transaction and price correction was on everyone’s lip, Bangalore registered both healthy transaction as well as upward price movement.
Recently an acquaintance – a fund manager by profession – relocated to India to set-up a domestic PE fund here. He had invested in a Mumbai residential property strategically located close to the primary business district and an international school for his kid.
Godrej Properties Limited, the real estate arm of the Godrej Group, is planning to raise Rs 500-600 crore through the institutional placement programme (IPP). The move is aimed at reducing its outstanding debt, which is around Rs 2,000 crore.
The Supreme Court on Friday, Jan 20, gave two Sahara group companies three weeks to choose between two courses to secure investments made by the public in their controversial Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCD) scheme.