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: The real estate all over the world is facing a crucial situation and observing a radical shift in population trends. Most of the people believe funding of the developers’ projects or the land occupancy cost is the real concern of the sector. However, as per my research and knowledge the broader issue lies in the conceptualization of urbanization.
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: Cause of the dissatisfied home buyers may be legitimate, ways to get means may not be. Home buyers overt activism, often to the extent of blackmailing the builders, taking to the streets and media trial before even the case is filed in the court has not gone down well with the system. So much so that even Competition Commission of India (CCI) has become careful in its order to investigate the frivolous complaints against the developers.
Track2Realty Exclusive: Administrative Reforms
A. Single window clearance for building approval.
B. Uniform and simplified building permissible rules.
C. No discretionary stoppage of work after granting approval for commencement without hearing by regulator/civil court.
D. Mindset reform; special campaign for political leaders and bureaucrats to support/accelerate growth, remove impediments.
E. To put mandatory block mentioning following in every order/permission, Date of application, Potential investment, Potential contribution to GDP in rupees, Potential new employment generation, Date of sanction, Number of days delay beyond permissible limit, reasons.
Track2Realty: NCR retail real estate market remained largely stable as per the latest retail report from real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield. A few locations in both main street as well as malls saw some appreciation in rental values. Connaught Place (Inner Circle) recorded an increase of 12% while prime malls across Delhi NCR saw a positively rising curve following robust demand for the same.
Track2Realty: Constellation Capital Ltd and S.A. Finvest Ltd, the promoters of realty firm Omaxe Limited, have fixed the floor price for its offer-for-sale (OFS) at Rs. 148 a share.
Track2Realty Exclusive: The debate of promoter versus professional driven realty companies gained momentum in the year 2012 because high attrition at the top level of realty sector has been in the news throughout the year. The Managing Directors of Indiabulls Real Estate and Peninsula Land quit in the month of October. So did the real estate heads of two property funds, Indiareit and Everstone Capital. Most of them either moved to other realty companies, starting their own ventures or shifting streams to join consultancies.
Track2Realty Exclusive: There is a school of thought within the sector which suggests the nature of the business is more suitable to be carried smoothly as promoter-driven. Though officially no one wanted to be quoted but some of the developers admitted to Track2Realty that the nature of real estate business demands more grounded entrepreneurs and not high flying professionals for whom more money in the sector is the only traction for job hopping.