With an aim to help discerning customers realise their dreams, Vancouver-based Royal Indian Raj International Corporation (RIRIC) plans its foray into the Indian market. With Manoj C Benjamin at the helm of affairs, the group comes to Bangalore with a pioneering concept of self sustained townships, under its Royal Garden City projects and its Royal Garden Villas & Resorts’ brand.

The Royal Garden Villas and Resort in Bangalore is a master-planned gated community with exclusive amenities, including a chateau winery, opulent club house, world-class spa and pool. Besides these, the property also boasts a five-star hotel, Vijay Amritraj Tennis & Fitness Center, internationally renowned shops, restaurants, an equestrian center and supermarkets.

Also included in the plans is a movie theatre, which is slated for phases 2 and 3. “We see the integrated township format as a key driver of future housing supply and as a catalyst for the much needed infrastructure investments in India. The Indian government has spelt out key incentive policies to provide an impetus towards easing the flow of private investments and Royal Garden City is one of the first to have been conceptualized and planned to meet this objective,” says Manoj.

Under this initiative, RIRIC plans to develop firstclass resort communities and modern satellite cities in India, with the first project coming up near the new Bangalore airport. The project is touted to be one of Asia’s largest new city developments and is expected to become a model for such projects. The company has also planned similar projects in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

The first phase of the 6,000-acre development in Bangalore is conceived to be built on 3,000 acres and will include 13.59 million square meters of built-up space. Further to these developments, RIRIC has partnered with one of the worlds largest hotel chain’s to build budget style hotel rooms throughout India at an estimated investment of US $ 5 billion. The firm also has plans to announce exclusive rights in India with one of the world’s largest realty marketing groups by June.

The Royal Garden Villas & Resort, Bangalore, RIRIC’s inaugural project, lies on approximately 400 acres of prime land situated between downtown Bangalore and the new Bangalore International Airport. The project will offer residential apartments from bungalows to townhouses and the ones modelled after luxurious western subdivisions. Manoj says, “We will offer affordable homes from $ 80,000 to $ 300,000, as well as high-end villas that are in the half million dollar range.”

Through ingenious landscaping and architectural designs, Royal Garden Villas & Resort has been endowed with the look, feel, grace and sense of community enjoyed in Tuscany, but also offers amenities that could never even be imagined in rural Italy. Tuscany Square, in the heart of the Royal Garden Villas, is not just elegant but a standing testimony to refined living. In the charming piazza, with its feeling of a friendly neighborhood, residents, along with their children and guests, can sample fine cuisine or casual fare, the best of local and imported goods, or simply relax by the fountain and plan the rest of the day.

Courtesy Indian Realty News 27-06-08

 NEW DELHI: Call it green revolution in the real estate business. Top developers are now betting on green buildings - that use less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste and is healthier for the people living inside compared to a standard building - to woo large tenants. Even though green buildings involve an incremental cost of 7-10% over traditional buildings, developers see it as an opportunity for differentiation in a growing market.

The trigger is a growing environment consciousness among topnotch tenants, particularly the multinationals. In the request for proposals (RFPs) that are coming in, many MNCs are starting to ask the question about the green quotient. "It may not be mandatory today but going forward, many MNCs will make it mandatory," says Jones Lang Lasalle-Meghraj chairman and country head Anuj Puri. Developers such as K Raheja and RMZ have decided to go all green.

RMZ's 1.9 million sq ft mall, RMZ Galleria, in Bangalore is currently under construction and will be a green development. So will be K Raheja's Mindspace projects at Mumbai and Hyderabad, both of which are currently under development. According to CII-Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), 147 million sq ft of green space has been registered in India to date across a total of 239 projects. At the moment, K Raheja is planning and developing around 14.5 million sq ft of green space across the country. "We are looking at the long-term and want to be the first ones to go green in a big way," says K Raheja associate vice-president Shabbir Kanchwala.

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The company has also signed an MoU with CII to train their architects and engineers in green technology, as there is a "dearth of green staff in India," he adds. M Selvarasu, GM-Projects at RMZ, estimates the payback to be 7-8 years for gold-rated buildings and about 12 years for platinum rating. "The certification level will differ from project to project but all of it will be green," he says. At the moment, RMZ is developing a gold-rated building in Chennai and platinum-rated building in Kolkata, both of which have been pre-certified by the CII-IGBC, with another 4-5 buildings in the pipeline.

The Lodha Group, though, is getting into it only partially. "Only our commercial buildings will be green," says Lodha Group senior vice-president Bharat Dhuppar. Lodha has about twelve buildings in the pipeline and most of them will be commissioned between 2009 and 2010.

In their projects, K Raheja expects the cost to be around 7-8% higher. The savings, though, will be considerable. "We are looking at 30-40% power saving and about 20% water saving," confirms Kanchwala. "Also in construction, we try and use a lot of recycled materials -- aluminum and glass -- as well as mix fly ash with the concrete that is used," he adds. The use of glass too is being reduced. "We keep the use of glass to the minimum, to about 35% in commercial and about 20% in retail," says Selvarasu.

In a world where energy costs are going up by the day and investments in energy are peaking, a green building which saves precious energy and comes at the same rental for the occupier is a decent marketing tool for developers. "Many of our customers are Fortune 500 companies who understand and prefer green buildings," says Kanchwala. "The future is in sustainability," says Selvarasu.

                                                                     Courtesy 27 June ET Realty

Ansal API, notable realty developers, has announced another project. It is called Sushant Taj City, a top-of-the-class township which will redefine lifestyles in Agra in a big way. The attraction for the buyers lies in the availability of modern amenities amidst green surroundings and pollution-free environment.

Strategically located near the Delhi-Agra highway, on the Agra Ring Road, the township will be spread over 460 plush acres of land. The facilities will include educational institutions, hospitals, clubs, hotels, multiplexes and malls. The structures are earthquake -resistant, with 24-hour water supply and 100% power back-up. Municipal Monitor

Located on National Highway 24, Ghaziabad and standing opposite Hi-Tech City, Triveni Heights symbolizes a premium stature and redefined taste, a designer's delight and a resident's pride.

This mini township is an example of futuristic lifestyle innovation by Triveni Apartments with luxurious interiors and exquisite exteriors, the structure made of earthquake-resistant technology. The apartments will have marvellous wall finishing painted in pleasing shades of design prints. Modular kitchen and Vaastu-friendly are other interesting features.

There is going to be three styles of flats. The first standard flats comprise two bedrooms with a hall and kitchen (space 1,100 sq. ft.). The second standard flats have two bedrooms with a hall, kitchen and a study room (space 1,400 sq. ft.). In the third standard flats, there will be three bedrooms with a hall and kitchen (space 1,600 sq. ft). Triveni Heights will suit individual’s aesthetic taste and budget. The greenery and wide open spaces promises a country club lifestyle.

Recreational facilities like in-house executive club, multiplex, affiliated school, health club, swimming pool and mini golf course are being planned.

                                    Real Estate Investment in U.P. Cheaper

U.P. Government has given a big respite to the people who are interested to invest in

Real estate. It has been announced that stamp duty on registration of flats, plots and building like properties has been reduced from 8% to 5%.

Simultaneously, it has also been announced that within next six months the process of registration of properties will be made easy and side by side e-registration will also be implemented.

Properties will be registered and stamp duty levied in NOIDA and Greater NOIDA on the basis of price. It has also been decided that at both the places, circle rates will not be made effective for a period of next one year.

Sanction to increase FAR in Ghaziabad including Gautambudh Nagar has been accorded. With the announcement more flats can be made at these places which will reduce the construction cost and cheap flats will be available. In addition to this, percentage on rent agreements and agreements between developers & property buyers has also been reduced. Additional rebate of 2% will continue for ladies as usual in the state. These decisions were stamped during the cabinet committee meeting presided by C.M. Mayawati on Wednesday.