REAL ESTATE

 


area watch: ludhiana
‘Commercial’ break 

Attribute it to recessionary trends, discouraging investment climate or waning interest of investors in the real estate market due to unattractive returns. But for quite some time, commercial and institutional sites, especially those being offered for sale by government bodies like the Municipal Corporation, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) and Ludhiana Improvement Trust have no takers.

FAIR share
In recent years various state governments in several northern states have introduced schemes for the education of girls by providing incentives so that women can become independent. This feature has not remained confined to education only. These states have also announced concessional rates of stamp duties for registration of properties in the name of women.

REIT can save the day
Amid lack of funds for investment in the real estate market and housing shortage being major areas of concern, Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) has the potential to address these twin challenges faced by the sector, according real estate consultancy firm Knight Frank.

decor trends 
Floral flair
It is time to say goodbye to winters and open our hearts and homes to welcome the queen of seasons — the vibrant spring. Spring, a season of love, colours and   brightness is the most charming of all seasons. It brings a new freshness and vigour and is also the most apt time to dress our homes in its numerous expressions. Spring is also synonymous with flowers and colours so add a dash of floral spright to your home.

Ground Realty
Stylish and sturdy
Decorative laminates entered the Indian market about 50 years back and soon became popular because of their shine, smooth finish and beautiful designs. At that time, Formica was the only known name of laminates. Later, somewhere in 1990s, Sunmica was introduced to the customers while Formica disappeared from the market. Sunmica, though a trade name, became so popular that today, decorative laminates of any brand are termed as Sunmica by the customers as well as carpenters. While going to buy laminates, people ask the shopkeeper to show Sunmica to them.

tax tips
S. C. Vasudeva email your queries to realestate@tribunemail.com ...

Can I purchase a flat in joint names?

Clarification on relinquishment deed

How can I calculate service tax?

loan zone

Loan formalities for NRIs

PICK OF THE WEEK

Launch pad






 

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area watch: ludhiana
‘Commercial’ break 
The industrial capital of Punjab is witnessing a slowdown in the demand for commercial properties as there are no takers for several prime properties here 
Kuldip Bhatia

Attribute it to recessionary trends, discouraging investment climate or waning interest of investors in the real estate market due to unattractive returns. But for quite some time, commercial and institutional sites, especially those being offered for sale by government bodies like the Municipal Corporation, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) and Ludhiana Improvement Trust have no takers.


Lukewarm response to auctions

If recent trends witnessed in some half a dozen public auctions conducted by MC, LIT and GLADA are any indication, the more these bodies try to sell big chunks of land and institutional sites, carrying very high price tags, the more the investors and real estate players shun these offers.

For example, GLADA failed to attract a single bidder for its hotel site in Sector 32-A on Chandigarh Road, a fully developed residential-cum-commercial area when the 8615 square yards piece of land, with a floor price of Rs 51,69 crore, was put on the block last month.

Another bid by GLADA to sell two chunks of  land, measuring 12,826 and 12,196 square yards in Sector 40 on Ludhiana Chandigarh Road , also met the same fate. The two chunks of prime land were put under the hammer at reserve price of Rs 25.68 crore and Rs 24.39 crore, respectively.

The LIT fared no better when it put several prime commercial sites and built up properties on auction a couple of days back. Out of 42 commercial sites and built up properties offered for sale at a total reserve price of  Rs 13.66 crore, only two booth sites could be sold for Rs 55.30 lakh at a marginal premium. On the block were a coal depot site in Model Town Extension, Part II scheme and a school site in Kidwai Nagar with a total with a reserve price tag of over Rs 8 crore, which evoked no response, whatsoever, from the buyers. And then the “mother of all auctions” as the LIT officials termed it, turned out to be a total fiasco when a built up commercial complex on Maharani Jhansi Road in Civil Lines, lying close to Ghumar Mandi, an upmarket commercial hub in the city, was put on the block. Much to the disappointment of the officials conducting the auction, not even a single buyer turned up for the Rs 197 crore complex.

This besides the fact that the entire LIT machinery had been working overtime to advertise the sale through public auction widely in the national newspapers in addition to making personal contacts with leading property brokers and selected corporate houses.

Price, a spoilsport

Even as the officials of GLADA  and LIT attribute lack of total interest on the part of buyers to overall slowdown and slump in the real estate market, well placed sources in the realty sector assert that this is not entirely true. “The reason for the developers and investors staying away from prime commercial sites and properties, especially those carrying a high price tag is the reserve price of these properties which is definitely on a very high side as compared to the prevailing market prices,” the sources point out, while adding that in property transactions of such huge size, unaccounted money plays a major role which is not possible while purchasing property from a government body.

Diminishing returns

Having borne the brunt of diminishing returns on their huge investments, developers of commercial properties have now set their sights on FDI.

Retail shock

The developers of commercial properties and shopping malls in the city are also feeling the pressure of this slowdown, but saying that they were completely out of business, would be an exaggeration.

“Most of the existing malls in different parts of the city are not doing well, and in some of them half or even more shopping space remains vacant even after years of their being operational,” says Harinder Singh, a leading broker of commercial properties and proprietor of Surya Properties and Infrastructure. He also agrees that the main reason for the buyers shunning big chunks of land and institutional sites with high price tag, being offered by government agencies is the “unaccounted money” which is used with impunity in the open market deals whereas in such transactions made with the government agencies, “black money” :cannot be used.

Hope in FDI

According to market watchers, the developers of commercial properties, having borne the brunt of diminishing returns on their huge investments, have now set their sights on the foreign direct investment (FDI) regime which is expected to take practical shape sometime by the middle of this year.

Concurs Gulshan Kumar, a developer of residential and commercial property. “In the FDI regime, the market is going to be flooded with a large number of foreign brands and that could prove to be a boom for the realty sector which has been waiting for quite some time now to head north.”

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FAIR share
Gone are the days when women were ignored when it came to property rights. Now there are several provisions in law that assert the rights of women in property and concessions that make it easier for women to own property in their names. S.C.Vasudeva lists some of the women-friendly measures 

In recent years various state governments in several northern states have introduced schemes for the education of girls by providing incentives so that women can become independent. This feature has not remained confined to education only. These states have also announced concessional rates of stamp duties for registration of properties in the name of women.

A chart below gives the rates of duties applicable in case property is registered in the name of the women.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi also allows rebate from house tax payable by women in respect of house owned by them. The rebate is limited to 30 per cent of annual tax if the plot area is equal to 200 sq. mtr. A proportionate rebate is also allowable in case the house property constructed on a plot measuring more than 200 sq.mtr. Delhi Development Authority has also been benevolent in this regard and issued a public notice in December, 1986 that all the registrations and allotment of flats in Delhi would be made only in joint names of husband and wife.

Courts have also been considerate and have interpreted the provisions of Income-tax Act 1961 (The Act) so as to provide relief with regard to a house property acquired by a husband in joint name of himself and his wife. Under the provisions of the Act, any profit arising on the sale of a capital asset is taxable. The rate at which it is taxable depends upon the period of holding of such a capital asset. Profit on transfer of a capital asset held for more than three years (long term capital gain) is taxable at lower rate of 20 per cent plus applicable surcharge, if any. In case of shares and units of specified mutual funds held as capital assets, holding period required for special treatment of taxability is one year instead of three years. Profit on capital asset held for less than the period referred to hereinabove is taxable at the normal slab rates.

There are, however, certain sections in the Act which provide relief from taxability of long term capital gain in case profit arising on sale of a residential house or net consideration in respect of any other capital asset as the case may be, is utilised for the purchase or construction of a residential house. The relevant Sections are - Section 54 of the Act which deals with the utilisation of profit arising on sale of a residential house and 54F of the Act which deals with the utilisation of net consideration accruing on the sale of a capital asset other than a residential house. These Sections provide that any utilisation of the sums referred to hereinabove towards the purchase or construction of a residential house within the specified period, an exemption would be granted from the exigibility of income-tax on the long term capital gain to the extent such gain or net consideration as the case may be, are so utilised.

A recent landmark decision of High Court of Delhi dated 11 th January, 2013 in the case of CIT vs. Kamal Wahal has held that predominant judicial view for the purpose of section 54 of the Act is that the new residential house need not be purchased by the assessee in his own name nor is it necessary that it should be purchased exclusively in his name. Further the court has also held that in case new residential house has been purchased in the joint names of himself and his wife, the benefit allowable under Section 54 cannot be denied to an assessee. 

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REIT can save the day

Amid lack of funds for investment in the real estate market and housing shortage being major areas of concern, Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) has the potential to address these twin challenges faced by the sector, according real estate consultancy firm Knight Frank.

A REIT is a company that directly owns income-producing real estate assets and provides a trading mechanism to investors.

“REIT has the potential to emerge as an answer to these twin challenges of the real estate sector. One, it can address the housing shortage and second it can enable an individual to participate in real estate investment,” Knight Frank Director (Research) Samantak Das said.

Lack of sustained financial options has been the most critical challenge for the sector, which has contributed to the shortage of fresh supply of houses and also responsible for high property prices.

At the same time, though real estate is among the largest mainstream asset classes for investment, high value of the property prohibits an individual investor from participating in this asset class, he said.

“On one hand an institutional market of REITs can ensure steady supply of capital to real estate development which shall aid in increasing the supply of houses and on the other it shall serve as an investment vehicle for individuals,” he said.

Some of the REITs promoted by Indian real estate developers include Unitech Corporate Park, Hirco and Ishaan Real Estate which are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

While Indiabulls Properties Investment Trust is listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

“Going forward we expect stakeholders to take cognisance of the opportunities offered by the REIT structure of direct investment in real estate. As a result, the REIT mode of investing in real estate should emerge as the most preferred way of participating in the promising real estate asset class,” Das said. 

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decor trends  
Floral flair
Seerat Toor Grewal ...

It is time to say goodbye to winters and open our hearts and homes to welcome the queen of seasons — the vibrant spring. Spring, a season of love, colours and   brightness is the most charming of all seasons. It brings a new freshness and vigour and is also the most apt time to dress our homes in its numerous expressions. Spring is also synonymous with flowers and colours so add a dash of floral spright to your home.

The challenge in decorating with floral designs is to weigh the tones and effects properly. One has to go into the detailing to bring out the right notes. When we deal with flowers the best practice is to be original and let loose your creative instincts.

Play with patterns

The patterns speak volumes about your aesthetic tastes. They actually make or break the story you are trying to weave. A picture perfect floral design demands a deep look into various aspects of the decor. The best frame appears when the designs and patterns span the extent of walls to drapes and from sofas to rugs. A clever anchoring of types, sizes, shades, tints and overall room-schemes can be soothing for eyes. It is always a good idea to start with one basic pattern and merge it with others e.g. you may start with one base colour and then go on to complement it with others in the same palette.    Blue, it is said is the tonic for this season. It not only flows well with all colors but also lends a smooth transition from the winter shades.

The range Wallpapers

Wallpapers are slowly making a place for themselves in Indian homes and are now available in a vast range. Floral wallpapers usually take major share of the appeal as they can be used to cover the largest area of your living space. These can be stretched to entire walls or can be confined within panels. The choice can vary from large prints to detailed versions. The lighter shades add more area and also lend a soft tone to your mood. You get a lot of options to choose from in terms of designs so what needs to be kept in mind is the area and type of room you want to use wallpaper in. These should have a markedly different scale from the rest of the décor. The scale is usually small.

Window-treatments

Windows bring you closer to nature. These constitute a substantial part of your walls and décor plans. The floral patterns on drapes work excellently to give a place of rest to eyes and also break the monotony of lines and shapes. These can be arranged in umpteen ways. The best versions are the small patterns on subtle shades and light fabrics unless you are using sheers. Likewise, many vibrant blinds and window-shades are also making their way in homes. These lend a sophisticated and lasting appeal. Window-awnings are also a great place to practice the ‘floral art’. The bottleneck is that the window treatments have to be coordinated to the inner décor style and colour. They have to contribute to the ultimate look you fashion.

Couches and rugs

Couches have always been a symbol of grandeur. They are the lifeline of your living and drawing rooms. The rugs and couches go hand in hand and have to be colour and pattern coded.   The couch upholstery can be uniform or spread-out in patterns viz. floral, stripes, same tones etc. Usually the trend holds finer spreads for couches and large and loud ones for rugs. There is always more fun in adding a twist to clichés. So, it lends no harm if we upturn the same or just compliment broad floral prints on couches with a subtle-finished rug. The idea is to keep one thing common - colour or pattern.

Cushions and lamps

These have a lot of promise for spring time as the range is huge and so is the price-range. This is the most-cushioned age in home-décor as it is a common sight to see a vast spread of cushions of diverse sizes and shapes. They set the tone of the base décor. Cushions can be an extension of curtains or valances. These can either share colour, design or the fabric. All are trending and the popularity is same. Lamps have the ability tingle the romantic nerve in anybody. Floral lamp shades in soft colours and serene, uniform prints give a design high.

Bedspreads

Floral prints dominate the spring collections of the major selling brands. They are an all-time favorite and the easiest way to spring-up the décor.

Floral fragrances

Flowers and fragrances are the perfect rhymes. The entire décor can fall-apart if the house doesn’t smell right. These are indispensible for that flawless spring home. So, not to forget, the fragrances you pick for this summer have to be based on flowers. It should remind you of the most beautiful times of your lives. 

Season quickies

Spring is the season of colour so let the colours rule your plans.

The trending colours for this season are blue and green in full palette.

Floating floral candles have been a hot favorite and hold promise this season as well.

The interior of flowers always tell you the colours they are best matched with so don’t forget to get a clear peep when deciding on colours.

Don’t overdo patterns in a room instead stick to solid colours for furniture and prints for drapes and rugs.

Blooming glory

It is a great idea to break the earthy tones with natural or man-made flowers. They have an unmatched cheerfulness which they lend to your living spaces. There are many ways the flowers can be added. The most common being in bunches in vases, though designer wreaths are also pushing-in. they make amazing covers for doors. They can also be arranged in indoor window-boxes in living rooms or passageways. 

 

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Ground Realty
Stylish and sturdy
Jagvir Goyal ...

Decorative laminates entered the Indian market about 50 years back and soon became popular because of their shine, smooth finish and beautiful designs. At that time, Formica was the only known name of laminates. Later, somewhere in 1990s, Sunmica was introduced to the customers while Formica disappeared from the market. Sunmica, though a trade name, became so popular that today, decorative laminates of any brand are termed as Sunmica by the customers as well as carpenters. While going to buy laminates, people ask the shopkeeper to show Sunmica to them.

Scores of brands of decorative laminates are today available in the market to touch the aesthetic sense of the customer who rather finds himself lost in the highly attractive, smooth and shiny world of laminates. The following guidelines will help the chooser in making the right choice of decorative laminates:

Seerat Toor Grewal ...

Laminates are fibrous material sheets bonded together by using synthetic resin adhesives among the sheets under heat and high pressure. The resins significantly contribute towards the thickness and weight of the laminates. Before the application of the adhesives, the surfaces are sanded well by using multiple head sanding machines so that better bonding among the sheets may occur.

Seerat Toor Grewal ...

Decorative laminates provide multiple advantages to the user. The plywood or board surfaces treated with laminates keep looking new for years together. Use of laminates makes the work look highly attractive and decorative. Laminates are quite durable and any marks or stains on them can be easily wiped off.

Thickness

Laminates are produced in different thicknesses of 0.5 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm and 1.8 mm. Of these, 0.7 mm and 1 mm are the most popular thicknesses. One should choose 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm thick laminates for the inner surfaces of cupboards and kitchen cabinets while 1.0 mm thickness should be used for outer surfaces of the shutters of cupboard and kitchen cabinets.

Shades

Laminates are produced in plain, wooden and metallic shades. Wooden shades are made to look like the grains of most woods. Laminates thus have all popular wood shades of Walnut, Oak, Pine, Ash wood etc.

Surface finish

Laminates are available in different finishes such as matt, glossy, texture and suede. Companies devise their own nomenclature for different finishes. Suede finish is termed as SF, glossy finish as GL, high gloss as HG, glossy stripe surface as GS and so on. Thus if a laminate surface is named as 2500 HG, it means model 2500 of the laminate in high gloss.

Prevalent colours and shades

These days the use of off white plain laminates inside the cupboards and cabinets is unanimous choice. Some people, however, prefer plain ivory, peanut or barista colour also. While off white laminate sheets are readily available with the stockist, other colour sheets may have to be ordered by him to the company. One should, therefore, place the order well in advance for timely supply of laminate sheets of one’s choice. On the shutter surfaces, lighter shades are preferred for cupboards and dark shades for the kitchen cabinet shutters. In the kitchen, often a combination of two colours in plain laminate is provided. While the cabinets above the counter top have laminate of light colour, the shutters below it have a dark shade laminate.

Sizes

Most companies produce laminate sheets in popular size of 2440 x 1220 (8 feet x 4 feet) only. Some companies produce them in other sizes too such as 2190 x 1245 mm,     3050 x 1300 mm, 2465 x 1245 mm and 2800 x 1300 mm. There is no harm in choosing the popular size of 8 feet x 4 feet as the smaller pieces of laminates get consumed on drawers etc and a good carpenter allows little wastage in laminates.

BIS Mark

Before assigning the BIS mark to the laminates produced by a company, the Bureau of Indian Standards wants the material to undergo many tests for resistance to surface wear, boiling water, cracking, color change, heat, steam, impact, scratching, cigarette burns, dimensional stability etc. BIS mark is permitted only if the laminates produced pass all the tests. A BIS marked laminate will, therefore, be naturally be adhering to all the prescribed parameters. One should therefore choose BIS marked laminates only. For laminates, the BIS mark is 2046. So look for IS 2046 marked laminates.

Cost

Though the difference in thickness is very small, 0.7 mm thick laminates inside the cabinets are very cheap in comparison to the 1.0 mm thick laminates used on the outer surfaces. While a 8 feet x 4 feet sheet of 0.7 mm may cost just Rs 15 per sq. ft, a 1.0 mm thick laminate sheet costs Rs 30 to Rs 40 per sq. ft. Further, plain decorative laminates are cheaper than metallic shade laminates. Textured laminates are costliest.

Method of fixing

Earlier, the method of fixing laminates to the plywood or board surfaces was quite cumbersome. The carpenters used to apply the adhesive on the two surfaces to be bonded together, drive nails all around the periphery to hold the laminate in position and the put weight on it. These days, adhesive tapes are fixed all around the periphery to hold the laminates in position. The tape is easier to remove and the lamination work gets done at a fast speed. 

Freedom from polish

The messy and time consuming wood polishing work can be easily avoided by using laminates on the surfaces. The way tiles help in avoiding all the muddled and chaotic grinding and polishing work of marble and granite, laminates help in avoiding application of all the sand papers, sealers and polish coats on wooden surfaces. 

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tax tips
S. C. Vasudeva email your queries to realestate@tribunemail.com ...
Can I purchase a flat in joint names?

Q.While talking about the nature of assets are residential house and commercial shop considered two separate types of assets which can't be mixed from the angle of Income Tax regarding Capital Gains? I own a commercial shop in a DDA market in Delhi, which I had bought about a decade back and wish to sell the same to buy a flat. My query is:

Can I utilise the net consideration of the sale of shop to purchase a flat to offset Capital Gain?

The net consideration expected from above transaction will be inadequate to enable me to buy a flat. I am a senior citizen. Can I purchase a flat jointly with my married son and his wife, both of whom are earning and I shall be staying with them. My son and his wife shall avail a home loan and the sale proceeds of the shop owned by me shall be pooled to finance the purchase the flat, thus making three of us joint owners of the flat.

— K.D. Uppal

A.Your queries are replied hereunder:

Reply to the query referred to by you was with regard to the claim of exemption from leviability of tax on long-term capital gain. Such exemption is allowable only if the amount of capital gain or net consideration, as the case may be, is utilised for purchase or construction of a residential house within the specified period. The provisions of the Act requires that in case a residential house is transferred (which has been held for a period of more than three years), any gain arising on the transfer thereof will not be taxable in case the amount of capital gain is utilised for purchasing a residential house within the period specified in the relevant Section.

On the other hand, in case of transfer of a capital asset than the residential house, (which capital asset has been held for more than three years except shares in a company in respect of which the holding period is one year), the relevant Section requires the utilisation of net consideration for the purchase or construction of a residential house within the specified period so as to claim exemption from taxability of the capital gain arising on the transfer of such a capital asset.

Any gain arising on the sale of the shop would be exempt from taxability in case the amount of net consideration is utilised towards the purchase of a residential flat/ house within the specified period.

The purchase of a residential house jointly in the names of self, your son and his wife would entitle you to the exemption to the extent of proportionate amount. It may, however, be added that the purchase of a house in the joint names of husband and wife, where the funds have been provided by the husband for such purchase would enable a person to claim exemption of taxability of the amount of capital gain in view of latest decision of Delhi High Court in the case of Commissioner of Income-tax-XII vs. Kamal Wahal. 

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Clarification on relinquishment deed

Q.In reply to a query published in these columns (December 22, 2012) you had replied that relinquishment deed can be withdrawn in case the same has not been given effect. Revocation deed may have to be prepared for withdrawal of such a relinquishment deed.

In this context, you had not quoted any provision under which it is possible. So kindly further clarify this matter as the Article 55 of the Stamp Act is silent over this issue. —M.S. Kadian

A.Relinquishment is the act by a person abandoning, giving up or renouncing a right. There is nothing in law which prevents a person from revoking such an act of giving up before the same has been acted upon. I may add that Section 55 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 does not deal with the issue of revocation. Can I use the sale proceeds of shop to buy a flat?

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How can I calculate service tax?

Q.Can you please suggest the title of the book and author’s name relating to service tax with commentary which I want to buy?

My query is:

We had purchased a showroom site and constructed the building. My daughters’ share in this as per the registered sale deed is 25 per cent and that of my wife is 50 per cent, while my share is 25 per cent. We have entered into a family settlement (not registered) in which the top floor of the showroom has been given to my daughter. My daughter has signed a rent agreement and is getting a rent of Rs 50,000 per month by account-payee cheque. She is married and is filing separate Income Tax returns. Please clarify:

Is the service tax payable by her or not?

What is the procedure for paying service tax?

When is service tax payable. On what total rental income and how is the service tax calculated? — Joginder S. Bawa

A.A number of books are available in the market. Taxman and Bharat Law House have published good books on the subject. You can select one of these by visiting any bookshop dealing in law books.

Service tax is leviable on any service provided or to be provided to any person, by any other person, by renting immovable property or any other service in relation to such renting, for use in the course of or, for furtherance of business or commerce. However, such tax is payable only if the rental income exceeds Rs 10 lakh. In your daughter’s case the rental income would be below Rs 10 lakh for the year. Therefore, no service tax would be payable by her.

A person who is liable to pay service tax will have to get himself registered with the department and obtain a registration number. This has to be done online.

The payment of service tax has also be made online. For online payment, one should have a net banking account with one of the authorised banks mentioned in the list of banks available on website http://www.aces.gov.in/ePayment.jsp.

Service tax in respect of rental income for the year is computed by deducting therefrom the house tax payable. The balance amount is chargeable @ the flat rate of 12.36 per cent. service tax is payable on quarterly basis.

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loan zone
S. C dhall ...
Loan formalities for NRIs

Q.I am an NRI living in Canada and want to take a home loan in India. Kindly advise me about the correct procedure for this. 

A.The norms on home loans are not too different for NRIs. Of course, you will have to show documents that pertain to your non resident status, which is an important criteria while taking a home loan. As far as the point of where you can take loan from is concerned, most of the Indians banks have branches abroad with an extensive network. In certain countries where Indian banks don’t have branches, there are associates which act on behalf of a bank or institution. These days online applications are also possible, but, you may have to scan and send the documents and would also have to go through the hassle of sending the hard copies. One of the most important documents would be to prove your non-resident status, which is why things like a valid visa, labour card, etc., are required.

Here is the list of some essential documents:

Application form with photograph

Photocopy of the Employment Contract or Labour Contract. In case the contract is not in English the Housing Finance Company or Bank will ask for an English translation.

Latest salary certificate

Photocopy of the Identity card or work permit (Labour) as the case maybe.

Processing fee cheque 

A few other points to remember

It’s important to note that the payment for the EMI has to be made from an NRO/NRE account or remittance from abroad. It’s, therefore, preferable that you have a steady job and are also are able to make EMI payments. It’s also important to appoint a power of attorney for the loan. The interest rate on a NRI home loan is the same as that for a resident Indian.

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PICK OF THE WEEK

‘Deck’ up

Flooring solutions company Square Foot has launched its latest range of IPE outdoor deck flooring. Ipe Floor can be installed and utilised on any level surface around the swimming pool, garden path or even patio. Ipe decking comes in a tile system 300x300mm. The decking is resistant to wood-damaging organisms like ants and mould and comes with a warm texture that blends well with any surrounding. Available in two finishes -striped, specifically designed for swimming pool decks, beach side areas and spas and smooth for patios, gardens and gazebos. A special water based oil can be applied twice a year to prevent the wood from changing its colour to white or silver.

Price: Ipe deck flooring starts at a price of Rs 425 onwards

Tent cottages

Loom Crafts is offering multi-purpose eco-tent cottages that are ideal for camping. The design of these tent cottages is based around an aero-space grade aluminum framework, which forms the core structure of the modular building, an indestructible grid of aluminum and stainless steel. Each interlocking square panel is fastened to adjoining sections by a patented locking system designed to withstand enormous pressure. The top is made of fire retardant tensile PVC coated fabric membrane innovated to last year after year without requiring any maintenance. The price starts from Rs 2500 to 3000 per sq ft.

Packed with eco-amenities such as solar power, natural ventilation, cloakroom and bathtub, among others, the wooden deck flooring along with aluminum doors and windows powder coated in a choice of colors further adds to the plush interior designs and premium finish. All Loom Crafts Eco-Tent Cottages have insulation on top and sides thereby making them suitable for air conditioning.

Seating style

Amorphic seating sofa by Punam Kalra is a solid, single log, low wooden centre table inlaid with semi-precious stones in the middle of a modulated seating complimented by a carpet, very beautifully colour and form co-ordinated is an ideal TV room setting. The colour combination — blues, greys and beige is warm, elegant and bright.

Price: Rs 45,000 onwards

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Launch pad

‘City of Romance’ 

The Cosmic Group recently launched a premium and luxurious collection of ultra modern residential homes ‘City of Romance’ 25 km from Rishikesh on the Tegri- Gangotri NH- 94. The group is offering Swiss luxury villas, premium Swiss cottages, presidential suites and luxury studios at City of Romance . Speaking on the occasion Sushant Mutreja, MD, Cosmic Group said , “ The ‘ ready-to-occupy ’ feature, will give buyers a chance to move into an exceptionally furnished abodeffair without worrying about room, laundry, and butler service, and most exciting year-round housekeeping and maintenance services even on off stay period. Most promising feature is highest return in off stay period because at that time the group will promote it as a luxury hotel, holiday destination and share the earned profit with owners.

Godrej-Jet Air project

Godrej Properties (GPL) launched its commercial project at the posh Bandra Kurla Complex area, which will be jointly developed with Jet Airways.

“The construction on this project has commenced and by the end of 2015, we expect it to be completed. We expect to generate nearly Rs 3,500-4,000 crore,” GPL Managing Director and Chief Executive Pirojsha Godrej said.The company, however, did not reveal the development cost. Jet Airways, which is a 50:50 joint venture partner in the project, has retained 2.5 lakh sq ft in the project christened Godrej BKC, while the saleable land will be 1.3 million sq ft he said.

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