The Imperial, Mumbai

Mumbai's first major skyscraper project, and really, the project that can be heralded to have cemented the way for the boom, Shapoorji Pallonji & Co Ltd. / SD Corporation's twin Imperial Towers, designed by Mumbai architect Hafeez Contractor as his most recognizable project, was designed as Mumbai's tallest towers.

Then called "SD Towers" or "Tardeo Twin Towers", the years long litigation and hard-won battle for construction rights was the change that heralded the 'new India' economic boom model of urban redevelopment over the paralyzing nexus of 'old India' socialists and special-interest groups that for years had kept Mumbai underdeveloped.

The towers are built on former slum land where the current re-development model of builders providing free land and rehabilitation to slum dwellers in exchange for rights for property development, was first put into practice on a big scale. This model became the standard for slum redevelopment across the city, and across India as a whole.

The towers are ultra-high end residential towers that sold out even before the first brick was laid. The Imperial offers sea-views by virtue of its height, and a resort-like gardens and fountains on top of the parking-structure podium, with hanging gardens that mask the structure itself.

While construction hasn't yet progressed so it is noticeable, it is surrounded by several 45-55 storey residential towers, creating Mumbai's first skyscraper cluster. Though a temporary stay has been put on construction owing to some legal matters, it is expected to be finished by 2009.

Beautify Your Home

• The furniture of the living room should be placed in such a way that family members can communicate easily. If the living room is big enough then do not place the sofas and chairs along the walls, place them around the center table.
• If any space if left then arrange desk and chair for sitting individually.
• Keep a masterpiece like wall unit or picture frame in the living room at an eye-attracting place.
• Do not keep furniture of different dimensions with each other.
• If any article is small in height then keep a hanging art work above it.
• In a small house bedroom is used not for sleeping but for reading or performing exercise also. The bedroom with dim light is good for sleeping. But for reading and exercise, the you must illuminate bedroom. Make different arrangements for different activities.
• If television or computer is kept in bedroom then make sufficient lighting arrangements with overhead and portable lights.
  
• If any of the partner reads before sleeping, then arrange personal lights so the partner can read without disturbing other.
  
• Arrange direct light near computer, sewing machine, soft light in seating area and bright light above dressing table.
  
• Keep an art work behind the bed. And paint the wall behind the bed with different colour.
  
• If bathroom is small, a mirror light is enough. But if it is big, then additionally ceiling light is also required. And hanging light will beautify the bathroom.
  
• Frame- less mirror gives a modern look to bathroom.
• Make a cabinet in kitchen, above dishwater or gas or oven to keep glasses, dishes, plates and bowls.
• Platform should be according to the size of the kitchen.
• Carpet should be of matching colour with wall and furniture, and should be of perfect size.
• Colour what it looks on the card, may not look on the wall. So before finalising get a trial patch painted on the wall.
  

Pune, upcoming metro city

Recently metropolitan city in India are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Recent Assocham Eco pulse (AEP) study suggests that Pune may be the added to the list.

The rising appeal of Pune is evident from its highest real estate prices and maximum population among the other upcoming cities. Pune is the best city offering optimistic business environment. The AEP analysed four tier II cities Ahmedabad, Pune, Lucknow and Chandigarh. The parameters necessary for a metro city are social infrastructure, infrastructure availability, real estate cost and availability, transportation facility, presence of quality educational institutes, employment opportunity, facility of financial services and business environment. Pune occupied the first position though it needs to improve on social infrastructure, transportation and financial services.

Pune with 26 malls and 25 category star hotels (both maximum among the four cities under survey) ranked it first in employment opportunity and business environment, infrastructure availability and real estate cost and availability and educational institutes. But it stood 3rd as far as social infrastructure, financial services and transportation were concerned.

In real estate prices and availability, Pune stood first, Chandigarh being the second, Ahmedabad third and Lucknow the last one. It is learnt that process for acquiring land in Lucknow is the most time consuming.

Pune lost out to Lucknow and Ahmedabad on account of transportation facility and connectivity.

Pune carved the maximum share of 32.74 per cent in the total jobs tracked by Assocham Placement Parameter for the period January-June 2008. The prominent sectors attracting large number of aspirants include IT, manufacturing, engineering and academics among others.

“There is a grave need for a seventh metro city in our country as most of the present six metro cities in India are facing pressure of rising migrant population, crumbling infrastructure facility and manpower crunch, along with exhausting office and residential space and rising rental cost” said the Assocham spokesperson.