WANTED ONE ROOM FLATS

After missing an opportunity to construct one-roomone-bedroom houses can be constructed in other
flats in NCR earlier, some realtors are now moving tometros, it is strange realtors have stopped making
build affordable homes in places like Gurgaon,them Delhi and NCR. However, It seems that after
Faridabad and Ghaziabad, says Vivek Shuklamissing an opportunity to construct one-room flats in
Notwithstanding the fact that these flats are notNCR earlier, some realtors are now going to build
close to golf courses, swimming pools or ridges, thereaffordable homes in places like Gurgaon, Faridabad
are always enough buyers for such tenements.and Ghaziabad. ILD group managing director,
There is also a strong possibility that the proudAlimuddin Rafi Ahmed, says that though they have
owners of such humble flats would not have a greatnever built one-room flats, now they are in the
view of the outside world from their balconies. Theseprocess of raising such flats in Gurgaon and Sohna
houses, with no luxury inside or outside, have manyfor those who cannot pay huge sums to buy their
buyers. Though some realty firms have comehomes. SVP, another key developer from NCR, has
forward and started making one-room flats, othersconcrete plans for building one-room homes in
are still not very forthcoming. Old-timers will recallGhaziabad and other NCR cities. Vijay Jindal, chairman
that there was a time when DDA and GDA used toof SVP group, says that there is every possibility
make one-bedroom flats in a big way. Suchthat they would also make one-room homes in a
one-bedroom flats can be seen in many parts of thecovered area of up to 600 sq feet to 700 sq feet.
capital, as well as in Ghaziabad. Thousand of peopleHe also said that there is no dearth of people
live there with their families. It is a different matterwanting to buy small and compact flats in NCR. Due
that despite a demand in the market, with enoughto non-availability of flats in this price category, they
people keen to buy such flats, prestigious real estatehave been living on in rented house. Realtor also says
firms have almost stopped making one-bedroomthat as there are not enough single-room units
houses. As recently as a couple of months ago,available in Delhi and NCR, those few that are
National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC)available have always found ready customers. Brij
and Mahaveer Hanuman group together launchedMohan, who works in a Hindi newspaper, said that as
their project of one-bedroom flats in Khekhra townhis budget is not more than Rs 10 lakh, he had
on the Delhi-Baghpat Road, around 19km fromalmost resigned to his fate that he could never buy a
Kashmiri Gate ISBT. And within one week, all thehouse, as prices of flats are very high. But once he
flats were booked, six times over. Most of thelearnt about the one-room project in Khekhra, he
big-time builders have failed in their duty to provide aapplied at once. There is a great demand for
decent one-room flat to those who cannot buy bigone-room homes in smaller cities too, like Meerut,
and luxury flats, says Devendra Gupta, chairman ofGwalior, Vrindavan, Moradabad. “Our
realty advisory, Century 21, adding, “They shouldone-bedroom flats sold like hot cakes in Meerut and
also make homes for lower middle-class people. TheyMoradabad. They are priced from Rs 6.5 lakh to Rs
should settle for less profit. After all, they have some12 lakh,” says R K Arora, CMD of Supertech
responsibility towards society as well.” AccordingGroup. Omaxe is making small one-room flats in
to M K Pawar, CMD of Mahaveer Hanuman group,Vrindavan. A spokesman Omaxe says that they are
response to their one room project was really greatmaking one- and two-room apartments in the range
and he says that they never imagined their projectof 425 sq ft — 985 sq ft, at a starting price of Rs
would generate such a response. “Now, we are7.22 lakhs. Meanwhile, the Haryana government has
allotting flats to people through lottery system,”decided to come out with a mega-project in
he says. They are offering one-bedroom flats on anGurgaon, on over 1,400 acre in Sector 58. There,
area of nearly 500 sq feet at Rs 6.57 lakhs. Anboth Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA)
official of Union Bank, which is providing loans toand private players like DLF, Emaar-MGF as well as
allottees of this scheme, said that many youngILD are reportedly planning affordable homes. A
working couple, who could not otherwise afford toHaryana government official says that the cost of
buy costly flats, have applied in this scheme. Expertsthe flats and type of dwellings are still to be worked
feel that it is high time realtors also made homes forout — but they would be cheap. In a nutshell, it is
even those who don’t have very deep pockets.very clear that if realty firms make one-room flats,
The number of such people is huge and realtors mustthey are sure to find buyers.
not overlook them. They also say that when