MHADA INVITES BUYERS FOR LOW-COST HOUSES

For those looking for affordable homes in Mumbai, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has announced a sale of 3, 863 flats built by it. Ranging from 225 sq ft to 870 sq ft, the prices of these flats vary from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 45 lakh depending on the size and location. The homes will be allotted depending on the income of the applicants and Mhada has chalked out four sections: economically weaker sections for income up to Rs 8 thousand per month, low income group (Rs 8 thousand - Rs 15 thousand per month), middle income group (Rs 15, 000 - Rs 20, 000 per month), and higher income group (Rs 20, 000 and above per month). In case the number of applications exceeds available flats, Mhada would resort to drawing lots by a computerized lottery system.

ETA STAR TO INVEST RS.1,500 CRORES IN MUMBAI

Chennai-based real estate developer ETA Star Property Developers, a part of $4 billion ETA Ascon group based in the UAE, will build a Rs 1,500 crore mall in Mumbai's Juhu area. The construction work will begin in January 2008. ETA has formed a 50:50 joint venture with Supra Estates, to develop the 10 acre plot (450,000 sq ft) into a shopping mall and service apartments. The companies have paid Rs 800-900 crore for the said plot of land. The mall will be given on a seven-year lease upon completion of the project in 2010. ETA has brought Rs 200-250 crore as equity contribution for the project in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) and will raise the balance through banks and other financial institution. ETA has also forged a joint venture with Wavy Construction for a project based in the hill station of Khandala, Maharashtra. The project involves building luxury villas, health spas, hotels and furnished apartments. Even as the structure of the joint venture is yet to be finalised, both companies will inject Rs 400 crore for the project spread across 28 acres. A US consultancy firm, Tony Asahi, has been appointed to provide a detailed study of the area, which would help draft the final outlook of the project. ETA is currently executing a Rs 13,500 crore integrated township project at Sriperumbudur near Chennai. The project, spread over a land area of 1,200 acres, will be finished in seven years. ETA Star has created a separate special purpose vehicle for the project in which it would hold 59.9 per cent, a foreign partner 40 per cent with Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation holding the rest. ETA Star is talking to a few companies in the US and Europe for the project. The company is involved in real estate ventures mainly in the southern region of the country with projects spread across Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The company is executing a residential project in Chennai, where it is developing apartments under the name of Jasmine Court. The project follows two other projects 'Binny Crescent' and 'The Gardens', both residential projects in Bangalore.

TOP BIDS WORTH RS 2,790 CRORE FOR BKC PLOT IN MUMBAI

Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Industries Limited, Wadhwa Builders, TCG Infrastructure and Hiranandani Constructions have emerged as the leading bidders for the three Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) plots in Mumbai measuring 75,350 square metres. The total value of the top bids is Rs 2,790 crore.

Milind Mhaiskar, joint metropolitan commissioner and project director (Mumbai), MUTP, told The Indian Express: “The highest bid per square metre this time is somewhere over Rs 5 lakh, which is easily three times our base price of Rs 1.56 lakh, the amount which was the per square metre bid by Reliance last year when they bagged the convention centre.

In that sense, we are happy with the bids as it reflects a steep upward trend in prices.” According to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad, MMRDA would lease out its properties for 80 years for the development, operation and maintenance of the commercial complex and car park. “Plots C-70, C-54 and C- 55 (the latter two have been offered as one plot) have been ear marked for commercial and office use while plot C-66 has been reserved for a multi-storeyed car parking for a minimum of 500 cars along with a commercial complex,” he said.

“This is just the first phase of the bidding process and each bid needs to be analysed before they are awarded. These bids will now go to the executive committee after whose approval it will be announced,” Gaikwad said. “Our target is to raise Rs 2,60,000 crore for the development of the entire MMR region based on our draft plan. The bulk of this will be towards all the mass transit projects that have been earmarked as priority, which will partly come from such bids. MMRDA has another 50 acres of area in such plots.”

MMRDA officials said Reliance Industries emerged as a leading bidder for the C-66 Plot (30,550 sq m) with Rs 918 crore at the rate of Rs 3,00,501 per sq m. The second runner-up is RR Mega City, which had quoted Rs 2,13,093.28 per sq m, and the first runner-up is Business Park Town Planners Limited (BPTP) at Rs 2,48,348 per sq m.

For plot C-70 measuring 16,500 sq m, Wadhwa Group has quoted Rs 5,04,000 per sq m for the total at Rs 831 crore. JSW Property Group is the runner-up by quoting Rs 4,50,000 per sq m. Third bidder is Suzuki Powertrain India Limited (SPIL), who have quoted Rs 4,03,000 per sq m.

For plots C-54-55 with an area of 28,300 sq m, a joint venture between TCG Infrastructure and Hiranandani Constructions quoted a bid of Rs 3,67,992 per sq m totalling Rs 1,041 crore. The second bidder for this plot is SPIL at Rs 3,57,000 per sq m and JSW Property Group at Rs 3.33 lakh per sqm.