Scraping Awadh sky

LESS THAN a decade ago, the suggestion of a flat in a high-rise building in Lucknow invited a smirk unless it was a job perquisite. The argument against investing in a flat would be : why buy a property in which only the ceiling is yours and not one in which you become the owner of the land as well. Higher disposable income, smaller family size, double income couples and unheard of pay packages have contributed to the profusion of housing schemes, mostly by private players, offering paradise within a 1000 square feet.

“There has been for decades a deficit between demand and availability of houses in our country,” reasons Sudhir Halwasiya of Halwasiya Properties, also secretary of the UP Real Estate Developers’ Council (UPREDCO).

“The concept of housing societies promotes community living and on the other hand, checks the shortage of housing options,” he adds.

Sure enough, from 22 lakh in 1991, the city’s population is likely to touch the 40-lakh mark by 2011. “This means, on an average 11,000 dwelling units will be required per year,” says director State Urban Development Agency Diwakar Tripathi.

In view of this, the LDA would give shape to its Gomti Nagar extension project in two phases with 1333 acre of land to be developed in the first and 5,500 acre in the second phase.

The cityscape today reflects the change in the mindset. Instead of looking askance at them as matchboxes or pigeonholes, passers-by and investors are actually ogling at some of the multi-storeyed residential and commercial complexes that have come up in Lucknow recently.

The two proud projects by Omaxe — one in Vibhuti Khand Gomti Nagar and the other on the Rae Bareli Road — dispel the notion that living in flats is middle class or the option of the not so affluent.

“We are offering three bedroom flats with add-ons like jacuzzi bath tubs and shower cubicles within the apartment and the facility of swimming pool, health club, recreation hubs, etc.,” says marketing executive Radha Mathur.

The first stop was the block that houses Premayan type flats occupied illegally by daily wage earners. They were told to collect their belongings and beat it even as the staff of LDA’s property section put their own locks on the doors of these flats. Things were moving smoothly till the LDA officials decided to head towards the Rupayan block, which houses the affluent. Calls from the mafia dons and political leaders started pouring in on their cell phones even as a former student leader of Lucknow University Ram Singh Rana appeared on the scene along with a bunch of gun-toting cronies. '

The operation, however, continued. A search of R 215 flat led to a haul of several packets of black salts along with gunny bags carrying the label of Gope Tea Estate. Likewise, an air-conditioner in R 67 not only demonstrated the financial status of its illegal occupant but also the fact that they had abandoned the premises in haste. “We have given time till Monday to the remaining encroachers and will resume the drive on Tuesday,” said Jain.