Stop here! 2006 ahead
Wave East End Mall set a trend in 2004 and Sahara Ganj followed with purple grandeur in 2005. But, 2006 will bring in three more multiplexes?Zee?s Fun Republic Mall in July, Ladani?s Riverside Mall project (beside Taj Residency) and city builders project City Mall. Wave is also poised for an expansion by April ?06. Sahara Ganj gave city its first escalators and with the entire malls coming in operations, the city is poised to get around 40-plus escalators and two travalators (walking ramp at Zee?s mall) too. With 4-screen PVR at Sahara Ganj soon, the city we will get about 15 new screens in ?06.
The city shakes out of pre-2000 nawabi image and zooms off towards a Metro destination with Purplex, EBOs, Nirula’s and drive-in Mc Donalds coming up as major 2005 stopovers. What next? Deep Saxena tells it all aboard the escalators, giving you the glimpse of Rs 99 salesmanship!
Multiplex-ed
Wave East End Mall set a trend in 2004 and Sahara Ganj followed with purple grandeur in 2005. But, 2006 will bring in three more multiplexes—Zee’s Fun Republic Mall in July, Ladani’s Riverside Mall project (beside Taj Residency) and city builders project City Mall. Wave is also poised for an expansion by April ’06.
Sahara Ganj gave city its first escalators and with the entire malls coming in operations, the city is poised to get around 40-plus escalators and two travalators (walking ramp at Zee’s mall) too. With 4-screen PVR at Sahara Ganj soon, the city we will get about 15 new screens in ’06.
Brandilisation
Shopaholics can now spend their heart out. From affordable-to-all Big Bazaar to Levi’s Exclusive Brand Stores (EBOs) all are doting shopping spots throughout. But it’s just the beginning. My Dollar Store is an entirely new concept at Rs 99 with brands national and international. “Multi Brand outlets (MBOs) offer people branded choice and hence are popular,” said Mamta of Kohli Brothers. Anchor stores like Westside, Globus and Lifestyle are on the card.
Food chains
In 2005, city got Nirula’s, another Pizza Hut, drive-in McDonalds to name a few, this year Sagar Ratna and many more top names are scheduled to come. “Pubs like Ruby’s Tuesday and pub-cum-dance lounge at Wave will be coming in the expansion part. Food courts at multiplexes will be the new address for food connoisseurs,” said Managar operations, Wave, Dheeraj Sharma.
Raining stars
From Big B, Chhota B, Ajay Devgan, Mallika Sherawat, Sania Mirza, Abhijeet Sawant, Pt Jasraj and so many Miss India’s (Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, Celina Jaitley, Sayali Bhagat... to name few) all descended on the city of Nawabs for various programmes. “Lucknowites are now so much used to celebrities that it’s not a surprise which big star is twinkling in the city,” said party-hopper Nilesh Rastogi. For the first time, the city had a weeklong fashion week at Anandi Water Park. We had Jashn Mrs Lucknow at Sahara Ganj. Inspired by Mr India in Feb 2006, Mr Bharat will be a bigscale affair besides others.
Changing topography
Green is always welcome. 2005-built Lohia Park at Gomti Nagar has been good crowd-puller. Ace builders are coming up with townships and extending the territories to suburbs. Omax City came with independent villas, Eldeco’s enclaves are all sold out and in 2006 Sahara Infrastructure will be coming up with the plush township.
Public Amenities
Water Park was converted into Aamarapaali Entertainment City on Hardoi Road.
BTC Lifestyle Club on Kanpur Road will be coming 4-star Comfort Inn from Choice Group in Gomti Nagar in 2006. Private hospital facilities have seen a sea change last year and with Sahara Hospital (in technical collaboration with Apollo) will be coming up in 2006 at Gomti Nagar.