The Hindu 15.03.2011
New building trend catching up in city
‘Non-availability of land is a major constraint to construction of new apartments’
The trend of old apartment complexes being pulled down to construct new
ones is fast spreading in Vijayawada, as seen here at Mogalrajapuram.
Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar
A new trend in construction industry is catching up in the city. Faced
with scarcity of land to take up new constructions, a few builders have
started looking for apartments constructed decades ago so that they
could pull the buildings down and construct new apartments.
Builders say that non-availability of land is a major
constraint to construction of new apartments. Land prices have over the
years skyrocketed in the city and on the outskirts. With the people
preferring to live within the city area, builders have started looking
for apartments constructed when the culture of living in flats just
started in the city. The dwellers of such apartments too are coming
forward for re-construction for various reasons, including to gain more
plinth area, have better amenities like lift facility and, of course, to
get a ‘new home’.
For instance, Bhanu Apartments in Moghalrajapuram is now
being demolished for redevelopment. At present, there are only 32 flats
in the two blocks of Bhanu Apartments. After redevelopment 60 flats are
expected to be ready for occupation, says G. Narayana Rao, the builder
who is redeveloping it. “The plinth area of each old apartment was just a
little more than 1,100 sq. ft. But now at least 1,200 sq.ft. is ensured
for each flat. As many as 30 three-bedroom flats and another 30 two-bed
room flats can be constructed in the half-acre land available there.
Probably, ours is the first venture of this kind in the city,” he says.
Senior builder Gadde Rajaling compares the trend to
reconstruction that took place in London. “Vijayawada is locked between
hills and canals and there is hardly any scope to grow horizontally.
And, the land rates are so high that a square yard of land has touched
Rs. 35,000, though it was just Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 18,000 per sq. yard
till a year ago. As an alternative, we are in search of old apartments
and we are negotiating with flat owners in two to three areas,” he says.
New rules
But not all builders are early birds. The chances are
meagre for new entrants for one reason: the new building rules. Those
who took approval of plans before the commencement of new building rules
in that came into force in 2007-08 only would be able to take up these
kinds of ventures. The new rules stipulate that fire tenders should be
able to move around the building. It might not be possible in apartments
constructed in smaller areas, explain a few other builders.
