Horizon June - July 2012

H O R I Z O N S A P ’s m o s t c r e d i b l e r e a l e s t a t e m a g a z i n e J u n e - J u l y 2 0 1 2 1

A P ’ s m o s t c r e d i b l e r e a l e s t a t e m a g a z i n e

ANDHRA PRADESH REAL ESTATEDEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION

Realty addresses ecology issue

V o l u m e 2 I s s u e 5 J u n e - J u l y 2 0 1 2R s . 5 0

Ban on sand mining

Discussing service tax

Choosing the right home loan provider

Enriching interiors

Art on your walls

Hyderabad Property Bank

HorizonsHorizons


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Printed, published by P. Prem Kumar on behalf of AP Real Estate Developers Association, owned by AP Real Estate Developers As-sociation, printed at Paper Craft Center, 2-3-514/4, Umanagar, Ameerpet, Hyderabad, A.P. Published from AP Real Estate Developers

Association, # 102, Tirumala Shah Apartments, Yellareddyguda, Ameerpet ‘X’ Road, Hyderabad, A.P.- 500 073. Editor: Chalapathi Rao Rayudu, RNI. No. APENG 03278/01/1/2011-TC

Contents

The SAND tangle and the way out- Page 4

SERVICE TAx on construction sector- Page 10

HOmE LOANS

with a difference - Page 12

THE CANTON FAIR, an exhilarating experience - Page 18

VAASTu, the eternal science of well-being - Page 26The A to Z of good design - Page 28HOw TO SPRuCE up your living room with art - Page 34ATTIRE SPEAkETH the person - Page 38Dindi, the jEwEL OF kONASEEmA - Page 44Economics of landscaping - Page 46From the news pages & sites... - Page 48Real estate on offer - Page 54

Heart matters- Page 40


Cover Story

The construction industry in Andhra Pradesh is currently in the throes of a very tough situ-ation on account of the ban on

sand mining in the State imposed by the High Court with effect from 01 April 2012, and the refusal of the Supreme Court of India to lift the ban. A tonne of sand which used to cost about Rs. 650 just a few months ago, now costs any-thing between Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,500 and there is all-round scarcity. Builders and all the other stakeholders are fac-ing acute problems which are causing delays in projects, and resultant cost overruns. According to estimates, proj-ects worth Rs 37,000 crore in the pri-vate sector and Rs 90,000 crore in the government sector, covering irrigation canals, roads and buildings and hous-ing schemes have been hit by the short-age of sand. The government sector

consumes 60% of the sand available in the State, while therealty sector takes up 30% of the sand, and the balance of 10% is consumed by others.

Loss of jobsThe real estate sector is the largest contributor to the GDP next only to ag-riculture and provides employment to a very large section of the population. The crisis over sand, a critical input for any structure or construction activity, threatens to directly affect the employ-ment of thousands of skilled and un-skilled labourers. Currently, 80 per cent of the construction activity in the State has come to a standstill and some one lakh construction workers have been affected, says Andhra Pradesh Real Estate Developers Association (APRE-DA) president Mr Prem Kumar, adding that if the same situation continues,

This article discusses measures to tackle the difficult situation caused on account of the ban on-mining of river bed sand in AP and is based on the outcome of the “Panel discussion on “Natural sand alternatives” convened by APREDA in Hyderabad

The sand tangle and the way out

Sand mining under way at a reach in the State.


Cover Story

construction activity in the State will come to a complete halt.The abnormal increase in the price of sand following the ban on quarrying has also affected the sales of allied indus-tries such as steel and cement, which are dependent on construction activity, says Mr R Chalapathi Rao, APREDA vice- president. He asks if it is fair to completely stop sand quarrying due to the mistakes of a few people? On some other measures that could have been taken by the government, he suggests that deterrent steps should be put in place to stop the exploitation of river beds. The government can monitor the sand mining process with the helpof NGOs and enable serious inspec-tion at various levels in the process, he says. Why and how of quarrying While it is acknowledged that sand quarry-ing, on a reasonable scale, is desirable

because it prevents channel shifting, progress of the flood plain and curbs the ill-effects of erosion on the either banks of sand-bearing areas, indiscrim-inate quarrying of sand, poses a great danger to the entire eco- system.To go back a little into the whole issue of sand; the process of using manu-factured stand in construction industry was started as early as the year 2003 in the State of Andhra Pradesh. There was a government order in thisregard by the Panchayat Raj Depart-ment issued in the year 2008 and the same was not taken seriously due to various reasons. It is important for the government to ensure that the resourc-es are well utilised and are not exploit-ed to such an extent that the coming generations will face great scarcity due to an environmental degradation. On its part, APREDA, with a credible

record of concern for the environment (its support for projects such as trans-location of trees and promotion of cloth bags), deliberated on ways to preserve the eco-system. Regarding the shortage of sand in Andhra Pradesh it is ironical to know that Andhra Pradesh alone has a law in place with regard to carrying out sand mining. This matter has been brought to the attention of the Supreme Court by the AP Government. The court while accepting this position has also noticed that the enforcement of the works con-tracts was not up to the desired stan-dards and as a result was unable to lift the ban. The court has directed that en-vironmental clearance from the Ministry of Forests be obtained prior to resum-ing the mining operations. The state of Andhra Pradesh has also the dubious distinction of having to face numerous

The sand tangle and the way out


Cover Story

PILs filed against the government on sand mining unlike any other state, where sand mining goes on unham-pered. As a matter of fact sand has be-come a precious commodity.As of now there are no rules laid down for obtaining environmental clearance for mining of minor minerals, either at the state or at the national level. The rules are now being formulated and are in an advanced stage of finalisa-tion. AP is in the select group of states for formulating these rules for imple-mentation at the national level.

Tackling the crisisTo overcome the crisis the Govern-ment of Andhra Pradesh is taking the following measures:

1. The government has issued permits to the AP Mining Development Corpo-ration (APMDC) for carrying out min-ing operations in patta lands. About 30 to 35 such permits have been issued by the government and the quantity of sand available in these areas is esti-mated to be about 30 lakh cubic me-tres.

2. The government has also released 20 temporary permits to APMDC for mining of sand in submergence areas. These 20 permits added to the earlier 4 existing permits will be able to pro-vide up to 40 lakh cubic metres.

3. For the sand reaches which are auctioned regularly, the government is obtaining clearance for about 37 reaches out of which 23 have already been cleared by the Groundwater De-partment and a further 14 have been cleared for underwater (river bed min-ing). The MoF at the state level is likely to give approval for these 37 reaches by the end of May 2012.

4. Regarding the existing leases which are due for renewal the government has instructed the leaseholders to ap-proach their MoF for giving environ-mental clearance for continuing the mining operations.

Expert’s opinionIn the panel discussion organised by

APREDA on “Natural Sand Alterna-tives”, Dr S.A. Reddi, former Gammon India Deputy MD, gave a visionary talk and presentation on the use of manu-factured sand as an alternative to river sand. A man with very rich experience, Dr Reddi has been a value engineering consultant for prestigious projects such as the tallest building in India (Palais Royale, Mumbai) and the longest com-pleted pre-stressed concrete bridge in India at Aknoor. He was instrumental in the design and construction of more than 300 concrete bridges and flyovers and has published over 400 papers in

Indian and international journals.

Dispels fears

Allaying the doubts of the builder com-munity Dr Reddi said that all had not been lost yet. He said he was surprised that a question is being asked in the year 2012 whether manufactured sand can be used for all constructionpurposes, in place of natural sand. He said that there was an Indian standard code formulated more than 50 years ago which clearly specifies the stan-dards for coarse aggregates and fine

The Palais Royale in Bombay, which is under construction. manufactured sand has been used in the construction of this building.


Cover Story

APREDA President P. Prem Kumar welcoming Dr. S. A. Reddi, value engineering consultant, to the monthly meeting of

APREDA.

aggregates. Sand falls under fine ag-gregates and it is defined that it may comprise rock sand or natural sand or a mix of both. He mentioned that he was a member of the committee which formulated this code and every govern-ment contract has this code as a part of the standards.He said that there needs to be no ap-prehension whether manufactured sand will meet the required standards. The code clearly says that we can use either river sand or manufactured sand. The only caution that we need to ex-ercise is that we must not use crusher dust.

Note of cautionMany suppliers sell crusher dust in the name of manufactured sand. Crusher dust is harmful because there is no control over the size of the aggregates and it is truly dust.

There is a general statement that man-ufactured sand or rock sand is the best alternative to natural sand. The size of the sand aggregates must be 0-2 mm for non-concrete applications and 0-4 mm for concrete applications. This size aspect must be borne in mind. The sand used must be manufactured with VSI technology and not with jaw crush-ers.He said that there were two Indian stan-dards for use of manufactured sand. One is IS-386 for concrete applications and the other IS 1542 for non-concrete applications. So there is no dearth of sanction for use of manufactured sand for both concrete and non-concrete ap-plications.

PlasteringInternationally, plastering is done us-ing plastering machines. Rock sand is used and is supplied in bags. Plas-tering is done using a plaster spraying machine which operates on a 3 or 5 HP motor. The plaster mixture is prepared at ground level and is sprayed on the surface by a trained operator and not by a mason. Dr Reddi said by doing this we can control the quality better. He said that in Singapore construction activity is done using plaster spraying machines.

Australian experience

Drawing on the Australian experience, he said that country faced similar prob-lems like India is facing now. In fact they faced more severe problems. But they did not raise any issues on use of manufactured sand. They have also re-leased a book on guidelines for use of manufactured sand. This book is freely available and can be downloaded from the Internet.

He said virtually all countries use man-ufactured sand and recognise it as a suitable alternative to natural sand. He said in Dubai too all buildings arecon-structed using manufactured sand as the sand from dunes is not suitable.

In one of the tallest buildings in India, Palais Royale, in Bombay, the con-struction is being done by using M-80 concrete. This concrete is self com-pacting and does not require a vibrator. The finished surfaces are so smooth that they do not require plastering. We can directly apply

putty and finish the surfaces. He said he was the consultant for construction of this building, and had recommended importing sand from Gujarat because

he wanted silt free sand, which was not freely available in Bombay. After awhile the government of Gujarat placed a ban on the export of sand from the state. To tide over this problem he rec-ommended that manufactured sand be used. The manufactured sand is meet-ing all specifications and 80% of theconstruction work is now complete. Precast walls made of self compacting concrete will further reducedependence on river sand as plaster-ing work is eliminated.

Wastage of cement

On the use of cement, Dr Reddi said that most builders in all cities were us-ing more cement than is required. He said builders use 30% more cement than is required and felt that we could save on costs by using cement re-placementmaterials like fly ash and slag which are freely available. Cement is also not going to last forever because our re-serves of limestone are limited.Concluding, he said that there was no apprehension in use of manufactured sand in place of natural sand for all ap-plications of building construction. This matter has been approved in many international conferences he had at-


Cover Story

Mr. Vijay K Kosuraju

tended.

New technologiesTalking on new technologies, Dr Reddi said in 30 or 40 years concrete itself will become obsolete with the rise of new materials. He said work is under way for use of geo-polymers in place

of concrete. As of now, this technology is in a nascent stage and is not cost ef-fective but he said he clearly foresees a day when concrete itself will become obsolete.

The story of RobosandAnother valuable presentation was made by Mr Vijay Kumar Kosaraju, MD of Robo Silicon Private Limited, said that his first project to produce manu-factured sand was launched in Kees-argutta, Hyderabad, in 2001, with a ca-pacity of 55 tonnes per hour. They also

imported VSI equipment from New Zealand.He said that he had travelled across the country to find out how sand is be-ing used and how he did a survey of rocks available around Hyderabad. The rocks were crushed and manufac-tured sand was produced and it was sent to manyrecognised laboratories in India and abroad to be tested to find out how suitable the manufactured sand was as a replacement to natural sand. He said that the results were very encouraging and affirmed that it was a suitablereplacement for natural sand and in cases even better as it was free from impurities.However, since it was a new product acceptance in the market was not very encouraging. But over a period of two or three years they have been able to convince the users and have now ex-panded their capacity and have set up 14 plants across the country, including Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore and Hyder-abad, besides other places.They also supplied to reputed com-panies such as GMR and earned their confidence. He said that there were about 20 manufactured sand units around Hyderabad.

AdvantagesOn the advantages of man-ufactured sand, Mr Kumar said it was environment friendly, cost-effective, was endowed with perfect gra-dation, enhances the perfor-mance of concrete, is eco-nomical and low on wastage,

does not cause much wear and tear to expensive equipment, has consistency in quality and is available round the year. The table below illustrates how it has an edge over river sand.Production capacityHe said that these 20 units have a capacity of producing about five lakh tonnes a month. According to his esti-mates Hyderabad consumes about 18 lakh tonnes a month. He said that he had made an offer to the government that if they provide support in the form of supply of raw materials and accep-tance of manufactured sand for gov-ernment constructions, they would be able to double their production capac-ity within a short span of 2 to 3 months. He saidthat manufactured sand can meet at least half the requirement of Hyder-abad.

Now, coming back to the issue of sand, it is hoped that the timely steps taken by the government would make avail-able about 30 million cubic metres of sand for the stakeholders. It is reliably learnt that by the first or second week of June the situation will improve and stabilise.

COmPARISON OF ImPuRITIES (River sand Vs Robosand)

River SandMarine products 2 – 4% NilOversized material 6 – 8% NilClay and silt 5 – 8% NilMoisture 4 – 5% Nil 17 – 25% Nil

Raw material for the production of rock sand


Real estate regulator


Tax & Laws

By Varun Jakkinapalli

Service tax on the realty sector has always been a topic of dis-cussion. Is the new Budget’12

going to help the sector? Well, this bud-get has proposed the implementation of service tax by negative list. The pro-posal contained in the budget seems to redefine the service tax applicability on the construction contracts.The pre-budget scene prior to the an-nouncement of the budget, three cat-egories were meant for theconstruction industry –1. Commercial or industrial construc-tion service2. Works contract service3. Construction of residential complex serviceService tax was levied under the above three categories in respect of construc-tion of various small and large build-ings, by whatever names they were called. Under commercial or industrial construction service, the essential in-gredients were that services are pro-vided or are to be provided to any per-son, the service has to be provided by any other person, the service should be in relation to commercial or indus-trial construction.Similarly, under the construction of complex service, construction of resi-

dential units was chargeable to service tax. Under works contract service, the essential ingredients are that the ser-vice shall be provided to any person by any other person and the service shall be in relation to execution of works contracts for providingboth the material (which is subject to VAT) and services.Every head had its own benefits, for instance, abatement at specified rates was allowed in case of commercial or industrial construction service, compo-sition scheme was applicable in case of works contract and in case of construc-tion of residential complex service, ex-emption was being granted to the con-struction of up to 12 or less residential units/flats. Thus, all the schemes had their own benefits.The post-budget sceneThe budget in 2012 has proposed the service tax by negative list. The ser-vices specified in the negative list are specifically excluded from the purview of service tax. The negative list pri-marily contains the services of public utility. As far as the construction in-dustry is concerned, the list contains the construction services pertaining to road, bridge, tunnel, terminal, pollution control or effluent treatment plant, etc. subject to certain conditions. These ex-emptions in the old scheme were pro-

service tax on construction sector

vided by way of giving the exclusion clause in the definition of the respec-tive services. Besides, the services of public utility, services by way of erec-tion or construction of original works pertaining to airport, port or railways, single residential unit otherwise as a part of a residential complex, low-cost houses by approved authority up to a specified area, or in relation to a hous-ing project, are also excluded. Further, valuation rules, abatement scheme and reverse charge method have also been amended having major impact on the realty sector.Analysis of pre/post budget scenarioI.Only works contract scheme survives – Prior to the budget, there were three specified services of treating various types of construction projects. Howev-er, after the budget, there seems to be only one category which is included in the declared list of activities specified in Section 66E.This section includes the “construction of a complex, building, civil structure or a part thereof, including a complex or building intended for sale to a buyer, wholly or partly, except where the en-tire consideration is received after is-suance of certificate of completion by the competent authority”.Thus, in this clause, the entire construc-tion industry has been covered and the description of this service gives insight of the works contract service.Further, no abatement has been pro-posed for any other service under the new notification no. 13/2012-ST dated 17.3.2012. Also, the reverse charge method has been extended to the works contract scheme under notifica-tion no. 15/2012-ST dated 17.3.2012.II. Construction on behalf of buyer cov-ered – It is to be noted that where the owner of the land undertakes the con-struction for the prospective buyer for a consideration whether or not received in piecemeal will be covered under works contract.III.Exemption to one residential unit only -- Under negative list, exemption has been granted to the services pro-vided by way of erection or construction of original works pertaining to single residential unit otherwise as a part of a residential complex. Thus, single resi-dential unit has been exempted, which


Tax & Laws

Service tax payable on 40%of total amount charged forworks contract. Where totalamount includes the value ofland, it will be 25% of totalamount charged

Execution of original works

Other works contract, includingcompletion and finishing serviceslike glazing, plastering, floor andwall tiling, installation of electricalfitting not covered above.

Service tax payable on 60% of total amount charged forworks contract.

service tax payablenature of works contract

has narrowed the scope of exemption previously contained in the construc-tion of residential complex service. In this service, construction of up to 12 residential units was exempted in the definition itself. But the proposed scheme exempts only oneresidential unit, that too pertaining to original works. Here ambiguity aris-es in what context the word “single residential unit” is used. Whether the single residential unit is to be checked assessee- wise or place wise or period wise. This has not been clarified and may lead to litigation.Amendments by the budget and the impactI. Increase in rate:The rate of works contract is increased from 4% to 4.8%. The increased rate is affective as from 1.4.2012.II. Reverse charge method extended to works contract:Under reverse charge method, the recipient of taxable service is notified as the person liable to pay the service tax. The reverse charge method has been extended to the works contract scheme vide notification no. 15/2012-ST dated 17.3.2012, effective from the date the finance bill gets the approval of the President. In this notification, li-ability of paying the 50% service tax is cast on the recipient of works contract service and remaining still lies on the provider of the service. However, it is still uncertain as to how the value is going to be calculated for the purpose of paying the service tax? Whether it will be calculated separately by the service provider and service recipient? No clarification is available. Further, it is difficult to understand the logic be-hind fixing theliabilities on two persons in respect of one amount? This simply increases the costs and tension on part of both the parties involved therein.III. Valuation of works contract amend-ed:At present, the value of works contract is determined as per Works Contract (Composition Scheme for Payment of Service Tax) Amendment Rules, 2007. Budget, 2012 has proposed to intro-duce the negative list of service and to line up with the same it is proposed that the valuation of works contract

to be done is in accordance with the Service Tax (Determination of Value) Rules, 2006. For this a new rule – 2A is being substituted vide notification no. 11/2012-ST dated 17.3.2012 which is effective from the date negative list comes into effect. This rule statesthe following features for the valuation of the works contract service:-

Value of Works Contract = Gross amount charged – Value of transfer ofproperty in goods. However, VAT or sales tax is not includible in the valueof material supplied.

Notes:1. Value of works contract service shall include the labour charges, amount paid to sub-contractor for la-bour and services, charges for plan-ning, designing and architect’s fee, hire charges for machinery and tools, cost of consumables such as water, electricity, fuel, etc., cost of establish-ment of contractor relatable to supply of labour and services, profit earned in relation to supply of labour and ser-vices.2. In cases where VAT has been paid on actual value of transfer of property in goods, then this value will be con-sidered while calculating the value of works contract.3. If VAT is not paid on the actual value, the assessee will calculate the same for the purpose for service tax and it will be deductible from the gross value. However, if the actual value is not ascertainable, then the following percentage will be the taxable value

for the purpose of paying the service tax:-4. Cenvat Credit of duty paid on inputs will not be allowedDifference between old method & new method of valuationThe manner of determining the gross amount charged for the WorksContract has been slightly changed.

In old rules, the value of works contract to be taken for the purpose of taxation was simply as accounted by the ser-vice provider. However, in the new rule 2A, in the cases where VAT is not paid

on the actual value of transfer of prop-erty in goods, value is to be taken on the basis of fixed percentage.Also, under old rules, the cost of ma-chinery and tools used in the execution of the said works contract were specifi-cally excluded. However, there is no mention of the same in the new rule 2A. However, the charges of obtaining them on hire have been specifically included as in the old method.

Varun Jakkinapalli is a chartered accoun-tant and partner of M/s Kumar & Giri. He also teaches tax to students aspiring to become CAs.


Home Finance

There’s more to loans than just interest rates. Making the right choice of housing financier makes all the difference. This article highlights the advan-tages offered by HDFC Housing Finance Ltd.

Buying a house requires a great deal of planning and involves substantial financial consider-

ations. Unless the homebuyer is an expert himself he needs help and guid-ance in understanding the intricacies of the homebuying process. Hence the first step to-wards a home is the careful selection of a housing financier.The basic financial implications that can be compared by the home buyerinclude1) Processing fee2) Pre-EMI interest rate and policy thereof3) Policy of loan disbursal, particularly release of final instalment4) EMI amount and Number of EMIs (not just interest rate)5) Advance EMIs collected, if any?6) Payment of charges for legal and technical valuation service7) Loan fore-closure procedures and fees thereof

8 ) Any other charges, ex. loan administration charges9) Responsibility regarding produc-tion of documents

Apart from the above one needs to look into the entire package like assis-tance on project details, track record of the developer, assistance/guidance on documents, storage and retrieval of property documents, post disburse-ment services, expertise, quality of ser-vice, in-depth domain knowledge, the company’s level of commitment and transparency, company’s loan proce-dure, the product range, fine-print that goes along with, and other relevant documents of the property deposited as a security for the housing loan on closure of the loan, are critical. Allthese things are important consider-ations as a housing loan is a long-term commitment. The ability of the lender to provide all these is critical.While buying a property there are a number of issues like the quality of the builder, issues with regard to resale properties or properties purchased from development authorities and their re-lated documentation and these issues differ from town to town, city to city , state to state. In this backdrop, choos-ing a good housing finance company to handhold the customer right through his home buying process has gained far

great-e r

i m p o r -t a n c e .

Hence one needs to also

bear in mind as to how easy/ difficult it is to contact the home loan provider. About HDFCHDFC has been focused on housing loans, which has been our core busi-ness for decades. Years of experience has helped us understand the market dynamics of the real estate industry. DFC offers the widest range and value-added products like the Home improve-ment Loan, Home Extension loan, Top up loans, Loans for NRIs, Loan against propertyand delivers professional services through its specialist team of trained and experienced professionals. We fol-low a single window concept support-ed by robust systems and processes aimed at maximizing customer conve-nience at every stage of the home buy-ing process.The company has always believed in a single-window concept where custom-ers get legal and technical approvals by its experienced in-house counsellors. This allows a customer to apply for a loan from any of HDFC’s offices for a property located anywhere in India and service the loan through any office. It can also provide information on devel-opers projects across the country. This

Home loans with a difference



saves a lot of efforts, money and time. During the entire loan process, from the moment a customer is briefed about the options available to them; till they avail a loan and throughout the repay-ment period, HDFC guides customers at every step.Our rich experience of over 34 years has made it possible for us to innovate and provide customised repayment op-tions that would assist our customers and all these repayment options at no extra cost.Step up Repayment Facility (SuRF)The objective of SURF is to provide the customer with a repayment schedule, which is linked to his expected growth in income. It also helps a customer get a larger amount of loan as compared to the loan under the normal housing loan. The customer can avail of a high-er amount of loan and pay lower EMIs in the initial years. Flexible Loan Instalment Plan (FLIP)This product offers a customised so-lution to suit the needs of customers whose repayment capacity is likely to alter during the term of the loan. The loan is structured in such a way that the EMl is higher during the initial years and subsequently decreases in the lat-ter part proportionate to the reduced income of the customer. For instance, if the husband has 10 years of service left and wife 15 years to retire then a 15-year loan can be structured such that a higher EMI (serviced out of both the incomes) is paid for first 10 years and a lower EMI (serviced out of only wife’s income) is paid for the five years.Acceleration of EmIUnder this facility, the customer has an option to increase the EMIs every year in proportion to the increase in his in-come. For example if a customer avails of a loan with repayment period of 20 years and increases his EMIs every year by say 10%, he would repay the loan in 9 to 10 years approximately.The advantages of this facility are as under:a) Customer repays the loan faster and saves on interest for the remain-ing term.b) He retains liquidity as he need not make lump sum payments.

Value additions:Loan approval even before selecting a propertyOne can get a loan even before select-ing a property. This is made possible for the customer after verifying his steady annual income and other details. Through this service the customer stands a better chance for bargaining with the builder for his choicest proper-ty because his loan is approved before finalising a property.Help in selecting propertyThe company provides in-house as-sistance to customers with end to end solution to select a property.Housing loans to agriculturists (Ru-ral Housing Finance)The company also provides loans to people based on the produce from their agricultural land. This service is to facil-

itate investments or buying of property for people from the rural areas.Fixed depositsAnother unique but lesser known fea-ture of the company is that they also provide fixed deposits. With largest mobilization of deposits, the company accepts bulk deposits from corporate houses and retail de-posits from individuals and trusts. It has ‘AAA’ rating to its credit for de-posit products for highest safety from both CRISIL and ICRA, and has some-thing to offer for everyone from a col-lege student to a retired person.

(For assistance on home loans, call Ms Lakshmi and for prop-erty assistance, call Mr Naveen Kumar on 040-67699000 or mail us at [email protected] or [email protected])

n As buying a home involves verifying documents of property, HDFC’s trained loan counsellors will guide you through all the legal and technical requirements.n HDFC loans do not carry any commitment charges.n Option to view details of home loan account online via our web-site www.hdfc.com.n Widest range of home loan products and services like home loan, home improvement loans, home extension loan, loan for professional for office or clinic, home equity loan (loan against property) short term bridging loan, etc.,n Free and safe document storagen Top up loan for our existing customers to help raise money on their house investment without having to dispose it off to fund various needs related to higher education, purchase of furniture,

business requirement, etc.n HDFC has a wide network of 304 offices (which includes 74 offices of HDFC’s wholly owned distribution company HDFC Sales Private Limited) cater-ing to over 2,400 towns & cities spread across the country. It also has offices in Dubai, London and Singapore and service associates in the Middle East region, to pro-vide housing loans and property advisory services to Non- Resi-dent Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs).

Awardsn HDFC is the sole Indian com-pany figuring in a New York City think tank’s fifth annual list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.n HDFC was awarded “Best Home Loan Provider” at the Out-look Money Awards, 2011.

Home Finance



maRk

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Locality Price (Rs/Sq.Ft.)Attapur 2800-3100A S Rao Nagar 3000-3200Barkatpura 4500-4800Bachupally 1500-2100Bandlaguda 2000-2200Banjara Hills 5800-7000Bollaram 2000-2200 Chintal 1800-2000Domalguda 3500-4500East Marredpally 4200-5000Erragadda 3200-3800Gachibowli 3600-4500Hi-Tech City/Madhapur 3600-4500Habshiguda 3000-3500

Hyderguda 3000-3500Hasmathpet 2300-2800Hydernagar 2500-2800Jeedimetla 1800-2100Jamai Osmania 2300-2500Jubilee Hills 6800-7800JNTU Road/Kukatpally 3200-3800Kondapur 3600-4200Lingampalli 2000-3400L B Nagar 2500-2800Marredpally (Secunderabad) 3400-4300Mehdipatnam 3000-4200Nampally 2800-3900

Property Rates



The Canton Fair, an exhilarating experience

Our trip to China to visit the 110th Canton Fair was a memorable one in more ways than one. The Can-

ton Fair is conducted twice a year and draws about 60,000 visitors daily. It is a well planned event with huge areas marked out for each section. There are different halls for building materials, tools, lighting and heavy machinery. The main reason for the rapid develop-

ment in China, as per my observation, is the work culture. The entire country, irrespective of the age of its population, works tirelessly with passion and com-mitment. While the entire land belongs to the government, development takes place on the leased lands. There are no freebies from the government and every person needs to work hard for his or her survival.As there is no need for the govern-

Study Tour

APREDA members enjoying the cruise on their trip to the Canton Fair.


Study Tour

ment to please the people with popular schemes and welfare measures, it can freely undertake development, without reservations about hurdles from any quarter. In our trip, we never saw any policemen manning signals or control-ling the traffic. The traffic moves quickly and quietly.This trip was a promise made by APRE-DA president, Mr Prem Kumar, to us and his suggestion that a foreign tour

once a year could be useful to mem-bers to understand the developments in other countries, to know about new technology in the construction industry and to be conversant about new mate-rials. When we saw the huge landmark projects in China, we felt that our cities too should aim to build such iconic proj-ects. This would also help the city get identified with that structure and attract tourists from around the world. Like in

all our monthly meetings, we enjoyed each and every moment of our stay in China by sharing our experiences. The most memorable one was the one-hour cruise in the river passing through Guangzhou in lovely climate. The light-ing all along the cruise on both sides of the river was worth experiencing. The buildings were illuminated in a splendid way and it was amazing to see one of the

An enchanting tree light on display at one of the emporiums.


We all enjoyed the trip like a big fam-ily on tour, unmindful of each person’s age or other considerations. The se-nior members also joined the group at every occasion and seemed to enjoy more than the youngsters. Our mem-ber,Bhoopathi Raju, popularly called “anna” thrilled us with his witty comments and jokes. While we were taking it a bit easy, elders such as former APREDA presi-dent Murali Mohan garu and Haribabu garu were on the dot and were the first to board the bus every day.While Haribabu ensured punctuality by collecting a penalty every day from those who were late, he himself ended up paying a penalty on the last day for no fault of his. However, we missed Suneel who brings life and ‘josh’ to the parties and Ramana who insists on occupying the ‘key position’ while tak-ing group photos. I will conclude with two of my personal experiences. While alighting from the bus in Macau, I for-got my laptop in the overhead luggage box. When I asked for it the next day, the tour guide got in touch with the driv-er and delivered it by afternoon!! Back in Hyderabad, while my driver forgot to take two bags from the trolley at the

airport, the GMR security staff handed over them to the airport staff. While we went half heartedly not knowing wheth-er we would get back our bags, toour surprise they noted down the list of items and handed them over to us. The security staff also refused to ac-cept tips from me. Kudos to the GMR Airport staff.

By Vijaya Sai

Study Tour

APREDA team members in a relaxed mood while on tour. The plush environs of the China Import and Export Fair.

Top view of a model oof a plush house.

mr Vijaya Sai is the Chief Coordi-nator of APREDA and was a member of the delegation which visited the Canton Fair in China.


Lessons from ChinaI was lucky to be a part of the APRE-DA team, along with our president, Mr. Prem Kumar, former president, Mr. Mu-rali Mohan, and several others which visited the Canton Fair in the city of Guangzhou in China in April. Our hosts were the Ministry of Commerce, Peo-ple’s Government of Guangdong Prov-ince, and the organisers of the trip were the China Foreign Trade Centre.On the first day of the tour, we visited the building materials exhibition and construction industry’s outdoor equip-ment. Day two and three were taken away by our visits to the building el-evation, project model making factory, ceramic industry display unit and the furniture mall.The Chinese are a very practical peo-ple, with their feet firmly planted on the ground. They have a strong work ethic and their duty appeared to be their sole activity.Gender equality is their lifeline and al-though they are not very proficient in English, the Chinese are past-masters in doing business and according hospi-tality. They use numbers on their calcu-lators as the mode of communication. When we enquire and discuss about the products in their stall, their enthusi-

asm is enlarged and the smile is never forgotten.On day four and five of the tour, we rubbed shoulders at the Canton Fair with the nationals of many other coun-tries and major stakeholders in the building and construction industry across the globe. Thus we became global citizens for a while, exchanging greetings and smiles with Europeans and others.We were blown off our feet with the variety, pricing, innovation of the build-ing materials and false ceiling material which were put up on display, at unbe-lievable prices, at the fair. Doors and their frames, sanitary material, bath-tubs, swimming pools, ceramic tiles, you name it and it was there.

We learnt that Chinese labour is not inexpensive, and power too is more ex-pensive than in India. The big question bugging us was ‘how is this possible’. The answer was sim-ple and straight ‘numbers’. The Chi-nese people are workaholics and are engaged in mass production of goods. Yes, Chinese products are the most widely sold across the world, including the US. Not only this, they have earned praise for their quality and competitive

pricing too. To sample some interesting and innovative products.

[email protected] sounds inter-esting. The above format is duplicated from one of the stall representatives’ visiting card. Put up your mobile num-ber as the user id and add to your com-pany web domain. Simple, fast and reli-able. Marketingand management, what a great combi-nation in sales.

Endless swimming pool at www.sans-pa.com. This is “an endless swimming pool” in which you swim, swim and only swim till you do not want to swim any more.

Walk-in bath tub for elderly people at www.caresee.com. Health mate sauna.com which says investment in health is the best investment you can make. Portable for home or office, infrared healing effects, timely delivery, which can be up in less than one hour. Timely delivery again is one of the Chinese mantras. Rose mosaic, volcano-rose.com handcrafted mosaics is the con-vergence of life and art. Stone chip coated steel , roof tiles, kitchen cabi-nets, doors with luxury handle and also

Study Tour

A visit to a swank, beautifully illuminated outlet in Guangzhou. The plush environs of the China Import and Export Fair.


double security cylinder, wood flooring, window blinds, telescopic engineered climbing, European decorative materi-als factory, aluminium, stainless iron, brass gate, door till, garden furniture, you name it and it was there.

In the section on outdoor machines and equipment for construction we saw a sand-excavation ship, cranes like truck crane, crawler crane, also bulldozer, paver, excavator, tractor and ready-mix concrete of different types. The

certificate of ISO9001 quality system, invention patent licensing, are some of the common certificates published in all these brochures.The 111th Canton Fair pocket guide speaks about busi-ness opportunities. Lighting solutions, green building systems, digital elec-tronic products, motorized treadmills, massage chair, which added a fashion quotient to the exhibition stalls. On day six, seven and eight we travelled and stayed in Macau before we landed in Hyderabad. By Sridhar Rao M.

Study Tour

World-class furniture on show at the fair.

mr Sridhar Rao m. is a member of APREDA and was part of the delega-tion which visited the Canton Fair in China.



Events

monthly meetings in April, maylively affairs

The monthly general body meeting for April 2012 was conducted on 24 April 2012 at Hotel Kens, Srinagar

Colony. The meeting was hosted by Sri. Ch Srinivasa Raju, Managing Partner, Sri Rama Construc-tions, Banjara Hills, Hyderbad and by Sri. Siva Prasad Koneru, Managing

Partner, Aakruti Con-structions, Srinagar Colony, Hyderabad. The monthly general body meeting for the month of May 2012 was conducted on 22 May 2012 at Film Na-gar Cultural Centre,

Film Nagar, Jubilee Hills. The meeting was hosted by Sri. V Venkata Durga Prasad, MD, Vamsi Constructions Pvt Ltd, DK Road, Ameerpet, Hyderbad and by Sri. Kali Prasad Damera, Di-rector, Earth Pavers (Hyderabad) Pvt Ltd, Anand Nagar colony, Khairata-bad, Hyderabad.

EvEnts DIARYCan Fin Homes branch inauguratedMr P. Prem Kumar, president of APREDA, inaugurated the Gachibowli branch of Can Fin Homes Ltd (Canara Bank) at Sai Teja Enclave, near Outer Ring Road, Indira Nagar, Gachibowli, on April 23, 2012. This is the 55th branch of Can Fin Homes. Also present at the inaugural ceremony was Mr C. Ilango, MD, Can Fin Homes Ltd.

Elected to Lions Past District Governors ForumMr Bhawarlal Jain, MD, Labham Estates Pvt Ltd. and executive vice president of APREDA, has been unanimously

elected Chairman of Past District Governors Forum for the State of Andhra Pradesh.

AppointedConsul of Republic

of BulgariaY. Kiran Kumar, MD of Suchir In-dia Ltd and Gov-erning Council Member of APRE-DA, has been appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Bulgaria with his consular district covering the State of Andhra Pradesh. His appointment has been recognised by the President of India and the same will be published in the Ga-zette of India.

Sridhar Rao is vice-president ISB Alumni Association Mr M Sridhar Rao, MD, Sridhar Constructions has been appointed vice-president of the Hyderabad Chapter of ISB CEE Alumni Association for the year 2012-2013. Mr Sridhar Rao is also a core committee member of Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur Alumni Association.

Recognition as In-House R&D unitPragati Bio Pharma Pvt Ltd. has been recognized as the in-house R&D unit by the Department of Scientific and In-dustrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Pragati Bio Pharma Ltd is owned by Dr G B K Rao, CMD, Pragati Green Meadows & Resorts Ltd and Advisory Commit-tee Member of APREDA.



Vaastu

Vaastu refers to ‘abode’ or man-sion and shastra or vidya means science or knowledge. An an-

cient science, vaastu shastra helps one get the natural benefits freely of-fered by the five basic elements of the universe – akash (sky), prithvi (earth), jal (water), agni (fire), and vaayu (wind). Vaastu shastra can be applied by keeping in harmony these basic five elements of nature. The ancient Indian science of vaastu shastra, which was developed thousands ofyears ago, has become extremely pop-ular today. Its application today is purely archi-tectural and its principles are based on becoming one with nature. Many vaastu rules are derived from ‘Vaastu Purusha Mandala’ which is depicted as a man lying with his head pointing to the north east, in a grid of usually 64 squares. The different directions and

sectors are assigned to different gods and guardians. In keeping with thevaastu of any place, i.e. home, work-place, building, factory, land or plot one should try toharmonise the place with regard to the five basic elements called the Panch-bhootas, namely air, water, fire, earth and space. Harbinger of prosperity The use of these five elements in harmony, it is believed, will ensure prosperity in terms of health, wealth, relationships, etc. Let us deal with the five key ele-ments.water: Water bodies in north or east are considered good. As far as the flow of domestic water is concerned, it should be borne in mind that such wa-ter should be drained out in the North East. Wells, tubewells, swimming pools, etc. should all be in the North East. Water from the toilets and bathrooms, too, should be drained out in the North

Beginning this issue, we start a series on the an-cient Indian science of Vaastu shastra whichhas come to gain immense importance today

Vaastu, the eternal science of well-being


Vaastu

East. The North East direction is always auspicious and suitable for water. With regard to the sewer sys-tems in the cities, the septic tanks or the flow of sewer systems should be towards the North West. The flow of rain or fresh water should be towards the North East.Fire: The direction of fire is south east. The kitchen, fire-place, geysers, etc. should be placed only in this direc-tion. Alternatively, these could also be placed in the North West, because it is at 180 degrees to the South East. The fire element should take care of the South East cor-ners of all rooms and aim for happi-ness in the family, good health, sound finances, and a stable married life. As the south east belongs to Agni, he can create enough trouble for inmates. Therefore, the South East corner of every room should be well taken care of. One can keep Agni cheerful by hav-ing a spotlight or lantern in the South East corner with light or burning flame pointingto the roof. One can have the electri-cal gadgets like television, VCR, fridge, computer, fire- place, microwaves, ra-dio, etc. placed in the south east cor-ner.Air: Air should enter the building from the north east. All the openings and media for the entry of air such as

doors, windows, ventilators, coolers, air-conditioners, verandahs, balconies, etc. should be in this direction.Space/ sky: The open sky influ-ences us greatly. We can get the effect of terrestrial energies uninterruptedly from the sky. But buildings prove a bar-rier to the effects of the open sky. Therefore, the importance of roofs or lawns gets emphasised, but Vaastu shastra has refrained from deliberating in detail over this, because it is related chiefly to building construction and we will discuss only this aspect. Tradition-ally, every house in India used to have an open space (courtyard) in the centre of the house. This provided the dwellers not only the open sky but also sunlight and cross-

ventilation of air.Plot shapes: Favourite plot shapes are regular which are square or rect-angular. Irregular shaped plots should normally be avoided. Obstructions such as big trees, open wells, pillars and posts before arrow-like roads are to be avoided.Ideal location: A building should be constructed preferably in a square plot and the house should be constructed in the centre and in a rectangular plot it should be nearer to the construction in the south, south west and west sides, preferably leaving more open space in a plot in the north and east. “L” is not considered suitable for house as cor-ners will be “U” shaped, leading to oc-cupants missing opportunities.


The a to Z of good design


By Kalpana Ramesh

Your friend invites you to his house warming party. You walk in. The house is all new, bright

and smelling mint fresh. See an inter-esting colour on a wall. A very contem-porary sofa, abstract aesthetic paint-ing, tastefully done up floor, vibrant tiles. But something seems missing. While each part in the house looks very good, when you look at in toto, some-how things seem disjointed. They don’t seem to work well together. Isn’t this a common thing?What makes a house interiors work? What makes it seem aesthetic and pleasing? What gets you that “wow” as you walk into the house? What makes the forms and function blend effortless-ly with the colours and aesthetics. Thisis what good design is about. Enabling the requirements that the house own-ers have, with individual pieces of furni-ture, material, and other selections they make, and blending them all together into that pleasing aesthetic “whole” is what good design is about. Each one of us knows what we want deep down. If we were to look for houses, or even smaller elements such as furniture or tiles, when we look at something we can clearly tell if we like it or we don’t. But if you were to probe further, they wouldn’t be able to tell ex-actly why they like something or do not like it. In other words, at a high level each of us knows what we want. But being able to articulate what we need or like is not always easy. And not get-ting carried away by that single sofa that was on display in a store, or that colour of wall that was nice in a friend’s house or a specific kitchen you liked or any individual element. This is a temp-tation that is not easy to control. And this is one key factor in ending up with a disjointed house.So, stepping back before any work starts, and listing down a set of require-ments is the necessary starting point. This could be functional like the kind of rooms, or spaces or functions the house must enable. A little corner for that arty daughter to play with messy paints, or a study area for the profes-

sional in the house to take late night calls, or a separate utility to hide away all the messy works that would other-wise be in the kitchen. and moresuch. Then list down some of the de-sign elements -- colours, features in walls, materials like drapes, preferenc-es for flooring, et al.The first step in realising this in the new house is the structural element. The layout and features that need civil works. Basically, a design of the core skeletal structure of the interiors that can be given to the developer or build-er for building/alterations. Both as the internal layout and also other featureelements in the structure like walls or major nooks/projections in the walls and such. An extension of this will be the accompanying backbone elements like electrical wiring, plumbing, any oth-er structural elements in the walls andelsewhere. (This is to ensure we avoid situations like this common sight -- where we planned a TV on a wall, but ended up with a power point at the floor level, leaving that ghastly sight of a wire dangling from the TV to the floor, as opposed to having the wire completely

hidden and plugged into a socket that was thoughtfully put up behind the TV area on the wall. Likewise, for split air- conditioners and a lot more).This is supplemented by the future de-tailing. On how a room will look when finished. How that feature wall blends

Interiors

A combination of good aesthetics and perfect placement stand out to show the prominent features of good design.


into the French window, where will the sofas be, is there a carpet, how does the ceiling detailing blend with the rest, etc . Few views of each major area in the house are critical in ensuring a good idea of how things will turn up be-fore actually doing anything or buying anything.Then come the individual selections. From floor choices (wood, marble, tiles,..) to specific selection of tiles. Wall tiles, wardrobe design and so on. Whether to go for modular or get it car-penter made, furniture in each room, the kitchen, tiles in the kitchen, bath fittings, tiles, colours, various feature elements (likefocus walls) finishes, paint material and colours, wood trims, ceiling detail-ing, air-conditioning, etc.Each of the major parts of the house will need a lot of thought and coordi-nation. If you were to look at kitchens alone, the modular furniture detailing to

ensure the function and utility expected in the kitchen by the owners, to the tiles on the wall, to the shape and material in the big chimney, to the colours on the walls, to any frills like picture frames or art work in kitchen and more -- all of these have to come together as one to create thathomogenous blended “one kitchen” feel. And this extends to how all the ar-eas blend together. What is the overall colour scheme in the house, the theme for materials such as drapes or furnish-ings, etc. Now, picking a theme doesn’t mean that the same colour or drape is used in all the rooms. While this willvary based on the taste of the occu-pant of each room, this can still fit in an overall theme.Finally, comes the bigger task of en-suring that all the areas work well to-gether. Getting a good house, where all your ideas are actually realised in a functional and aesthetic, blended

single entity is just as easy as above. No kidding! And this is where a good designer’s assistance can be of great help. And unlike often perceived, this doesn’t mean an increase in cost. While a good designer does come for a fee, he or she also comes with a lot of good ideas and a very good understanding of the market, materials, stores, sourc-ing alternatives,skilled workers, etc. Each of this can help reduce costs and more important-ly get better choices and materials, in-creasing the probablity of realising the ideas one has.

Interiors

Artefacts add up to lgive a pleasant feeling.

Kalpana Ramesh is an architect & interior designerbased in Hyderabad and has an interior design diploma from the [email protected]



june 2012Date Day Time (IST)14 Thursday From 8.40 am to 12.40 pm and after 7.24 pm15 Friday upto 12:51 am24 Sunday Throughout the day26 Tuesday After 9.32 pm27 wednesday upto 7.08 pm28 Thursday After 4.00 pm to night29 Friday upto 1.23 am

july 20125 Thursday From 1:30 pm6 Friday upto 11.30 pm7 Saturday From 11:00 pm8 Sunday upto 11:30 pm10 Tuesday From 03:00 pm11 wednesday upto 05:00 pm25 wednesday From 10:30 am26 Thursday From 09:00 am27 Friday upto 08:00 am

auspicious days

Auspicious days



Room Decor

By Priyanka Poogalia

Living room paintings and art prints are a great way to enhance the otherwise drab walls of a living

room. They also express the personal style and taste of the home owner. If you are an art lover, incorporating a wall painting by your favourite artist or fine art prints into your room decor makes a perfect style statement.

There are many types of paintings that can be used to decorate walls of living rooms, including the traditional wall paintings and oil paintings. Don’t worry, if one finds them too expensive there are inexpensive paintings too like reproductions of oil paintings for living room décor.

Artist Priyanka Poogalia in this article discusses some basic questions on room decor.

Personal choiceCollecting and decorating one’s liv-ing spaces with art is a very personal choice. An interior decorator may be mostly concerned with decorating or setting up a home or room whereas an art collector or enthusiast may select an artwork solely based on how col-lectible the piece is. People often buy a work of art based on emotion. Some-one may be impressed with a print of an unknown artist because it evokes an emotion within him or her that is enjoy-able. Using artwork for purely decora-tive purposes is an art in itself. Staging a room can be tremendous joy. Rooms can be staged by colour or theme, they can be decorated to produce feelings of excitement, peace and calm, mind-fulness, or any emotion, including the bittersweet feelings of nostalgia. Deco-rating with art can help define a room’s

How to spruce up your

living room with artHow to spruce up your

living room with artSmall art prints put up alongside each other reflect the taste of a person.



Room Decor

purpose.Aesthetic valuePaintings are the best option for inte-rior decoration and they add a pleas-ant aesthetic value to the rooms. Wall paintings for living rooms are available in all sizes. Whether to choose a paint-ingor reproduction from one’s favourite artists or go in for classical or contem-porary painting is an individual choice. However, one should always consider the overall living room decor when buy-ing a painting so that it matches with the decor and the living room space. An a n t i q u e

wall painting would definitely look odd with contemporary furniture of a modern living room!

When it comes to size, oversized wall paintings look great in both larger and smaller rooms. For larger living room walls, over-sized paintings cover a lot of bare territory, while on smaller walls, over-sized paintings can create the illu-sion of largeness. Paintings hung in the hallway offset the drabness.

Decorative paintings and art prints come in different design options when it comes to re-envisioning your home

space. Art prints are great for making a small room look big. For example, to include an over-sized print of a land-scape or seascape gives your living room the illusion of largeness. For liv-ing rooms with low ceilings, hanging an art print with long vertical lines gives a sense of height. An overly bright room can be easily softened and warmed up with the right art print. Living rooms are decorated with passion by people. There are many people who love to ex-periment with different types of paint-ings for living room decor.

There are others who take paintings as just one of the many wall decor items. In whatever way paintings are used, they truly liven up your liv-ing room. However, this needs a little thought, creativity and research be-cause if you just buy any painting and hang it in your living room, it can some-times either deteriorate your whole liv-ing room decor or overshadow the oth-er aspects of interior decoration. So, let’s discuss how to choose paintings for living room so that they complement your room’s decor.Picking the right mediumAmong all types of paintings, oil paint-ings create unusual interest that comes

from the unique colour combination used for making these paintings. There are many alternatives regarding usage of oil paintings; for instance, if someone has a collection of beautiful frames, they can match and hang oil paint-ings using these frames. Oil paintings can also be made from photos. Then there are oil paintings on canvas and oil painting reproductions, etc. If one is looking for inexpensive paintings, then the most discounted items are the In-dian and Chinese oil paintings. If cost

is not an issue then one can even go for classics and buy original paint-ings of maestros like those of Raja Ravi Varma, which are ideal for liv-ing rooms.

Modern oil paintings usually in-clude canvas oil paintings and look good too. Reproductions of oil paintings of maestros -- old as well as contemporary -- too are avail-able for decorating walls of living rooms.

Other than wall paintings, an-other option to decorate a living room is art prints. They provide the perfect touch to the beauty of a living room. They instantly breathe life into the space and not only add colour but also expand space, create themes, add emotion, and unveil the personality of the master of the house.

The ideal size of paintingsWhere most of the decorative things should be used in proportion to your liv-ing room size, paintings can be all large or all small but then you have to be a little cautious about their numbers and placing position. For example, a large painting will look good in both large as well as small living rooms but then you must hang only one large painting on a wall of a small room. In large living rooms, if your wall is large enough to accommodate two large paintings, you can hang them side by side. You may also use some other decorative items in between them such as a wall sconce between two identical paintings. When


using small paintings, you can always hang them in line, one after the other. But just choose to match them so that they do not look odd!Style of the works of artThe type of paintings, which one chooses, depends upon your individu-al taste for the artwork. You can go for decorative paintings, oil paintings, wa-tercolours, paper, cardboard or canvas paintings -- anything that satisfies your creative urge. But just remember to pick the one that goes with your living room decor. For example, you might have a living room that is decorated in contemporary style with all sleek and angular furniture. You cannot plan to hang an antique painting there, can you? Or imagine, you have traditional living room decor and you suddenly buy a painting -- an absolutely abstract one at that -- will this go with your liv-ing room decor? So, be realistic while choosing a living room painting. How-ever, there are certain paintings that

mostly go with all types of living room decor. Evergreen paintings include styles such as landscapes, flower paintings, still life works, etc.Sky is the limitNow that mostly depends upon how much can you spend. There is no limit on the cost of paintings if you decide to spend on them. You can get original paintings of maestros for a fortune just if you can spare that kind of money or you can settle for reproductions if your pocket doesn’t allow that. However, one thing is clear; that inexpensive paintings do not mean that they are second class. It may just mean that the particular ‘in-expensive painting’ has been made by an upcoming artist who wants to estab-lish himself. Sometimes, extraordinari-ly expensive paintings may sometimes look out of place among very ordinary objects of a living room! So, choose a living room painting according to one’s own budget.

How art impacts lifeDid you ever consider that the artist who creates the piece of art you love is a healer? Decorating with art is healing. Sitting in a room with a lovely piece of art to gaze at can quieten or excite the mind and stimulate the body’s chemis-try. Did you ever consider that artists are chemists? When we have feelings we release powerful hormones such as endorphins. The next time you con-sider adding a piece of artwork to your collection, think about how the piece makes you feel. Does it excite you? Does it make you feel at peace? Does it remind you of a fond memory? At this point, when one experiences the bene-fits of feeling good, collectability means little. When a piece can elicit both emo-

tion and potential in-crease in value this is a bonus.You can visit my website www.arts-fromheart.com

Room Decor

Large paintings (oil on canvas) lift the ambience.


Etiquette

By Carolann Philips

As the saying goes, the first impression is always the best impression. And what people usually see first is our clothes.

Different businesses and professions have dif-ferent dress codes. However, there are staple colours of every business wardrobe. They are Navy Blue, Charcoal gray, Black, Khaki and White. Regardless of how formal or casual or whether male or female, these are the colours to start with. This is not to say that business dressing is all about drab colours. The idea is not to choose a color that speaks louder than the spoken word! Let’s first take a look at a few executive wardrobe suggestions for women. Blouses with pants and skirts are the popular

Attire speaketh the person


Etiquette

choice here. The best way to determine if a piece of clothing is suitable for the business environment is to sit down in it facing a mir-ror. If you are concerned about the view in any way then it isn’t appropriate. Any clothing made of transparent material is inappro-priate. High-quality cotton or a micro fi-bre blend are good choices because of the climate here. The ethnic ‘salwar kameez’ is a pop-ular choice with Asian women. How-ever, bright colours and those with excessive decorative work must be avoided. The ‘dupatta’ must be pinned up ap-propriately so as to allow the arms move freely. Shoes must be com-fortable, functional, and clean. Shoe heels may be as This article may not be used for any other purpose or published in any oth-er magazine except ‘Horizons’ without the written consent of the author high as an inch and a half or two inches, but much higher than that looks unpro-fessional. Never wear white shoes, slip-pers or worn out, scuffed shoes for work. These are serious faux pas! understated. Necklace shapes must be matched to the collar of your garment. Avoid chunky, dangly earrings and bangles as these can be distracting and also a hindrance to work. Limit rings to no more than one on each hand! Avoid extremes of nail length and polish colour and do not overpower your appearance with heavy perfume. Needless to say, jeans are NOT busi-ness wear! Women wearing abayas should ensure that they are wrinkle free and clean; free of stale fragrances. Head scarves should be pinned firmly in place and allow for comfortable hand movement. Men do not have as many options as women. Long sleeve white or light blue shirts with point collars (since they look good both with and without a tie) are popular business choices. Socks must be the color of trousers and should be mid-calf in length. Do not wear light colored socks with a

dark pant/suit. White socks are unacceptable in business.

A pant’s cuffs must always brush the top of the shoes. Ties should be coordinated with the suit/shirt and the tip should rest at the top of the belt’s buckle.

A properly fitted business suit should be comfortably loose but not baggy, the

jacket extending to the end of your curled fingers when your arms are relaxed. The bottom button of a business suit always remains unbuttoned. The other buttons should be but-toned whilst standing and unbut-toned whilst sitting. This article may not be used for any other purpose or published in any other magazine except ‘Hori-zons’ without the written consent of the authorJewellery must be kept simple and Men wearing traditional dress should ensure that their clothing is well pressedand spotlessly clean. The sleeves of the dishdasha should not be so long as to inhibit efficient movement of hands. These are just the ba-sics. Clothes are truly important in business as they are a profes-

sional representation of yourself and your organization. Also, it is said that if you dress with your next position in mind, you are more likely to get there! This article may not be used for any other pur-pose or published in any other mag-azine

except ‘Horizons’ without the written consent of the author

(Carolann Philips is a certified etiquette and protocol consultant and behavioural

skills coach. She is the managing director of Hallmark Events, a

company that focuses on designing and de-

veloping programmes with emphasis on

organizational be-haviour and thinking,

based in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.)


Fitness

Cardiovascular exercise is any type of activity which increas-es the work of the heart and

lungs. Whether it is running, cycling or climbing those stairs that seem to go nowhere, it’s all about cardio exercise. From running and walking, to swim-ming, elliptical cross-training, biking, stairmaster, the physical benefits of cardio exercises are many. Reduced risk of heart disease, improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, im-

proved heart function, reduced risk of osteoporosis, and good muscle mass are some of the vital benefits of cardio exercises.To improve cardiovascular endurance, experts recommend 20 to 60 minutes on three to five days per week. Run-ning is the best option for calorie burn-ing. Be it outside or on a treadmill, this is the best exercise because you’re burning calories and you’re strength-ening your legs and heart. Beginners

Heart Matters


should start with 20 minutes and work their way up. It takes about 20 minutes for the body to get going, and then it starts to kick it to another level. Ideally, one must run for about 30 or 45 minutes. For those with bad knees, the elliptical machine is a good choice. The treadmill is a popular piece of workout equipment because it can be used at home or in the gym for consis-tent, heart-healthy exercise. Whether you walk or run, the treadmill provides a safe surface to exercise, without the worries of bad weather or road traffic. Many people choose to simply walk or run for a period of time; however there are many other options for treadmill workouts. Timing intervals, using in-cline features and increased speeds, all provide the possibilities of jump starting your metabolism and fighting workout boredom. Choose the tread-mill exercise routine that best fits your goals and attire in safe and supportive workout cloth-ing.Choose whether you want to run, walk or climb in your 20 to 30 minute quick routine. This will set the pace and the incline for your inter-val-based workout. If your fitness level only allows you to walk on a flat surface, then you should opt for a walking workout of at least 30 minutes.Put on running or walk-ing shoes with good cushioning and arch supports. Wear flexible clothing. Put a towel and water on your treadmill for a healthy and safe workout. Calculate your maximum heart rate: This is 220 minus your age. You should aim to be at 70 per-cent of your maximum heart rate for most of your workout, according to your treadmill’s

heart rate monitor. If your treadmill does not have a heart rate monitor, you may choose to invest in a monitor that goes around your wrist, arm or stom-ach in order to ensure you are exercis-ing at aerobic levels, as recommended by most doctors. Warm up by walking for 3 to 5 minutes at 2.8 to 4 miles per hour(MPH). If you plan to run or climb, you will want to warm up between 3 and 4 miles per hour. Begin 1 m i n u t e intervals. Increase the MPH to between 5 and 6, and speed walk or jog. If you are climbing, in-crease the in-cline to be-tween

3 and 4. Do 5 to 6 more intervals of 1 minute with a 2 minute rest period at the lower speed. Experiment with rais-ing the incline as you speed walk or jog to between 1 and 3 for a little extra re-sistance during your 1minute sprints. If you are climbing, ad-just your interval to between 5 and 6 for your sprints, and lower it to between 1 and 3 during your resting periods. If you use the treadmill regularly, you should replace your running orwalking shoes at least every year. In-door athletic shoes often maintain their appearance on the outside, but the footbed and supports break down with constant use. Each treadmill is differ-

ent, so you should adjust your work-out based on your workout abili-

ties. Create a treadmill routine by watching a 30-minute show

on cable TV. Walk during the programme and then sprint or speed walk during the commercials. Cardio exer-cise gets your heart pumping, burns excess calories and, done often enough, helps re-duce your risk of developing heart disease and some can-cers. Activities like walking, running and step aerobics

raise your heart rate; so do sports like tennis, soccer and

racquetball. You can get your cardio exercise at home, the gym or outdoors, but check

with your doctor before be-ginning any cardio exer-

cise programme.

Fitness


Subscripton

Humour corner

suBscRipTion deTails

l The annual subsription amount payable is Rs.300/-l The amount includes courier charges for the six issues.

AS A PRE-LAuNCH wE ARE ENROLLING SuBSCIPTIONS FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 2012-13 (6 BI-mONTHLY ISSuES)

Requests for subscription can be sent to the following address. Andhra Pradesh Real Estate Developers Association

(APREDA)102, Tirumala Shah Apartments, Yellareddyguda Road,

Ameerpet X roads, HYDERABAD - 500 073 Phone: 655 72184, 99898 44467

email: [email protected] web: www.apreda.org

ADvERtIsEMEnt tARIFF DEtAILsS.No. Item Size Regular Rate 1 issue 3 issues 6 issues1. Back Cover 8’x10.5’ Rs.27,500/- Rs.19,500/- Rs.54,000/- Rs.1,00,000/-

2. Front Inner 8’x10.5’ Rs.23,500/- Rs.16,250/- Rs.45,000/- Rs. 84,000/- Back Inner’

3. Full Page 8’x10.5’ Rs.19,000/- Rs.13,000/- Rs.36,000/- Rs.66,000/-

4. Half Page 8’x5’ Rs.13,000/- Rs. 9,000/- Rs.24,000/- Rs.42,000/-

5 Quarter Page 3.75’x5’ Rs. 7,500/- Rs. 6,000/- Rs.15,000/- Rs.24,000/-

Ad material can be sent To The above address.



Travel

Dindi, the jewel of Konaseema


Dindi, the jewel of Konaseema

Travel

By Sushreeta Mitra

It is strange but true that many people are not aware there is a ‘God’s own country’ tucked away among the swaying coconut trees and the verdant green-

ery on the banks of the Godavari in our own State of Andhra Pradesh. On the banks of this mighty river is located this haven of peace and tranquillity, Dindi, a small village in Malkipuram mandal of East Godavari district. The vast tracts of tall coconut and palm trees, with shimmering water all around, lush green paddy fields, and waves lashing the shore welcome the tour-ists with a lovely earthy fragrance. No wonder that this sleepy town is gaining popularity by the day among the growing tribe of tourists.To promote this site as a prominent tourist attraction, the Andhra Pradesh Tour-ism Development Corporation (APTDC) is introducing many additional facilities for tourists.To begin with, the APTDC has started the Haritha Co-conut Resort for comfortable stay, wholesome food and recreation. The place has a swimming pool along with other modern amenities. It also has introduced house boatcruises, for the first time in AP. Sailing downstream and taking in the beauty around, literally, makes one-feel peaceful, happy and relaxed. This cruise will cer-tainly make you forget your tension and worries. More important, one can have the feel of the Kerala backwa-

ters right in the backyard of Andhra Pradesh.The APTDC has also added a new flavour to the Konaseema experience. Imagine, plush air-condi-tioned 3-bedroom houseboat cruises. Fully furnished boats accommodating up to four adults can also be hired. Each has two double bedrooms with attached bath and a sit-out-cum-dining area on the deck.There are trained attendants on board to take care of your hospitality. If you have more than four members in your group, you will have to pay just Rs 300 extra. The boat can house a maximum of 12 members. The cruiser which sets sail at 10 a.m. from Dindi will take you along the winding tributaries of the Godavari – the Vynateyam and Vasista. It sails upstream to Rajolu town and downstream to Narsapur. Food is served, breakfast and lunch (veg.), on the boat and dinner (non-veg.) on an island in typical rustic style. The menu is a combination of the best of ethnic cuisine -- fresh vegetarian fare and spicy non-vegetarian food -- to bring you the true taste of Andhra dishes. Tourists can stay in the boat, which gets anchored near the resort. After a day-long journey along the river, a pleasant scene of the sun setting over the western ho-rizon and later the stars coming out will give you the ultimate soothing feeling. So what are you waiting for! Pack your bags and head to Dindi, which is eagerly waiting to welcome you!

Accommodation:For booking your stay you can contact APTDC offices in your city. There are even private resorts, which are close to the Haritha resort. The Haritha resort has 3 non A/c rooms, one 4-bedded dormi-tory, 6 A/c suites, 26 A/c rooms, and two confer-ence halls to accommodate 100-200 people, which can be hired for six hours. There is an A/c restaurant too.Cost per dayA/c suite: Rs 2,400/head, A/c room: Rs 2,200/head. The APTDC conducts a 2 days and 1 night package tour, which covers Dindi, Antharvedi, and pilgrim centres such as the Sri Lakshmi Narshim-haswamy temple, Ksheera Ramalngeswaras-wamy temple at Palakollu, the Dwaraka Tirumala temple near Eluru and the Kanakadurga temple in Vijayawada. This package tour costs Rs 3,200 per person. For houseboat stay you have to pay Rs 5,500 per day, which providesaccommodation for four adults and 4 children (excluding food).For additional information:Telephone numbers: APTDC: 040-66746370, 040-

66745986, 09848540371Konaseema Tourism: 91-40-69998111, 91-8008727111, 91-8008727222Dindi Resorts: 08862-226662, 91- 9951355005Getting thereBy trainThere are daily trains from Hyderabad, Chennai, Bhimavaram and Visakhapatnam to the nearest station to Dindi, Palakollu. From there you can reach Dindi by road. There are daily trains even for Narsapur from Hyderabad, Bhimavaram and Visakhapatnam. Nearest stations are Palakollu and NarsapurHyderabad to Dindi by road:The distance from Hyderabad to Dindi is 373 km and the places en route are Suryapet – Kham-mam – Ashwaraopet – Kovvur – Rajahmundry – Amalapuram – Razole -- Dindi.This place is 30 to 35 Km from Bhimavaram.Rajahmundry to Dindi is 80 km. Kakinada to Dindi is 74 km.Dindi by air:The nearest airport to Dindi is Rajahmundry Airport.

FACTFILE


The first question which most clients ask is ‘WHAT WOULD BE THE COST OF THE LAND-

SCAPE PROJECT”. Unlike the con-struction of structures where one can give an approximate cost per unit, depending on a few specifications, in landscape projects each site is unique and there are many different variants which play an important role in deter-mining the actual cost of a landscape design.The main factors which impact land-scaping costs are:*The location of the site*The size of the area to be landscaped*The physical condi-tion of the site (soil, contours, etc)*The landscape design with the features de-sired by the client*(Lighting, water body, gazebo, pool, etc.)*The cost of the soft landscape*The time frame for completion of the projectEvery site presents an unique oppor-tunity for landscaping but with it come along some unique challenges. The to-pography, the soil condition, drainage, all have to be taken into consideration while designing a landscape, Likewise, while estimating the project cost, the hardscape is one aspect which takes up a chunk of the cost. For example, the brick walls of planters are standard

Economics of landscaping

Landscaping

GEETHA PRASADBFA (Murals) J.J School of Fine ArtsPGD in Landscape and Horticulture

(JNTU) M/s Callos Hortus Landscape Designers Mobile: 9246191992

but when it comes to the finishing, that is the cladding, this is where the

cost goes up. Every additional feature such as a gazebo, an or-

namental bridge, etc, add up to the final cost. If the client is in need of a finished garden the cost again increases, as older plants are

costlier, compared to the younger ones. Keeping in view all these factors, to

generalise and give an approximate cost would

be incorrect. A realistic estimate can be given only after the design for the landscape has been finalised.As clients, rather than asking for an estimate one should work with the landscape professional, who can help one understand what is possible within your budget, as there are various op-tions which can fit into your budget. The best way would be to be upfront about what you want to spend, this helps the designer suggest the design

mode, feature and material in your cost range.Queries(Any queries regarding landscape de-sign will be answered by our landscape designer Geetha Prasad in our upcom-ing editions. Please mail your queries to [email protected])



News

From the news pages & sites...Hyderabad third most affordable office location in 2011

Hyderabad has emerged as the world’s third most affordable of-

fice location in 2011 in a list prepared by global realty consultant DTZ, which has also named Chennai and Pune among the top five such posi-tions. According to DTZ’s latest study ‘Global Occupancy Costs - Offices’, Surabaya in Indonesia and Qingdao in China were placed in the top two positions of the chart as the most af-fordable office locations in the world last year.

“While Tier II cities in India and China dominate the list of top 10 most af-

fordable markets globally, Surabaya in Indonesia remains number one,” DTZ said in the report. The consultant said Hong Kong, London, Geneva, Tokyo and Zurich were the five most expen-sive office markets in 2011. DTZ said Surabaya and Qingdao saw average rentals of $ 1,680 and $ 2,380 per workstation a year, respectively in 2011. Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune followed the top two places with rent-als of $ 2,430, $ 2,570 and $ 2,590 a year per workstation, respectively, it added. The study showed that Hong Kong was the costliest office place with an annual rental of $ 25,160 per workstation in 2011, followed by Lon-don and Geneva at $ 22,590 and $ 18,740, respectively. DTZ, however, said many cities across the world are likely to witness a decline in their

rentals during this year. “Under the downside scenario, 2012 offers oc-cupiers a window of opportunity in which to realise cost savings as rents decline... In the top five least afford-able cities of Paris, Tokyo, Geneva, London and Hong Kong, office rents fall in 2012 under the Euro break-up scenario,” it added. Occupiers in Rome and Milan are likely to benefit from falling occupancy costs over the next five years as sharp decreases in rents are expected in 2012 and 2013, DTZ said.It further said office rentals in low-cost Indian cities may see double-digit falls in this year. DTZ said despite lease prices falling in some cities and occupiers still enjoying relatively low costs in Tier II locations, the boom-ing economy in China and India will lead to continued rental increases in big cities. “There were significant in-

creases in outgoings other than rents across many markets, driven by high inflation (India and China) and ris-ing energy prices,” the study pointed out. DTZ said there will be minimal change in ranking of the cities by 2016. “We forecast little change to our top 10 and bottom 10 markets by 2016, although there will be a slight shift in ranking. At the lower cost end, the secondary Indian cities will shift slightly on the back of strong growth in costs,” the report said. In the most expensive category, Tokyo will regain its position in the top three, it added. “Looking forward, our base case fore-casts show yearly increases in occu-pancy costs across all regions over the five year period. Asia Pacific is projected to have the highest levels of increase (3 per cent), particularly in China (3 per cent) and India (5 per cent),” DTZ said.



Hi-Tec City RoB to be ready by AugustHi-Tec City-Kukatpally RoB will be ready by August 2012, accord-

ing to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). The 910 metre-long RoB starts at Kukatpally Housing Board Phase IV and af-ter crossing Cyber Towers, ends at Hi-Tec City railway station on the spi-nal road. The RoB will not only ease congestion on the busy road, but al-so reduce travel time for those heading towards the Cyber Towers. The RoB will cut the distance between Mehdipatnam and Kukatpal-ly by as much as 7 km. With traffic congestion on the Miyapur-Kukatpally stretch due to the Hyderabad Metro Rail works caus-

ing inconvenience to commuters, the RoB can prove to be a great boon for those who need to travel to this part of the city. The bridge, except the railway portion, which is about 120 metres, is almost ready.

Electronics hardware clusterThe State government has proposed a 400-acre electronics hard-

ware cluster in the Maheshwaram area, near the Fab City. “The proposal to set up an electronics cluster in Hyderabad was giv-en by the electronics hardware manufacturers of the State. Now, the pro-posal has been approved by the State IT&C Department, and has been sent for the approval of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial In-frastructure Corporation (APIIC),” Sanjay Jaju, secretary, IT&C Department, AP government, told the Business Standard.Hyderabad houses around 500 electronics hardware manufac-turing units, which are scattered throughout the city. This clus-ter will bring all the units together, and provide com-mon logistics and facilities. Once the cluster comes into place, more than 90 per cent of the units are expected to shift their base to the cluster, he said. This facility is expected to boost the business of the electron-ic system design and manufacturing (ESDM) units in Hyderabad.

metro rail Phase I by 2014The first phase of the Metro Rail project will be commissioned by

2014, according to Larsen & Toubro, which is implement-ing the country’s largest elevated metro rail project in Hyderabad. The project consists of three corridors covering a total dis-tance of 71.16 km to be implemented in four phases. Cor-ridor-I will extend from Nagole to Shilpara-mam (27.51 km - 23 stations), corridor-II from Miyapur to L.B. Nagar spread over 28.87 km with 27 stations, while corridor-III will be from JBS to Falaknuma stretching over 14.78 km with 23 sta-tions. VB Gadgil, CEO & MD of L&T Metro Rail, said the first phase includes the stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda and from Mi-yapur to Ameerpet. He said that “work will simultaneous-ly go on in the other phases as well. We will finalise ven-dors for rolling stock, telecom, signalling systems by June,” Mr Gadgil said, adding that four firms had bid for supply-ing the rolling stock, including the Canadian aircraft and rail-way coach maker Bombardier, a consortium led by Hyun-dai and BEML and a Chinese and Spanish company. For the Rs. 16,336 crore project, the company has so far invested Rs. 3,400 crore as equity. The viability gap funding for the project provided by the government is Rs. 1,458 crore and the banks have lent the company Rs. 11, 478 crore as term loans for the project.

News



Another radial road to ORR

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority is all set to add another radial road for better connectiv-

ity to the Outer Ring Road from Hakimpet with funds from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The HMDA has planned 33 radial roads to enable smooth traf-fic flow from the inner ring road to ORR. While the works on three radial roads are at the tender stage, the HMDA is planning to lay another radial road. While 33 radial roads are envisaged as part of the growth corridor, works on sev-en radial roads have been completed. Depending on the volume of taffic these roads will either be four, six or eight laned. In addition to this the Hakimpet RR has been proposed and the government is said to have approved the project. Consequently, the HMDA is planning to float tenders to this effect. The civic authority is determined to keep the radial roads ready even before the 158 km ORR project is completed.The HMDA has already called for tenders for the radial road from Gandimaisamma-Dundigal, ECIL crossroads-Keesara and Nagole-Gourelli. According to of-

ficials, seven roads such as Indian School of Business to Gachibowli ORR, Agriculture University, Rajendranagar to APRL, Langer Houz to Vikarabad, a four-lane road from Tippu Khan bridge to Gandipet (Narsingi), Byramalguda junction towards Nagarjunasagar road to ORR and Pahad-isharif to Tukkuguda on Srisailam State highway, of nearly 50 km length were expanded at a cost of Rs 380 crore.Based on traffic density, the roads were widened to four, six and eight lanes and road development plans, includ-ing construction of footpaths, central medians with light-ing and beautification works, are being taken up on these stretches.

News

The Aliens Group, the construction and infrastructure company, headquartered in Hyderabad, has won two prestigious international property awards -- Highly

commended apartment and Highly commended mixed-use development -- for its project Space Station at Gachibowli in Hyderabad. With over 200 participant companies from India and over 600 companies from the Asia Pacific Re-gion, the Aliens Group emerged as one of the promising companies to winInternational Property Awards (Asia Pacific) 2012. The Asia Pacific Property Awards are part of the long established International Property Awards and its award winners’ logo is recognized as a symbol of excellence throughout the global industry. Winning two of these coveted awards is evidence of the group’s ability in beating some exceedingly strong contenders within the highly competitive Asia Pacific property arena, including major Indian companies.Aliens Space Station is being developed on the concept of “Intelligent Living” whereby the entire living space is de-signed around the needs of the residents. Space Station is one of the first Indian projects to incorporate technology so extensively. The entire project has been built using the raft foundation and transverse slabs, two concepts that speed

up development while adding to the strength of the build-ing. Space Station also bears the unique S-shaped design which uniformly disperses sunlight, wind and ventilation across three sides, leaving each apartment fresh and airy. It has also integrated the green building concept exten-sively so that homes manage heating and cooling more efficiently. “Home automation is one of our greatest fea-tures, and this is also a key differentiator for Space Station. Home automation allows homeowners to remotely manage their home and track maids, adjust lighting, call up the lift to avoid the wait and many more facilities,” says Mr. Hari Challa, MD of Aliens Group. “Space Station is at the cut-ting edge of technology and delivering it requires a culture of excellence and ownership which we have successfully built. We have a team that is from some prestigious institu-tions in the country like the IIMs and IITs and the team and culture we have built at Aliens is a key factor in building this iconic project that has helped us put Hyderabad on the global real estate map,” says Mr Challa.

Two international property awards for Aliens Group



R e a l e s T a T e o n o f f e R

Classifieds

APURUPA INFRA PROJECTS

Project Name : Apurupa’s Srinivas HeightsLocation : UppalProperty Type : 2 & 3 BHKUnit Size range : 975sft to 1565sftTelephone No. : 040 23351675Email : [email protected] : www.apurupainfra.com

CElESTIAl GRANd

Project Name : Celestial GrandLocation : Road No.1, Banjara HillsProperty Type : Duplex ApartmentsTelephone No. : 9949949439Email: sales. : [email protected]

CHOICE INFRASTRUCTURE PVT lTd

Project Name : Guru’s Choice ResidencyLocation : Tukaram Road, MalkajgiriProperty Type : 2 & 3 BHK Independent FlatUnit Size range : 1126sft to 1414sftTelephone No. : 9441115599 / 40068899Email : [email protected] : www.choiceinfra.com

Project Name : N-95Location : Nandagiri Hills, Jubilee HillsProperty Type : 4 BHK ApartmentsUnit Size range : 4016sftTelephone No. : 9441115599 / 40068899Email : [email protected] : www.choiceinfra.com


Classifieds

dOYEN CONSTRUCTIONS PVT lTd

Project Name : Doyen CountyLocation : Near Patancheru, Mumbai Highway RoadProperty Type : Independent housesContact Person : MinooTelephone No. : 65582929 / 23733267 / 9848302929Email : [email protected]

HAllMARK CONSTRUCTIONS

Project Name : Hallmark KSN ResidencyLocation : KondapurProperty Type : 3 BHK ApartmentsRate Per sft : Rs.3500 per sft.Unit Size range : 2300sft – 2800sftCompletion By : Ready for OccupationContact Person : O.V.V.S.MurthyTelephone No. : +91 98490 56529, 040-23000263Email : [email protected] : www.hallmarkconstructions.com

JANAPRIYA ENGINEERS SYNdICATE

Project Name : Janapriya ArcadiaLocation : KowkurProperty Type : 2 & 3 BHK Independent FlatRate per sft : 1895 per sftUnit Size range : 850sft to 1500sftTelephone No. : 23222999 / 666 / 333Email : [email protected] : www.janapriya.com

KONCEPT AMBIENCE

Project Name : Anthem VistasLocation : KompallyProperty Type : 3 BHK Independent VillaUnit Size range : 4343sft to 5034sftTelephone No. : 27813413, 27813754, 66310801, 99490 55552Email : [email protected] : www.konceptambience.com


THE NEIGHBOURHOOd

Project Name : The NeighbourhoodLocation : KompallyProperty Type : 4 BHK Independent Row HouseUnit Size range : 218 Sq. YardsTelephone No. : 8121081210Email : [email protected] : www.theneighbourhood.in

PAlM COUNTY ROwS

Project Name : Palm County RowsLocation : Manikonda, HyderabadProperty Type : 4 BHK Independent Row HousesUnit Size range : 243 to 284 Sq. YardsTelephone No. : 67297440 / 41Email : [email protected] Address : www.konceptambience.com

RAJAPUSHPA PROPERTIES PVT lTd

Project Name : The RetreatLocation : Gandipet, HyderabadProperty Type : 2 & 3 BHK Independent FlatUnit Size range : 1220 sft to 1795sftTelephone No. : 4003 8181 / 8282Email : [email protected] : www.rajapushpa.in

OPEN SKIES

Project Name : Open SkiesLocation : KokapetProperty Type : 4 BHK Independent VillasUnit Size range : 4150sft to 5100sftTelephone No. : 4003 8181 / 8282Email : [email protected] : www.rajapushpa.in

Classifieds


Classifieds

CANNON dAlE

Project Name : Cannon DaleLocation : KokapetProperty Type : 4 BHK Luxury VillasUnit Size range : 4200sft to 4500sftTelephone No. : 4003 8181 / 8282Email : [email protected] : www.rajapushpa.in

SIlICON RIdGE

Project Name : Silicon RidgeLocation : AttapurProperty Type : 2 & 3 BHK Independent FlatUnit Size range : 980sft to 1791sftTelephone No. : 4003 8181 / 8282Email : [email protected] : www.rajapushpa.in

SRI SRI GRUHA NIRMAAN

Project Name : Sri Sri AntahpuramLocation : Nagarjun Sagar RoadProperty Type : 4 BHK Independent HouseUnit Size range : 120 to 150 Sq. YardsTelephone No. : 9000480300 / 9550369053 / 24069596Email : [email protected] : www.srisrigruhanirman.com

SRI SRI AVENUE

Project Name : Sri Sri AvenueLocation : Gurramguda Village, Sagar Highway RoadProperty Type : 2 BHK Independent House, 3 BHk Duplex HouseUnit Size range : 600sft to 900sftTelephone No. :9000480300 / 9550369053 / 24069596Email : [email protected] : www.srisrigruhanirman.com


Classifieds

VENKUSA ESTATES

Project Name : Venkusa Estates Phase – II & IIILocation : Yapral, KowkurProperty Type : 3 BHK Independent VillasUnit Size range : 267 Sq. YardsTelephone No. : 9866217605 /9542607999Email : venkusaestates@gmail. comWebsite : www.venkusaestates.com

S ANd S GREEN PROJECTS PVT lTd

Project Name : Green MeadowsLocation : Gachibowli ExtensionProperty Type : 3 BHK Independent FlatRate : 30 LakhsUnit Size range : 1045sft to 1445sftTelephone No. : 9966981888Email : [email protected] : www.greenmeadows.in

GREEN GRACE

Project Name : Green GraceLocation : GachibowliProperty Type : 3 BHK Independent FlatsUnit Size range : 2010sft to 2870sftTelephone No. : 9966981888Email : [email protected] : www.greengrace.in



Documents

Horizon June - July 2012