INDIA: More Than A Silver Lining in This Retirement Community

NEW DELHI (Indian Express - Estates), September 22, 2006: Old age is that time when one wants to live in peace and comfort. It’s the beginning of an entirely new phase of life, where the worries of work and family are no longer the priority, and one can enjoy life to its fullest. To cater to such a demand, retirement communities are fast developing all over the country. One such community is Ashiana Utsav in Bhiwadi, which has been specifically designed for senior citizens. The retirement community project was launched in 2004 and the possession of flats in the first phase will be given in October. Getting there: Bhiwadi might sound like it is very far from Delhi, but in reality you can be there in about two hours or even less, depending on whether you are able to beat Delhi and Gurgaon’s heavy traffic. Once on the NH-8 after Iffco Chowk, it’s a nice and breezy drive. And in good weather the drive can be loads of fun. So, all you have to do is to drive down on NH-8 till Dharuhera and from the main town red light, take a left. A few kilometers in is located Ashiana Village, and Utsav, the retirement community, is located within this larger complex. On the way, you’ll come across more of Ashiana’s projects. Quick Check: There are a total of 640 flats at Utsav and of these, 590 flats are for sale while 50 flats will be converted into service apartments, targeting non-resident Indians who wish to come and live in India for some time but don’t want the hassle of maintaining an apartment for the rest of the year. The apartments are available for sale and who ever purchase the apartments here will own it freehold. However, there is a caveat here: you have to be above the age of 55 years to reside at Utsav. You can purchase a flat here at any time in your life but only people above the age of 55 will be allowed to live here permanently. However, in case of a couple or siblings or partners, if one person is 55 and above then the other person too can reside at Utsav. Family visits are encouraged; however, children and grandchildren can’t stay with residents permanently. The resort is meant for seniors and the builders’ endeavour is to keep it that way. On offer: For prospective residents, Ashiana Utsav has one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats of various sizes on offer. The one-bedroom flats are called Vrinda and have a super built-up area of 845 sq ft. The two-bedroom variety called Manjari has the largest variety here. There are three sizes in this category Manjari III, which has a super built-up area of 1,135 sq ft; Manjari II is 1,140 sq ft; and Manjari has a super built-up area of 1,160 sq ft. Then come the three-bedroom flats, known as Tulsi; and these come in two sizes. Tulsi I has a super built-up area of 1,480 sq ft and Tulsi II has a super built-up area of 1,420 sq ft. The price of the flats here ranges between Rs 16.6 lakh and Rs 23.4 lakh across all the flat types. There are a certain number of ground-floor flats, which have a small garden area. This land will be charged at Rs 150 per sq ft extra. There is a reducing interest-free management deposit (refundable on a pro-rata basis) at Rs 45 per sq ft for 15 years, payable at the time of possession. Preferential location charges are also there for park-facing flats, corner flats and both park-facing and corner flats at 10 per cent of basic cost. Maintenance costs will be charged monthly as per actuals on a per sq ft basis. Residents will have to shell out an approximate monthly cost for common services and utilities like lifts, security, power generator, repair and maintenance. Facilities: Flats in the first phase of Ashiana Utsav will be ready for possession by October 2006. Residents at Utsav will get lifetime membership to the Gymkhana club within Ashiana Complex at a cost of Rs 40,000. The club is currently under construction and will have a swimming pool, restaurant, health club and party lawns. A community centre is also planned within the Village complex. Moreover, a shopping centre will also come up here, so eventually it will become more or less self-sustaining. There is parking for one car per flat, and the charges are included within the cost of the flat. Furthermore, a medical centre will also be constructed, keeping in mind that senior citizens need medical help at hand. And the builders are planning a tie-up with hospitals nearby for advanced medical aid. Apart from this, there is 24-hour security within the complex, power back-up for flats and a recreational centre in the main park, where yoga, meditation and other such recreational facilities will be provided. The flats will be provided to residents without any furnishing. Furnishing and woodwork can be done for residents on request. Electric switchboards and fittings will be given, but no fixtures. However, these too can be provided on request. The two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats have two toilets-cum-bathrooms each and a storeroom, while the one-bedroom flat has a single toilet-cum-bathroom. Senior-friendly: The flats are very senior-friendly, and this shows up in the grab-rails in the bathrooms; provision of anti-skid tiles in kitchen and bathrooms; seating facility provided near lifts; wheelchair ramps in building-entrances; building height none of the buildings is more than five storeys high; and recreational hall in the park. Some other specialised services being provided to senior citizen residents at Utsav include a driver-on-call facility; properly verified and authenticated domestic help, including 24-hour live-in servants; arrangements for physiotherapy; and provision of dining facilities at a nominal charge of Rs 90-95 per day for three meals per person, in case a resident is unable to cook. My take: The sample flats give an idea of what the actual flats here look like. All the flats here have rooms with large windows letting in plenty of light. However, some flats that overlook another part of Ashian Village, Rangoli, will not have too much open space in front. But nowhere does any part of Utsav look cramped. In fact, the best part of the entire complex is the large open park in the middle of the project and all buildings overlook this park. So, there is ample ventilation and light into the flats. Again, the flats are of a compact yet comfortable size, easy for senior citizens to manage and live in with style. The finishing of the flats too was good. The low costs, open spaces, good-sized flats, security and, most importantly, like-minded company are what make Ashiana Ustav an attractive proposition. Bookings are currently on for the third phase. © 2006: Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd.