Major Tunnel Construction Project in India by Shapoorji Pallonji

Established way back in 1865, the Shapoorji Pallonji Group has grown to be a leading engineering presence as it works with the visions of its companies to build megastructures, develop iconic landmarks, and drive innovative technologies. Back in 2000, Shapoorji Pallonji & Company Pvt Ltd acquired a majority stake in Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.

This company has played a major role in the avenue of infrastructure construction for roadways, and metro projects across India as well as worked on important projects across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Afcons has also been a prominent force in India as a renowned tunnel construction company.

Let’s explore the most path-breaking tunnel infrastructure construction projects by Shapoorji Pallonji Group’s Afcons.

1. East-West Metro Tunnel Below Hooghly River, Kolkata

First underwater river tunnel in India, this historic project has been constructed as part of Kolkata’s East-West Metro line. It is a tunnel constructed directly underneath the Hooghly river where a 520m stretch of the tracks will go through. Once the tunnel construction is completed, it will begin operations in 2021 as India’s first underwater train line.

2. Rohtang Pass Highway Tunnel Project, Himachal Pradesh

Another historic project for this tunnel construction company comes in the form of the world’s longest motorable tunnel 3,000m above sea level. Situated in the Pir Panjal ranges in Manali, it is one of the most challenging tunnel projects in the world because of its weather conditions and rough landscape. The Rohtang Pass Highway Tunnel will significantly provide all-season connectivity in the Ladakh, Lahaul, and Spiti regions even in peak winters.

3. Railway Tunnels on Katra-Laole Section of USBRL Project, J & K

Engineering and construction in the Himalayan region can be a daunting and challenging process and that is what Afcons took on for this project. The infrastructure construction company bagged this project for Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) in Sangaldan, a remote location situated some 185 km from Jammu. It was the tunnel construction of five BG single-line railway tunnels that together extended over 9 kms. These tunnels in the Katra-Laole section were one of the most challenging stretches of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project in J&K. The USBRL project is one of the most ambitious and challenging projects in the northern part of Jammu & Kashmir that will link the Kashmir valley to far-reaching areas, transforming lives and economy in the region.

The Best Places To Go Shopping When You Buy Your Dream Home in Thane

Very well connected to the city and surrounded by luscious greenery, Thane is currently a hot spot for people and families that are looking for a new home. One of the most sought-after residential spots within the area is the apartments in Pokhran Road Thane. The most prominent and premium property in Pokhran Road Thane being the Shapoorji Pallonji Northern Lights project.

Shapoorji Pallonji Northern Lights Thane

The luxury apartments at this Shapoorji Pallonji Thane project are — — and sought after even by real estate agents. Sounds like your dream home? We believe that every dream home should also have some shopping spots nearby because everybody needs some retail therapy from time to time.

Let’s look at the best places to go shopping near Shapoorji Northern Lights.

Viviana Mall

Viviana Mall

At around 1 million sq. ft., Viviana Mall is undoubtedly one of the largest malls in India, which means it’s got that much more shopping in-store. It is not only more preferred than other malls because of its grand scale but also because of the quality of brands and overall shopping experience. It is located just around 1 km away from Shapoorji Northern Lights, making it a short 5-minute drive.

Korum Mall

Source — Wikipedia

The second most popular mall in Thane, Korum Mall is also packed full of quality stores, exciting facilities, and delicious food stalls. It has a great selection of international as well as Indian brands fit for all kinds of shopping needs. This much-loved shopping location is also in close proximity to Shapoorji Pallonji Thane, just 10 minutes away by road.

Naupada Road

For those looking to try something different from mall shopping, Naupada Road is a major shopping strip in Thane. You can find an abundance of clothing and factory outlets at this popular tourist attraction. There are tonnes of stores with up-and-coming local fashion designer boutiques to browse through in this region. It is around 15 minutes from the Shapoorji Pallonji Northern Lights apartments in Pokhran Road Thane.

Shapoorji Pallonji Northern Lights Thane

If the luxurious homes and green surroundings aren’t enough, these shopping hot spots are sure to make anyone excited to own an apartment at Shapoorji Pallonji’s Northern Lights property in Pokhran Road Thane.

What are the Top 5 infrastructure projects by Shapoorji Pallonji

Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Private Limited is one of the major infrastructure companies in India. It is a global, diversified organization of 18 major companies that delivers end-to-end solutions in 6 business segments, namely Infrastructure, Engineering & Construction, Water, Real Estate, Energy and Financial Services. Developing megastructures and iconic landmarks, their dedicated workforce of over 70,000 people in over 70 countries is focused on sustainable development.

Within the infrastructure segment itself, it has achieved great heights and is one of the leading highway construction companies in India. In fact, it has been fortifying India’s infrastructure for a century and a half. They have developed infrastructure assets in Ports and Terminals (onshore and offshore), Transportation (rain and road), Power (hydro, oil and gas), and Natural Resources, not only in India but also in various different parts of the world. They drive India’s transport with 4.5k+ lane km of roads and 100+ km elevated and underground Metro rail in India. They are the first Indian company to receive an ‘International World Quality Commitment’ Award. They have constructed Vallarpadam Rail Bridge (8 km) in a record time of 27 months at Kochi, India. This is the longest railway bridge and involves a 4.62 km elevated structure.

Some of the landmark infrastructure projects by Shapoorji Pallonji are:

1. 3 Grade Separator

3 Grade Separator — Gazipur 2011

Shapoorji Pallonji has made a unique mark in infrastructure and is among the top road construction companies in India. This was built in Gazipur, 2011 and is New Delhi’s first dedicated cyclist, pedestrian & non-motorized track which comprises of a 770 m long 8-lane flyover, a 6630 m 4-lane underpass, and a 3 m carriageway on each side for non-motorized vehicles.

2) Airoli Bridge

Airoli Bridge — Thane 1999

The Airoli Bridge is a 1.87 km long bridge. Built over Thane creek, it connects Mumbai and Navi Mumbai using monolithically cast 800 MT box girders for the first time ever in India. It was constructed in the year 1999.

3) Mina Salman Interchange

Mina Salman Interchange — Bahrain in 2014

The Mina Salman Interchange was built in Bahrain in 2014. It was closely monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office and eased traffic along the main economic corridor between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

4) LNG Jetty — Marine Facility

LNG Jetty — Kochi in 2003

Shapoorji Pallonji oversees a major chunk of port terminals construction in India. Built-in Kochi in 2003, LNG Jetty is one of India’s leading LNG storage and offloading facilities.

5) Bulk Jetty

Bulk Jetty — Port of Sohar, 2011

Constructed on the Port of Sohar in 2011, Afcons was the EPC contractor for Bulk Jetty, Approach Trestle, Mooring and Dolphin Structures to build a deep water jetty for importing iron ore for Vale, Brazil.

Things to know before visiting sample flats

Mr. and Mrs. Sharma recently took a big leap in their lives when they decided to buy their dream 3 BHK Apartment in Thane, Mumbai. On their very first visit to the property, they fell in love with what they saw, a sample flat, that looked exactly like a house they always dreamed of. But soon, some doubts emerged in their minds.

‘But, will our home be exactly the same?. Will we also get the same furnishing, fittings, and branded lightings in our house? This looks very spacious, I wonder if this is what every flat here looks like.’

More often than not, every home buyer when shown a sample flat thinks like Mr. and Mrs. Sharma, which is very natural. After all, sample flats are designed with state of the art furniture to give the best impression to prospective buyers. Nowadays, real estate buyers go several notches higher to amplify the grandeur of their sample flat with high-end granites, marbles, fittings, etc.

Does this mean that sample flats are a complete illusion from the perspective of a buyer? Certainly not! Sample flats give a very good idea to prospective buyers about how the actual apartment might look like and thus, if looked at conservatively, definitely aids their buying decision. We at Shapoorji Pallonji Northern Lights, Parkwest are aware of what goes in a buyer’s mind. Hence, we suggest a few points that you must keep in mind when you visit a sample flat before taking the leap of a lifetime.

Below are some things to consider when checking out a sample flat.

1. Thinner interior walls: Walls in sample flats tend to be thinner due to it being a model flat. It might give you an illusion of the house being spacious but do consider this while seeing it.

2. Less loading: Real flats have about 35 percent loading, whereas, in sample flats it is much less compared to real flats. Essentially, this leads to the real flat being smaller than the sample flat.

3. Branded furnishings: Buyers often forget that the sample flat is like a mock home, hence it contains branded or imported furnishings, while the real flat being offered will most probably contain regular furnishings or even be empty in some cases.

4. Designer Furniture: The furniture in a sample flat is usually smaller or more space-efficient.

5. Missing doors and windows: Often, sample flats do not have doors or windows installed. Sometimes, the sample flat may have sliding doors and windows or glass panels instead of walls.

Therefore, the next time you are shown a sample flat, take what you see with a pinch of salt. While it can be a great reference point about what to expect, always remember, it is not a real house. We recommend that you make that extra effort and compel your real estate agent to show you the actual site to see what an under-construction flat looks like. This will ensure that you make an informed decision of buying the house that you really want.

How To Check The RERA Registration Status of a Real Estate Project

Becoming the homeowner is a life goal for every person but anyone who has been involved in the process knows that it isn’t a straightforward one. Buying a real estate property comes with its own set of norms and restrictions based on the developer, builder, or previous owner.

Therefore, to safeguard the rights and the interests of the buyers who have used their savings for a real estate investment, the government introduced the Real Estate Regulations Act in 2016. Registering a real estate RERA transaction allows for transparency between the homebuyer and builder/developer along with defined rules and regulations to be followed against which the buyers can raise a complaint. That is why the RERA registration is an important step in the home buying process.

Here’s how you can stay updated on the status of your real estate RERA registration.

1. The first step is to find out the RERA portal of your state since each state will have its own website. For instance, if you’re looking to find out the RERA status of a Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate project Vicinia in Mumbai or Parkwest in Bengaluru you can visit MahaRERA or the RERA Karnataka website respectively.

2. Within the website, you can look for a section that either list Approved Projects or Registered Projects and open that tab.

3. You will then either be able to view a list of approved applications and identify the relevant one or you will be required to fill in details like Project/Agent Registration Number and check the status through an advanced search.

4. Once you can view the project details, it is best to cross-check the same with the details shared by the agent, developer, or builder to ensure that you are not being left in the dark about any information.

5. If there are any inconsistencies, it is advisable to contact the developer immediately and you can also raise a complaint with RERA if the issue escalates.

Now that you know how to stay informed about the status of your real estate project’s RERA registration, the process is going to be that much more clear and reliable for you.

1 BHK Vs 2 BHK — Which one to Buy Pros & Cons

Buying property is a great deal for everyone, especially if you’re buying for the first time. There are many factors one needs to keep in mind while investing in a property — location, size of your family if you’re buying to sell or settle forever, budget, proximity to healthcare and education institutions, and one that caters to your lifestyle needs in a wholesome manner. Apart from this, if you’re interested in reselling, one needs to know the appreciation value of the flat, maintenance cost and how easy it is to sublet the flat, depending on amenities, location, and neighborhood.

If you have a choice between a 1BHK and a 2BHK apartment, you might want to consider some pros and cons of both, to make an informed decision.

There are some obvious pros of buying a 1BHK in that it’s affordable, small in size, low cost, and maintenance is easy because of the small space. 1BHK apartments are easily available everywhere. In fact, out of the 10 projects, 7 will have a 1BHK on average. Also, most of the builders prefer 1BHK units because they are easy to sell. And if you are single, unmarried and travel frequently because of your job, then a 1BHK apartment is a good option as it is easy and quick to rent it out.

However, due to the cramped and small space, a 1BHK apartment might not be suitable for families. Many times, you come across some 2BHKs which are prices at par with a 1BHK, in which case, it makes sense to invest in a 2BHK flat.

One of the main pros of choosing a 2BHK in is that it’s easily available. Another advantage of a 2BHK is that it is perfect for nuclear families to settle in. If you choose to rent it out in the future, it is pretty easy to find tenants for a 2BHK in a short period. A 2BHK apartment is relatively more spacious than a 1BHK, giving space to families with kids and a greater sense of comfort. As compared to 1BHK, the appreciation value of a 2BHK in is better.

If you compare between a 1BHK and a 2BHK, the resale opportunities are more for 2BHK. Although, it depends upon the market & locality too.

Some of the cons of 2BHK apartments are that due to high demand, you have to book early, otherwise, it is hard to get a house in a location of your preference. Also, the maintenance cost will be more than a 1BHK apartment. Moreover, since the demand for a 2BHK is more, builders rarely give a discount.

Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate offering 2 BHK luxury and affordable flats in various parts of India as given below —

Shapoorji Pallonji Vicina in Andheri

Shapoorji Pallonji Northern Lights in Thane

Shapoorji Pallonji Parkwest in Bangalore

Shapoorji Pallonji Residency Pune

Shapoorji Pallonji Joyville in Hinjewadi

Shapoorji Pallonji Joyville in Virar

Shapoorji Pallonji Joyville in Gurgaon

Shapoorji Pallonji Joyville in Howrah

Shapoorji Pallonji Shukhobrishti in Kolkata