Development Watch – Week #1 July ’22
Development News
Biophilia-inspired Homes launched in Pune
Mahindra Bloomdale Developers has launched Pune’s first biophilia-inspired homes in Pimpri. The term biophilia signifies human beings’ instinctive connection with nature. The elements of the project are influenced by natural elements, textures, patterns, and shapes. The upcoming project is named as Mahindra Nestalgia. Designed with nostalgia-inducing aesthetics, these homes will nurture an active and healthy lifestyle reminiscent of one’s childhood. It will enable residents of younger generations to experience a similar living and community experience.
Mahindra Bloomdale Developers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra Lifespace Developers, the real estate and infrastructure arm of the Mahindra Group. Nestalgia is MLDL’s 10th project in Pune. It is pre-certified with a ‘Gold’ rating by IGBC. The project has low-flow water fixtures, solar water heater, LED lighting in common areas, waste segregation, among others. the 2.8 acres site will have 249 units in Phase 1.
Rural Unemployment goes up to 8.03% in June due to Weak Monsoon
As per data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), unemployment rate in India in June climbed to 7.8% from 7.12% in May. In rural areas, the unemployment rate went up to 8.03% from 6.62% in May. On the other hand, Urban unemployment decreased to 7.30% in June from 8.21% in May. Putting this into numbers, the overall employment in India in June fell by 13 million to 390 million. Patchy monsoon rains have delayed the deployment of agricultural labor in rural areas. Rains were recorded being 32% below normal. Labor participation in rural areas may improve as monsoon picks up pace in the coming weeks.
Whitefield line in Bengaluru Metro to open after September
Namma Metro services in Bengaluru will receive an additional ridership of 2.5-3.0 lakh commuters after the opening of Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield line. It will benefit thousands of employees working in the IT corridor. Trial run on this extended Purple Line will start in September. By the end of the year, the line will be opened to the public. The 15-km line has 13 metro stations and a depot at Kadugoli spread over 44 acres. Once the extended Purple Line becomes operational in the eastern side of the city, people can travel from Kengeri to Whitefield.
31 km Road to connect Haryana with Jewar Airport in UP
Jewar International Airport in Gautam Budh Nagar (UP) will be connected with DND Faridabad-Ballabhag Bypass KMP link in Haryana. The construction period will be of 2 years. The project will also connect Agra, Mathura, and western UP. The Rs. 2,414.7 Crores project comes under Bharatmala project of UP and Haryana. The road will be constructed on hybrid annuity mode, with a total length of 31,425 km.
India’s new All-Cargo Airline to begin operations this year
Delhi-based new all-cargo airline “Pradhaan Air Express” will begin commercial operations later in 2022. It will have the world’s first A320 converted freighter. The freighter will offer charter facility to Indian shippers and freight forwarder on domestic and international routes. This will secure dedicated cargo capacity for the Indian market. There are plans for further fleet expansion by year-end. Pradhaan Air Express will be India’s first airline to operate an Airbus A320 narrow-body freighter, which offers a payload of 21 tonnes with palletized main deck.
Deutsche Bahn wins bid to operate Rapid Rail Transit Corridor
Deutsche Bahn (DB India, subsidiary of the national railway company of Germany) has been awarded the contract for operation and maintenance (O&M) activities on Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor. This is the first time that a comprehensive O&M contract is being awarded to a private concessionaire. This would keep recurring costs under check. Traditionally, the public transport services such as railways are developed and maintained by government agencies.
According to officials from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), the winning bid value is estimated at Rs. 1,500 Crorees. Duration of the rapid rail transit corridor contract is 12 years. According to NCRTC, contract awarded to DB India is as per the Metro Rail Policy-2017, issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which advocates the need for private sector participation in regional and metro rail projects. The rapid rail project is part of the Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) for Air Pollution Control in Delhi-NCR. It is also in line with the recommendation of ‘High Powered Committee on Decongesting Traffic in Delhi’.
Local Feedback
LocalFeedback.org aims to track and document actionable parameters that help improve urban and rural infrastructure. The founder, Susmita, has juggled diverse roles in real estate, project budgeting, valuation and execution on construction sites. Having traveled to more than 20 countries, she has worked across 4 regions in India. Her areas of interest include sustainable buildings, electric mobility and urban development. She visited top-ranking cities on livability indices and has presented published papers at international conferences.