READER'S EXPERIENCE :: HOUSE HUNTING IN AHMEDABAD

Property News Ahmedabad got it's first READER'S EXPERIENCE! We would like to share it with you all... Read on!!!

After residing for 20 years in California, USA, I decided to relocate with my family to my own country, India.

Being born in a traditional Parsi family of businessmen in Mumbai, I was brought up in what we today call the ‘pol culture’.

My brothers, who were residing in Ahmedabad, compelled me to relocate to Ahmedabad rather than reside in Borsad.

And thus the hunt for residential properties began.

Once in Ahmedabad, I contacted my family broker and explained to him that although I didn’t mind a flat, I didn’t want to be stuck in a concrete jungle and my preference was S.G Highway.

We started with Galaxy and Nebula towers behind The Grand Bhagwati which is one of the more famous properties at my preferred location. I saw the pent house as well as a 3bhk there. Although the flats were spacious, I felt the parking area was over populated way beyond its capacity.

Also, the bedrooms were in four different corners like a carom board. Another thing was the pillars..I don’t really like pillars in the middle of the room which was the case there. On the plus side, the location was prime and groceries, provisions was right at our doorstep, even PVR multiplex was right opposite and most importantly, the quality of construction was pretty good.

After that, we saw a 3bhk at Goyal Intercity which is 5 minutes away from S.G.Highway.

The flats were not bad but when I interacted with some of the people there they told me there was a huge water crisis in the complex. Goyal’s Row Houses were also good but the construction was horrendous. It had rained a little on that day and water had accumulated at the entrance to the row house. It was quite disgusting actually.

These properties are more than 10 years old. And I was not really happy with what I had seen. I asked my broker if there were any new properties in which I could invest in.

We first went to the very much talked about Garden City. Although the plan looked very promising, I was not very happy with the location. There was this major hurdle everything I visited the location which was a railway crossing which was staying stupidly shut for 15 minutes before and after the train would even come or go. That was quite irritating. Waiting in your car in this rain...was I supposed to be doing this for the rest of my life?! 

No doubt, the project seems to be very promising, I think the infrastructure around it might be trouble. Like if you know Ahmedabad, you know the pot holes of Bopal. Similarly, the roads near Garden City reminded me of Bopal. A big thumbs up to the quality and ambition.

I also paid a visit to Balaji’s Green Valley bungalows. Most of the radio stations hammered a long and exhaustive ad again and again all through the day about this venture. Unless you are obsessed with vastu, the plans are pretty much the same as most of the new projects. But, from all the others I had paid a visit to, this was one of the best.

Finally, I saw 3bhk flats behind Fun Republic (with superb balconies but old construction) , Riviera Heights and Ishaan at Prahaladnagar (which were okay) a few bungalows behind Karnavati Club and Asopalav Bungalows. My family was not very happy with either of the above.

Co-incidentally, one day I was reading The Times of India’s “Times Property” (1^st April, 2012) when I came across an article on Shantigram. This had been in the back of my mind for a while and so I asked my broker to arrange a meeting with a Shantigram representative.

While on a visit on the site, I came across Mr. Surinder Singh, an executive at Adani Realty Business who personally explained some of the features and amenities of the project.

Life in the US was really beautiful. Every morning, we’d have these little dears playing in our garden… and these huge play spaces for my little ones. Shantigram reminded me somewhat of that! Some of the infrastructure concepts are the sort you’d not come across in India easily.

My elder one is 19 now. He’s growing into a big man now and having grown up in the Americas, he needs his luxury and privacy.

My little one is still 12. She’s studying in one of the leading schools of Ahmedabad and she’s really excited about shifting into a new home and can’t wait to live in the largest township of Gujarat. She’s already made me promise I’ll take her jogging every morning in the new ‘town’!

I’m B. Jhunjhunwala. I have two younger brothers, one elder sister and two younger sisters. I’m not too sure, but we all are planning to invest in Shantigram 3bhk flats where we all can live together.

I was seriously impressed with the sample flat and the landscape plans… and I really hope I get my money’s worth once I shift into my new flat! Whether you finally get down to purchasing a property or not... Shantigram is certainly worth visiting. Like we say in our language, “Pachi Thande Kaleje Vichaar Karjo…”