PCMC: Pune’s New Townships Capital

Anil Pharande

Townships are more than a new real estate mantra – for the larger cities in India, they are without any doubt the only remaining hope for decent living standards. Gradually but surely, residential conditions in cities like Pune are on the decline, and township properties are gaining increasing significance as the final answer to quality-based living.

In areas like the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the ‘Infrastructure First’ approach has preserved and consistently enhanced living conditions for PCMC residents. However, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has not been able to stay on top of the infrastructure situation. Traffic congestion, air, water and noise pollution and a heedless approach to development have compounded the problems on all levels.

All Eyes On PCMC

The city’s inhabitants are facing major problems with reaching emergency services and educational institutions for their children, and access to adequate parking. In this depressing scenario, the large integrated townships being developed in thriving locations of the PCMC region are the new lifestyle standard. In the PCMC, the township movement first began in areas like Moshi and Ravet, and the region’s leading developers have now launched luxury townships on Spine Road and Punavale as well.

Integrated townships have, in fact, been on the rise ever since they were identified as the most suitable residential solution by the Government’s National Housing and Habitat Policy of 1998. After this policy included townships in its ‘Housing Revolution’ initiative, the Government of Maharashtra had begun actively encouraging the development of integrated townships to reduce the pressure on urban areas and to improve infrastructure in cities like Pune.

However, such projects require large land parcels and these have been all but fully consumed in the core areas of the Pune Municipal Corporation. As result, the focus shifted to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, where land availability and superlative support infrastructure make townships a very viable proposition.

Lifestyle Aspiration Driving Demand For Townships

Today, Pune citizens’ yen for a better lifestyle quotient is leading to an increasing demand for systematic and fully-enabled residential formats. The city’s deteriorating living conditions are the prime reason why the Township Revolution is now in rapid spin.

In the integrated township format, the problems are infrastructure deficit and deteriorating living conditions are completely negated. They offer a very high grade of living conditions set to the backdrop of aesthetic environments.

Offering the township-grade facilities in smaller residential projects would involve prohibitive costs for developers – cost which the consumers would have to pay. Thanks to the economies of scale, township developers in the PCMC are providing ultimate lifestyle solutions at far more rational costs. High-quality infrastructure, open spaces and immediate access to all the necessities of daily living result in a superior lifestyle proposition, since all residents in a township benefit from one large integrated and centrally managed system.

Why Township Properties Cost More – And Why It Is Worth It

When developers offer township-grade facilities in smaller housing projects, the costs to consumers is comparable to those of luxury homes. In townships, the vast range of facilities, fully-integrated infrastructure and the availability of schools, hospitals and shopping complexes within the premises means that township properties come at a slightly higher cost than normal multi-storey apartments. However, the additional expense is vindicated by the fact that those who buy into township properties are assured of a vastly superior living standard – not to mention exceptionally higher returns on investment.

For property buyers who simply do not want to compromise on their lifestyle options, the township properties of PCMC are the most obvious solution. The direct advantages include complete security, convenience, the comfort of high-grade infrastructure and various facilities within the premises, and immediate access to retail outlets and recreational facilities. This results in a very high degree of comfort and convenience within a completely cosmopolitan ethos.