During the nineties, we would go to IIT Powai to participate in Mood Indigo – a prestigious inter collegiate festival. If one did not want to eat in the mess or canteen, there were few hotels, and no shops around. We were lucky to find a dairy, where one could get samosas. Since then, Powai has evolved considerably and established itself as an upscale location attracting home seekers from as far as South Mumbai.
In recent months, ever since Metro Line 7 and Line 2A were made fully operational, much has been discussed about the possible implications for real estate in the areas that they cover. However, not many realise that the east-west connecting Metro Line 1 operating from Versova to Ghatkopar has already been a unifying factor for real estate across Andheri, the prime western suburb and the brand extension has been indeed beneficial across locations. If one examines the route carefully, except for Asalpha, Jagruti Nagar, and Ghatkopar, the rest of the stations are actually parts of Andheri.
Real estate development has expanded over the years in and around Andheri at areas that are arterial and connected to the linear line from Versova to Saki Naka. The important clusters are Four Bungalows, Seven Bungalows (Versova); Lokhandwala, Oshiwara (DN Nagar); Veera Desai Road (Azad Nagar), Andheri Station, Western Express Highway (Chakala); JB Nagar; Airport Road (Sahar), Marol and Saki Naka (Saki Vihar Road, Jari Mari).
One can see the visible evolution across these areas in terms of the residential projects that have developed and redeveloped over the years. The opportunity to buy a property in any of these areas gives you the tag of Andheri, and with the metro access, this provides extra mobility. Andheri east is regarded as one of Mumbai’s most promising office regions and the area is projected for rapid expansion in the coming years.
Commandant Aloke Kumar (Retd) with his wife Manisha Saxena |
Somewhere along the way, the stretch between Andheri west and Powai also witnessed an elevation in its profile and become an extension of both, a merging point of sorts. Thanks to Metro Line 1, a home owner in Saki Naka can brag about being an Andheri resident just as much as his counterpart in Versova. What was once considered to be the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ (as bifurcated by the railway station) and a long road journey is now just a quick metro ride away.
In recent years, people have been increasingly opting for the east side given the ‘Andheri’ branding with a price tag that is comparatively easier on the wallet. It could be a person residing near IIT looking for a ‘Powai adjacent’ house for instance.
Commandant Aloke Kumar (Retd)., after serving in Indian Coast Guard at many coastal locations across the country, decided to explore possibilities of buying a house, along with his wife Manisha Saxena, a business woman. They were staying in the quarters provided in Powai.
While for many, buying a home is a process fraught with emotional ups and downs, the experience of having worked in many locations and staying in the quarters provided, helped them deal with this more dispassionately. Spreading the word to friends and relatives did help as there were numerous suggestions and recommendations they received.
Manisha says, “We got into the process of ranking the homes based on how well they fit into our priority system, and get into an analytical debate on a system for ranking the properties.”
They decided to move just a block away from Powai to Saki Vihar Road as this location provided easy connectivity to other parts of the city.
Commandant Aloke Kumar (Retd)., added, “Our main objective was to look for the high-life with proximity to most landmarks. We had set out specific priorities in terms of wants and needs in the new home, the size of the home, and neighbourhood. Affordability was a key factor in this. Several people advised us that buying an apartment in Saki Vihar Road, can be a good investment decision as it is a rapidly developing area with good connectivity to various parts of Mumbai. Many builders and developers offered multiple payment plans that you can opt from, along with easy home loan facilities.”
According to them the project is located in a safe and convenient area with easy access to essential amenities like schools, hospitals, supermarkets, and public transportation. It is by a reputed developer whose design matched with their dream home and they also got timely possession. With good amenities like parking, security, elevators, power backup, gymnasium and clubhouse, this is in sync with the facilities he lived at earlier while serving in the India Coast Guard. From their sixth-floor apartment, there is a view to Mithi River, Powai, Marol, Aarey, and more while the Terrace offers a bird’s eye view of the airport runway. What more could one ask for?
(The writer is a Trend Science, Communication & Marketing Consultant)
