Constructive connections

"We have a variety of customers. There are those interested in a 20,000 sq ft bungalow, a 2,750 sq ft row house or a 600 sq ft flat,” says Poona’s Jehangir Dorabjee, chairman and managing director of Dorabjee Estates Private Limited. Currently under construction in Poona is his mega project over 16 acres called Dorabjee Paradise which has 40 row houses, 10 twin and seven single bungalows, shops and offices in Phase I which is complete. Phase II consists of two towers of 11 floors each, with 130 flats of two and three bedrooms in the process of being handed over. "The Vibgyor School with 2,400 students (in the same location) has been a very successful project and we are looking forward to making more schools,” Dorabjee asserts. "The Royale Heritage Mall is a part of Dorabjee Paradise. The Mall has a six screen multiplex and a super market by Dorabjee’s and will take approximately a year to complete. The Country Club is also being constructed by us behind Corinthian Club, Undri and is nearing completion.”

With Poona transforming in the last few years from laidback "pensioners’ paradise” to bustling boomtown encompassing the good, bad and ugly, the construction activity has been frenetic and property prices have headed northwards. We ask Dorabjee how he copes with the clutch of competitors, both unknown and well-known, and if supply exceeds demand. "No, it does not,” he avers. "There are cycles in the year when the market is low, say in summer, till exams are over. CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India, the apex body for private developers) has done a study and estimates a demand of 50,000 flats in Poona. Of course, smaller flats are more in demand than larger ones,” says the builder. With luxury, super luxury, premium, etc the buzzword among builders, what is Dorabjee’s USP (unique selling proposition)? we query. "I would say value for money, honesty, meeting the demands of the customer till the end,” he responds. "Jehangir is very accessible. The personal touch gives us an edge,” says his wife Firoza who is also a director in the firm. "Other builders do not interact directly with customers, particularly with difficult ones whom they consider a headache!” Jehangir refers to Firoza as the "backbone” of the business.

Jehangir Dorabjee (top); Royale Heritage Mall (above) and the Vibgyor high school (alongside, left) and Dorabjee Paradise

Though malls and multiplexes have mushroomed all over Poona, Jehangir is confident the mall he is building will do well. "We are the first people to start in Mohmadwadi. Going to a mall is an all-round experience – essential shopping, entertainment, food… We will stock casual brands, not high-end ones. A Rs 30,000 purse is unaffordable. We will keep what people can afford to buy. Our 21-year-old son Daniel is looking after the branding,” he asserts. "It has been great working with my father. My duties at the moment consist of looking after the site and executing the day-to-day work with the project in charge and reporting to my dad,” says Daniel. His sister Vahbbiz Dorabjee is an actor and lives in Bombay.

With the green and good earth rapidly disappearing under concrete building blocks, we inquire whether the infrastructure in Poona can cope with the rapid development. "Unfortunately, no. The Corporation (Poona Municipal Corporation) is not living up to the pace of the builder. You may build beautiful flats, good internal concrete roads, but step outside and things will be different,” he declares. Construction is not an issue; the problem is in the permissions: "They will not come, for example, for mon­ths for the plinth checking. There will be 10,000 excuses for everything. It’s a total struggle to get things done! There are vested interests and vested bodies,” Jehangir observes. That is why, he adds, they have incorporated into the agreement a clause that if statutory permissions don’t come on time and there is a delay (in completion), the builder will not be held responsible.

With the construction industry often in the line of fire for overpricing or overpromising, realty developers have to grapple with reality! Overnight you will see 5,000 hutments mushrooming on a hilltop on government land, he describes, and the public is helpless. Augmenting the water supply, treating the sewage, much of which flows untreated into the Poona rivers, are tasks which are not impossible. Things can improve if corruption is curbed, as there are laws in place, and the reins of political power are held more firmly, Jehangir believes. Property prices range from under Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000 per sq ft, with older areas like Koregaon Park and Boat Club Road still commanding a premium. "Contrary to what you may think, land is still available there. But the rate is too high and the risk too great. We want to be safe. As a policy, I do one project at a time.”

With customers demanding smart, swanky homes, Dorabjee Paradise will incorporate a swimming pool, club house, gym, jogging track, landscaped garden, etc. Strong believers in vastu, their website www.dorabjeeestates.com states: "We have controlled and certified environmental energies by renowned building biologist Mayank Barjatya. Vastuworld- India and Bau-Biology, Germany have governed total vastu and environmental harmony of the plots and individual residential units.”

The easy availability of home loans has made it smoother for people to make concrete investments. Representatives of companies like HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation) liaise with the customer and see things through till the chapter is closed, he narrates. Their earlier projects are Serene Manor at Baker’s Hill, Kondhwa Road, Dorabjee Classic at Koregaon Park and Dorabjee Enclave at Salunkhe Vihar Road.

With the Dorabjee family settled in Poona for decades, Jehangir did his graduation from the Nowrosjee Wadia College, followed by a diploma from IMDR (Institute of Management Development and Research), Poona. From 1983-89, he was in the catering line with his father Nariman Dorabjee. He started off as a real estate agent in 1987 and as a natural progression opened a new door in 1994 by venturing into developing and construction. "I have really slogged for this. I started off with no capital! My father and mother gave me Rs 50,000 from their savings. My friends believed in me and supported me.” "He’s done everything himself. He’s a one-man show,” his wife smilingly adds. A year ago, they moved their office from Main Street into a building he has transformed. "You should have seen it earlier!” he laughs. Located on the busy Kondhwa Road with its constant traffic, the office exudes an aura of calm, with muted but elegant décor, a small, neat garden and much-prized parking space!

We are so busy we have little time to interact with our community, the builder says. Living life through the credo of good thoughts, good words and good deeds is best. "I am preparing myself as a developer who has to know about site construction, law, customer service, purchase, among all the other set of skills required to be a developer and above all a good human being,” adds his son.