Eye on Navi Mumbai
Jan 1, 2020
Ashok Chhajer, chairman and managing director of Arihant Superstructures, shares perspectives on development in the planned city and the role elevators play.
images by Arihant Superstructures
Ashok Chhajer (AC), chairman and managing director of Arihant Superstructures, shares perspectives with your author (SSP) on development in the planned city and the role elevators play.
Ashok Chhajer is the chairman and managing director of Arihant Superstructures Ltd., Arihant Group. He is an entrepreneur with a love for construction, design and building business models. He has guided projects from sands to development, making Arihant Superstructures a well-known name in real estate in Navi Mumbai, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Jodhpur. He has delivered 50-plus projects totaling 7.7 million ft2 and more than 9,000 homes. He has spoken on real estate topics in The Economic Times, the NDTV Real Estate Forum and Business World. He is also chairman of the Jain International Trade Organisation. The Economic Times recognized him with the ET Business Icon 2019 award. In addition, the GROHE Hurun Report India Real Estate Leadership Summit 2019 honored him for his contributions to the affordable-housing sector.
| Project | Arihant Clan Aalishan | Arihant Aspire |
| Location | Kharghar | Panvel |
| Type of Development | 53-story towers | 42-story towers |
| Number of Structures | 4 | 8 |
| Total Units | 955 | 2,715 |
| Theme | Contemporary Persian Theme – A Grand Life | A Lifestyle Project – Organic World in Which to Live’ |
| Key Amenities | • Large studios and one, two and three bedroom, hall and kitchen (BHK) units • Three towers: Zeenat, Baraz & Kaveh • Double-height entrance lobby inspired by Persian architecture • The KOLUP – Grand Club inspired by Persian luxury • Proposed supermarket • High-speed elevators • 24/7 security system • Video door-security system • Five-level car park • Fire escape chute for self-evacuation | • Large studio and two-BHK units • Eight, 42-story towers • Two acres of landscaped garden • G+3, exclusive clubhouse with grand lobby and two glass lifts • Six-level car park • Advanced security with 24/7 CCTV surveillance • Fire escape chute |
| Common | • Gymnasium • Swimming pool with separate children’s pool • Unisex aroma spa • Mini theater • Aerobics, yoga and meditation area • Indoor sports club with chess, billiards and cards • Pairi Daeza Persian garden with sitting area • Badminton and squash court • Children’s daycare center • Library • Business lounge with Wi-Fi connectivity. | • G+3 level clubhouse – De Palo, • Gymnasium with modern equipment • Lobby with luxury lounge • Banquet hall • Waiting area • Spa and steam sauna • Private theater |
| Integral | • Landscaped area with herbal boulevard and Zen garden • Landscaped party lawn • Pairi Daeza – The Persian Garden • Senior citizens’ garden with pergola sitting areas • Children’s outdoor play area • “Rain dance” arena with water fountain | • Covered badminton court • Yoga and meditation room • Cafeteria • Squash court • Business center • Community center • Children’s play area • Open-air amphitheater for performances • Buddha Park with sitting areas • Maze garden with tree canopies for kids • Pet garden next to jogging and cycling track |
| Number of Elevators | 15 passenger, four fire | 32 passenger, eight fire |
| Elevator Types | Automatic passenger lifts — AC variable-voltage, variablefrequency drives with high-performance and regenerative technology and low power consumption | Automatic passenger lifts − AC VVVF with highperformance and regenerative drives and low power consumption |
| Passenger: 8-13 persons/ fire: 15 -20 persons | Passenger: 8-13 persons/Fire: 15-20 | |
| Considerations when selecting elevator | Safety, comfort, efficiency, elegance, speed | Safety, comfort, efficiency, elegance, speed, effectiveness |
| Features | • Provision for CCTV cameras inside cabins • Firefighter control operation with alarm bell • Overload detection system with voice warning • Voice annunciator for elevator position and status information, background music between speech announcements, MP3 format speech and music files, multiple languages, etc. • Earthquake emergency operation • Automatic car call canceling and false call canceling • Car arrival chime • Abnormal-speed-protection function | • Provision for CCTV camera inside cabins • Firefighter control operation with alarm bell • Overload detection system with voice warning • Voice annunciator for elevator position and status information, background music between speech announcements , MP3 format speech and music files, multiple languages etc. • Earthquake emergency operation • Automatic car call canceling and false call canceling • Car arrival chime • Abnormal-speed-protection function |
| Car Parking System | Five-level car park | Basement and podium parking |
SSP: What is the significance of elevators in your company’s projects? Are they considered a lifestyle amenity?
AC: They are an important aspect of our projects, as they are the lifeline for residents to travel between buildings’ lobbies and their respective homes. Since the dawn of time, humans have sought a way to efficiently transport freight and passengers to different levels. With humans moving from essential to luxury living, even elevators have become a lifestyle amenity.
SSP: Do you see buildings getting even higher in the near future? How will this impact elevator selection?
AC: High rises have unique advantages and limitations. In the near future, there will be a mix of high- mid-rise buildings, but elevators will remain the key component in residential complex design. These elevators could get more features to boost projects’ lifestyle quotient. Be it energy-efficient elevators in a high-rise tower, enhanced safety components or noiseless and vibrationless elevators, these features are coming.
SSP: With Real Estate Regulatory Authority implementation, which aspects do developers need to keep in mind about elevators in their projects?
AC: At Arihant, we put customer safety first. We enter into minimum five-year contracts with contractors, suppliers and service providers to cover liability.
SSP: As Navi Mumbai is easily reachable from Mumbai and its peripheral areas, what are the future prospects of this location in terms of high rises and the need for elevators?
AC: For at least a decade, Navi Mumbai will continue to be among India’s top three hotspot growth centers for investment. According to the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs Ease of Living Index, the high-tech city is the second-best in the country in which to live. The city has 50% open and green space and is a perfect location for both living and doing business. Hence, it will continue to attract high rises served by elevators that are technically enhanced and outfitted with safety features.
Arihant has two ongoing high-rise projects in Navi Mumbai: in Kharghar (said to be the most developed node of Navi Mumbai) and Panvel. Arihant Clan Aalishan is among the top high-rise towers in Navi Mumbai, with 53 story towers that resemble the skyscrapers of NYC. Arihant Aspire at Panvel is a 42-story complex consisting of eight towers. The table on the previous page gives some specifics about each project, including their elevator systems.
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