Surajkund crafts A REAL MAKEOVER

Surajkund is shaping up into an ideal residential location owing to the affordable-range units here, and its excellent connectivity to south Delhi, Faridabad, and Gurgaon. TEAM TIMES PROPERTY writes


Acclaimed for its annual crafts fair, Surajkund, which is strategically located along NH-2 that connects Delhi with Kolkata, is emerging as a prime real estate destination.
With prices soaring in south Delhi colonies like Greater Kailash, Chittaranjan Park, Saket, etc, and Surajkund offering an attractive affordable alternative, there has been a surge in the demand for housing here.
The popular commercial and entertainment hubs of Greater Kailash, Hauz Khas Village, and Vasant Kunj are only about 25-30 minutes away from Surajkund.
The developing realty sector of Surajkund is proving to be an ideal residential location owing to its excellent connectivity to south Delhi, Faridabad, and Gurgaon.
The forthcoming residential and commercial projects in Surajkund, which also offer breathtaking view of the Aravali hills, are attracting a lot of attention from prospective buyers.
Realty projects like Forest Spa and Omaxe Hill 1 & 2 by Omaxe Group, Aravali One by Max Heights, IBZA by Krrish Group, Lake Wood City and Royal Retreat by Eros Group, etc, have already been launched. With the rise in demand, a numbers of group-housing projects, hotels, malls, and entertainment zones have been announced here.
Improving connectivity
The new four-lane Gurgaon-Faridabad Expressway has cut down travel time from Surajkund to Gurgaon to about 20 minutes now. It takes around 40 minutes to drive from Surajkund to the IGI airport.
A Metro line is also coming up between Faridabad and Gurgaon, which will improve connectivity. Currently, the nearest Metro station is in Badarpur. However, an extension of the metro line from the Badarpur station to YMCA Chowk has been proposed by 2016, after which the nearest Metro station would be NHPC Chowk (Sector 27C, Green Fields Colony).
The 66km-long Gurgaon-Faridabad corridor connects major tourist destinations, industrial zones, and corporate offices and includes Gurgaon-Faridabad Road, Ballabhgarh-Sohna Road, Pali Bhakri Road, and Surajkund Road. The 25km-long Gurgaon-Faridabad stretch, starting from Gurgaon's Mehrauli Road in Sikanderpur and ending at Pali Bhakri Road junction in Faridabad, has been built by widening the exiting two-lane road to four lanes. A 6km Municipal Corporation of Faridabad road to Surajkund and a 3km Crusher Zone road was also constructed.
Real estate development
Commercial and residential properties in Surajkund, particularly the ones facing the Surajkund Road, registered a significant appreciation. However, even after this, the property prices
in Surajkund are affordable compared to Gurgaon.
According to some estimates, Surajkund property prices have risen by nearly 25% in the last one year. Today, flats in many of
the new residential projects can be bought for Rs 4,000-15,000 per sq ft, which is significantly lower than the rates in south Delhi, Greater Kailash II, Saket, etc.
Some major developers in Surajkund are Omaxe, Eros Group, Max Height, and Krish. Omaxe has Omaxe Hills, Omaxe Hills II, and Forest Spa Surajkund.
Charmwood Village of the Eros Group was the first township project on the Surajkund Road. Spread over 65 acres, it consists of a multistorey apartment complex and Charmwood Plaza, an integrated complex of shops, showrooms, and office space under one roof. Other residential projects in Surajkund include the Greenfield Colony, an integrated township with multistorey apartments and a local shopping complex.
Omaxe's luxurious offering on the Surajkund Road, Forest Spa, is surrounded by 5,000 acres of greens. Forest Spa offers ultraluxurious penthouses and apartments, which have exquisite view of the picturesque Aravalis. The project has sauna and steam in each apartment, gyms, state-of-the-art clubs, swimming pool, health club, squash court, basketball court, and multi-cuisine restaurant. The housing units come in sizes ranging from 2,520 sq feet to 7,450 sq ft. A spokesman of the firm said that the project would be delivered by the first half of 2014. Club Aura, one of the largest clubhouses in the NCR, with a swimming pool, spa, restaurant, meditation room, gym, etc, is part of this project.
Sanjay Trikha, president & CEO of Piedmont Development Company Pvt Ltd, says: "Sectors 38, 39, 41, and 42-close to Surajkund-have registered 25%
appreciation in property
rates over the last one
year with prominent
developers
like Omaxe, Krrish, etc, announcing luxury projects in the region. The rates in Surajkund are in the range of Rs 7,500-9,000 per sq ft, which are much lower than the current rates in the posh colonies of south Delhi."
Vishwa Nath Agrawal, CMD of Techman Buildwell Pvt Ltd, says: "Surajkund scores when it comes to locational advantages, affordability in comparison to its neighbouring colonies in south Delhi, and the end user market character. While property prices in south Delhi and Gurgaon are rocketing, Surajkund provides an alternative with rates here being almost one third to half of those elsewhere. The area has one of the best green covers in the Delhi NCR region and provides the best civic amenities and options for day-to-day activities like hospitals, connectivity options, malls, markets, etc."
Basic facilities
Many schools and educational institutions like MVN Public School, Aravali International, Manav Rachna College, etc, are located in Surajkund. Local transport around these areas is also improving with a bus stand 1km from Surajkund, while other transport facilities like auto-rickshaws and taxis are also easily available. Being a tourist spot, the area also has a number of 5-star hotels.
Tourist centre
Surajkund is famous for its Annual Crafts Fair organized every year in February. Launched in 1981 by Haryana Tourism, the fair is a platform for artisans and craftsmen from all over India to showcase their finest wares in a rural setting, and is a major tourist attraction in the Delhi NCR.