Indore
has gained a reputation of being the test ground for corporations looking to
test revolutionary and innovative ideas that later go on to inundate the rest
of the country. Bharti chose this city to launch its private telephone network
(which was also India’s
first private telephone network). Radio Mirchi came here first, before going to
the metros and the rest of the country. And till the 1990s, Bollywood movies
were released here on Thursday, while they were released on Friday in the rest
of the country.
Not surprising then that the city is testing some of the latest trends in real
estate as well. One such project is Silver-springs. It has attracted FDI from
Fire Capital Fund. An interesting feature here is that a section of the project
has been allocated to be sold only to defense personnel. This decision could
have been prompted by its nearness (about 30 km) to Mhow (a premier military
training centre).
The township is segregated into enclaves that are themed around elements of
nature: earth, air, water, fire. While this is also a good idea, it remains to
be seen how many people will actually want to live in an enclave named after
fire, and further how many people will move into (or stay out of) an enclave based
on their astrologers’ advice.
Currently only a Town House sample villa is
ready, and thankfully here the builder are delivering houses that most of urban
India
has come to expect. The house is big and there are no surprises here. Of
course, the whole concept of townships and group housing is new to the area and
that is one place where this pioneering city is taking a cue from the
developments in the rest of the country.