"Nalayak (नालायक)" Builder or Capable Builder?:
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| Nalini & Swapnil, Sangria Towers, Megapolis, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune |
First, let me confess. I made a mistake. I failed to guess the capabilities of
Kumar Properties (www.kumarworld.com). I assumed that more than 40 years experience in construction industry has made Kumar Properties capable to develop 150 acre
Megapolis Hinjewadi Phase 3 (www.megapolis.co.in).
I know Mr. Manish Jain of Kumar Properties. He is a good builder. No doubt about it. But, when you develop 150 acre township like Megapolis for the IT professionals in Hinjewadi, being a good builder - is not enough. You need to be capable. Being a good builder is enough qualification to launch the project like Megapolis. But to build and give possession you need to be a competent builder.
I have lot of respect for Mr. Manish Jain. The third generation builder was my client when I was in advertising. In those days, after the division of family business, I have seen how Mr. Manish has tried to transform the family owned shop 'Kumar Builders' into - a professionally managed company "Kumar Properties".
When you have a partner like Mr. Avinash Bhosale, it's possible to acquire a plot from MIDC. When you have a 150 acre plot and enough finance it's easy to appoint architects like RSP & Belt Collins of Singapore. But it doesn't mean that, Mr. Manish Jain, you can cancel the construction contract of MAN Infraprojects, build the towers own your own, offer amateurish & experimental construction quality and delay possession by more than one & half year.
A home buyer like Ms. Nalini & Mr. Swapnil, appreciate your concept. They are proud of their home in Sangria Towers. But at the same time, they are not going to accept inferior quality, poor service and lack of basic infrastructure.
Nalini & Swapnil work in software support service industry in Hinjewadi. Their expectations are defined by their work experience. From Megapolis - Nalini & Swapnil expect the same quality of service - they themselves offer to their clients.
When they don't get the expected quality of service from Megapolis, certainly, Nalini & Swapnil are going to question your competence, Mr. Manish Jain. They are not asking whether Kumar Properties is a good builder. Nalini & Swapnil are asking - Is Kumar Properties competent to develop Megapolis?
In fact, not only Nalini & Swapnil, all home buyers in Sangria Towers, Sparklet Megapolis Smart Homes 1, Sunway Megapolis Smart Homes 2 & Splendour Megapolis Smart Homes 3 are asking the same question - Is Kumar Properties a competent builder?
After tea with Nalini & Swapnil at Sangria Towers, I asked the same question to Mr. Hemant Kulkarni, Vice President, Pegasus Properties.
What is your job, Mr. Hemantsaheb? Only collecting booking amount from the property buyers or what? Aren't you responsible to deliver and render service to those who pay you?
Mr. Hemant, you call yourself 'Property Guru'. Yes, you have good knowledge & experience. But, what about the ability to deliver? Are you, Pegasus Properties - joint venture of Kumar Properties & Avinash Bhosale Group - competent builders & developers?
You know what? Mr. Hemant Kulkarni refused to talk!
"Sometimes, you know, one doesn't perform well. It doesn't mean that he is nalayak," I told Nalini & Swapnil.
"Don't defend Kumar Properties! We are suffering for many months," Nalini said.
"Ravi is trying convince that he is innocent! He wants to say that he hasn't made any mistake by recommending Megapolis," Swapnil said.
"No. I am not defending anyone. I have confidence in Manish Jain & his team," I said.
On this, Nalini & Swapnil said that they are also not complaining.
By sharing their experiences & problems with me, they are trying to help Kumar Properties correct their mistakes.
I am sure, Mr. Manish Jain will not only correct the mistakes but compensate. And prove that Kumar Properties is competent enough to develop more than 100 acre township like Megapolis.
View Sangria Towers Megapolis, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune 411 057 in a larger map
Sexy Sangria's Dirty Underware:
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| Sexy Sangria, Megapoli, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune |
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| Pathetic condition of the wooden flooring in Nalini & Swapnil's bedroom at Sangria, Megapolis, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune - 1 |
Last Friday, Swapnil invited me for a cup of tea at his home in Sangria Towers. Come & have a look at the pathetic condition of our flat, Swapnil said.
When I visited their flat in the B Tower of Sangria, Swapnil took me to his bedroom to inspect the wooden flooring. The wooden flooring between the bed and attached toilet was completely removed and underneath white foam was lying exposed.
Since they took possession and shifted in March 2012, Nalini & Swapnil are struggling to get this wooden flooring repaired or replaced.
That day, I was looking at the wooden flooring in their bedroom, but in the last 6 - 7 months wooden flooring in their entire flat has come out. Wooden flooring in their living cum dining. Wooden flooring in their second bedroom. Only the flooring of kitchen didn't give any problem. Why? Because kitchen has vitrified tiles!
Nalini & Swapnil are told that the water seepage is the reason for the peeling of the wooden flooring. The underneath foam absorbs the water and because of that pasted wooden tiles are displaced.
Nalini & Swapnil believe that peeling of wooden flooring is the proof of defective plumbing of the entire building. Because not only the wooden flooring but water seepage has also damaged their the walls. There was fungus on these walls for many months. Till the walls were scrubbed and repainted. Pointing at the newly painted wall, Swapnil said.
"I don't know what is the reason for water seepage. Defective plumbing. Poor waterproofing. Limitations of construction technology. Poor workmanship. Or What," Swapnil said and added that - "but, it has made my life miserable."
"Ravi, you call
Sangria 'Sexy'. And yes, from outside Sangria looks attractive. But look - how pathetic it is from inside," Swapnil said.
'Anpadh', 'Ganwaar', 'Nalayak' Maintenance Team at Sangria Towers:
"Sometimes, I wonder who is responsible for our miserable life. Builder or M. P.?," Swapnil said.
"MP - Member of Parliament?," I asked.
"Maintenance People! I call them M P because of the similarity. 'Anpadh', 'Ganwaar', 'Nalayak' is the exact description of Maintenance People at Sangria," Swapnil said.
Most of the time Maintenance People are not available. If M P are available, they don't come and repair. If they come and repair, they don't work properly. Just pretend to work. Do something haphazardly. Never try to go to the root of the problem.
Above all, these Maintenance People blame you for each and every problem! You must have forgotten to close the tap, was their instant reaction when I complained about the water in my living room.
It's nothing but abusing & harassing the home buyers. I fail to understand how come a builder like Kumar Properties - who is so many years in this industry - appoint such people! It's simple failure of management.
Real trouble is - you don't have an option but to deal with these irresponsible people. The executives in the marketing office of Megapolis don't listen. They simply shrug the responsibility.
Frustrated, Swapnil once called the corporate office of Kumar Properties. Even the senior executive at the corporate office of Kumar Properties didn't try to solve the 'root cause' of the problem. This is irresponsible management. Incompetence of the builder. Swapnil said.
When disgusted Swapnil realized that Kumar Properties is not capable to resolve the root cause of water seepage, he came up with a compromise. Why don't you remove the wooden flooring and fit vitrified tiles? Vitrified tiles will not come out even if there is water seepage!
On this - the maintenance people alleged Swapnil of exploitation! You are complaining so much about wooden flooring only because you want free replacement tiles in your flat, the maintenance people said.
That day, I realized that these M P are not only 'Anpadh' & 'Ganwaar', but are 'Nalayak' too, Swapnil said.
Disappointed, Disgusted & Dissatisfied Home Buyers at Sangria Towers:
In the last 6 - 7 months of miserable life at Sangria Towers, Nalini & Swapnil had only one good day. Only because the venue of celebration was not their flat but the terrace. It was Karva Chauth!
"Karva Chauth - means it was not a good day but a good night, right? Let us stop talking about days and start talking about your nights at Sangria!," I said.
"Ravi, I love the concept of Sangria. It's very well planned. For someone like me who values family life more than the career or money, Sangria is the second best place to live in Pune," Swapnil said.
"Which is the first one?," I asked.
"Bungalow! But this 2 BHK Flat at Sangria is not a bad compromise. In fact, its not a compromise at all. Its the only option we may ever afford in our life," Swapnil said and told me how they have decided to live here forever. To make it possible, both of them have decided not to change their current jobs. Or accept new job only if it is in Hinjewadi. Swapnil ended the description of his career & life plan with - "Ravi, did you get how much we love our home at Sangria?"
"We say all this even after living a miserable life in the last 6 - 7 months," Nalini said and described how practically every weekend they waited for the maintenance people. How practically all Saturday & Sunday evenings she wasted in cleaning floors after the repairs. How frequently they have taken leave from their office for the repairs. And sad thing is, Nalini said, if Kumar properties continue to offer same standard of service, possibly, this miserable life will never end.
If Kumar properties don't resolve the water seepage issue, possibly, Swapnil said, we will not be able to furnish our home. I will not be able to buy a sofa in the living. I may not be able to keep my clothes in the wardrobe. I may not be able to paint my home. I may not be able to invite my relatives & friends. I may spend the rest of my miserable life in a damp walls and on the damaged floors. Swapnil said.
When stalls at the marketing office of Megapolis are ready for months, I fail to understand, Swapnil said, why Kumar Properties is not providing essential shopping?
Doesn't Kumar Properties understand that we are living in a remote 3rd phase of Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park?
Why doesn't Kumar Properties provide some transport facility? You know? Auto demands 70 rupees for the distance of 2 kilometers - from Sangria to TechMahindra. And 250 rupees to Wakad Flyover.
Now, more than 75 families are living in B & C Towers of Sangria, but Kumar Properties can not take a decision about piped gas!
What's going on here? Are we punished for booking a flat in Megapolis? Or Kumar Properties is not fit for developing 150 acre township where the builder is supposed to provide all infrastructure?
Before giving away land, Nalini & Swapnil want to know whether MIDC checked Kumar Properties' capabilities of developing a township for IT Professionals working in it's SEZ?
I didn't have an answer. I only told them that they are not alone. Residents of
Blue Ridge Hinjewadi and
Nanded City Pune are also asking the same question. Is my builder capable to develop a big township?
Contact Swapnil:
9970374888 / swaphirapurkar@gmail.com
Updates:
1) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 01, 2012
Sleepless in Sangria
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Booking a flat means putting your life in danger
2) MONDAY, OCTOBER 08, 2012
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3) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2012
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4) MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012
Invite me for a cup of tea!
5) WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012
United Pune Property Buyers Continue Their Fight Against VAT & Builders!
6) MONDAY, APRIL 09, 2012
Review of Splendour - Megapolis Smart Homes 3, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune 411 057
7) TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2011
Sexy Sangria Towers, Megapolis, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune
8) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 01, 2011
Sexy Sangria Towers, Megapolis, Hinjewadi Phase 3, Pune - Photo Visit
9) TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012
Romancing the Home
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