Construction scenario booming despite opposition
PANAJI - Taking away plots of land, which were allotted to the companies under the Special Economic Zones, opposition to the mega housing projects in the villages and bringing curtain on the hill cutting have not affected the construction scenario in the state.
The people are expecting something unexpected to happen and awaiting desperately for some kind of pact with the builders and contractors or as regards land deals or flats.
A survey conducted by 'The Navhind Times', revealed that scarcity of land has created more demand for plots of land and flats in the state.
'The prices of flats and plots went skyrocketing in the few months, due to Aldeia de Goa and more so due to IFFI. Otherwise, the prices were stable in the state and there were absolutely no problems in the construction scenario of the state, says a city builder,' Mr Deepak Naik.
He said, although there was crash in the construction raw material prices like steel and cement but it never had any impact on the sale of either land or flat. People have even stopped inquiring into the prices and expecting something will happen sooner or later, he informed.
Mr Nilesh Salkar, director of Sushila Homes & Properties Pvt Ltd stated that with the type of activism going on and as per the new Regional Plan most of land is being put into negative list. The prices will shoot up again with the new trend setting up in the construction industry and almost everyday rates are climbing up.
There is no supply of land particularly in coastal belt like Colva and Benaulim, so prices here are obviously more than prices in Margao and its suburbs.
'Rates are contrary going up. Sea land is being withdrawn from development and a sort land scarcity has been created in the construction scenario. Market trend may have come down because of slow market prices but when a commodity is not available in the market prices will go up,' revealed the proprietor of Soares and Associates, Mr Soares.
Mr Eli Furtado, a reputed contractor in construction line states that SEZ was a temporary phase, which Goa witnessed. This kind of temporary trends will never affected Goan reputed and well-known builders. Now, the beauty of state will remain intact. Having high-rise buildings will definitely cause fluctuations in the infrastructures like electricity, water supply, sewage and garbage et al. So what is the use of multi-stories without? building infrastructures.
'You see, big builders will always escape by hook or by crook but is a small builder that suffers. Even the RBI guidelines are affecting the builders and the rate of interest is also gone up. All this will affect Goans and not the builders,' says Mr Ahmad Khan.
A builder from city wants to remain anonymous states that when malaria cases are on the decline mean construction activities are down. It is a sick sign to revoke construction permission once it was issued. Now architects, engineers and labourers have no jobs and are sitting idle for want of work. If this continues how employment avenues will be created?
http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=062159
