The Facts
« Previous EntriesDLF, Unitech Following ‘Satyam’s’ Path? Credit Suisse Report Smells Something
Saturday, January 31st, 2009DLF, Unitech lack in transparency: Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse, a global investment banking major has said in a report that in terms of transparency and key disclosures, the countryâs top real estate firms including DLF and Unitech are found lacking.
Noting that related-party transactions account for a significant portion of their revenues, its report said that their […]
Cost Of Living In India: Common Monthly Expenses
Friday, November 14th, 2008I am trying to put together a list of common monthly expenses for living in India (I am particularly considering Hyderabad here, so these may vary a little for other cities) to give an overall idea to all the NRIs considering R2I(Return 2 India). I am trying to list the expenses for a family of […]
Plan Panel Slams Sreedharan For His U-turn
Sunday, October 26th, 2008Reminding him that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) he heads had itself endorsed the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model for the Hyderabad Metro project while preparing a detailed project report (DPR), the Planning Commission has slammed E Sreedharan for now expressing reservations on the project and for not backing with âfacts or evidenceâ his […]
Buying SIM Cards May Now Need 2 Guarantors
Sunday, August 10th, 2008If the home ministry has its way, a person wanting to buy a SIM card will have to provide the names of two existing mobile phone customers as guarantors â on the lines of opening a bank account â before he gets the connection. This will be in addition to other requirements like identity and […]
Lakeside Footpath Under Repair Again
Thursday, July 10th, 2008The Buddha Purnima Project Authority is literally wasting Rs 25 lakh to beautify pavements on the lakeside of NTR Marg road. It had spent the same amount on repair and beautification of the same pavements in the last few years.
Structural Audits Of Buildings To Become A Norm Soon
Saturday, June 21st, 2008Monsoons can wreck havoc on old structures. A structural audit of a building can save you a lot of trouble and keep you safe, says Shilpa Sachdev .
With every passing year, your building combats a series of natural upheavals, facing the apathy of every season that goes by. Many buildings built during the last […]
Outer Ring Road - Where It Stands
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008The much-hyped Rs 5,599-crore Outer Ring Road (ORR) project seems to have hit a major roadblock. After overcoming earlier controversies on alignment, it is now facing speed-breakers like land acquisition, obstructing structures, and litigation among others, stalling smooth execution, finds out Koride Mahesh.
Beat It! Hyderabad Airport Built On Enemy Property
Friday, April 18th, 2008The left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing â this is generally the case in functioning of various government bodies. A recent example of this can be found in the land dispute that is brewing at the newly inaugurated international airport in Hyderabad.
Legal Matters: Landlord Can Enhance Rent, Ask For Eviction
Friday, April 18th, 2008Keshavâs grandfather leased out the first floor with a three-bed room portion in an independent three-story building in the heart of the city to Bansilalâs grand father during the 1960s. The terms of lease deed speak about the enhancement of rent for every year. But that was only for a paltry amount of five per […]
Fab City: Solar Units Rule The Roost
Thursday, April 17th, 2008The much-hyped Fab City has run out of land, without any other fab unit save one. Of the 1,050 acres at the proposed semiconductor complex, the government has already allotted about 600 acres to various companies leaving the 400 acres for common infrastructure facilities.
Metro Rail Faces Hurdles
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008The Rs 9,696-crore metro rail project may have cleared the first major hurdle with in-principle clearance from the Centre, but several minor hitches have cropped up over setting up railway stations along the three corridors.
FSBO â For Sale By Owner
Saturday, April 12th, 2008FSBO or âFor Sale by Ownerâ most often refers to real estate for sale. FSBO is a real estate offering handled directly by the seller, which does not involve a real estate agent, but allows homeowners to take control of the sale process.
Fraud Uncovered In India Health Projects
Sunday, January 20th, 2008The World Bank said on Friday it had uncovered “serious incidents” of fraud and corruption in a review of five health projects in India and Bank President Robert Zoellick pledged he and the government would get to the bottom of it.
Greenfield Airports: High ‘Airport Service Fee’
Thursday, January 17th, 2008Millions of passengers flying out of two greenfield airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore respectively would have to shell out user development fee beginning March this year.
NRI remittances stay buoyant
Monday, December 31st, 2007Current account deficit at $5.5 b in September quarter; exports slow down
The private transfers, comprising primarily remittances from NRIs, nearly doubled at $10.08 billion for the JulyâSeptember 2007 quarter, against $5.37 billion in the same period last year as per the Balance of Payment figures released by the Reserve Bank of India on Monday.
Selling A Luxury Home Isn’t About The Space, It Is About The Lifestyle
Monday, December 31st, 2007Dressed for the occasion, you face a group of equally polished people across the negotiating table. They grill you on your background, your career, your income and your prospects. Satisfied with your replies, they sit back and smile. You are in.
No Free Insurance Cover On Credit Cards
Saturday, December 29th, 2007If youâve been banking on the insurance cover that came free with your credit card, itâs time to evaluate that. Most credit cards offered by banks no longer have a free insurance (life or non-life) cover and many customers may not have read the fine print to realise that they no longer have insurance protection. […]
GIS Project Flounders
Wednesday, December 12th, 2007The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporationâs penchant for starting projects in a grand fashion and losing steam thereafter is glaringly evident in the plan to develop a Geographical Information System (GIS).
Godavari Waters To City May Be Delayed
Friday, December 7th, 2007Bringing Godavari waters to city may be delayed by at least six months as the Detail Project Reports (DPRs) on its feasibility was not yet submitted by the Pune-based Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited (WAPCOS).
Best cities to live, invest and earn in
Tuesday, November 27th, 2007India is a land of paradox, it is said, even the rapid economic development in the last few years hasn’t helped in managing the contradictions.
A latest survey has now revealed cities such as Gurgaon that are most preferred to earn a living and where employment growth is the fastest, are not among the best places […]
Average age of house buyers drops
Friday, November 16th, 2007Owning a house at the age of 30 is no longer improbable, given the rising income levels among todayâs youth who prefer purchasing a house than shelling out money on high monthly rentals, a study by Assocham has said.
Indians are living beyond means: Survey
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007Indians seem to be living way beyond their means. An extensive survey has found that more and more households seem to be borrowing not for creating assets like building a house or buying a car, but to meet consumption needs ranging from food, transport and medical bills to even repaying loans.
The story of Hyderabad’s globalisation
Friday, November 9th, 2007I had the good fortune of knowing Professor Waheeduddin Khan both personally and professionally. Professor Khan was a true son of Hyderabad — gentle, genial, graceful and always affectionate. He epitomised the best values that this city, my home, had come to symbolise.
Lakhpatisâ on the rise in AP
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007The number of lakhpatis is on the rise in Andhra Pradesh, as per the figures available with Income Tax Department.
Transfer of Property Act: Making A Valid Transfer Of Title
Sunday, November 4th, 2007Transfer of property means transferring possession of a property from one person to another person.The Transfer of Property Act 1882 contains specific provisions regarding what exactly constitutes transfer and the conditions which are required to be satisfied for it to be valid.
Pre-Launch Booking Offers: Think Before You Jump In
Sunday, November 4th, 2007A pre-launch booking could fetch handsome returns, but be careful while you do so, says Padma Ramakrishnan.
Significant Rise In NRI Remittances
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007As rupee continues to gain strength against dollar, financial institutions and banks involved in transfer of money from the US to India have observed a significant increase in remittances to India.
Defence Housing Society Lands In The Soup
Monday, October 29th, 2007The Vigilance and Enforcement wing has unearthed several irregularities in the allotment of plots in the Defence Cooperative Housing Society (DCHS) at Sainikpuri.
Project Big Delay: Multi-crore Projects Limping
Monday, October 29th, 2007An airport in Silchar (Assam), a bridge in Orissa, a port in Gujarat, a highway in Karnataka â what do these Central government projects have in common? Itâs a dubious distinction they all share. All of them are government projects and all of them are running well behind schedule.
Banjara Hell???
Friday, October 26th, 2007Photo Courtesy: Times Of India
Banjara Hills has lost much of its sylvan charm in recent years what with rampant construction going on at every nook and corner. The recent relaxation of rules, allowing buildings up to 30 metres height to come up on Road Nos 1, 2 and 3, will only drive the final nail […]