Real estate developers rarely get off the beaten track. But when they do, the

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results have been impressive. Their forte has always been residential, commercial, retail or entertainment construction. But now is the time of ideas.

Lately, a couple of the lesser-known developers have attempted novel projects to catch the buyers' fancy. One among them is tailor-made residential projects exclusively for the elderly and senior citizens. Citizens who have lived well and wish to continue to live well, minus the incumbrances and pressures of modern day existence. The focal point of these projects is on the security, services and health care facilities, which are found lacking in the old-age homes built by the government.

Instances abound wherein the elderly are robbed or murdered in their homes or find it difficult to get specialised healthcare facilities emerging due to lifestyle-related diseases.

In fact, the concept of enjoying a retired life, being independent, spending time with peers and comprehensive services at your door step without having to go through hassles is pretty much the norm in foreign shores. The demand is driven by various factors such as increasing number of nuclear families and old parents staying at home with their children working in other cities.

The concept is now catching up in India — and catching up well — from Amritsar up north, to Shantiniketan in the east, Pune in west and Chennai down south.Truly pan-Indian.

“Those over 60 years who has been relieved of jobs can hardly find a place which can be called a home, where specific needs can be adequately taken care of. This is also the age when one does not wish to be bothered by nitty-gritties, Vinay Singhal, director Impact Senior Living Estates, told FC Estate.

As part of its 50-acre Impact Gardens project in Amritsar, the Impact group has planned to launch a niche residential project. The group has earmarked and carved out an area of eight acres in the project for the purpose. Modelled on similar schemes in the US and UK, the developer would charge a monthly fee and provide healthcare facilities, laundry services, housekeeping and round-the-clock security cover. The healthcare services would be provided by Fortis Healthcare and the financial services by the Religare Enterprises.

The project will be open for booking over the next couple of months. Each house is priced at an entry fee of Rs 20 lakh plus the basic maintenance fee of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per apartment per month. The construction begins in January 2010 and the flats will be ready for possession by mid 2011. The apartments will be available only for senior citizens above the age of 60 years.

The houses will be based on the lease model, wherein around 90 per cent of the appreciated amount would be paid. “This would ensure that the complex is housed only by the elderly,” points out said Singhal.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 50 crore in its first phase and Rs 70-75 crore in its second phase. It would have a total of 250 apartments wherein 100 flats will be multi-storied and the remaining 150 would be three-storied (ground + 2 floors). The residential units would range from 700 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft in area and would be fully furnished.

The developer also plans to replicate the model in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, at Panchkula near Mohali, Goa, Kerala, Gurgaon and Mumbai. “Our plan is to come up with 1000 apartments over the next five years. The total investment would be closed to Rs 500 crore, which would be sourced through a mix of debt, equity and strategic investment by the foreign players,” Singhal informs.

A similar scheme is being developed by Rosedale, a realty development firm, promoted by Santosh Mukherjee and Shyamal Sarkar, both US-based NRIs. They are promoting “Rosedale Garden”, an exclusive residential development for elders at Rajarhat in Kolkata. Rosedale has teamed up with Shrachi, a leading realty company in this part of the country, to put up Rosedale Garden.

“It is a general tendency among non-resident Indians (NRIs) to come back to their homeland after their professional stints in foreign countries. Averagely, their age is above 55-65 years when they plan their come-back and at this age and stage, they definitely deserve special treatment and honour. The concept of Rosedale Garden was born out of that,” a spokesman of the developer firm told FC Estate.

The complex, lush green landscape, houses 60 apartments customised to the special needs of the senior community. All the oldies need to do is to just walk in. The air-conditioned 1BHK flats will come with modern lifestyle amenities and a kitchenette with basic gadgets. Round-the-clock surveillance and CCTVs within the complex will ensure security of the residents. Keeping senior citizens in mind, the complex will provide 24x7 medical supervision with a full-time duty nurse on each floor. To ensure interactions with the other residents, a common recreational zone and a common kitchen will also be built, said the spokesman.

The apartments are of six different sizes—566 sq ft, 574 sq ft, 579 sq ft, 581 sq ft, 588 sq ft and 769 sq ft. And they come with price tags of Rs 13.58 lakh, Rs 13.77 lakh, Rs 13.89 lakh, Rs 13.94 lakh, Rs 14.11 lakh and Rs 18.45 lakh respectively.

The project also boasts of modern social infrastructure with air-conditioned community hall for social gatherings, a Wi-Fi enabled lounge, panic alarm, centralised gas bank, international standard club, swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play area, a golf course, cafeteria. doctor's room, spacious lobby, three lifts, nurse's room on every floor, 24-hr ambulance facility and generator for power backup, you name it.

“For us, all of them are special residents and, therefore, we are ensuring that well-trained nurses, physiotherapists and masseurs are deputed to provide ready healthcare to its residents,” the developers claim.

In West Bengal, Pragati 47, yet another real estate developer, has taken up a senior citizen’s service apartment project at Shantiniketan, Birbhum, albeit on a much larger scale. The group has bought a 197-acre land parcel at Bolpur, Shantiniketan to put up a public private partnership (PPP)-based social infrastructure project. It comprises senior citizen’s serviced residency, low budget hotel, healthcare facility, nurses’ institute, residential school and even a business school.

Bengal Peerless Housing Development Company, a joint venture company between the West Bengal housing board and Peerless group, is also keeping a part of its ambitious project, Sonar Taree, for old people looking for all comforts minus the slog.

Pune's Paranjape Schemes Construction, which launched Athashri, a retirement commune three years ago in Pashan, Baner, Bhavdhan and Magarpatta areas in Pune has sold out all its 900 apartments ranging from 1, 2 and 3 BHK with an area of 600 -900 sq ft exclusively catering to old people.

“The idea ‘old age new home’, was a hit and it was sold out. We are now planning to construct more such apartments in Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore”, Shrikant Paranjape, chairman of Paranjape Schemes Construction, told FC Estate.

Keeping in mind needs of the old people, the builder has provided amenities like swimming pool with walk therapy, Yoga, gymnasium, laughter club, apartments with safety and emergency doors, rooms with extra ventilation, and switch boards which are not too high.

The entire building is accessible on a wheel chair. Features include a kitchen platform three feet high so that a person on a wheel chair also can cook easily, lots of open space as well as a big garden and a terrace garden, emergency opening for bathrooms and toilets with emergency calling bells, wider doors for stretcher movement, 24X7 ambulance and first aid kit, community hall, library, party hall, common canteen and bus service.

Informs Paranjape, “These homes for the old also have clinics staffed by nurses 24X7 and doctors-on-call facility. As in a home, it is well looked after well by our staff”. Good news for golden oldies.