<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/30982990.cms" /> With so many highway movies doing the rounds, sojourning from city to city and state to state feels like a romantic prelude to a long <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> of self-discovery – till reality strikes. And just like a movie, the reality can be multilayered – varying from bad roads to gasping traffic and minimal road safety. But we promised you relief from those travelling conditions the next time we return with our <keyword id="2053047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Open-roads">Open Roads</keyword> series. And here we are, with more information about a whole new bunch of <keyword id="2074695" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Intracity-and-inter-city-expressways">intracity and inter-city expressways</keyword> that not only reduce <keyword id="4251245" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Commute-time">commute time</keyword> but also reshape a country’s landscape, <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> and way of life. In the last slideshow of this series, the journey begins from the <keyword id="44875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="West-coast">west coast</keyword> and goes down south. 
 As we have mentioned before, expressways are limited-access roads designed for high-speed traffic. The economic impact of an <keyword id="2074705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Expressway-network">expressway network</keyword> criss-crossing the country is all too obvious and the <keyword id="6404450" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Road-Transport-and-Highways">Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</keyword> (MoRTH) has already recommended a total <keyword id="2074707" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-way-network">e-way network</keyword> of about 18,637 km in the country. Development work is being done in three phases and is scheduled to be completed by 2022. During the Interim Budget, <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="43940" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram">P Chidambaram</keyword> also told the Parliament the road network in the country witnessed over sevenfold increase at 3.89 lakh km over the past decade. 
 Does that mean we may soon see an <keyword id="2074709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-way-ecosystem">e-way ecosystem</keyword> similar to the interstate system in the US? Given the obstacles in terms of <keyword id="6364579" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Land-acquisition">land acquisition</keyword>, <keyword id="414903" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="fund-crunch">fund crunch</keyword> and <keyword id="2074714" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Slow-implementation">slow implementation</keyword>, it’s definitely going to take some time. Meanwhile, hop into the driver’s seat and go off exploring some super-fast roads you have not travelled yet. After all, it’s a journey with no end… and wheels will always need roads. 
 
Image: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Be It Intracity Or
Inter-city, These 5 Expressways Make Travelling A Breeze

Karnataka government has submitted to the High Court that it has issued order to attach the movable and immovable assets of former state minister, R. Roshan Baig, who is an accused in the multi-crore <keyword id="667927" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ponzi-scam">Ponzi scam</keyword> of I-Monetary Advisory (IMA) group of companies. The state government submitted its report on Wednesday. On June 12, the High Court had slammed the state government over the delay in taking a decision on attaching the properties of eight-time <keyword id="381991" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress-legislator">Congress legislator</keyword>, Baig, under the provisions of the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments (KPIDE) Act, even two months after the court passed the order to do so. A division bench of <keyword id="42759" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-Justice">Chief Justice</keyword> Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj on June 12 had granted the government two weeks' time. After this rap, the state government submitted to the High Court that it has issued a notification on July 6 attaching around 20 immovable and movable assets of the former Minister located in various parts of the city. The state government also submitted another notification under the Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishment Act, 2004, attaching a sum of Rs 62.26 crore paid in excess to the 100 top depositors of the IMA group who had received the amount in excess of their principal deposit amounts from out of the deposits of the IMA group. The copies of the notifications were submitted before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj during the hearing of a batch of <keyword id="6355791" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PIL">PIL</keyword> petitions related to the scam. The attached assets were those declared by Baig in his nomination papers when contesting elections to the <keyword id="144407" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-Assembly">state Assembly</keyword> in 2018 and the present market value of these properties are yet to be declared after being assessed by the jurisdictional sub-registrars, it was stated in the notification. The notification has also indicated the values of these properties, around Rs 15-Rs 16 crore, as declared by Baig in his affidavit filed before the Election Commission of India. The notification issued by the government also lists properties including a commercial building developed in joint development (<keyword id="48584" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="JDA">JDA</keyword>) on the Hosur Road (with 33 per cent share), a commercial building on the Residency Road, houses on Sanders Road, Cleveland Road and sites each in HBR Layout, Fraser Town and Cleaveland Road. The notification submitted to the court also stated that the government had found that Baig had played a key role in the promotion of the IMA Group obtaining financial gains. Baig, an eight-time legislator, was minister in the Congress-led governments in the state from 1985 onwards. He emerged as one of the influential leaders in the Congress till 2019 when his name cropped in this ponzi scam. He chose to cross over to the BJP along with 17 rebel MLAs from the Congress and JD(S). In November 2020, the CBI had arrested Baig from his residence in Bengaluru as part of the investigation. He was then sent to judicial custody for 14 days. To date, the CBI has registered four cases, and filed three charge sheets and three supplementary charge sheets against 33 people in the case. IMA group of companies were founded in 2013 onwards and I-Monetary Advisory Private Limited was presented as an Islamic banking company to investors. It is alleged that the company defrauded more than a lakh investors to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore over a period of time. This is not the first time that Baig family's name has cropped up in such multi-crore scam, his younger brother Rehan Baig was one of the accused in the infamous multi-crore fake stamp paper scam which is also known as Telagi scam in the state. Rehan was arrested when Baig was serving as minister in then Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna's cabinet. Then too accusations flew thick that Baig was involved in the scam as a result of which he was forced to quit Krishna's cabinet in 2000 SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/cryptocurrencies-exchanges-can-run-into-trouble-with-investors/articleshow/84205889.cms">Cryptocurrencies aren't all diamonds and roses — lawsuits from people who lost big are piling up with exchanges</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/simple-energy-new-electric-scooter-promises-240km-range-on-a-70-minute-charge/articleshow/84164967.cms">This new electric scooter promises 240KM range on a 70-minute charge, could be priced under ₹1,20,000</a>

A former Karnataka minister accused of a Ponzi scam may see his assets frozen soon

Mumbai, Apr 23 () The Indian automobile industry, already dented by a protracted slowdown before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, is now staring at a severe and prolonged disruption due to domestic and global lockdowns and supply chain interruptions, a report said on Thursday. Currently, India sources 80-85 per cent of components for all vehicle segments domestically, mainly from clusters such as the National Capital Region (NCR, including Gurgaon, Manesar, Faridabad and Greater Noida), Pune (including Chakan, Talegaon and Ranjangaon) in Maharashtra, Mysuru in Karnataka, and Sriperumbudur and Hosur in Tamil Nadu. The rest is sourced through imports. "If rising COVID-19 infections lead to the lockdown being extended again in NCR and Pune clusters, there would be a material disruption in component supplies to vehicle makers - both sourced locally and imported," Ajay Srinivasan, director at rating agency Crisil Research, said. "Any extension of lockdown would dramatically increase the sourcing risk for products such as cast engine parts and transmission drives because major capacities are located in the Pune and Delhi-NCR belts. Passenger vehicles and two-wheelers will be particularly impacted since these two clusters are their major source of components," he added. According to Crisil, while tractors, which have medium-to-high dependence on NCR and Tamil Nadu, also face supply risk, the commercial vehicles are unlikely to be affected much because they source across clusters. As for imports, India is dependent on China for critical components such as electronic control chips, engine control units and sensors. If logistics between the two countries remains disrupted for longer, it may translate into higher procurement costs due to airlifting, the rating agency said in its report. Also, imports of engine components and drive transmission from the US and Germany are likely to be adversely impacted if manufacturing in these regions takes time to bounce back. For other components, there is a moderate dependence on imports. These include alloy wheels, which are mostly imported from countries in south-east Asia and China, it said, adding the two-wheeler players dependent on such imports could be affected. Going beyond these counts, logistics is also expected to cause some anxiety for vehicle makers, which mostly use the JNPT, Chennai and Mundra ports, and have about 95 per cent of goods transported from ports to manufacturing plants through roadways, according to the report. "Congestion following slower clearance of goods at ports stemming from labour shortage and lack of significant uptake in export volumes are expected to push up shipping freight rates, and also extend the turnaround times via road. This will drive up the cost for supply chains in the short term," said Hemal N Thakkar, associate director, Crisil Research. IAS ABMABM

Longer lockdown to badly hurt auto component clusters in NCR, Pune: Crisil Research

<ul><li>Co-working spaces in India believe that the impact from <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> is short term for them. </li><li>Experts believe that the values of co-working – flexibility, cheaper costs – will kick in soon and the industry will see a decent upsurge when things stabilise.</li><li>Some co-working spaces have already begun to see the slow rise in demand coming through. </li></ul>Empty seats and desks, no bustling startup discussions and absolutely no networking environments. Co-working spaces which were built on the idea of community and bringing people from different walks of life to an open floor office, now face threat from the very idea they thrive on. The coronavirus lockdown has seen India's busiest streets sport a ghost town look while 1.3 billion people stayed home. India's booming IT industry and the startup ecosystem had made the tough decision to begin work from home even before the lockdown was put in place. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75531518" title="Two in five companies in India that enabled remote working by providing laptops to employees compromised on security" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> And this has proven costly for India's co-working spaces. Tenants are not only raising their voice and want rent waivers for the time they worked from home, but also their return seems unlikely because of the coronavirus scare. Many co-working spaces are working with their landlords and tenants to figure out an agreeable solution. “There are three elements with which we work – fixed rental, fixed operating cost and a variable operations cost. So, we are working with our current members as well as landlords to bridge the gap and offer some concessions,” said Amit Ramani, founder of Awfis. Here’s how prices differ from co-working spaces and conventional offices spaces across top Indian cities <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Place </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Co-working </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Conventional office </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mumbai: Grade A office spaces in CBD (central business district) areas like South Mumbai and Bandra Kurla Complex </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹18,000–27,000/desk/month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹24,500–30,000/desk/month </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mumbai: Grade A office spaces in SBD (secondary business district) areas like Lower Parel, Andheri Kurla Road </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹12,000–18,000/desk/month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹15,000–18,000/desk/month </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Delhi: Grade A office spaces in CBD areas like Connaught Place </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹13,000–19,000/desk/month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹20,000–25,000/desk/month </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Delhi: Grade A office spaces in SBD areas like South-East Delhi and Delhi International airport, East Delhi and North Delhi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹5,000–10,000/desk/month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹10,000–20,000/desk/month </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bengaluru: Grade A office spaces in CBD areas like M.G. Road, Millers Road, Vittal Mallya Road and Residency Road </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹7,000–15,000/desk/month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹10,000–18,000/desk/month </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bengaluru: Grade A office spaces in SBD areas like Koramangala, Bannerghatta, Hosur road, Electronic City </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹3,600–8000/desk/month </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹6,500–15,000/desk/month </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: ANAROCK The tide will turn However, co-working owners think the situation is going to turn into their favour soon. Ramani said that obviously, in the next three-six months all co-working spaces are going to grapple with the situation. “But what we see in the mid term, when hopefully the curve has flattened, <keyword id="1659180" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coworking">coworking</keyword> spaces actually have a good opportunity. This is because of the flexibility we offer,” said Ramani. “We don’t give a 6-year lock in for our tenants, they are free to choose their lock in. We convert a capital investment into an operating cost – you are basically paying a service fee. Then comes the network we offer – you don’t have an office in one location, you can be spread across five locations,” he added. Experts too believe that these factors will boost their growth, again. “Coworking is likely to see subdued demand over the next few quarters, but will also see the fastest revival - the pandemic pressures will eventually ease out many businesses will look to restart in these flexible <keyword id="1559422" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Workspaces">workspaces</keyword>,” said Ashutosh Limaye, Director &amp; Head - Consulting, ANAROCK Property Consultants. Green shoots? Some co-working spaces have already begun to see the slow rise in demand coming through. GoFloaters, which provides an on-demand office network, told Business Insider that it has already been receiving a lot of queries from companies who want to be leaner or want to follow a hybrid-remote model of work post lockdown. “Our on-demand office spaces would help businesses reduce their spend on office spaces anywhere between 20% to 80% on an average. As we are into hyperlocal and neighbourhood space models, we have also invested time increasing our spread in each of our cities. This would help professionals and businesses find spaces closer to home yet work remotely,” said Shyam Sundar Nagarajan, co-founder CEO of GoFloaters. Another win for co-working will also come from the fact that companies will have to practice social distancing within their campuses, which means they might have to station some employees in different locations. The <keyword id="1967222" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="future-of-work">future of work</keyword> is flexible With lockdown 3.0, offices allowed to keep a minimum occupancy rate, ABL Workspaces has already opened doors. The co-working company is undertaking deep cleaning and sanitization of its workplace regularly. “To regain optimal cash flow, even larger business enterprises with their owned places will be looking for more affordable workplaces, which is where co-working spaces will come in. So, we are confident that with the benefits that we as a co-working player have to offer, we will be able to bounce in no time,” said Akshita Gupta, Co-Founder and CMO of ABL Workspaces. Due to <keyword id="8772552" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid19">Covid19</keyword>, the global economy is also in recession which also means companies will be cutting corners. We have already seen this happening in India with job cuts across industries. In the post covid era, companies are going to continue to be extra careful and that’s also when they could turn to co-working. “As a space platform, GoFloaters is helping companies of all sizes reduce the burden of fixed real estate costs either by giving them on-demand workspaces or by letting out their excess capacity. Going by the trend and current global phenomenon the future of work is going to revolve around the flexibility to work remotely, no commute culture and on-demand services,” said Nagarajan. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/goldman-sachs-deloitte-ey-and-other-top-audit-firms-hiring-this-week/articleshow/75525940.cms">Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, EY and other top audit firms hiring this week</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/iit-launches-a-covid-19-test-bus-in-mumbai-capable-of-conducting-5-million-tests-per-month/articleshow/75546462.cms">IIT launches a Covid-19 Test Bus in Mumbai — capable of conducting 5 million tests per month</a>

Covid-19 threatens to kill co-working ⁠— but the owners believe it will only get cheaper and better

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/57750441.cms" />If you find saplings on the pillars in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bengaluru&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Bengaluru</a>, don’t be surprised as the residents of the<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=startup&amp;sortorder=effectivedate"> startup</a> hub have found a way to fight <keyword id="13001" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="pollution">pollution</keyword> in the city. 
 
A NGO, ‘<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SayTrees/">Say Trees</a>’, along with residents of Bengaluru want their city to be known as ‘garden city’ yet again and are making vertical gardens. 
In the first move, people planted as many as 3500 saplings on the pillars of Hosur Road flyover, which became Bengaluru's first vertical garden. 
 Over 3,500 saplings of 10 different species have already been planted in the organic garden. Also, an automated drip irrigation system will water these saplings every day and the volunteers of <keyword id="1768909" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="say-trees">Say Trees</keyword> will maintain the vertical garden. 
 
The garden on each side of the pillar is designed to increase its aesthetic value. SayTrees says it aims to cover all pillars of the over 9-kilometre flyover with similar vertical gardens and hopes 
 
SayTrees explains they are a motley group of individuals - "software engineers at work and passionate tree lovers at heart." 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="http://cms.timesinternet.in/cms/app/image?wfid=175863" />

Shout out to Indian cities! Look what Bengaluru is doing to fight pollution

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47640036.cms" />E-Commerce giants like <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> and <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> are banking on their pilot projects and racing towards small towns and rural areas to build customer base. 
 
For instance, Amazon is seeing growth in the industrial town of Tumkur, northwest of Bengaluru, thanks to a month-old pilot. A dedicated rural e-Commerce distribution centre manned by local youth in the town has now reduced the delivery time from over a week to two to three days. 
 
"Unlike big cities where e-Commerce delivery guys spend hours on the road carrying heavy packages, life is much more simple here - I can deliver 12 packages in a couple of hours," said Doddaiah, who stays in a nearby village, and rides on his Honda motorcycle every day for delivery. 
 
Amazon, which started with an average of 10 packages daily, now ships around 150 packages in and around Tumkur. Other tier-II towns like Davangere and Hosur in Tamil Nadu too are part of the pilot. 
 
Likewise, Flipkart last year piloted a plan to sell Motorola phones to rural consumers by setting up local networks of entrepreneurs who marketed the product. 
 
One of the residents, Mohan Kumar, had ordered an HTC smartphone on Monday and was pleasantly surprised to get delivery of the product the very next day. "It's really fast now; my daughter will be thrilled," he told Economic Times, receiving the shipment from Doddaiah. 
 
The phone was shipped from Amazon's Hosakote warehouse located on the outskirts of Bengaluru city the same day it was ordered online. 
 
"We are trying to create a rural-urban bridge," Madan Padaki, the founder of Head Held High, a skills development and employment company which runs these centres in smaller towns and rural India for various eCommerce companies, told ET. "These centres will provide distribution, customer acquisition, lead generation and sales as a service to ecommerce companies," said Padaki. 
 
The demand from small towns and rural India can no longer be ignored. ET reported that in Sira in Tumkur district, Padaki found that out of 224 people surveyed, 57% accessed internet on their smartphones - like Mohan Kumar, the HTC customer - but only 4% had used it for ecommerce, quite unlike Kumar. 
 
"That's a huge opportunity. Essentially, you have people with internet on the phone. The next logical thing is to use it for commerce," Padaki told the financial daily. 
However, retailing in rural India has its own challenges. For instance, Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar, the retail arm of DCM Shriram Consolidated, had to restrict sales only to fuels in 2013 due to unpredictability of demand and losses. 
 
"Now companies only have very loose control over the seller distribution system in rural areas. So they will have to set up completely new models of distributing," Siddharth Singh, associate professor at Indian School of Business told ET. 
 
The financial daily reported Amazon had tied up with India Post to service 19,000 pincodes and Flipkart has been beefing up its delivery staff in over 1,000 cities. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Amazon and Flipkart are riding on pilot projects to capture market in small towns

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48066883.cms" /> 
Ever dreamt of owning a property in the uber chic locales of South Mumbai, or maybe the posh Lutyens estates in Delhi or even the residential stronghold of Indiranagar in Bangalore? For most, it remains a pipe dream. It’s one thing to have the financial muscle to afford real estate in these localities, but you have to even pull strings, know the ‘right’ people and have a social standing to be considered a candidate for developers. For the majority of the aspirational middle class who dream of bolstering their financial and personal portfolio, is there then a different approach that could bring them closer to this dream? 
 
One place to begin with is the up and coming localities outside your mainstream metropolitan cities, which could result in substantial returns and also form a good future residential option. But buyers typically display hesitancy towards purchasing land in the outskirts of the cities. The primary reasons for their uncertainty are availability of basic amenities, the scope of economic and business growth, lack of entertainment and community options and the value of the investment. 
 
If chosen right, these typically off beat options can provide a double benefit of being affordable due to low rates now and would provide a substantial return on investment. Most of these locatlities are undiscovered location and have the huge potential for profits. Developers with a keen eye for future development plan projects accordingly and identifying them and choosing your localities well will define the success of your real estate endeavour. Be first to recognise the growth potential of these areas and invest wisely. We try and make it simpler for you through this article on some of the hottest investment destinations across 4 states of India. 
 
1.Lepakshi, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh 
 
Lepakshi is a charming area in the Southern state of Andhra Pradesh, 15 km east of Hindupur and 120 km north of Bengaluru. Not only is Lepakshi deep rooted culturally, but it is making a mark economically as well. Due to its proximity to important metros and industrial hubs combined with ease of accessibility, this area has great scope for real estate investment. The area is very close to the national highway, adjacent to the upcoming Lepakshi knowledge hub and only 50 minutes away from Bengaluru international airport. The unique point of this area is the fertility of land, development in nearby sectors and convenience as basic civic amenities are available. Lepakshi knowledge hub, which is a key highlight of the growing economic prowess of this area includes an Aerospace and Defence centre, education and innovation hub, free trade warehouses, health and wellness centres, a media and entertainment city, global village to name a few. 
 
The area is viable second home option for developers who already have projects or land in Lepakshi as it has availability of underground water pipe, electricity lines, fencing and fertile land. The Indian Institute of Science, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Ltd, DRDL, Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation and Electronics Corporation India Limited are proposing to set up their units within the Lepakshi Knowledge Hub. Airbus, commercial aircraft manufacturers, also have proposed to set up shop in the area. Anantapur has potential of becoming an industrial hub for aircraft parts and maintenance. The growth rate of the location is promising as the scope of further development is high. 
 
2.Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu 
 
Dharmapuri is a district situated in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu, which came into existence in the year 1965. The present Dhramapuri was part of Salem district and even under British rule it was part of Taluks of Salem District. Investing in this location promises high returns, because of several places of interest like Hogenakkal Falls is 46 km away from the district. 
 
The location is currently under the Free Zone until explicit permission is being granted by the government to change it. The unique aspect of this area is the affordable rates. Investing in this area is easier because of clear titles and the land is close to major economic growth zone. Coupling this with the choice of an experienced and trustworthy developer will more or less ensure that the investment will be fruitful due to the massive scope of development. 
 
The NH 7 road is also being upgraded which will impact the connectivity and the road will bypass Dhrampuri, Kaveripattanam and Periyampatti on its way to Salem. Tanflora Infrastructure Park promoted by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation adds another dimension to Dharmapuri. The venture promotes floriculture near Hosur and Tamil Nadu area, providing infrastructure, post harvest logistics and marketing facilities. 
 
3.Bagepalli Taluka, Chikaballapur District, Karnataka 
 
Bagepalli is a municipal town situated 100 km north of Bangalore and located in Chikballapur district. The destination is perfect for a weekend getaway with rich historical significance. Gummanayakana Palya, 20 km from Bagepalli, is comprised of Bagepalli Taluka portions of Hindupur and Kandukur in the Presidency state of Madras. 
 
Investing in this location will lead to good returns with purchase at low prices. All the basic amenities like water, electricity, medical centre and others along with infrastructure necessities are present in the town. The location is a mere 6 km away from Bengaluru- Hyderabad highway (NH-7) and 75 km away from Bengaluru international airport. 
 
KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board) has already acquired approximately 1000 acres for a major industrial plant in the vicinity which will lead to the rise of a prominent industrial hub in the future. The area has promising investing options for land, residential and vacation homes. Purchasing or investing a project in this area makes sound investment sense as the area is on the verge of industrial and government development. Connect with a developer who has a presence in the area as they can provide more amenities and fencing. 
 
4.Pavlani, Ratnagiri District, Mandangad Taluka, Maharashtra 
 
Pavlani Village is located in Ratnagiri district of Mandangad Taluka. The area is a popular tourist belt with a rich heritage. One of the favourite attractions is Harihareshwar beach which is surrounded by four hills. The primary rationale behind investing in this location is the threshold of developmental activities going around the area and around Dapoli. With the building of the Mumbai Sawantwadi Expressway going on, the proximity and connectivity will enhance. 
 
Another growth trigger is Dapoli place, which is few hours away from the location. The location of hills gives opportunity for adventurous sports and camping. The amenities are present and the land is suitable for agriculture. It is an ideal investment option, especially for those looking for investments close to Mumbai and Pune cities in Maharashtra. 
 
Dapoli is another town near Pavlani village, which has one of the oldest schools and notable agricultural university, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth. The area is undergoing development plans by the government and private players. The prices are low and have great potential for profits. 
 
Conclusion 
While there are many such hidden real estate gems across India with high growth potential, it takes an experienced eye to identify potential before it becomes mainstream knowledge and reaches saturation point, a feature you may have experienced regularly with suburbs outside the metros. Apart from identifying these locations, it is imperative that you choose a developer who is trustworthy by virtue of experience and past credentials in these locations so they know market movements and trends early on. Choose well on both fronts and there could be a financial windfall coming your way. 
 
(This article is written by Lansel D`souza, Senior Vice President, Expat Projects and Development Pvt. Ltd.) 
 
(Image : Thinkstock)

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