A paradise for nature lovers

Located a mere five minutes away from Hitech City, Kondapur boasts of some great apartments, plenty of green spaces and fresh air

The saying ‘never judge a book by its cover’ holds true for Kondapur. Your drive to Kondapur is guaranteed to throw up some chaotic traffic and bad roads. However, once you get off the main road and drive towards the botanical gardens you’re met with plenty of greenery and fresh air. And with Hitech City just around the corner, the area is hugely popular with the IT crowd. Maybe this is why real estate agents say investing here is a wise decision. Postnoon spoke to residents to check if Kondapur is really as good as real estate agents claim.

Why Kondapur

“Location, location, location,” said KM Vishwanathan, a resident of Kondapur, when asked why he chose Kondapur as home, “having a botanical garden in the area, we get clean and fresh air.” However, for Hima Bindu, who has been living in the locality since November last year, it’s all about its proximity to the IT hub. “Besides, my daughter’s school is located at a short distance from home too,” she added.

“Kondapur is the closest, most affordable area as well as a five minute drive from Hitech City. This is why I chose this over Madhapur and Miyapur,” said Vishawanathan.

Rental and Property Rates

Although not inexpensive, property in Kon­dapur is about 20 per cent cheaper th­an it is at Madhapur and Hitech City. Rents however are affordable. “I pay Rs.15,­000 a month for my three-bedroom fla­t. Flats here are big in size and lighter on the pocket,” Hima said. But buying a flat here can set you back Rs.3500 a square foot.

Schools and Hospitals

Good schools are aplenty here, with 11 listed in the yellow pages. “There are some great schools here, but if you still don’t find one to match your liking there are several other good ones just outside the locality as well,” said Smita Bhosle, who has been living for six years now.

But when it comes to healthcare, there’s not much Kondapur can boast of. “Although I have been living and working here since three years, I know of only one corporate hospital and that is three kilometres away. Nonetheless, there are many clinics for out-patients,” said Vishwanathan. Smita said that there is an urgent need for a big hospital in the area for emergencies.

Security

Padmaja Sai, who works as a teacher in a pre-school here, said that ever since she has been living in the area, she has never heard of any thefts or crimes taking place here. “It’s a safe area and residents are satisfied with it. I have lived in two areas in this locality and I too have felt safe here though it does get deserted by night. Police patrol the area often. Despite the fact that most homes in the area are empty at night since most of the residents work night shifts, the area is secure,” said Smita.

Connectivity

But the area lacks adequate public transport, making connectivity an issue. “Unless you have your own vehicle, you are stuck here. There are few buses along this route and the MMTS station is 8 kilometres away,” ishwanathan said. “I always use a car to commute as public transport is almost nil. Unless you are prepared to use shared autorickshaws, you are going to have a tough time,” warned Smita. The roads are wide and with enough lung space, driving to and within the area is a breeze, say residents.

Water and Electricity

The common complain of residents is that they only have access to borewell water. “Manjee­ra (governmen­t) water isn’t available. Otherwise there is adequate water here,” said Padmaja. “There are hour-long power-cuts but that is the case everywhere. There is power backup in most apartments. That privilege comes when you live in newly built flats in a developing area,” said Hima.

Do you like it here?

“It isn’t a great place to invest in. As most of the people here have migrated from outside the City, they don’t plan to stick here for too long. So buying a property here is questionable,” opined Smita. Echoes Hima, “There is only one grocery shop in the area where we live. Apart from being close to the IT hub, there isn’t much in Kondapur.”

But for Vishwanathan it is this very feature that is appealing. “You are disconnected from the world, yet connected to it. I love it here,” he concluded.

Tags: apartments, fresh air, green spaces, Hitech City, IT crowd, kondapur, location

Category: City, City News