Category: Trends

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Dadar’s Kohinoor Square is India’s tallest building

Report certifies the under-construction building as tallest commercial structure at 203 metres; 12 other Mumbai buildings figure on the list.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The under-construction Kohinoor Square located at Dadar, has just got a good distinction – it was recently listed as the country’s tallest commercial building by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH). Standing at 203 metres, the building is a 52-storey diamond shaped tower that is currently in the last stages of construction.

The CTBUH report was released in October 2012, and lists, apart from Kohinoor Square, such buildings as Sunshine Tower, Marathon Futurex, Parinee I, MVRDC, Phiroze Jeejeebhoy Towers, IDBI Towers, Express Towers, Air India Building, CG House, Haj House, 247Park and Century Mills Tower as the city’s tallest skyscrapers. Of the 22 buildings listed by CTBUH, 13 are from Mumbai, while three each are from Bangalore and Gurgaon, two are from Noida and one is from Kolkata.

Kohinoor Square is said to be the only mixed-used development project in Mumbai, offering 40 floors of commercial space, 50,000 square feet of retail space and about 64 residential apartment spaces. There will also be a luxury hotel on top of the commercial tower.

“It enjoys a strategic location, with proximity to Dadar railway station and it is close to western and eastern expressways.  So, apart from being accessible to people travelling by train, it is also close to the Bandra-Worli sea link and both the expressways,” said Nathan Andrews, Chief Marketing Officer, Kohinoor Square.

Other plans for the building include 48 high-speed elevators along with 12 escalators, a car parking for 2,000 vehicles and an intelligent traffic management system, double height landscaped sky gardens and double height terraces with floor-to-ceiling glazing on every alternate floor.

“In order to have a green building and reduce our energy consumption by over 25 per cent, we have used double glazed reflective glass facades, which restrict the energy from coming in, but let in natural light, thereby reducing consumption of electricity,” said Nathan.

Measuring tallness

The CTBUH does not measure ‘tallness’ based on a building’s height alone – such parameters as height relative to the building’s context, proportion and technologies used for tall buildings (such as vertical transport and structural wind bracing) come into play when determining whether a building is tall or not.

(Pictures courtesy kohinoorsquare.in)

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Blow hot, blow cold

After a week of pleasant morning weather and night-time chills, the temperature’s rising in Mumbai. Warm weather will persist awhile.

It’s probably true what they say about Mumbai never really being very cold. However, last week and the beginning of this one brought a welcome respite both from this notion and hot mornings. Mumbai began its mornings in a cool breeze, and went to bed with the mercury dipping to as low as 15 Degrees Celsius.

For the last two days, however, the heat is on. The cold winds from the North that had made Mumbai’s weather such a delight to be in a few days ago, have all but disappeared, and have been replaced by warm easterly winds. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) contends that these warm winds have combined with low humidity levels to make temperatures in the city rise to as much as 35 Degree Celsius. Minimum temperatures recorded have been in the 24 to 22 Degree Celsius range.

What’s more, the temperatures are expected to be in the higher range this weekend, after which, another wave of cold winds may hit the city.

(Picture courtesy sierrasentinel.com)

 

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More Americans studying in India

12 per cent increase in numbers of Americans studying in India; however, India sent fewer students to US last year.
by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

The numbers of foreign students coming to India and its metros to pursue education are only increasing every year. And while the US still remains the destination of choice for most Indians wishing to pursue a post-graduate degree, a new trend to emerge in recent times is the rise in numbers of American students coming to India for studies.

As per the Open Doors 2012 report for 2011-2012, published by the Institute of International Education, a not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organisation in the US, 273,996 American students studied abroad for academic credit, an increase of one percent from previous years. The report says, “US students studying abroad increased in 17 of the top 25 destination countries. Five per cent more students studied in China and 12 per cent more students studied in India than in the prior year.”

Open Doors further reports that while the United Kingdom was still the top destination for American students , as also Italy, Spain, France and China, an increasing number of Americans were opting to study in “several non-traditional destinations outside Europe, such as Brazil, Costa Rica, India, and South Korea.” The increase in numbers of Americans coming to India in the 2011-2012 academic year has thus made India the 11th leading destination for away studies.

Further, in an effort to increase opportunities to study abroad in priority countries, the “State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs awarded 10 grants to expand capacity of American institutions to send US students abroad, and the capacity of host institutions overseas to receive them.”

Says Adam J Grotsky, Executive Director, United States India Educational Foundation (USIEF), “US universities are making strategic efforts to engage in India, which include comprehensive initiatives on India at their home campuses. US universities and study-abroad consortiums have developed more programmes in India, and I believe more American students are attracted to India because of the efforts made at their home institutions to teach about the economic, strategic and cultural importance of this region of the world.”

But Indians going to US have decreased

As per the report, there were increases in the numbers of students going to the US to study from 12 of the top 25 places of origin such as Brazil, China, France, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, and Vietnam. “At the same time, numbers declined from several major sending countries, including India (down by four per cent), South Korea, (down one per cent), and Japan (down six per cent). The factors driving these declines may include global and home country economic factors, growing higher education opportunities at home, and stronger employment opportunities at home after graduation.”

(Picture used for representational purpose only. Picture courtesy www.nvonews.com) 

 

 

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Looking to set up business? Try Afghanistan

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai says that Indian businesses are investing in his country. But are we game for new territory?
by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

The field is set for major Indian investment in Afghanistan. Or so says its President, Hamid Karzai. At a recent business session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), FICCI and ASSOCHAM in Mumbai, Karzai said that his country “is ripe and ready for investments from India and offers lots of opportunities for Indian industry…You need not worry about your investments. Not only will Afghan law protect you, but also Afghan people will add to your profits.”

Karzai added that Afghanistan’s forex reserves, including gold, had risen to $7 billion now from $180 million in 2002. “Those who came in the past few years like a telecom company with $5 million investment has now become $600-700 million and this applies to other sectors as well.” He spoke about the rich mineral resources in the country and said that already an Indian conglomerate is in talks for an iron ore mine and hoped a contract would be signed shortly.

The bilateral trade between the two countries is estimated to be over $600 million every year. Speaking on the occasion, CII President Adi Godrej said, “Our Government and us in the industry view Afghanistan as a key ally – This is underlined by the government of India’s announcement three days ago of $100 million to support small development projects in Afghanistan.” He outlined a five- point agenda to strengthen the ties between the two nations, suggesting that Afghanistan embrace a frugal innovation approach to help small and micro entrepreneurs and women under the small development projects in Afghanistan. He also suggested setting up an India Afghan business forum to promote economic cooperation.

 

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Of reshuffles and survival instincts

Humra Quraishi writes on Delhi’s recent Cabinet reshuffle, and how the common man has more serious issues to think of.

The recent Cabinet reshuffle in Delhi happened and within minutes, one could hear the rumblings of people reacting to the news of over 20 changes in the old team – wherever you went, you could hear people saying, “BJP , SP, BSP or Congress, there are thieves in each one of them!” The reshuffle doesn’t seem to have impressed anybody here, in fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult for politicians to sway today’s Indian with reshuffles and promises, whether at the Cabinet or the municipality level.

Placements and displacements, shifts in portfolio and power, changes and re-changes, moves and  counter moves…they are no longer good distracting tactics. Those days are gone, dear politicians!

The small screen, together with the likes of constant rabble rouser Arvind Kejriwal are responsible for bringing about a greater awareness about what really goes on in the corridors of power. This awareness is nudging the average Indian to look beyond the obvious, crane his neck to look for what goes on behind the faces and the people at centre stage, occasionally glance at the Right too. And with this increased awareness and greater surveillance by the media, skeletons are rapidly tumbling out of several high-profile closets.

Each time I see Arvind Kejriwal on TV, he looks frailer but more determined to fight the good fight. He  is  diabetic, so it is a sheer wonder that he is managing to take on the accompanying stresses of his campaign – and its invariable offshoots – and still going strong with mini or full-blown revolts.

These recent movements have certainly caused a churning in the political landscape, but its gathering momentum could well be derailed not by being trampled by police boots and brute force,  but simply because the man on the street, who can really drive this momentum, has more important things to do – like fight for his survival. Political shifts and rumblings go on almost parallel to the malnourishment and semi-starvation faced by the common man due to rising inflation. The daily  realities and ongoing struggles for survival are what take centre stage for the common man just now, so to expect him to have some more grit for a larger fight is a bit much.

And though I have never been to Egypt, I’ve keenly followed the unrest there, and seeing the average  Egyptian’s well-built form, I remember thinking that they seemed better fed and structured  than us Indians. Perhaps their good health helped them relentlessly march  towards Tahrir  Square. If we had a similar demonstration here, we would get bullied on the way by thugs, or at the very least, faint in the heat.

Humra Quraishi is a senior political journalist based in Gurgaon.

 (Picture courtesy PTI)

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Sweet khakras, anyone?

The ubiquitous khakras have found their way to the dessert section too. Is this just a fad or something more?
By Ritika Bhandari

Is this some kind of Willy Wonka trick? Who’s ever had khakras for dessert?!

My mum’s cousin believes that breakfast is only complete when you have finished it with a khakra spread with ghee. So much so, that for outstation tours, the dabba of khakra and ghee is always ready for him. As for me, give me a khakra spread with spicy seeng chutney, and I can have two of those for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snacks.

Despite khakras being made at home daily, you will still find the majority of Marwaris’ and Gujaratis’ making a beeline for the methi khakras, the pav bhaji ones and the pani puri-flavoured khakras at the many farsan stores in Mumbai.

During one such sojourn to the khakra aisle, I chanced upon ‘Roasted Pepper Chocolate Khakra’ and the more fanciful ‘Roasted Pepper Vanilla Khakra’. While one was a chocolatey circle, the other was a white one. Not ready to try it, I searched for another food item to munch on. Yet, something about those two variants got me.

I needed to know if this was just tempered chocolate shaped like a khakra with a slight curve in the centre. Or was this really a genuine attempt to introduce this dish in the dessert arena? And within two hours of buying the whole packet, I knew. They were khakras for sure! The same thin, crunchy, crispy and unmistakable taste of a khakra infused with the lightest vanilla flavour. If your palate isn’t strong, you might just miss it.

But the chocolate khakras, they are worthy of their dark flavour. Just one bite and you want to eat more. The best part about these sweet khakras is their not-so-overwhelming taste and flavour. It does not reek of essence, as one would imagine.

So how do I make everyone eat them without making them look like khakras? Maybe cut triangular decorative pieces as a garnish for the chocolate mousse? Or maybe with some fruit on top, the roasted pepper chocolate and vanilla khakras can be a twist on the traditional nachos and dip dish. What do you think? Any Mumbai Willy Wonkas at hand?

 (Pictures courtesy www.thatsthesecretformula.blogspot.com, Ritika Bhandari)

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