The Hindu Business Line : Advantage, senior citizens

We live in an age where average life expectancy has grown enormously. Consider these statistics: All over the globe, a million persons turn 60 and over a hundred thousand turn 80 each month! Naturally, housing equipped with the specialised age-related needs was a phenomenon waiting to happen.

Two-pronged approach

Perhaps, the first developer to identify and act upon this emerging need was the Pune-based Paranjape Schemes.

Nearly five years ago, they established the Athashri Foundation, a proactive outfit with a vision of the senior generation’s needs. Says Mr Shashank Paranjape, Managing Director, Paranjape Schemes, “the Foundation is a non-profit and charitable organisation, registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956. It adopts a two-pronged approach and takes into consideration both specific physical and psychological needs.”

Over the last five years since its inception, four Athashri senior citizens’ housing complexes have been established at Pune, beginning with the one at Pashan in 2002 that was followed with a second phase at the same location.

Since the concept became extremely popular, two other complexes were built at Bavdhan and Hadapsar. A fifth is currently under construction at Baner, accounting for nearly 700 residential units at Pune.

Hassle-free

The Athashri tag brings an assurance in its wake. The complexes are wheel chair enabled and have recreational facilities like a club house, pool, gym and card rooms, canteen facilities (residents need not cook!), a daily bus service to the ‘outside’ and doctors, paramedic staff and ambulance service on call.

A resident manager takes care of the day-to-day running of the complex, which includes organising entertainment programmes and activities for the residents.

The residential units too, today costing around Rs 3,200 sq ft, plus a one-time maintenance fee, are senior-citizen friendly.

Wide corridors, grab bars along the walls, anti-skid tiles in bathrooms are part of the specifications.

Over the last five years, the concept has gained so much brand equity in Pune and evoked such an overwhelming response that the Paranjapes are crossing State borders. A 300-unit project is already in progress near Whitefield at Bangalore. This year, the company intends to expand further and launch Athashri in Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Goa and Mumbai as well.

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