Alibag: Sameer A Nerurkar, the managing director of Samira Constructions, is today the largest and reputed land developer in Alibag, a town in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.

Samira Constructions was initiated in 1995 and the business emphasis is on ‘developing Alibag’ — offering expansive residential land, abundant in water reserves, in pollution-free zones. He is in charge of handling strategic planning, marketing and business development.

Two of the most successful projects in the market are:

• Samira Palms. At Nagaon, it lies within a palm grove and is about an eight-minute walk from the Nagaon Beach — a complete horticulture project.
• Samira Complex. This 70-acre verdant land is situated along the Alibag-Roha state road, which is approximately six kilometres from Alibag city.

In the planning stage is the third venture, Samira Woods, located on the Alibag-Roha state road. This property has an area of about 50 acres and overlooks a hamlet and the sea — it ecologically synergises the rustic flavour of the village and the benefits of Alibag’s infrastructure.

Recreating nirvana and utopia off Alibag is this 35-year-old’s business focus. Excerpts from an interview:

Today, Mumbai seems overcrowded and there is a penchant among people to move away to less crowded places, or rather look for their own space. What does Alibag have to offer?
To begin with, Alibag, known for its swaying palms, quaint little villages, virgin beaches and rejuvenating fresh air, is just the right place for a weekend getaway for all the busy and stressed Mumbaiites. It is at the moment accessible within a distance of 110 kms, approximately two-and-a-half hours by road from Mumbai and an hour’s journey by the catamaran.

With the proposed road link projects, namely the Sewri-Uran link and the Uran-Rewas link, Alibag would be accessible by road within an hour’s time. By the year 2010, Alibag is likely to become a part of Mumbai.

Alibag is also known for its scenic beaches, forts and landscapes, making it one of the favourite weekend getaways for many Mumbaiites. Being a Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation-certified tourist zone makes the land in Alibag extremely valuable. Besides, it is also a fully developed township with all the modern amenities.

How did the idea of Samira evolve, and how did you get the necessary approvals for it?
The idea of venturing into Alibag came after a detailed study of the area, like what it had to offer and its proximity to Mumbai. Approvals are not a big hurdle if you know the rules and have decided that you would abide by them. One also needs to be sensitive to the laws of nature and not indulge in any development that would alter the ecological balance in the area of development.

Was tradition part of the consideration in determining the rules?
Yes, tradition has to be respected and the locals need to be taken into confidence whenever a new initiative is taken. Nobody is against progress.

What went into the planning of Samira as a project — legally and otherwise?
Mainly, a thorough land check and due diligence of the property. We also consider the aesthetic appeal of the place before finalising it.

How is the project legally enforced? Do the authorities just look at the blueprints, or do they also make some kind of direct measurement?
The authorities do a thorough check before they approve a project — surveys, title clearance... It is a time-consuming and long process. They need to be convinced about the company handling the project.

Do you have any architects involved in the project? On what basis do you select them?
Yes, we do have architects empanelled with us and also those who work for us full-time. It is rather important for all those who work with us to share the same vision and dream of Alibag. The rest is about detailed working on projects — that is their job. After all we are selling dreams.

What are Samira’s objectives and how is the development different from other developers or agents in the area — more so, in comparison to other developers in Mumbai?
The idea is not to compete with other developers in the area, but to give the customer a unique offering that is value for money as well as within easy reach.

What do you think people’s views are on investing in Alibag? What is it they look for in the place? How competitive is the marketing of these ventures?
Many in Mumbai and in the nearby places are in need of a break from the monotonous work-environment. There is a need for them to move out of the hustle and bustle and beat the stress, preferably with family, as often as they can. The chosen place needs to be a nice one, with good security, a clean environment and within easy reach from Mumbai. Our projects offer all of the above, and more.

What does the future hold for you?
The scope of such weekend getaways and country homes is tremendous. Like I said, at Samira Constructions, we are selling dreams. So one needs to offer a good value-proposition to the customer.