Namaste

This is IndiansUnite,the new infra author on the blog. Now lets not get into the intricate reason for such a name but lets get down to business. Since I joined the Skyscrapercity forum ,I have chiefly been providing updates on major infrastructure projects – from the under construction Delhi Metro Rail to the Mumbai Metro Rail to the Bangalore Elevated Toll Highway and so forth in the form of images and news.

As an author of this shiny new blog, starting this sunday, I will provide updates on all major infrastructure projects on a weekly basis for now. This includes updates on Indias new highways under the National Highway Development Plan(NHDP) , news from the various Metro rails planned and under construction, city road infrastructure (grade separators ,underpasses) and updates on airports and transportation from all over Indiyeah!

Signing off
IU

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MUMBAI | Residence Antilia | 173m | 27 floors — Tallest Single Residence, Tallest Living Wall and Tallest Garden… and a Revolution in Skyscraper design

Residence Antilia, Altamount Road, Mumbai, India

…Tallest Single Residence, Tallest Living Wall and Tallest Garden… and a Revolution in Skyscraper design

Like it, love it, or hate it, Mumbai is soon to be home to one of the world’s greenest, and most revolutionary skyscrapers in recent decades.

Designed as a controversial landmark project for Reliance Corporation, and a building that will also be the residence of Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, the Perkins + Will-designed 27 storey tower already under construction is planned to be the greenest in Mumbai. Like most capital projects there, and reflective of Indian architecture and ancient Indian Vaastu Design, these buildings are to be garden buildings that, also being skyscrapers, appropriately embody the garden-in-the-sky concept.

Residence Antilia goes one step further. It is designed as the largest and tallest “living wall” in the world — a seamless, vertical garden that encompasses all walls of the building climbing to the 40th floor. A modern day Hanging Gardens with a revolutionary design that stretches the boundaries of architecture and engineering, and questions traditional skyscraper design.

But like all things, erm, ‘Skyscrapery’ in Mumbai, this project is not without its controversy. Ignoring the issue of “if” it should be built, I’m just going to focus on the building itself and its design. For more information originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com, read on!…

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MUMBAI | Weekly Roundup | 22 July, 07 — 29 July, 07

This is Mumbai’s first City Weekly Roundup posting!

I. Mumbai’s tallest — India Tower beings construction!
II. Rahjea Legend Redesigned
III. Has Palais Royale become taller (70 stories)?
IV: More FSI Approved!: Mumbai’s gonna go even more vertical!
V: New projects Vijay Associates (Wadhwa) Developers
VI: New projects and updates Dynamics Developers

For this Mumbai Roundup, garnered from Skyscrapercity.com, read on!…

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Introducing 2 new team members and a new feature!

Hi guys

Our blog just keeps growing!

First off, let me just introduce two new members to the team:

AjayPP — coming from the SSC India forum like the rest of us, Ajay is our resident Trivandrum guru, and has an awesome blog himself about that booming city by the sea! Check it out at:
Trivandrum Rising – Our city tomorrow
http://tvmrising.blogspot.com/

IndiansUnite — also coming from the SSC India forum, IndiansUnite is our resident Infrastructure rishi, who plans to bring everybody updates on India’s major infrastructure projects

———-==–==———-

Secondly, we’re introducing a new feature here at the Indian Skycraper Blog: the City weekly roundup!

For the sake of organization, basically, we’re going to gather up all the weekly or bi-weekly city development news garnered through discussions at SSC India and present them to you in a digest form.

Exceptional projects, ranging from major townships, to skyscrapers, to infrastructure, that warrant their own posts will get them, but I expect that the weekly roundup posts will be the mainstay of this blog.

You can see an example of what I mean in the first weekly roundup post:
MUMBAI | Weekly Roundup | 22 July, 07 — 29 July, 07

Peace,
FeloniousVindaloo

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HYDERABAD | Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) Trade Tower | 100 floors | 450 meters — India’s first supertall to begin construction!

Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure (APIIC) Trade Tower, Manchirevula , Hyderabad, India

…Hyderabad’s and India’s first approved Supertall skyscraper, Hyderabad’s second 100+ storey building

Sorry for not posting about this major development sooner, guys, but we only do this blog in our spare time, and unfortunately that’s been a little short as of late 😦

But big news this is… early this month construction started on the APIIC Trade Tower (tentative name), which would be the 100 storey/450 meter towering centerpiece of the 11 million square feet Manchirevula Business district, surrounded by ten to twelve 30 storeyed towers.

The tower, designed by renowned British architect Norman Foster, to be constructed by a Reliance Energy/Sobha Developers consortium, is on the fast track, with expected completion within 3 years, and the rest of the business district within 5.

Although the tower’s designed has been approved by the famous Indian architect Hafeez Contractor-led Manchirevula CBD approval committee, apperantly the Hyderabad powers-that-be decided that they really don’t need to deign to show it to the general public. Typical. So sorry, no pictures yet 😦

For more information and collected from all of us Skyscrapercity.com, read on!…

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KUSHINAGAR | the Maitreya Buddha Project | 152m — India’s and the World’s Tallest Statue and Buddhist temple!

The Maitreya Project, Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India

…The World’s tallest statue and a brilliant religious masterpiece dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha!

Now, another great religious project has officially been given the go-ahead in one of the poorest parts of India. The Maitreya Project is a tribute to Buddhism for and from the land of the Buddha and is as a multi-faith cooperative designed by Tibetans who call India their home as as a lasting gift to India and Buddhism.

In this era of veritable skyscraper-hedonism (*cough*Dubai*coughh* j/k), this project is unique in that it is designed to fulfill a completely selfless goal, namely “to benefit as many people as possible.” A monumental sustainable work of art that will serve as a constant source of inspiration and a symbol of loving-kindness, work will soon begin on the 152 meter-tall Maitreya Buddha Statue that is the centerpiece of a large temple complex.

An engineering marvel that at will not only be — at three times the size of the Statue of Liberty — the world’s tallest statue and world’s tallest temple but will also be the world’s largest (first?) statue-skyscraper, designed to have a lifespan surpassing a 1,000 years.

For more information and a large collection of pictures of this beautiful project originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com, read on!…

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MUMBAI | India Tower | 74 floors | 301m — Mumbai’s tallest skyscraper begins construction!

India Tower, Marine Lines, Mumbai, India

…Mumbai’s, India’s and the Subcontinent’s tallest, greenest building!

*update**update*update*update*update*update*update*update*update*
07 Oct, 2008 – This tower has been renamed and redesigned!!

Please see this project update post for the latest info.

Ignore this post with the misinformed info. (Kept for posterity’s sake.)

We now return you to your outdated post, already in progress.
*update**update*update*update*update*update*update*update*update*

Big news Skyscraper Fans!

India Tower, (formerly known as “Park Hyatt Tower“), the 74-storey, 301 meter tall mixed-use residential and hotel tower has officially begun construction!

With this news, the 882,000 sq ft tower has set a number of records ranging from “Mumbai’s Tallest” to “India’s First Supertall” to “India’s Greenest Skyscraper.” It also has the great distinction of being represented in the Indian Skyscraper Blog’s logo!

While equally tall and taller buildings have been approved, like the Hyderabad’s 100+ storied Lanco Hills Signature Tower, Hyderabad’s 100+ storied APIIC Trade Tower, and Mumbai’s India International Trade Tower, and almost 10 more supertalls are proposed, so far none of them have actually broken ground yet.

Designed by Fox and Fowle (FXFOWLE) architects as part of a three-hotel luxury project being developed by Neelkamal Realtors in conjunction with Hyatt hotels, India Tower is located at Marine Lines, Mumbai, just north of the city’s historical district. It marks the southernmost point of a major region of skyscraper development that currently stretches north to under construction Parel/Back Bay skyline.

For more information, and a large collection of hi-res pictures of this awesome project originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com, read on!…

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NOIDA | Unitech Grande | *Eighty* 10 – 60 storey towers: National Capital Region’s biggest and tallest development to date!

Unitech Grande, Noida, India

…Delhi National Capital Region’s biggest and tallest development to date!

Hi all, check this out! (click for larger image):

^^ Look like India to you?

Located in Noida, one of the commercial hubs and one of several future CBDs of India’s National Capital Region (NCR = Delhi, New Delhi and nodal cities), Unitech Group recently announced what will include the tallest approved skyscrapers in the NCR, Unitech Grande.

Noida is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Conceived as a one of several greenfield metropolitan nodes that would focus the development of both Old and New Dehli, it features world-class infrastructure designed to support support high-capacity residential and commercial development. The eventual plan by 2015 is to have a fully modern central business district comprising commercial skyscrapers around at least one supertall — one of several CBD nodal cities (which also includes Faridabad, Gurgaon and Ghaziabad.)

Unitech is one of India’s largest builders, and continually have churned out world-class buildings with a cutting-edge architecture that is designed to be a modern take on traditional Indian architecture, even to the point of being designed to adhere to ancient Vaastu principals. Their towers, like those of all developers in India, continue to grow taller and taller with each project. It’s expected that their Mumbai project on mill-land redevelopments will be even taller still.

For more information, and a large collection of hi-res pictures of this awesome project originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com, read on!…

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KOLKATA | Vedic Hotels | 150m | App

Vedic Hotels Towers, New Town, Kolkata (Calcutta), India

…A Beautiful skyscraper proposal for a the old city!

Hi

Kolkata is slowly but surely undergoing urban transformation. For years stifling under democratically-elected communist government, now not even they can stave off the Indian urban development phenomenon. Malls, multiplexes, townships, highrises and commerical towers are starting to sprout up in the city, slowly but surely getting a little bit taller with each project. It’s where Mumbai was 8 years ago.

Now, while the change isn’t as visibly dynamic as in other cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad or Bangalore, it’s certainly there, and, owing to its large population size and economic inertia, Kolkata has the potential to become a a true skyscraper city.

Most Kolkata developers try to keep out of the limelight, fearing the Red Party’s red tape, but there are several significant/tall tower proposals that have been announced. Probably the farthest along of any of these capital projects is Shristi Infrastructure/InterContinental Hotels’s hotel project, to be branded “Vedic Hotels”, located at the major “New Town Kolkata” development.

The principal architect is Delhi-based C.P. Kukreja Associates. The team of international architects includes Cervera & Pioz, Spain; King Roselli Architetti, Italy, and Ruben Anderegg, Switzerland.

The project will comprise of two towers of 150m in height and will be a state-of-the-art, green “biostructure”, designs of which are Cervera & Pioz’s specialty. The taller will be the hotel, the smaller will be residential, and will be surrounded by a major shopping and entertainment arcade that is modeled on the Universal Studios CityWalk concept, featuring an eclectic mix of live entertainment, fun and fine dining establishments, specialty shops and state-of-the-art cinemas. Those are the other buildings you see surrounding the towers in the rendering. Also worth noting are the residential buildings in the background of the rendering, which comprise other projects in the New Town development.
Read on for more information about this proposal, originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com!…

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The Bombay *BOOM*! — A Rendering Rundown of all Significant Skyscrapers under construction, proposed and planned in the Mumbai Metro Region

Hi guys

This is probably going to be the single most comprehensive posting in this blog: a continually updated, rundown list of Mumbai’s under construction, planned and proposed skyscrapers above 25 stories. Whenever updates will be posted, I’ll have a post announcing it, but this is the thread that will be updated, so keep it bookmarked!

Just a disclaimer, these buildings are all collected from open source (internet and newspaper) information by those of us at the bustling Skyscrapercity.com India forum. All project names, heights and locations are estimations or based on collected information and hence may not be entirely accurate. We are are just fans of architecture and skyscrapers and we sure as heck aren’t industry insiders, so if you have any information to help us keep this list current and accurate, please feel free to contribute

——–==–=–==——-
Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India is experiencing a huge building boom. Over the last two years, literally thousands of new mid and highrise construction has taken place, with towers getting taller and taller.

Last year, Mumbai’s tallest was 40-odd stories. This year, its to be 85 with current FSI at around 4. In the next two years, CBD development in Mumbai’s former mill lands and Dharavi will see a huge number of skyscraper developments that, due to FSI increasing to 8, will very possibly see supertall construction.

So, without further ado, Mumbai’s major highrise buildings u/c, compiled from the threads at the SSC India forum, read on!…

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Welcome to The Indian Skyscraper Blog!

~ SRI ~

Namaste, Vanakkam, Sat Sri Akal and What Up all you architecture, infrastructure and urban development fans out there!Welcome to what is planned (what I plan, anyway) to be the most comprehensive blog on Indian urban and real estate development on the net (you heard it here first!)

I hope to bring the most concise information collected through open sources about this exciting time in India’s booming urban development, brought to you by all of us on Skyscrapercity.com’s India Section, where I post under the name “Jai”

What does this mean exactly? First thing’s first: This ain’t a bloody real estate blog, so don’t bug me about how much 3-bedroom apartment prices in Barrackpore are or whatever. This is a blog by Indian architecture, infrastructure, urban planning and urban development enthusiasts from Skyscrapercity.com’s India Section, dedicated to chronicling the major projects, skyscrapers, buildings, temples, airports and highways of India and whatever else strikes our fancy.

“Why, but my dear chap, whatever is an ‘Indian urban development enthusiast?’”, you may be asking. Firstly, stop talking in a falsetto British accent, you jag, and secondly, an “urban development enthusiast” according to the Offifical FeloniousVindaloo Dictionary of the English Language is, and I quote:

In·di·an Ur·ban De·vel·op·ment En·thu·si·ast

ˈin-dē-ən ‘ər-bən di-ˈve-ləp-mənt in-ˈthü-zē-əst

· Noun: Fans of Indian architecture, infrastructure, mega-, mini- and any other construction projects that contribute positively to the feeling of “urbanity” in India — and the people who love them.

In short, we — I in particular — have NO monetary, business or any other [insert legal jargon covers my ass here] interest in Indian real estate. We are just lay people, students and whatever who have an interest in architecture. In the case of me, I don’t have any money to invest in even if I wanted to. So we’ll bring to you all the news about all the latest developments of Indian architecture, with a informational, helpful and hopefully witty running commentary that cuts through all the bullshit and gives you the real scoop on what’s hot in the world of Indian architecture.

So, that being said, prepare to sit on the edge of your hats, and hold on to your seats or whatever ’cause we be breaking onto the world wide web — giving YOU information on the Indian Urban Development scene FOR and BY Indian Urban Development Enthusiasts!-Felonious Vindaloo

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HYDERABAD | Lanco Hills | 100+ floors & many other towers — India’s Tallest Tower, Hyderabad’s first Supertall, and World’s tallest Residential Tower

Lanco Hills SEZ and Lanco Hills Signature Tower, Manikonda, Hyderabad, India

…India’s Tallest Tower, Hyderabad’s first Supertall, and the World’s tallest Residential Tower

Mark my words: the city of Hyderabad, the 6-million people strong IT powerhouse located in the state of Andhra Pradesh in Southern India, will very soon crash into the ranks of major skyscraper cities in a big way. “Cyberabad” (as its popularly called, owing to its huge IT industry) has emerged as the most pro-densification, pro-verticalization metro in the Indian Subcontinent — even more so than Mumbai, and that says a lot

One of the anchor projects of its vast Skyscraper Zone the Lanco Hills SEZ, located at Manikonda village, has broken ground and will feature what is planned to be a beautiful World’s Tallest Residential Tower at over 100 stories stories in height. Groundbreaking of the first phase started July 4th, with expected completion in two phases within 4 years.

Although it is technically not the first approved supertall in Hyderabad, as the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation’s 100-storey/450 meter at Trade Tower at the upcoming Manchirevula CBD was approved sooner, since the APIIC has seen it fit to NOT make public the design, in my view Lanco Hills’s Signature Tower wins by default.

With both groups — Lanco Corp. and APIIC claiming their tower will be “the tallest in Southeast Asia”, and both refusing to disclose exact heights, only stating that they will be over 100 stories in height, there very well may be a skyscraper race shaping up for Hyderabad and India.

So keep on reading to find out more about this mindblowing development originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com. So read on!…

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The Temple of Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur, India [Part 2/2]

The temple of Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur, India
…to be the World’s tallest Hindu temple (35 storeys)

Part 2: Project Detail.
(Continued from Part 1)

The second part of my post goes into more detail about the temple’s architecture, how it evolved into the current design, and the master plan, originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com. So read on!…

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The Temple of Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur, India [Part 1/2]

The temple of Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur, India
…to be the World’s tallest Hindu temple (35 storeys)

Part 1: Project Overview

The focal point of Indian architecture, like its culture, has always been religious in nature. Just as the Indian economic boom is bringing incredible economic and architectural growth in the secular area, so has Indian religious architecture started once again creating some of the worlds largest, massive, and most intricate religious architecture in world.

Now, plans are underway in Mayapur, West Bengal, located on the banks of the River Ganga near Navadvip, about 130 km north of Kolkata, to build another massive religious work: the tallest Hindu temple in the world, one of the largest religious buildings ever constructed (the largest being the Ankgor Wat Hindu temple in Cambodia), and one of the largest religious complexes to be built in last 200 years. A temple that, at 35 storeys, and will be just shy of the Pyramids in Giza in height, and without major repair is built to last over a thousand years –the Sri Mayapur Vedic Planetarium and Temple.

Read on for a comprehensive description of the planned temple, originally posted by me on Skyscrapercity.com…

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