WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG WAKAD PUNE - Once More

You invest almost all your life's savings in buying a house and look forward to a comfortable retired life. Considering the huge cost of the flat (in a "prestigious" scheme from a "reputed" builder) the least you expect is a decent quality of life. But then you are in for a rude shock - you don't even get a proper reliable supply of water. Now water is a basic life need and an erratic supply of water greatly affects your quality of life. So, dear reader, before you buy a house (especially in Pune) do check out whether there is going to a water problem for water is quite scarce in Pune.


As I write this there is no water since morning and I have to suffer another "dry day" since water supply was disrupted yesterday too. So all I can do is tell you about my water woes in Rohan Tarang once again:

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/12/water-woes-in-rohan-tarang-wakad-pune.html

WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG WAKAD PUNE - Revisited

A few months ago I had written a blog post about our Water Woes in Wakad (I am re-posting the same below). 

Thankfully the situation improved since October and we thought our water woes were over.

But it was too good to be true. Just now I read a notice that the piping system had failed again and due to heavy leakage water would be shut down to enable repairs to the water supply system and that we should be prepared some more dry days. 

They are trying to solve the problem by building the overhead tank. I wonder how that will solve the problem because there is no problem with the water tank - the problem is due to the defective water supply system and poor quality of piping. It is surprising that this is happening in a new and prestigious residential complex.

Water is a basic necessity of living and all other plus points of Rohan Tarang like having a prime location, good architectural design and luxurious frills etc get nullified if water needs are not met.

Rohan Builders are reputed builders of Pune. I wish they live up to their reputation and find a permanent lasting solution to this water problem. 

Here is my earlier blog post on Water Woes in Rohan Tarang Wakad Pune

LIVING IN PUNE

LIFE IN WAKAD

WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG        

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Wakad Pune

03 September 2011

It is raining heavily all over in Pune. Lovely weather. Awesome view from the balcony of my 9th floor apartment in Rohan Tarang Society - rains, mist, clouds, green hills in the distance, the Mula River overflowing - water water everywhere but no water to drink. Unbelievable isn't it? But it is true. The high falutin sophisticated hydro-pneumatic water supply system in Rohan Tarang has failed us again and there is a big problem of water supply in our society. I had an inkling that this high technology was not suitable for our indigenous Pune conditions but no one listened to me, then. 

Read on, especially if you are thinking of buying a house in Pune ...

THEN

“Where are the water tanks?” I asked.

“What water tanks?” said the sales guy who was showing us the brand new apartment in the upmarket township.

“Overhead Water Tanks. There are no overhead water tanks on this building,” I observed.

The sales guy and the property manager looked at me as I were a relic of the prehistoric era, “Sir, this is modern high rise building. There are no overhead water tanks. There is a sophisticated water pumping system.”

“But at least there should be a small Sintex water tank in the balcony of each home for emergency use in case the main water supply fails,” I said.

“An ugly looking black plastic water tank in the balcony? It will spoil the whole show of the house. Sir, you are living in old times. This is a modern complex and we have an advanced water management system. It is the latest – we have it in all our projects. You will have assured 24/7 water supply,” the sales guy said and the property manager gave me a contemptuous look as if implying that I was probably unfit to live in this elite posh township.

Now my wife and son were looking at me as if I were a big embarrassment to them because of my old fashioned attitude, middle class mentality and archaic views.

I had learnt in school that water finds its own level. In my earlier home (a simple old fashioned bungalow) the main water tank was atop a hill. Twice a day they opened the valves of the huge main water storage tank and water flowed down by gravity into our overhead tank and we always knew how much water was there in the overhead tank on top of our house on the terrace.

However, as per all the “experts” standing around me, I was hopelessly outdated and this all this was obsolete technology, and it was high time I kept myself abreast with the latest things or else keep my mouth shut.

So, despite nagging doubts, I kept my mouth shut.

NOW

I wonder why we paid so much for an apartment which has such erratic water supply. Water is a basic need. Property prices in Pune are very expensive. In fact, the dismal infrastructure and the almost non-existent amenities certainly do not justify such exorbitant prices. And if they want you to pay so much, the least they can do is to ensure proper water supply.

With frequent regularity, as you are about to have a bath in the morning, the sophisticated water management system fails due to one reason or another and the water suddenly disappears and the taps dry up. And then, as desperate crisis-management patch-work repairs are carried out, we have to do without water for almost the whole day. All sorts of excuses are given – pipes burst, motors burn, pumps fail. And whenever the electric power supply fails (which happens very frequently, many times a day, and load shedding every Thursday for the whole day, in Pune) the water supply is affected (They do have a back-up generator but that doesn’t seem to help much as far as water supply goes). And this is a beautiful aesthetic brand new township called Rohan Tarang in Wakad is built by one of Pune’s leading builders, Rohan Builders, who have won prizes for their various projects. There seems to be something wrong somewhere if such failures occur in the first year itself. I hope Rohan Builders will live up to their reputation and brand name and find a lasting solution to our water woes problem.

It is all a question of appropriate technology. Why go in for sophisticated technology when we cannot provide basic inputs like proper uninterrupted electric power supply, quality material, reliable equipment and high-class workmanship which are sine qua non for efficient functioning of modern systems. Whenever I raise this matter with all concerned, including all those who scorned my old-fashioned ways, all they can do now is give me sheepish grins. One guy even told me that they have decided to have overhead water tanks on their new buildings from now on. But what about us?

Dear Reader, whenever you are buying a house, don’t forget to look for the overhead water tanks. Of course, in some parts of Pune, like Kondhwa for example, even if you have overhead water tanks they will be empty most of the time and you may have to buy tube-well or bore-well water from water tankers. But that is another story.

I pray that the problem will be solved soon and we will enjoy abundant water supply.

Till then, do commiserate with me Dear Reader ... 

MONDAY MORNING BLUES - High and Dry in Rohan Tarang

High and Dry in Rohan Tarang

MONDAY MORNING BLUES

By

VIKRAM KARVE

6 AM. The 6^th of February 2012. A lovely Monday Morning.

I open my eyes and admire the spectacular view from my bedroom window. A hint of dawn, the mist, the moving lights of the vehicles on the distant highway, the tranquil meandering Mula river – yes, the picturesque spectacle is quite awesome.

I wake up feeling good and walk to my balcony. My refreshing cool unpolluted morning air further enlivens me and raises my spirits.

A great beginning to a new week. I am raring to go, all charged up, looking forward to the week ahead.

I go the basin, put a generous amount of my favourite peppy toothpaste on my toothbrush, get ready to brush my teeth, and open the tap.

No Water. The tap is dry, so are all the other taps. No Water anywhere.

All my high spirits collapse. I feel hapless, despondent, disgusted.

And as I get ready for another “Dry” Monday my good mood has gone.

All the plus points of living in an “elite” place like Rohan Tarang are of no use when a basic need like water is uncertain. 

It’s happened before. It has happened today. I wonder how many times it is going to happen again.

Will our water woes in Rohan Tarang ever end? Or do we have to live with this forever.

And while we mull over our water woes,  we wish you a happy Monday and a great week ahead.

If you want to know more about our water woes in Rohan Tarang, please click the link below:

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/12/water-woes-in-rohan-tarang-wakad-pune.html

And do join us in our prayer that our water woes will end soon.

WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG WAKAD PUNE - Revisited

A few months ago I had written a blog post about our Water Woes in Wakad (I am re-posting the same below). 

Thankfully the situation improved since October and we thought our water woes were over.

But it was too good to be true. Just now I read a notice that the piping system had failed again and due to heavy leakage water would be shut down to enable repairs to the water supply system and that we should be prepared some more dry days. 

They are trying to solve the problem by building the overhead tank. I wonder how that will solve the problem because there is no problem with the water tank - the problem is due to the defective water supply system and poor quality of piping. It is surprising that this is happening in a new and prestigious residential complex.

Water is a basic necessity of living and all other plus points of Rohan Tarang like having a prime location, good architectural design and luxurious frills etc get nullified if water needs are not met.

Rohan Builders are reputed builders of Pune. I wish they live up to their reputation and find a permanent lasting solution to this water problem. 

Here is my earlier blog post on Water Woes in Rohan Tarang Wakad Pune

LIVING IN PUNE

LIFE IN WAKAD

WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG        

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Wakad Pune

03 September 2011

It is raining heavily all over in Pune. Lovely weather. Awesome view from the balcony of my 9th floor apartment in Rohan Tarang Society - rains, mist, clouds, green hills in the distance, the Mula River overflowing - water water everywhere but no water to drink. Unbelievable isn't it? But it is true. The high falutin sophisticated hydro-pneumatic water supply system in Rohan Tarang has failed us again and there is a big problem of water supply in our society. I had an inkling that this high technology was not suitable for our indigenous Pune conditions but no one listened to me, then. 

Read on, especially if you are thinking of buying a house in Pune ...

THEN

“Where are the water tanks?” I asked.

“What water tanks?” said the sales guy who was showing us the brand new apartment in the upmarket township.

“Overhead Water Tanks. There are no overhead water tanks on this building,” I observed.

The sales guy and the property manager looked at me as I were a relic of the prehistoric era, “Sir, this is modern high rise building. There are no overhead water tanks. There is a sophisticated water pumping system.”

“But at least there should be a small Sintex water tank in the balcony of each home for emergency use in case the main water supply fails,” I said.

“An ugly looking black plastic water tank in the balcony? It will spoil the whole show of the house. Sir, you are living in old times. This is a modern complex and we have an advanced water management system. It is the latest – we have it in all our projects. You will have assured 24/7 water supply,” the sales guy said and the property manager gave me a contemptuous look as if implying that I was probably unfit to live in this elite posh township.

Now my wife and son were looking at me as if I were a big embarrassment to them because of my old fashioned attitude, middle class mentality and archaic views.

I had learnt in school that water finds its own level. In my earlier home (a simple old fashioned bungalow) the main water tank was atop a hill. Twice a day they opened the valves of the huge main water storage tank and water flowed down by gravity into our overhead tank and we always knew how much water was there in the overhead tank on top of our house on the terrace.

However, as per all the “experts” standing around me, I was hopelessly outdated and this all this was obsolete technology, and it was high time I kept myself abreast with the latest things or else keep my mouth shut.

So, despite nagging doubts, I kept my mouth shut.

NOW

I wonder why we paid so much for an apartment which has such erratic water supply. Water is a basic need. Property prices in Pune are very expensive. In fact, the dismal infrastructure and the almost non-existent amenities certainly do not justify such exorbitant prices. And if they want you to pay so much, the least they can do is to ensure proper water supply.

With frequent regularity, as you are about to have a bath in the morning, the sophisticated water management system fails due to one reason or another and the water suddenly disappears and the taps dry up. And then, as desperate crisis-management patch-work repairs are carried out, we have to do without water for almost the whole day. All sorts of excuses are given – pipes burst, motors burn, pumps fail. And whenever the electric power supply fails (which happens very frequently, many times a day, and load shedding every Thursday for the whole day, in Pune) the water supply is affected (They do have a back-up generator but that doesn’t seem to help much as far as water supply goes). And this is a beautiful aesthetic brand new township called Rohan Tarang in Wakad is built by one of Pune’s leading builders, Rohan Builders, who have won prizes for their various projects. There seems to be something wrong somewhere if such failures occur in the first year itself. I hope Rohan Builders will live up to their reputation and brand name and find a lasting solution to our water woes problem.

It is all a question of appropriate technology. Why go in for sophisticated technology when we cannot provide basic inputs like proper uninterrupted electric power supply, quality material, reliable equipment and high-class workmanship which are sine qua non for efficient functioning of modern systems. Whenever I raise this matter with all concerned, including all those who scorned my old-fashioned ways, all they can do now is give me sheepish grins. One guy even told me that they have decided to have overhead water tanks on their new buildings from now on. But what about us?

Dear Reader, whenever you are buying a house, don’t forget to look for the overhead water tanks. Of course, in some parts of Pune, like Kondhwa for example, even if you have overhead water tanks they will be empty most of the time and you may have to buy tube-well or bore-well water from water tankers. But that is another story.

I pray that the problem will be solved soon and we will enjoy abundant water supply.

GOOD MORNING PUNE

GOOD MORNING PUNE

 

If your morning is good then your day is good.

 

Yes, I always make sure my mornings in Wakad are good and I start my day on a happy note.

 

And what better way to start the day than to sit in my balcony in tranquil silence cleansing my lungs with cool fresh morning air enjoying the breathtaking view of the verdant soothing green Mula River Valley with the hills in the distance savouring a flavoursome cup of freshly brewed Lopchu Flowery Orange Pekoe Pure Darjeeling Tea relishing every sip as it perks me up and elevates my spirits.

 

Now I am full of cheer and ready for the day.

PUNE REAL ESTATE - What You See Is Not What You Get - Review ROHAN TARANG WAKAD

ROHAN TARANG Wakad Pune - A Review


Almost one year ago I shifted into my brand new apartment in Rohan Tarang located at South Wakad in Pune. Luckily, this place is not in the middle of a concrete jungle and you do not feel boxed-in by huge buildings surrounding you like in most places in Pune. 


When you buy a house in Pune, in most cases What You See Is Not What You Get. 


Advertisements are most misleading – housing projects have exotic names and they will show you beautiful pictures with natural surroundings and promise you fresh unpolluted air and awesome panoramic views of picturesque greenery but the moment you move in to your home, the reality will hit you hard and you will find yourself in the middle of a polluted concrete jungle surrounded by buildings and slums, terrible roads, non-existent infrastructure, lacking even the basic facilities and amenities, and beleaguered by noise and air pollution from the perpetually under-construction projects in the vicinity and the only view you will get is of your neighbour’s balcony and you will rue the zero quality of life you have to wallow in. 


Rohan advertised this as a “no-neighbours” apartment and at least in this respect Rohan Tarang has lived up to its promise. One gets a feeling of roominess, brightness and liveliness here as this is not one of those ubiquitous cramped matchbox design flats, proliferating all over Pune, where one feels claustrophobic and uncomfortable the moment one enters. 


Yes, the architect has done a superb job and this is the best designed apartment I have seen in Pune – there is plenty of light, plenty of fresh air and feeling of spaciousness due to the large windows, cross-ventilation and layout of the flat and a lovely breathtaking view from the balcony and windows. The bright ambience generates feel-good vibes and fills you with cheer the moment you enter.


Whereas Rohan has paid a lot of attention to Architectural Design, Landscaping and External Aesthetics, it is disappointing that they have compromised on Quality of construction, external and internal utility systems and fittings and wasted money on unnecessary frills like the Smart Home System. The much touted pressurized water supply system is a massive failure and water supply is disrupted so often that it seriously affects the quality of life. Water is a basic necessity and unreliable water supply causes great stress as you live under a constant dread that water supply may fail any moment. Though they make promises to rectify the situation they have failed to live up to their promises and it looks like things are going from bad to worse – just this morning water supply was disrupted because the pump motors got burnt out. The back-up Genset is showing signs of breakdown as it cannot cope up with the frequent electricity failures, erratic power supply, surges and load shedding prevalent in Pune. If this is happening in a brand new building one wonders what is going to happen later as the systems start aging. 


The Electrical Fittings are of very poor quality and get burnt out very often (this is a safety and fire hazard) and the water fittings and plumbing are substandard quality too and you have to shell out a lot of money for replacing these fittings since the builder says that the guarantee period is over. There is seepage in the walls and it looks like the construction quality and civil engineering is not of the highest standard. 


The Digihome Smart Home Digital System is a total disaster and is more of a nuisance than a facility. 


However, Rohan seems to have washed its hands off these maintenance issues which have now become the headache of the society and problem for home owners. 


Rohan is a “reputed” builder of Pune but it seems that they have become complacent and are taking their reputation for granted. This may be because most of the customers are upwardly mobile young IT Techies who have got so much money so early in life that they don’t bother too much about “value-for-money”. 


But as indicators show, worldwide recession may be looming large, economy is slowing down, interest rates are hardening, it looks like things are going to change and it may no longer be a seller’s market where the builder has all the monopoly and the buyer is quite helpless. 


If the customers (mainly the IT Professionals) start becoming more circumspect then builders will have to deliver good customer service in order to maintain their reputation. 


I wish Rohan pays the same attention to post-delivery maintenance services as they do to pre-delivery sales, marketing, advertising, PR and wooing of the customer. It seems Rohan has become complacent towards its customers. I hope that Rohan does not take its reputation for granted – they say that it takes years to build a good reputation but just a minute to lose it. 

Rohan Tarang in a Nutshell:

Pros: Pleasing Architectural Design, Comfortable Layout of Apartment, External Aesthetics, Best Location in Wakad, all of which combine to generate Feel Good Vibes

Cons: Poor Technical Quality, Unsatisfactory Maintenance Services, High Cost, Neglect of post-delivery customer care 

PS - If you have recently bought a house in Pune do comment and share your experiences.

WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG - Living in Pune - Life in Wakad

LIVING IN PUNE

LIFE IN WAKAD

WATER WOES IN ROHAN TARANG        

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Wakad Pune

03 September 2011

It is raining heavily all over in Pune. Lovely weather. Awesome view from the balcony of my 9th floor apartment in Rohan Tarang Society - rains, mist, clouds, green hills in the distance, the Mula River overflowing - water water everywhere but no water to drink. Unbelievable isn't it? But it is true. The high falutin sophisticated hydro-pneumatic water supply system in Rohan Tarang has failed us again and there is a big problem of water supply in our society. I had an inkling that this high technology was not suitable for our indigenous Pune conditions but no one listened to me, then. 

Read on, especially if you are thinking of buying a house in Pune ...

THEN

“Where are the water tanks?” I asked.

“What water tanks?” said the sales guy who was showing us the brand new apartment in the upmarket township.

“Overhead Water Tanks. There are no overhead water tanks on this building,” I observed.

The sales guy and the property manager looked at me as I were a relic of the prehistoric era, “Sir, this is modern high rise building. There are no overhead water tanks. There is a sophisticated water pumping system.”

“But at least there should be a small Sintex water tank in the balcony of each home for emergency use in case the main water supply fails,” I said.

“An ugly looking black plastic water tank in the balcony? It will spoil the whole show of the house. Sir, you are living in old times. This is a modern complex and we have an advanced water management system. It is the latest – we have it in all our projects. You will have assured 24/7 water supply,” the sales guy said and the property manager gave me a contemptuous look as if implying that I was probably unfit to live in this elite posh township.

Now my wife and son were looking at me as if I were a big embarrassment to them because of my old fashioned attitude, middle class mentality and archaic views.

I had learnt in school that water finds its own level. In my earlier home (a simple old fashioned bungalow) the main water tank was atop a hill. Twice a day they opened the valves of the huge main water storage tank and water flowed down by gravity into our overhead tank and we always knew how much water was there in the overhead tank on top of our house on the terrace.

However, as per all the “experts” standing around me, I was hopelessly outdated and this all this was obsolete technology, and it was high time I kept myself abreast with the latest things or else keep my mouth shut.

So, despite nagging doubts, I kept my mouth shut.

NOW

I wonder why we paid so much for an apartment which has such erratic water supply. Water is a basic need. Property prices in Pune are very expensive. In fact, the dismal infrastructure and the almost non-existent amenities certainly do not justify such exorbitant prices. And if they want you to pay so much, the least they can do is to ensure proper water supply.

With frequent regularity, as you are about to have a bath in the morning, the sophisticated water management system fails due to one reason or another and the water suddenly disappears and the taps dry up. And then, as desperate crisis-management patch-work repairs are carried out, we have to do without water for almost the whole day. All sorts of excuses are given – pipes burst, motors burn, pumps fail. And whenever the electric power supply fails (which happens very frequently, many times a day, and load shedding every Thursday for the whole day, in Pune) the water supply is affected (They do have a back-up generator but that doesn’t seem to help much as far as water supply goes). And this is a beautiful aesthetic brand new township called Rohan Tarang in Wakad is built by one of Pune’s leading builders, Rohan Builders, who have won prizes for their various projects. There seems to be something wrong somewhere if such failures occur in the first year itself. I hope Rohan Builders will live up to their reputation and brand name and find a lasting solution to our water woes problem.

It is all a question of appropriate technology. Why go in for sophisticated technology when we cannot provide basic inputs like proper uninterrupted electric power supply, quality material, reliable equipment and high-class workmanship which are sine qua non for efficient functioning of modern systems. Whenever I raise this matter with all concerned, including all those who scorned my old-fashioned ways, all they can do now is give me sheepish grins. One guy even told me that they have decided to have overhead water tanks on their new buildings from now on. But what about us?

Dear Reader, whenever you are buying a house, don’t forget to look for the overhead water tanks. Of course, in some parts of Pune, like Kondhwa for example, even if you have overhead water tanks they will be empty most of the time and you may have to buy tube-well or bore-well water from water tankers. But that is another story.