By
Kinley, Nazia, Neha
Photo: Neha
Gurgaon might lack many basic civic amenities. So, how do the residents cope? Even those who have bought flats in the posh area of the city have their grievances, but a much toned-down one.

Living in a flat worth more than a fortune and having to pay extra for the parking and other basic amenities would be asking for a little too much. But the rich residents in Gurgaon would rather pay than harp.

Buying a condominium in Gurgaon can cost around a crore and sometimes the price even reaches a staggering rupees five crores. After investing so much, it is only natural to expect decent facilities like a copious park, good roads and non-stop supply of electricity and water as a part of the package. But this is a far cry from reality.

Vidhu Singh, a resident of Central Park, one of the elite condominium’s societies of Gurgaon, says, “We pay for own our maintenance charges like parking charges and the cost of diesel for running the generators. These generators supply complete power backup for our society.”

Many of the condominium societies have also hired facility managing companies to take care of the maintenance.

The estate manager of one of the facility management company who didn’t want to be named said, “The role of the government is to provide the basic infrastructure before housing colonies are setup. Since the government did not plan ahead, so now the residents are having problems.”

He further added that is where companies like his could play a role and make sure that people do not face problems. “People living in condominiums generally do not mind paying. So we offer them with services that they pay for,” he said.

These estate management companies generally offer security, power backup, proper upkeep of lawns in the common area, parking, and manage facilities like clubs and gyms, which have been built by the builder. But all these do not come cheap.

Vrinda Mehta, a resident of a condominium says, “We pay Re 1.75 a month for every square meter that we own. My maintenance bill comes to around Rs 6,000 a month since I live in a 2,500 square feet house and sometimes cost of diesel is to be paid separately.”

But not everyone seems to be complaining. Singh says she doesn’t mind paying these maintenance charges as she knows that her money is not being wasted. “I don’t think this price is too much for our safety and security. I feel safe knowing that there is a guard who will not let any stranger enter my building. And my car is also safe in the parking since I am paying for it.”