Lavasa

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Lavasa Corporation Limited.

Type	Private
Founded
Headquarters	Pune, India
Key people	Ajit Gulabchand, Founder and Chairman, HCC India, L. M. Thapar Group of Companies, Venkateshwara Hatcheries, Avantha Group
Industry	Construction, Engineering, Hospitality, Leisure
Website	[1]

Lavasa is India's First hill station since Independence. It is being developed by HCC India near Pune. It is spread over 12,500 acres (51 km²) of land and is scheduled to be completed by 2021. The first phase (Dasave) is scheduled to become operational by June 2009. It will be a self-equipped city developed on the principles of New Urbanism.

1 Concept
2 Lead consultant and partners (tieups)
3 Status
4 External links

[edit] Concept

Lavasa Corporation Limited was formed to undertake a large-scale lifestyle development in India. Lavasa is located on the backwaters of Warasgaon dam on the Western Ghats between Pune and Mumbai, within 80 minutes from Pune (approximately 50 km) and 3 hours from Mumbai (approx 180 km). Lavasa has three main seasons: summer (March to May), monsoon (June to September), and winter (October to February).

The city is planned to strike a balance between urban living and preservation of the environment. The master plan by HOK envisages a township in harmony with nature where nature begins at the doorstep. This master plan won both the Award for Excellence 2005, given by the Congress for the New Urbanism (USA) and the American Society of Landscape Architects Award—2005. The concept of a hill town dates from British colonial times and describes locations where British administrators went during the Indian tropical summer, prominent examples being Shimla, Kulu, and Ooty.

Lavasa will consist of a cosmopolitan, diverse neighborhood encompassing people from the upper middle class to the affluent classes. The township will also be home to numerous educational institutions, research centers, and hotels.

[edit] Lead consultant and partners (tieups)

Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) — one of the largest private sector construction companies in India — is undertaking the construction activities. Hincon Techno Consultants is the primary engineering consultant. Many other large companies are involved: the master plan was developed by HOK, USA, while Accenture and ACNielsen conducted the project feasibility and research. Branding is being done by Landor, (Hong Kong).

Other prominent names with whom a tieup has been done include:

Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) - Hospitality management school
Novotel - 250 room hotel and convention center
Apollo Hospitals - Healthcare and Wellness center spread over 200 acres (0.81 km²)
ITC - Fortune Lavasa to be opened by 2009
Symbiosis Society - Developing a management school
University of Oxford- Establishment of the Oxford University India Business Centre (OUIBC). The Centre, which will be located at Saïd Business School in Oxford, will address major business issues through collaborative research between academics in Oxford, India and elsewhere. Alongside research and teaching at Oxford, the centre will develop a range of custom and open executive education programmes which will be delivered in India through a new facility in Lavasa. A scoping study with companies located in India and elsewhere is underway to begin development of these education programmes which will first be delivered in early 2010.

[edit] Status

The first phase of the Lavasa hill town is currently under construction, scheduled for completion in June 2009. This phase includes educational institutions, hospital and hotels besides residences. The residences range from lakeside apartments to villas of varying sizes.