The winners, selected through a perception mapping process, were finalized after an exhaustive survey conducted among professionals within the construction and architecture industry. “The highlight of CW Architect & Builder Awards 2008 is that it is recognition and admiration by peers. The awards are given by the industry to the industry. The value of the awards is highlighted by the fact that over three hundred senior representatives from the industry congregated at the ceremony,” says Pratap Padode, Managing Director, ASAPP Media Information Group.

Russell Gilchrist from Skidmore, Owings & Merril, designers of Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world who took a marathon flight from Chicago to be present at the occasion and deliver the key note address gave an insight into how sustainable buildings are engineered, he said, “Sustainable buildings though demand a marginally larger investment in the beginning, turn out to be more cost-effective in the long run, because of energy saving.” Thereafter, he demonstrated through the case study of Pearl River Tower, how it can also be space saving.

One defining moment at this year’s Construction World Architect & Builder Awards was Mumbai’s Sheriff Indu Shahani nonchalantly asking a leading builder and recipient of an award, when developers would take a cue from the Tata Nano and offer people the Rs 1-lakh house!

Commenting on the awards, His Excellency S C Jamir said the awards acknowledge the outstanding work by the builders and architects and further spur them to work for higher standards.”

The Construction World Architects & Builders Awards 2008 was supported by the Builders Association of India (BAI) and Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) and represented by national and international firms. Pratap Padode, who has been instrumental into getting the awards constituted adds, “Our consistent efforts in documenting success, recognizing talent, addressing pertinent issues, and creating the awakening for a transparent and well-governed industry are bearing fruit in the form of a community that is more forthright about sharing information.”

Contact

Balakrishna Pillai

Director

Spin Communiqué

Tel: 9820154049

LIST OF WINNERS - ARCHITECTS (Alphabetically)

1. Abhin Alimchandani - Stup Design Forum

2. Arunjot Singh Bhalla - RSP Architects Planners & Engineers (India) Pvt Ltd.

3. Hafeez Contractor - Architect Hafeez Contractor

4. I M Kadri - Kadri Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

5. Kamal Malik - Kamal Malik Architect

6. Noshir Talati - Talati & Panthaky Associates Pvt. Ltd.

7. Prem Nath - Prem Nath & Associates

8. Raja Aederi - Raja Aederi Architect

9. Sanjay Puri - Sanjay Puri Architect Pvt. Ltd.

10. Shahrukh Mistry - Mistry Architects

LIST OF WINNERS - BUILDERS (Alphabetically)

1. Brigade Group - M. R. Jaishankar, Managing Director

2. DLF Group - Rajiv Singh, Vice Chairman

3. Godrej Properties - Milind Korde, Managing Director

4. Hiranandani Developers - Niranjan Hiranandani, Managing Director

5. K. Raheja Corp - C. L. Raheja, Chairman

6. K Raheja Universal - Ashish Raheja, Managing Director

7. Kalpataru Constructions - Mofatraj Munot, Chairman

8. Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. - Cyrus Mistry, Managing Director

9. Sobha Developers - P N C Menon, Chairman

10. Unitech - Sanjay Chandra, Managing Director

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

A self sufficient community living space spread over 30 acres and consisting of lifestyle features like lush courtyards, quaint walkways, mini stadium with facilities for all outdoor & indoor sports like football, cricket, squash, badminton, tennis etc., retail center, school, medical clinic and store, bank and ATM centre, restaurants, amphitheatre and piped gas facility, The Commune is located at the picturesque surrounds of NICE Corridor Road & is easily accessible from all parts of the city. It is just 3.5 kms from Mysore Road and a few kms. away from the proposed Metro Rail terminal at Banashankari. It is also within 15 minutes drive away from Kanakapura Road and Bannerghata Road.

The project has been designed by world renowned architect Andy Fischer and Golden Gate has deployed smart and innovative use of modern construction technology to bring down the cost of construction, thereby making it possible to deliver quality homes at affordable price. The technology used in The Commune will make it one of the safest building as per international norms, having used 100% concrete solution.

Speaking on the launch, K. Pratap Managing Director – Golden Gates Properties Ltd said, “With spiraling real estate costs, owning a home was becoming a distant dream for a larger section of the society, The Commune has been conceived to fulfill this need-gap. We are extremely delighted to offer a housing solution which is at par in quality, treatment and amenities with Bangalore’s premium apartments but still is with-in the reach of the common man with its affordable pricing. We will make The Commune as a brand for the common people and have plans to roll out the brand in ten cities within the next eighteen months. Our next stop will be Hyderabad, followed by Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, Cochin, Pune and others. It took us four years to master the art of building affordable housing solution, but having achieved the break-through, we will roll out such projects in double speed to fulfill people’s aspirations.

From the start we were clear that we did not want to compromise the following while developing the concept were: quality of the construction, the aesthetics, the features and amenities and the location! And I am proud that we have been able to deliver a product that has all these! It is a proud moment for Golden Gate to get the encouragement of the Honorable Chief Minster and the Govt. of Karnataka in our efforts to deliver such a product.”

The Commune will be delivered for possession within 18-20 months from the start of construction activity, another milestone that it will achieve by halving the time required to deliver projects of such scale. The company is planning to take The Commune project to Hyderabad, Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, Cochin, Pune and some other cities shortly.

Chief Minister’s comment on the ‘The Commune’ project

It could mark the beginning of private-public partnership in the sate. It is time the Real Estate sector stepped forward and joins hands with the Government effort to provide quality yet affordable housing solutions for the common people. My government is keen to form partnerships with the private sector to offer affordable solutions in the sectors of housing, education, food and health-care services. A roof above the head is every man’s dream and the need of the hour is quality housing that is affordable for the masses. The Commune has set a distinct trend and I urge enterprises to come forward with more such projects to help masses achieve their dreams”. He also said that affordable housing can indirectly propel the growth required in priority sector lending by enabling the common man to avail of the credit facility as envisaged by the RBI. The mini-stadium that comes with the Commune project also attracted the CM’s attention. He opined that providing a captive sporting facility in a project like this would go a long way in inculcating the sporting culture among the people who do not have access to such infrastructure and hence cannot hone their sporting skills. He specifically urged the Real Estate sector to look beyond the rich and make the city’s growth more equitable and inclusive by providing housing solutions for all.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Golden Gate Properties:

Golden Gate Properties Ltd is a Bangalore based Public Limited Company and started its operations in 1997. In a short period of time it has emerged as one of the leading developers in South India with its excellent projects of outstanding quality, reliability, affordability and efficient after sales service.

Mr. Gurpreet singh , Project director of Construction Organizer show08 gave the presentation and informed that there is the need of improvement in the process of construction . The show will create the awareness among masses to use maximum of Machinery, Quality material and Good resources to speed up the construction process along with Quality output. This show will provide the resources for the completion and finishing of the project either those are Roads , Buildings, Bridges , Real Estate or Commercial Establishments.

It was discussed in the ceremony that faster completion of the projects means the faster economic growth of the country. This is not possible unless we are aware of latest machinery, latest material, and Good resources. Awareness of these things plays an important role in boosting the economy of the country and improving the life style of general public.

There was presentation by Mr. Surjit Singh project director of Electro08 who gave presentation use of electrical and electronics in homes and industries.

This show will be first of its kind where construction machinery and material will also be displayed along with the Building Material and Real Estate .

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Brohawk Infoworld technologies Pvt Ltd has created a niche as India's largest Business Promotion Company offering comprehensive Building,Construction and Real estate solutions to the globalcommunity through its wide array of online services, directory services and facilitation of Trade promotional events. Our Business promotionsin the field of Building , Construction and Real estate are ideal for service providers, service seekers, buyers and sellers across the globe to interact andexplore Customers,Ideas and Technology.

With an unmatched expertise in data acquisition and online promotion, Construction organizer subsumes a huge number of company profiles and product catalogs, product categories and sub-categories. It is well promoted on all major search engines.

Construction organizer is maintained and promoted by Brohawk group. Today we have reached database big registered users, and the company is growing on a titanic scale with a considerable amount of new users joining/registering everyday, under the innovative vision and guidance of Mr.G.S. GUJRAL, CEO.

Brohawk Infoworld technologies has created a niche as India's largest online B2B e-marketplace, offering comprehensive construction solutions to the global construction community through its wide array of online services, directory services and facilitation of trade promotional events. Our portal is an ideal forum for service providers, service seekers, buyers and sellers across the globe to interact and conduct construction.

With an unmatched expertise in data acquisition and online promotion, Construction organizer subsumes a huge number of company profiles and product catalogs, product categories and sub-categories. It is well promoted on all major search engines.

Construction organizer is maintained and promoted by Brohawk group. Today we have reached database big registered users, and the company is growing on a titanic scale with a considerable amount of new users joining/registering everyday, under the innovative vision and guidance of Mr.G.S. GUJRAL, CEO.

Mr. Matthew Taylor, Group CEO, JC Bamford Excavators today officially inaugurated state-of-the-art JCB Parts and Technical Training centre, in the Talegaon Dabhade district of Pune, Maharashtra,

Mr. Matthew Taylor, CEO, JC Bamford Excavators Ltd. after the ribbon cutting ceremony, expressed “It is a proud moment for us to achieve the feat of being the first construction equipment manufacturer in the country to sell over 75,000 machines. World-class manufacturing experience, together with our high standards in terms of performance, reliability, safety and quality, has put the company in a terrific position to excel in the Indian market, enabling our continued growth. ”

The new JCB Parts Warehouse is fully equipped with JCB parts, and attachments. It also houses a Technical Training Center, which is equipped with latest audio visual aids for built in service training workshops. This ultra modern facility will provide JCB original parts and world class service to customers. The facility has been built over a total area of approximately 100,000 sq. ft. with built-up area of 60,000 sq ft. The Technical Training Center, covers an area of 25,000 sq. ft. The warehouse has been made as per the JCB Corporate Identity norms and is equipped with JCB standardized systems to provide a one-stop solution under one roof. JCB has a total of 4 Warehouses across India.

Gunning for growth, Mr. Sondhi, MD, JCB India Ltd. said, “To meet the needs of infrastructure development projects planned in the country, our organization is focused on strengthening its product range & after sales support network. JCB’s achievements are a tribute to all my colleagues. With the opening of 4th Warehouse in Pune, we have strengthened our after sales product support network”.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About JCB in India

JCB in India is a fully owned subsidiary of JC Bamford Excavators Limited, UK. It has three manufacturing plants in India; one in Ballabgarh (Haryana) and two plants in Pune (Maharashtra). Since 1980 JCB has sold more than 75,000 machines in India, with 1 out of every 2 construction machines sold in the country being made by JCB. JCB is the pioneer in this field and has been recording excellent growth rates. From 9 dealers and 12 outlets in 1987 to 48 dealers and over 300 outlets in 2008 throughout the country along with a world-class customer service network support, JCB has come a long way. In 2007 JCB India achieved the landmark by being the first Construction Equipment manufacturer in India to cross the 50,000 machine sales mark. JCB India has got a wide range that includes, Excavators loaders, Front-end loaders, Articulated loading shovels, Tracked Excavators, Telehandlers, Vibratory compactors and Skid Steers. In all JCB India has got 21 models. JCB machines are of best standards and also meet Bharat Stage II requirements.

Speaking to reporters on the eve of the launch of the project the Directors of the Saarthi group Abhijit, Niilesh, Swapnil and Yogesh Shende said that the project will be premium project targeted the growing higher Middle income group.

Adding further, they said Saarrthi Group does not believe in conventional real estate we believe that Pune's youth-powered property market deserves - progressively designed, powerfully constructed and environmentally optimized structures that do not ravage or disfigure the city's terrain but embrace it.

The Saarrthi Group specializes in residential and commercial complexes that stand convincingly apart from the rest, they added.

The project will feature Very attractive ten storied buildings having 2 & 3 BHK flats ranging from 950-1250 sq.ft which come along with a great view No flat will share its walls with any other. The project will have around ten thousand square feet of landscaped garden, and will also include an amphitheatre, children’s play area and jogging track on the first floor.

The unique feature of the project would be a swimming pool, club house with a multipurpose hall, well equipped gymnasium on tenth floor which will be serviced by high speed elevators

Looking at the power situation in the city we will have Generator back up for common areas & lifts along with Inverter backup in each flat.

Speaking on the Future Plans of the group they added that the new premium projects planned would surely surpass existing market standards. The projects would encompass advanced, contemporary concepts considering location, environment and client-profile.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Commenting on the MoU, Mr. Sanjay Tulsyan, Managing Director of Tulsyan NEC Limited, said “We are extremely happy to venture with a well established entity like Budhrani Group, who has their roots in Nigeria for about 30 years. We chose Nigeria as it has shortage of steel & surplus of raw materials. Hence, we made a conscious decision to make its forays into this market.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Tulsyan NEC Limited

Tulsyan NEC Limited is the flagship Company of Tulsyan Group. It is listed in the BSE and was established in the year 1947. Tulsyan NEC is one of the leading manufacturers of Thermo Mechanically Treated Bars (TMT) and Billets in the country. It is privileged to be the first Licensed Rolling Mill in South India to produce TMT Rebars and has got ISI 1786 and ISO.

The Tulsyan Group of Industries was founded by Late Shri. G. L. Tulsyan in the year 1938. The group, since its then has come a long way backed by well-planned diversification and expansion policies with its present annual turnover being Rs.680 crores.

The Budhrani Group

The Budhrani Group has an experience of almost 30 years in Nigeria and today the company has grown as a conglomerate with wide range of interest in various segments such as industries, commerce, automobiles, constructions, electronics and exports.

For further queries contact:
Mr. S Sankar Suresh Krishnan - Tulsyan Nec Limited IPAN
Tel: 044-39181060/67 Tel: 044 28202548
Email: tulsyannecltd@vsnl.net Email:suresh.krishnan@ipan.com

Russell Gilchrist from Skidmore, Owings & Merril, Chicago, designers of Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world will deliver the key note address. Russell, with a history of working on innovative and world-renowned projects, will provide valuable insights on unique trends in architecture and the growth of international high-rise construction in his keynote address.

Constituted by ASAPP Media, the awards recognize exceptional work done by Architects and Builders in various aspects of infrastructure and real estate industry over the years. The selection was based on a survey conducted amongst the professionals from the industry.

“We have used the perception mapping process to select winners. An exhaustive survey was conducted among professionals within the industry. The highlight of CW Architect & Builder Awards 2008 is that it is recognition and admiration by peers. The awards are given by the industry to the industry. The value of the awards is highlighted by the fact that the whole industry is participating in the awards,” says Pratap Padode, Managing Director, ASAPP Media Information Group

Padode, who has been instrumental into getting the awards constituted adds, “Our consistent efforts in documenting success, recognizing talent, addressing pertinent issues, and creating the awakening for a transparent and well-governed industry are bearing fruit in the form of a community that is more forthright about sharing information”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

For Further Details contact Balakrishna Pillai (09820154049), Spin Communiqué, Mumbai

Under Phase I alone, the affordable housing project will cover Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, and Mysore where 64,500 homes with a total built up area of 59.80 million sq ft will be constructed over the next five years at a cost of about Rs 8,000 crores. The funding for these Phase I projects will be through construction debt and customer advances amounting to Rs 6,500 crores, with internal accruals and equity sourcing the remaining Rs 1,500 crores which will be utilized for land acquisitions.

In Phase II, Provident’s foot print will also cover cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Jaipur, Pune and Nagpur.

The prices of Provident homes which are to be developed in a phased manner, are presently priced at Rs 10 lakhs, Rs 15 lakhs and Rs 20 lakhs and comprise of one, two and three bedroom homes.

The first three projects of Provident in Bangalore and Mysore of over 19,000 homes covering an area of 17.10 million sq ft are in the advanced stages of plan sanction with the first project in North Bangalore of 4.50 million sq ft comprising some 5,100 homes ready for launch in the next few months.

Mr Jayakar Jerome, a former IAS officer, who is credited with resurrecting the Bangalore Development Authority and taking up a slew of infrastructure projects in Bangalore City, will be the Managing Director of Provident Housing and Infrastructure Limited, while the Puravankara Group head, Mr Ravi Puravankara, will be the Chairman of the Company.

“Provident will target middle-class families and first time home buyers with the objective of meeting the ever increasing demand in this space.” said Mr Jayakar Jerome. “We will provide affordable premium homes which will cater to a largely under serviced market in the Country,” he said.

Provident has been established as an independent stand-alone entity with its own budget, offices and staff. Modern technology based methods are being used to achieve scalability at an affordable price. Provident Housing and Infrastructure Limited will function under the supervision of the Puravankara Group which is known for its premium, world class quality construction standards.

Apart from homes Provident will also develop and sell large plotted development townships for affordable housing supported by facilities like hospitals, schools and playgrounds.

With rising income levels and aspirations and the emergence of a new salaried class in the Country, the demand for homes has far out-paced supply. According an estimate, India’s housing shortage has increased from 19.4 million units in 2004 to 22.4 million in 2005-06 and this figure has since only kept rising.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Puravankara

The Puravankara Group with over 33 years of excellence in the upper end of the housing sector across various regions of the Country has projects in Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Mysore and Colombo. The Group also has an important presence in Dubai in the UAE and business representatives in the United Kingdom and the United States. With a land bank of over 125 million sq ft, the Group has above 20 million sq ft of residential and commercial space currently under construction. Included in this are on-going residential projects amounting to 18.30 million sq ft comprising 11,010 homes.

Hyundai Construction Equipment India Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea, which is a global leader in construction equipment industry and diversified in related many business areas which include shipbuilding, engine and machineries and power plant engineering. This group is having high focus on each of its business area and setting up a construction equipment plant in Pune, India is one of the steps to make its construction equipment business in foray.

An in-house program, followed by a press conference was held on this special occasion, presenting the inauguration of South Regional Office as a stepping stone towards their goal to become the market leader in Southern India for Construction Equipment.

The Southern Regional Office will cater services to States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr J S Kim, Managing Director, Hyundai Construction Equipment India Pvt. Ltd., said “During last one year, in spite of adverse situations, we have successfully achieved the milestones like setting up a state of the art factory, developing the organization with the best talent available, developing a strong distribution network across the country and rolling out its 20T Excavator by August’08. He reinstated that Hyundai is considering India as a strategic market where investment planning has been made to realize long term vision with respect to construction equipment.

Emphasizing on social commitment of the organization he said, “We would like to be a partner ourselves with economic development of the country, people development through creation of employment opportunity, enhancement of people’s living standard and overall society development. Our future course of actions will certainly charter high quality corporate social responsibility”.

Mr Suvendu Moitra, Head – Marketing made a detailed presentation on the past, present and future plannings of Hyundai Construction Equipment India Pvt. Ltd. He revealed that so far Hyundai appointed 16 dealer partners all over India and out of them 5 are from the Southern Region – one each from Karnataka, TN and Kerala and rest two from AP.

He also announced that Hyundai Pune has the capacity to scale up its production upto 10000 units per annum & this will help to position Hyundai amongst the top construction equipment manufacturing company in near future. He emphasized on the features of Hyundai excavators like Fuel Economy, Competitive Machine & Spare Parts Price, Higher Productivity and Higher Component Life.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Hyundai Construction Equipment India Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea, which is a global leader in construction equipment industry and diversified in related many business areas which include shipbuilding, engine and machineries and power plant engineering.

Otis has been present in India for over 50 years providing quality escalators and elevators, backed by reliable service to a variety of end use markets in residential and commercial space. The new JV, as an independent entity, will retain Supriya’s well-recognized brand identity and continue to meet the needs of the markets it will operate in.

Sundar Parthasarathy, Managing Director, Otis India said, "The market for people moving systems will continue to see demand growth over the medium and long term and the JV will augment our efforts at expanding market presence and customer service in South India."

Otis Elevator Company, a part of United Technologies Corporation [a Fortune 500 company] is the world’s largest manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products including elevators, escalators and moving walkways. With headquarters in Farmington, Connecticut, Otis employs 63,000 people worldwide, offers products and services in more than 200 countries and territories and maintains 1.6 million elevators and escalators worldwide.

Supriya Elevators (India) Pvt. Ltd. has been a well-established independent elevator company in Southern parts of India, for more than 15 years. The company offers a wide range of elevator products.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“The flats ranging from Rs 30–Rs 60 lakhs will cater to the multivarious interests of our customers, and for the first time the convenience of single-bedroom units is being offered on OM Road. The cost of each unit will depend on the area chosen by a prospective buyer,” said Mr. P. H. M. Syed Ismail, Managing Director of ETA Star Property Developers Ltd.

Rosedale will include single bedroom (784-905.), double bedroom (1,190–1,278 sq ft.) and triple bedroom (1,545 and 1,753 sq ft.) units. The project will encompass a total built-up area of 650,000 sq ft. The company has announced a special pre-EMI scheme for the first 100 bookings. The project is scheduled to be completed within two years and the company will strictly adhere to its deadline of delivery within 24 months,” he said.

Targeting NRIs, IT professionals and the upper-middle class, all conveniences required for modern urban living will be provided within the complex itself such as, convenience store, swimming pool, gymnasium, party halls, sauna/ steam bath facilities, coffee shop, tennis court, landscaped gardens, rose garden and water feature . The proposed swanky club house – ‘The Bouquet’ will also allow one to indulge in a leisurely lunch with family and friends by the poolside. Mr. Ismail stated ‘ETA Star Rosedale’, on completion, will lead the way to a Pudu Chennai, which will truly emulate the innovative characteristics of Navi Mumbai or the National Capital Region in Delhi”.

At ‘ETA Star Rosedale’, the residents will be able to enjoy the experience of belonging to a “New Community.” Luxury at Rosedale will begin at the entrance and continue right up to one’s doorstep and proceed inside the home as well. Life at ‘ETA Star Rosedale’, simply put, will be a bed of roses.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About ETA Star Property

The $ 6 billion, Dubai-headquartered ETA Star Property conglomerate, with international sales offices in over 12 countries, has active interests in Engineering & Construction, Trading & Shipping, Manufacturing & Assembling, Facilities Management Environment & Automobiles, Retail & Leisure as well as Corporate Services.

ETA Star Property is developing over 30 million sq ft of premium properties in countries across the Middle East and South-East Asia, including the UAE, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Turkey. That translates into thousands of beautiful homes and living communities, as well as world-class business and commercial developments across the globe – all superb investment opportunities, which are fast reshaping the urban skyline. The Group is now foraying aggressively into the construction segment in India.

The net sales for the first quarter stood at Rs. 793 crore and PBDIT at Rs. 67.92 crore. compared to Rs. 616.49 crore and Rs. 48.35 crore respectively, in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. The strong operating performance was adversely impacted due to Foreign Exchange Fluctuation loss of Rs. 12.97 crore. PBDIT (excluding Foreign Exchange Fluctuation loss) grew by 81 per cent to Rs. 80.89 crore (Rs.44.76 crore).

The company’s bottomline turned around in Q1 FY09 as its net profit for the quarter settled at Rs. 4.87 crore, compared to a net loss of Rs. 7.77 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

Commenting on the performance for the quarter, in a joint statement, Mr. Ajay Shriram, Chairman & Senior Managing Director, and Mr. Vikram Shriram, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, said: “Our businesses have built inherent strengths and delivered good operating results. Improved margins in Plastics and Chemicals enabled us to tide over the challenging environment in the Sugar business and rising financial charges. Our newer businesses i.e Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar and ‘Fenesta Building Systems’ are progressing as per plan, extending geographical reach and customer base.

Company completed the expansion of the Chemicals capacity to 360 TPD at Bharuch, with the commissioning of 55 MW coal based Power Plant by August 2008, the cost competitiveness of this business will improve significantly.

The Commissioning of 24 MW Co-gen Power Projects in 2008-09 Sugar season will provide additional revenue stream for Sugar Business.We are pursuing options to further strengthen our operations by building raw material and fuel security. These steps along with the multiple revenue streams in built in our operating model should create sustained value going forward.”

During the quarter under review, sales from own products were up by 12.5 per cent at Rs. 600 crore and that from traded products by 133 per cent at Rs. 193 crore. Chemicals and Plastics business revenues were strongly driven by higher volumes and better margin realizations. Agri Inputs trading was up by 145 per cent at Rs. 107 crore and Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar business by 125 per cent at Rs. 86 crore.

Fertilizer business also registered higher volumes in Q1 FY 2009 since there was a planned shutdown in Q1 FY08. Company used LNG as feedstock to the extent of 54 per cent, which resulted in energy savings and lower subsidy claims.

DSCL’s doors and windows division-- “Fenesta Building Systems” -- recorded positive PBIDT in the quarter as it gained volumes and improved margins. However, the sugar business continued to face challenges but managed to curtail its losses.

DSCL continued to optimise its existing strengths in the Agri space while simultaneously leveraging its large base of captive power produced at a competitive cost to maximize value creation in its Chloro-Vinyl businesses. The high-value and knowledge based businesses initiated by the Company, including Fenesta Building Systems, Hariyali Kisaan Bazaar, have also delivered encouraging performances.

The company’s first phase of expansion, of its Chlor-alkali capacity from 200 TPD to 360 TPD at its Bharuch facility is complete, the benefits from the same will start accruing post commissioning of the 55 MW Coal based power plant by August 2008. The second phase of expansion, taking the capacity to 445 TPD is expected to be commissioned by March 2009 and is progressing as per schedule.

The expansion of the co-gen power capacity from the existing 70.5 MW to 94.5 MW with an exportable surplus capacity of 51.5 MW is progressing as per schedule and is expected to start from sugar season (SS) 2008-09. The Company is expanding co-gen power facilities of 24 MW at its sugar units at Hariavan and Loni for export to the state grid.

DSCL started using dual feed of LNG and Naphtha since September 2007 depending on the availability of LNG. The company is currently procuring LNG on a spot price basis and is simultaneously trying for long-term contracts. The company during the quarter under review used LNG and Naphtha in the ratio of 54: 46.

Seventeen new Haryali outlets were added during Q1 FY2009. ‘Hariyali’ a ‘rural business centre’, is aimed at meeting farming as well as family needs of the rural population. The number of Hariyali outlets now stands at 177, which the company plans to scale up aggressively to around 300 outlets by March 2009.

‘Hariyali’ is now present in 8 states across India, with Maharashtra being the new state in which 7 outlets were opened in this quarter.

‘Hariyali’ continues to enlarge its offerings of goods and services. It started Seed processing and warehousing activities during the quarter at three locations.

‘Fenesta Building Systems’, which offers world class UPVC Window and door systems to Indian customers, achieved an order booking of 42000 windows during the quarter (Q4 FY08 being 28000 windows) taking the total orders in hand as on 30th June 08 to 2.3 lac windows.

The division recorded positive PBDIT for the quarter with higher volumes and better margins. The new products launched by the company have also witnessed encouraging response.

DSCL expects the realisations and margins in its Chemicals and Plastics business to remain healthy. The implementation of the coal based Power Plant and Chlor-alkali capacity expansion at Bharuch in Q2 FY09, will also add to the margins and profitability in the Chemicals business.

The company’s sugar realisations are demonstrating an upward trend, in view of expected lower production in ensuing sugar season. However the cane price issue remains an area of concern.

In Fertiliser business, subsidy payment is a matter of concern.

Hariyali will continue to deliver aggressive growth while it continues to be in an investment and expansion mode.

Fenesta Building Systems is expected to become profitable at an operating level in FY 09

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Propel CommunicationSolutions (India) Ltdis amongst the very few public limited companies in the business of offering quality PR servicesto a variety of Industry segments. Headquartered in New Delhi, Propel hasa pan-India network of its own branches/associates/representatives.

Propel’s present clientele represent a variety of industries, including IT sector, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, Lifestyles and others. The agency uses all disciplines to create and deliver messages, which can establish clients’ objectives into visibilities. The clients’ products and services deserve recognition in their respective region. Propel can provide it with a bottom line business perspective that will surprise you. The agency’s primary mission is to help clients gain a significant market presence and position for their products and services in the global market. Its approach on every public relations campaign is with a sense of urgency, knowing that the client pay for results.

Propel prides it on meeting the high standards in the PR industry by listening carefully to clients and gaining a deep understanding of their products and services. With strong network of more than 1000 media persons, planned strategy, excellent writing, pinpoint distribution and tenacious follow-up, Team PRopel makes every PR campaign a successful one. Propel’'s unique approach redefines the way PR is taken up as a professional medium to generate awareness for any product / service / event.

PAT for the quarter was Rs. 54.17 crores as against Rs. 126.57 crores in the last fiscal showing an increase of 71.20% on a quarterly basis. The company’s total income for quarter ended June 30,2008 stands at Rs. 235.91 crores as against Rs 784.73 crores last year reflecting increase of 20.25% on a quarterly basis.

The fully diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the quarter stands at Rs 1.63 as against Rs. 4.18 last year.

Announcing the results, Mr. V. D. Mhaiskar, Chairman & Managing Director of IRB infrastructure Developers Ltd. said, “Steady growth, together with our strong order book position will translate into higher profit margins in the coming quarters as well.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd.

IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. is an integrated infrastructure development and construction company in India with significant experience in the roads and highways sector. The Company is one of the largest private developers in western India and the largest toll road operating company in India. It is an established infrastructure company in the roads sector and has a large portfolio of completed and operational BOT projects in the roads infrastructure sector. As of February 25, 2008, the Company is listed on the NSE and BSE.

The net profit margin at over 39% in the quarter ended 30 June 2008 has increased compared with the last quarter due to an increase in the gross profit margin and lower selling, general and administrative expenses which have reduced to 8.33% of revenues compared with a higher 9.50% of revenues in the previous quarter of last year.

Income at Rs 157.58 crores for the quarter represents an increase of 31% over the previous quarter as a result of an increase in the developable area of on-going projects.

The area currently under development has increased to 20.08 million sq. ft. with projects spread across Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Mysore and Kolkata. There are 16 on-going residential projects and 5 commercial projects currently under development. A range of residential and commercial projects are planned to be launched in the coming months in Coimbatore, Colombo, Cochin, Bangalore and Mysore.

The current land bank has recently been further augmented through significant land acquisitions in the cities of Chennai and Hyderabad and currently stands at 125.37 million sq. ft. of developable area.

The Group’s strong financial position and liquidity is underlined by its low debt to equity ratio of 0.48 and a relatively modest net debt of Rs 613 crores as at 30 June 2008.

Commenting on the results Mr. Ravi Puravankara, Chairman and Managing Director, said “We have had another very good quarter of all round growth in terms of operations and financial performance. Significantly, we have maintained our high profit margins this quarter in the face of cost and price pressures. Our solid financial position and strong liquidity, market leadership position, together with our proven ability to control costs, have placed us in a firm position to propel the Puravankara Group to the next significant level of growth and earnings across our existing presence in South India and beyond. We are confident of maintaining our profit margins at high levels and launching large projects across several locations in the coming quarters.”

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About Puravankar Group

The Puravankara Group commands operations in Bangalore, Kochi, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Mysore, Colombo and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Group also has representatives in the United Kingdom and the United States. The Puravankara Group has the distinction of being awarded the Finaliste, international Prix d’ Excellence – 1998 for its project “Purva Park” in Bangalore. This was in the group residential category, by FIABCI, Paris, the International Federation of Real Estate. Two prestigious projects, Purva Graces and Purva Heights, received a PA 1 rating from CRISIL.

Welded Wire Mesh (WWM) for Concrete Reinforcement is new to the Indian construction industry. The manufactured product comes to the site ready for immediate onsite installation contributing to higher productivity and better quality control. Building sites are therefore safer, cleaner with conducive work conditions. In an environment of increasing labour cost, WWM fabric provides developers, designers, engineers and contractors with a convenient and economical solution for steel reinforcement for concrete structures.

Speaking on this occasion IJM Corporation, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director Dato’ Krishnan Tan said that, “India is the most important overseas operation for IJM in the Asia-Pacific region and it is a very important market both in terms of business opportunities as well the development of products,".

"The inauguration of the Isnapur factory signifies the importance IJM assigns to India. This factory marks our commitment to long term business operations here, and we are confident that the product Welded Wire Mesh is set to revolutionize the Infrastructure and the Real Estate Industry in India.”

He also added, “The people of Isnapur Village will benefit as the company promises to generate employment opportunities, as well as spin-off businesses.”

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About IJM

IJM CORPORATION BHD MALAYSIA was formed in 1984 through the merger of three major construction companies. Since then it has grown exponentially, but always with construction as its core business. It spread its business activities into the manufacturing sector with Ready-mix concrete, quarries and scaffolding. The move into property development was a natural progression, and today it is one of the largest property players in Malaysia with a substantial land bank.

In 1985, IJM took a major step by diversifying to the plantation business with oil palm estates and palm oil mills. This division now performs an important role in smoothing out the cyclical nature of the construction industry.

IJM went overseas soon after its formation. It moved into India in a big way in April 1998 with the incorporation of IJM Infrastructure India Pvt Ltd. Since, then it has participated in numerous tollway projects and township development, besides being involved in the construction of infrastructure projects ( High Ways, Metro Lines, Bridges) and various kinds of buildings.

In India, IJM through IJM Concrete Products Pvt Ltd. operates 5 ready mix concrete batching plants in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. A sixth plant is under construction in Mumbai. With the start-up of IJM Steel Products Pvt Ltd Pachymylaram Plant, the IJM Group now commits itself to further business in India.

The PAT of the Company rose 9.36% to Rs.40.97 Crores, as compared to Rs. 37.46 Crores for the previous quarter ended March 31, 2008. Total Income increased by 14.14%, from Rs.212.03 Crores for the final quarter of the 2008 fiscal to Rs.242.01Crores for the Quarter ended June 30, 2008. Basic EPS stands at Rs.9.31 per share of Rs.2/- each as compared to Rs.8.58 per share of Rs.2/- each for the Quarter ended March 31, 2008.

In June, ICSA was awarded a 20 MW Wind power project by Non-Conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd. Recently, ICSA secured orders aggregating to Rs. 225.79 crores for supply and erection of Substations and for provision of Rural Electricity infrastructure from various state electricity boards. Deutsche Securities Mauritius Ltd. and the Government of Singapore have increased their equity stake in ICSA.

Commenting upon the results, Mr. Bala Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director, ICSA (India) Limited, said, “The results are in line with our target for future growth. The number of orders bagged illustrates our pan-Indian capabilities and the fact that the technology solutions we have developed for the power sector are gaining increasing acceptability.”

ICSA secured design nod for the Automatic Meter Reading Apparatus and Protector for oil and gas pipelines from the Patent Office. ICSA’s solutions for the power sector identify Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses and monitor power consumption using GSM Network.

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About ICSA (India) Ltd.

ICSA(India) Ltd is in the business of construction of power transmission lines and substations. Apart from this, the company provides embedded technology for the power sector. The company's product line includes: Intelligent Automatic Reading System, Multiplexer Unit, Distribution Transformer Monitoring System, Substation Controller, Micro Remote Terminal Unit, Theft Detection Devices, and Pole Top RTU. The company has developed products suitable for power utilities in the field of Energy Management, Energy Audit, and Control applications and provides versatile Data Acquisition Systems using GSM, CDMA, and RF.

In his address to the Shareholders on the occasion of 29th Annual General Meeting of the Company, Chairman Shri B G Bangur said that Company has completed all its expansion projects within time and budgeted costs. He said the Company has decided to set up another clinker production unit at Ras and a split grinding unit at Suratgarh.

On the cement demand outlook, he said that as a result of unabated inflation, the macro economic environment is not conducive to sustain the trend of high growth observed over last three years. However, all round infrastructure activity and continued strong housing demand is expected to keep cement demand growth intact. Upcoming dedicated freight corridor, the industrial corridor planned alongside thereto and Commonwealth Games 2010 shall be a major booster to cement demand in North India.

He said that globally stakeholders’ preference is increasingly shifting towards sustainable organizations i.e. those who provide equal emphasis on economic, social and environment. Shree Cement continued its efforts to sustain its feat in these three bottomlines. Company accords top priority to initiatives that contribute to the decarbonisation of its operations. Its Waste Heat Recovery Project completed in 2007-08 is an act in this direction. Company plans to add more such projects in the coming year. Company has joined hands with state govt. to build roads around its plants. These roads together built over more than 60 Kms stretch have smoothened traffic movement and shortened the distance. Besides they are serving as a civic convenience to the local community. In line with its commitment to improve the health and safety standards of the local community, Company sponsored setting up a neurological centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Ajmer. It also contributed towards renovation of the Budha Pushkar site at Pushkar.

Company also held the meeting of its Board of Directors today for approving the Results of June, 2008 Quarter. Company has posted 39% increase in its topline from Rs. 441 Cr. to Rs. 614 Cr. Net Profit has however shown a small dip at Rs. 111 Cr. against Rs. 117 Cr. recorded in the corresponding quarter of last year. This was mainly because of spiraling energy prices leading to sharp increase in its power and fuel bill.

During the quarter Company has bagged the prestigious Golden Peacock Award for combating Climate Change. The award is in recognition of its multiple initiatives in the direction of reducing carbon emissions and excellent Environment Management Practices.

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Rs. 300 crore will be invested in commercial projects in Pune and Rs. 300 crore will be invested in affordable housing projects (Rs. 10 lakhs – Rs. 25 lakhs per unit) in Maharashtra (in Nagpur, Nasik, Pune and suburban towns/ districts of Mumbai). In addition, Milestone is also actively considering a few investment proposals from Nasik.

Rs. 200 crore is being earmarked for development of Logistics Parks across Maharashtra.

Elaborating on the choice of cities, Ved Prakash Arya, Managing Director of Milestone Capital Advisors said that Pune has emerged as a favored destination for the IT/ITES sector. This has led to an explosive growth in the real estate markets, with prices rising by almost 200 per cent in three years. “We therefore believe that in Maharashtra, Pune presents among the best opportunities for a good return on our investment. We believe Pune is ripe to have low cost (Rs. 10 – 25 lakhs) affordable housing integrated township projects," Mr. Arya said.

Speaking about Nagpur, Mr. Arya said that Nagpur is among the most desirable, and investment-friendly cities in the country, as far as real estate is concerned. This was borne out by the fact that it featured among India's top ten destinations in a recent survey by international management consulting firm Ernst & Young. "Nagpur has everything it takes to develop into a mini-metro in the near future. It has a developed infrastructure, locational advantages and new mega-projects like MIHAN and associated SEZs. This is creating a vast and as yet under-served market for affordable housing in Nagpur, and we hope to address this market," he said.

Apart from these investments, Milestone is also investing over Rs. 200 crore in warehousing in Mumbai. "The aggressive growth of the retail sector has led to rapid growth in the logistics business. It has also underscored the deficiencies of warehousing. We see this as a huge opportunity, and have aggressive plans to develop this emerging vertical," Arya said.

Milestone has so far raised over Rs.2,400 crore from the domestic/ offshore market. It has the highest deployment ratio in the sector, having so far signed investment deals worth Rs.1,500 crore.

Milestone currently is in the process of raising Rs.1,000 crore for its domestic fund "Milestone Domestic Scheme II".

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Founded by Mr. Ved Prakash Arya, Milestone Capital Advisors' (www.milestonecapital.in) key objective is to facilitate investments in various areas of the rapidly evolving Indian economy. It is one of the few companies in India that provides a wide variety of real estate investment products to meet individual needs. The company has a key goal of leveraging the strong background of its constituents in investing in India. Milestone prides itself in having a management as well as an employee base that is outstanding operationally as well as in its investing experience.

For details contact: Sunder Iyer: 0923029582, innovatorspr@vsnl.net, Nida Paloba: 09821017561, nida@eschercommunications.com

Unity’s stake in the project is 51% and the balance is with the Brahmaputra Group. With this order, Unity’s order book position stands at Rs. 3091 crores. As of May 31, 2008, Unity Infraprojects had Rs. 30,22.4 crores worth of orders outstanding, representing a 51.4% growth over an order book of Rs. 1996.4 crores in March 2007.

“This order underline the pan-Indian capability of Unity and, at the same time, confirms our commitment to providing best-in-class deliverables to our clients. We will continue to step up our pace and spread our operations further across the country,” said Mr. Abhijit Avarsekar, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Unity Infraprojects Limited.

Unity Infraprojects’ total income for FY 2008 stood at Rs. 862.4 crores, up 56% from Rs. 553.6 crores in FY 2007. PAT for FY 2008 stood at Rs. 60 crores, up 42% from Rs. 42.3 crores in FY 2007.

The company is currently executing 10 malls in Maharashtra, of which five are with the company and the other 5 include Magarpatta Retail Pvt Ltd, India Bulls, Big Malls, Avinash Bhosle Group, Phoenix Mills. The company has also put in bids in high value infrastructure projects – in irrigation and water supply segments.

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About Unity Infraprojects Limited

Unity Infraprojects Ltd. provides integrated engineering, procurement and construction services for civil construction and infrastructure sector projects. Besides civil construction, the company’s project expertise includes transportation engineering, irrigation and water supply projects.

Unity is the flagship unit of the Mumbai based KK Group of Companies which has interests across a wide spectrum of businesses such as concrete block manufacturing and quarrying, hospitality and organized retailing industries.

“This investment will help Bumi capitalise on the huge opportunity in Geo Engineering in India and abroad and consolidate its position as an Indian multi-national company in the Geo Engineering space,” said Mr. B. Jaikumar, Chairman & MD, Bumi Geo Engineering Pvt. Ltd.

Bumi was founded in 2002 by Mr. Jaikumar, an engineer, who has several years’ experience in the field of Geotechnical Engineering and worked extensively in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and India. Bumi currently employs more than 2,000 people and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Alcazar is a $400 million Private Equity fund, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. “We are delighted to partner with Bumi Geo Engineering, a pioneer and recognized leader in its segment in India. With its specialised equipment, experienced management and technical and operational staff, it offers complete Geo Engineering solutions. We are confident that the Company has a unique business model with strong growth prospects,” said Mr. Dinesh Tiwari, Partner, Alcazar Capital.

JM Financial Consultants Ltd. was the financial adviser to Bumi for this transaction.

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The company posted a total income of Rs. 3227 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, PAT was up by 80% to Rs. 202 million.

Unity Infraprojects’ total income for FY 2008 stood at Rs 8624 mn, up 56% from Rs 5536 mn in FY 2007. PAT for FY 2008 stood at Rs 600 mn, up 42% from Rs 423 mn in FY 2007.

EPS for FY2008 was Rs. 44.9 viz. Rs. 32.9 in the previous fiscal.

Announcing the results, Mr. Kishore K. Avarsekar, Chairman and Managing Director, Unity Infraprojects Limited said, “The strong performance is a reflection of the tremendous growth opportunities in the Indian construction and infrastructure segments, and the demonstrated competence and client orientation of Unity Infraprojects. We have significantly added large and varied projects to our order book over the last year, and expect continued significant wins ahead.”

As of May 31, 2008, Unity Infraprojects had Rs 30,224.6 million worth of order outstanding, representing a 51.4% growth over an order book of Rs 1996.4 mn in March 2007.

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About Unity Infraprojects Ltd.

Unity Infraprojects Ltd. provides integrated engineering, procurement and construction services for civil construction and infrastructure sector projects. Besides civil construction, the company’s project expertise includes transportation engineering, irrigation and water supply projects. Unity is the flagship unit of the Mumbai based KK Group of Companies which has interests across a wide spectrum of businesses such as concrete block manufacturing and quarrying, hospitality and organized retailing industries.

The Board has recommended the dividend of 5% i.e. 50 paise on each equity share of Rs.10/- , subject to the approval of members

The company’s Wholly Owned Subsidiary – BSE Infrastructure Realty FZE’s project of 80 lacs sq feet is going at rapid speed and witnessing very good response from the customers. The company has already launched three towers namely Pearl, Fayrooz and Kahraman till date and further planning to launch another four towers in next 6 months time.

Announcing the results, Mr. Dharmendra Raichura, Managing Director, BSEL Infrastructure Realty Ltd. said, “Because of our UAE operations, this year we have registered operational revenue growth of 144% and PAT growth of 46% and we are sure of growing more aggressively in the coming years”.

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About BSEL Infrastructure Realty Ltd.

BSEL Infrastructure Realty Ltd is a reputed Indian company currently engaged in Hospitality, Hotels, IT Parks, Townships, Commercial Space, Retail & Shopping Malls Projects in India and UAE. The company has proven its mettle in developing quality projects in commercial, entertainment and residential sectors. Owing to the trust and faith meted in them by their clients and shareholders, the company has grown 250 times in a short span of 4 years and executed international projects too.

Finolex Sanitation System, (PVC-U SWR Pipes and Fittings) for the construction industry, are uniquely designed products which are manufactured conforming to IS: 13592. The products are available in three sizes: 75mm, 110mm & 160mm diameter and offer a choice of Solvent Cement or Rubber Ring Jointing. Finolex SWR systems are UV stabilized, rodent repellent and chemically inert to all acids and alkalies.

Going a step further & with advancement in technology, Finolex is now set to introduce a Plumbing system which is complete LEAD FREE and hence the undue apprehension of migration of lead from the walls of the pipes into the water flowing through these pipes get eliminated. To start with, lead free plumbing system would be introduced in selected parts of the country, eventually launching it PAN INDIA.

Mr. V. V. Khandekar, President in a press release issued in city said, "Finolex Industries has already created a market for PVC plumbing pipes over the last 15 years especially downSouth where PVC plumbing pipes are being used regularly. Now the market is growing substantially in other regions & the company is committed to bring the benefits of technology to its customers".

"Finolex Industries has been present for last many years mainly as supplier of pipes for agricultural sector and now with introduction of its PVC plumbing & sanitation systems, plans to further expand by increasing its dealer and sub-dealer network across the whole country", Mr. Khandekar informs.

FIL offers a wide range of PVC Pipes and Fittings from 20mm to 400mm diameter for diverse application like Agriculture, Housing, Telecom, Industry, etc. The production capacity of the Pipes division of FIL is spread over its two ultramodern Plants at Pune and Ratnagiri. FIL is in the process of increasing this capacity further, in the current financial year.

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The new range includes three new designs of ‘eco habitat’ for bats and two for swifts which provide secure, dry homes for these endangered creatures that are built into the building wall.

“We have been increasingly concerned about the impact of housebuilding on fauna like bats and swifts,” comments David Hills, Sustainability Manager of Ibstock. “They are an important part of our ecosystem, and can help keep some insect pests at bay. As such, we have created a range of specially designed one brick thick habitats that offer attractive, maintenance-free living environments that can be incorporated into any new buildings.”

Ibstock’s bat eco habitats were designed with the help of bat conservation experts and include perches, ledges and hanging space. The maintenance free boxes are available in different sizes and colours that match or complement the existing brick walls.

Ibstock eco habitats for swifts are available in smooth red or blue clay and have been designed - with assistance from avian conservation experts - to be located under the eaves, where nesting swifts prefer a discreet, secure site.

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The future of over 62,000 residents occupying 1,110 dilapidated homes in C & D Ward is doomed unless these buildings are removed from the restricted regulations. The people in the area demand that FSI and DC regulations for these areas should be the same as in non-CRZ areas.

90% of these buildings are constructed prior to 1940, much before the CRZ notification which was issued in 1991. The conditions of the buildings in this area of C Ward are in hazardous condition. People are living in the shadow of death as hundreds of buildings have collapsed in the past resulting in several deaths and injuries. These dilapidated buildings will continue to collapse unless re-developed.

These are authorized buildings and are paying cess to the government. The C Ward falling in CRZ II has been urbanized over a century ago. It does not share properties of the coast as it is found in CRZ I areas. C Ward is a developable area within Municipal Corporation of Mumbai's limit. Moreover, between the high tide line and the 200mts line, there is marine drive promenade, 180 feet wide road, large cricket maidans, four track western railway lines and Maharshi Karve Road. After the 200 mts line there is a parallel barrier strip of crematorium and burial ground of average 50-100mts width.

Therefore the residents of these areas would like to draw the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MOEF) attention to relax the CRZ II norms to enable them to re-develop their homes.

Four organizations, namely Remaking of Mumbai Federation (RoMF), Citizen Forum for C Ward development (CFCD), Old Building Landlord Welfare Association and Federation of Association of Maharashtra (FAM) are helping the residents by raising their voice to reach the concerned authorities. They have launched a signature campaign to urge the MoEF to remove the area from CRZ II for C & D Wards.

These organizations have created a signature campaign of a petition to the MoEF and therefore to spread awareness of the petition, a group of volunteers visited each household in these areas and over a period of three weeks they have collected over 15,000 signatures. This petition will be handed over to the Chief Minister on Saturday 28 June 2008 at a large public meeting at the Acharya Mahapragnya Hall, Dadi Seth Agiary Lane, Chirabazaar.

Disaster Relief Cell has been created to save the lives of thousands who are living under the shadow of death in thousands of old and dilapidated buildings and involves volunteers from C Ward who are being trained by Civil Defence professionals for disaster management. The training equips them with the skills of dealing with a disaster namely building collapses, death, floods, fire and any other emergency. The course is a 12 day program, training 60-70 students in two batches. A 24-hour co-ordination control room and an ambulance service have been provided for the residents of the area along with necessary equipments.

Arup, is one of the world's largest urban planners and is being appointed as the urban planner for RoMF's C Ward development plan to convert into a World Class city. Arup's integrated sustainable planning will include urban planning, urban environment, urban transportation, urban infrastructure and a development strategy to ensure neutral or reducing carbon footprint environment. A case study of various cities and areas in different places of the World was presented by the Arup principal, Ashok Raiji and Tom Jost.

Says Lalit Gandhi, Chairman RoMF, "This is a mission for saving lives of the 20 lakh people living in the old buildings and therefore taking up the cause of these 62000 people in CRZ area and creation of Disaster Relief Cell are natural activities for RoMF. Arup's expertise in environment friendly planning will allow us to set new global standards in integrated, sustainable development planning which is the middle ground between indiscriminate development and a no-development agenda ofenvironmentalists. India needs development, but a development with a green face."

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About RoMF

Remaking of Mumbai federation is a mission consisting of over 50 associations, NGOs and institutions led by Master Visionary H H Sri Sri Ravishankarji, Chairman Lalit Gandhi, President ex-Justice P N Bhagwati, Padmashree Nana Chudasama, Girish Gokhale, ex- Municipal Commisioner, Y P Trivedi and others for saving the lives of over 15 lakh people living in old and dilapidated buildings of Mumbai and creating a World Class city.

About CFCD

Citizen Forum for C Ward Development (CFCD) is a citizen group of C ward consisting of 129 representatives of all mohallas of C3 and C4 wards and hundreds of other members who are working closely for development of C Ward.

About Old Building Landlords Welfare Association

Old Building Landlords Welfare Association is an association of landlord of old buildings working to redevelop their buildings and protect their interests in the redevelopment activities.

About FAM

Federation of Association of Maharashtra (FAM) is a federation established in 1979 of over 750business and trade associations of Mumbai for the protection and interest of small, medium and large traders and businesses. It is a major source of grassroot strength for the business community.

For the quarter ending March 31, 2008, the company recorded turnover of Rs.415.29 crores as compared to Rs.311.11 crores during the corresponding quarter of FY 2006-07. PBT was posted at Rs.28.94 crores as against Rs.36.57 crores during the corresponding earlier quarter. The profit after tax was artificially reduced by Rs 60.20 crores to Rs (20.60) crores vis-à-vis Rs 28.23 crores same quarter last year, due to a provision necessitated by the announcement made by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India on account of mark-to-market losses on foreign exchange derivative contracts. As of date, the Company does not expect to actually incur losses to this extent.

The production of DI pipes at 2,14,956 MT declined by 6.6% during the year, primarily due to plant shutdown necessitated by unseasonal flooding and relining of blast furnace. This was partially offset by higher production (50,504 MT) of CI pipes to the extent of 20% and a rise of 35% in production of DI fittings to 4,654 MT. A dynamic market scan allowed the company to realign its focus to the domestic market from the export markets for better price realisations – export volumes were restricted by 12% to 1,03,413 MT, from 1,15,289 in the previous year.

The industry faced unprecedented increase in iron-ore and coal/coke prices in addition to the significant increases in other raw material prices. During the latter half of the year, the Company was able to increase product prices to partially compensate the increase in raw material prices, resulting in an increase in realisation. Adverse movements in the international forex markets affected the company’s foreign exchange exposures.

The allotment of an iron-ore mine in Kodolibad, Jharkhand, a backward integration measure, will further reduce the operating cost and ensure steady supplies. Pursuant to the allocation of the Parbatpur Coal Block the company has signed the lease agreement with the Govt of Jharkhand and has acquired the required land and commenced infrastructural work. Coal production is expected to commence in the current FY. These measures will enable the Company to completely avoid the impact of price volatility in the market and significantly buttress its operating margins.

The demand stimulated by the government’s thrust on improving the village infrastructure, considering that over 20 crore Indians do not have access to safe and clean drinking water and have appalling sanitation conditions, the company expects the demand for its product to be buoyant and expects to perform well in the future, especially considering the steps taken to eliminate the impact of raw material price imbalances and the continued focus on improving operating efficiencies. The Company expects improvement in its performance in the current year.

The Directors maintained dividend at last year’s level and have recommended a final dividend of 25%, in addition to 100% already paid in December, reflecting the confidence in the operations of the current year.

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These two ultra modern facilities will provide services to customers in and around Aurangabad and Pune. The dealership infrastructure has been made as per the JCB Corporate Identity norms and is equipped with JCB standardized systems to provide a one-stop solution for JCB customers under one roof.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, JCB India said, “JCB stands for world class earth moving equipments. Its machines have always performed to the hilt and given top most satisfaction to its customers. We are sure these state of the art dealer facilities built by our dealers - Ratnapprabbha Motors in Aurangabad and Siddharth Auto Engineers Pvt. Ltd. in Pune will help provide even better service to our valued customers. JCB, in its endeavor to providing world class earth moving equipment and machines has always put the satisfaction of its customers at the top”.

JCB India holds a leading position in India and it is the market leader in the Backhoe Loader segment, holding a major share of the market in the state. Showing its commitment to the Indian market, JCB India is also gaining strength in the Tracked Excavator and the Wheeled Loading Shovel segment all over India.

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About JCB India Ltd.

JCB India Limited, Ballabgarh (Haryana) is a fully owned subsidiary of JC Bamford Excavators Limited, UK. The company offers sixteen different machines in six product types such as Backhoe Loaders, Loading Shovels, Tracked Excavators, Compactors, Telehandlers and Skid Steer Loaders. An excellent network of 47 dealers and over 295 outlets throughout the country along with a world-class customer service network support JCB.

Today, as a real estate development company honoured with people's trust and credited with transforming the skyline across India, IDEB constantly strives for perfection. The ultimate aim is to exceed customer's expectations. A proof of efforts is – Silver Ocean of Mauritius, the foreign invest partner of IDEB, has invested more than Rs 33 Crores in Springdale, a residential venture from IDEB.

KTGY Inter-Associates, one of Bangkok's leading architectural firms, has designed the master plan of this idyllic, self-contained, mixed-use, integrated enclave. There will be mid-rise apartments, villas, twin bungalows and row houses, forming a pocket of orderly development, offering an escape from a world of chaos into an organized and well-managed world that has been created based on the best practices of modern town planning. The exquisite landscaping between and around the apartment buildings; parks; water -bodies; makes this enclave a pleasure to live in.

The launch event was held at the Le Meridien – Pune recently. Mr Bedi, CMD and Mr Rajiv Banga CEO of IDEB Projects addressed an august gathering of investors and business associates.

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PAT climbed 405% YoY to Rs 113.93 crores from Rs 22.55 crores in the last fiscal. The company’s Total Income for FY08 stands at Rs 784.74 crores, a hop of 141.39% as against Rs 325.09 crores last year.

The fully diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) for the year ending March 31, 2008 stands at Rs 4.18, up from Rs. 1.12 last year.

Announcing the results, Mr. V. D. Mhaiskar, Chairman & Managing Director of IRB infrastructure Developers Ltd. said, “We are quite pleased with our present turnover and going forward, we hope to sustain the growth rate.”

During the year, the Company completed an Initial Public Offer of 51,057,666 Equity shares of Rs 10/- each for cash at a price of Rs 185/- each aggregating to Rs 9,445,668,210/- Pursuant to the Public Issue, shares of the Company were listed on the NSE and BSE effective from February 25, 2008.

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About IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd.

IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. is an integrated infrastructure development and construction company in India with significant experience in the roads and highways sector. The Company is one of the largest private developers in western India and the largest toll road operating company in India. It is an established infrastructure company in the roads sector and has a large portfolio of completed and operational BOT projects in the roads infrastructure sector.

With growing needs and concerns of the building, construction, and the real estate industry for skilled and trained manpower at various levels and positions Akruti Citygold Institute (ACI) and Kumar Properties Education Foundation (KPEF), Pune have jointly launched an initiative called Central of Technical & Vocational Training (CTVT) To bridge this gap and to create a fraternity of skilled and trained manpower in construction,

The mandate of CTVT will be skill development and professional training of manpower for the building and construction sectors. It will train supervisors and foremen, equipment operators and mechanics and tradesmen in various construction trades, said Mr. Rajas Jain the chairman of the institute.

CTVT will also launching a short term Executive Development Program (EDP) for working executives. The EDP could be sponsored by a company / organization foe its own executives or be open to all industry executives.

The skill development and professional training courses offered are largely those approved by the Government of Maharashtra and / or other reputed international agencies like City and Guilds, UK.

Mr. Rajas Jain further added that CTVT is the building and construction industry’s response to its dire need of trained skilled and competent manpower at all levels.

Central of Technical & Vocational Training (CTVT), will be managed by a special Institute Management Committee (IMC) nominated by the promoters and Mr. Rajas Jain, the Chairman with Prof. Manish Jantikar, vice chairman.

For any information and sponsoring candidates from your company / organizing, please contact CTVT at 5th floor, Kumar Point, S.No.156, ITI Road, Behind OBC Bank, Aundh, Pune 7, Ph. 020 32335756 or email- ctvtpune@gmail.com

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