A SIGN OF CHANGE As Belapur gets set to celebrate a beer festival, NISHA SWAMI examines how this Navi Mumbai node has grown over the years to become an upmarket destination

A SIGN OF CHANGE

As Belapur gets set to celebrate a beer festival, NISHA SWAMI examines how this Navi Mumbai node has grown over the years to become an upmarket destination

    Belapur is one of the developed sections of Navi Mumbai along with Vashi and Nerul. The area has been growing tremendously since the 90's and has now become a commercial as well as residential hub. The social infrastructure is also quite impressive with a number of schools and colleges that have come up in the area. Aegis School of Business, Bharati Vidyapeeth High School, Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering, and Institute of Business Studies & Research are some of the educational institutions here.
    Om Ahuja, CEO - Residential Services, Jones Lang LaSalle India, says, "CBD Belapur is a rapidly growing node of Navi Mumbai. Its importance as a commercial district is underscored by the fact that the Reserve Bank of India has a branch there. It is also an established IT / ITeS destination - a fact which has had an impact on both commercial and residential real estate.
    Compared to the rest of Navi Mumbai, Belapur is a very green and clean area, says Amit Haware, Director, Haware Engineers and Builders Pvt Ltd. He adds, "When CIDCO started developing Navi Mumbai, Belapur was one of the first locations that people chose as the ideal place to live in. With the recent developments in rail transport, highways and the recent Navi Mumbai airport, the area has turned into the most sought-after destination to buy a new house.”
    Belapur also boasts of good scenic beauty and natural green surroundings. Ashok Chhajer, Chairman & Managing Director, Arihant Superstructures Ltd, says, "Belapur is the centre of Navi Mumbai with a fabulous natural setting flanked by hills and water bodies. A Vipasana Centre has come up on Parsik Hill. CIDCO had allocated plots to all types of religious and social institutions. Thus in this township one can experience full and richer social and religious life with Sarva Dharma Sambhav.”
    Belapur has also undergone a major transformation with a wide range of discotheques, lounges and pubs that have recently come up here.
    Ameya Dalvi, a resident of Belapur, points out that Belapur is an uncluttered location and that even the temperature is much lower compared to the suburbs in the summers. “There are a lot of clubs and restaurants that have come up in one area. There are four clubs and four to five restaurants on one single street. During the weekends the place is always buzzing,” he says.
    In fact, there are so many bars in a single area that the owners recently got together to rename it as Pub Street, and they are planning to celebrate a beer festival. The 15-day event, organised by Vinod Janardhan’s Team Rustic, kicks-off with a grand opening today, Saturday 27th October, with an array of music and entertainment acts.
    Rakeysh Chandan, Director, Rockville-Bar & Diner, talks about the phenomenon called Pub Street, "Until recently CBD Belapur was a quiet, somewhat obscure suburb of Mumbai. And then Pub Street happened! Today, Pub Street is not just a place with a lot of restaurants and bars... it's a sign of change. For a whole lot of us, there is no such thing as "town" any longer. Navi Mumbai is as happening, if not more as "town" or any of its suburbs and Pub Street is just a reflection of this change."
    New and improved development in the future will help Belapur reach new heights. Chhajer concludes, "After the new international airport, NMSEZ and Trans-harbour link in place within five years, CBD Belapur will emerge as a commercial centre on the surrounding area in the radius of 35-40 kms, towards Taloja and Panvel which will give good housing options and fetch great returns on investment too. People residing at these locations will reach this junction for jobs rather than travel up to Mumbai."