Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

On a constructive path now

TIRUCHI: Falling interest rates and declining prices of steel and cement make it the right time for people to firm up their housing plans, say builders and promoters in the city, notwithstanding the global economic meltdown and its impact on the realty sector elsewhere in the country.

For the Tiruchi Centre of the Builders Association of India, its annual exhibition on building materials, ‘Build Rock,’ has just coincided with what many expect to be a time for revival in the construction industry.

For one thing, the lowering of housing loan interest rates by banks and financial houses has kindled interest among people. The acute labour shortage witnessed until a few months back seems to have eased now. Insiders say that many labourers who had migrated to metropolitan cities such as Bangalore and Hyderabad were now returning as the construction industry has been badly hit owing to fall in demand in those cities. But for the land prices, which continue to rule high, it is just about the right time for the people to take the plunge, argue builders.

And for those who are looking to build their homes, Build Rock comes as a one-stop shop, showcasing all their requirements under a single roof. The exhibition, with nearly 75 stalls, has almost everything that one would need for building a house – steel, cement, electrical fittings, wood and wood-based products, wall panels, floor tiles, roofing materials, modular kitchens, designer furniture and even generators.

The power shortage has brought in quite a few inverter makers and generators manufacturers this time around. While inverter makers focus on individual house builders, generator manufacturers target bigger projects including commercial buildings.

Hardware dealers occupy a major chunk of the space displaying a range of products from paints, bulbs and decorative lights, bathroom fittings, water heaters and so on. Though the organisers claim that they have made a conscious attempt to throw some light on interior decoration this time, there is not much for visitors on this aspect except for a couple of stalls put up by furniture dealers (which as such does not make for interior décor entirely).

Free consultation for visitors’ queries is another new addition this time around. But many visitors felt that this would have been much more helpful if done across the table rather than asking them to drop in the queries only to be answered later by post.

The exhibition at the Makkal Mandram in Thillai Nagar will be open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday/Sunday till December 28. Entry is free.

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