Laser solution to all problems

Tired of flaunting your old tattoo or your girlfriend whose name you tattooed on your arms has become an ex? Remove all those ugly scars of your past life with the help of new age cosmetic wonders. Says Dr Ramanjit Singh, Dermatologist and Cosmetologist, and owner of FOS Laser Spa in Sushant Lok I, “With newer concepts in skin care technology, skin-related problems are a thing of past now. There are new age cosmetic wonders to cure Age related problems like wrinkles, open pores, uneven pigmentation, sagging facial muscles through laser techniques.”
Armed with new state-of-the-art technology from Promoitalia Wellness Research, the FOS Laser Spa is the first in this part of the world to use this technology for weight reduction. In fact the spa has also introduced the Ultra Violet B therapy for the first time in NCR to treat psoriasis and vitiligo.
The laser spa not only caters to the needs of people with skin problems but also has a separate plastic surgery and cosmetic dentistry wing.
“We are the only ones who can do 2500 grafts in a single sitting,” says Dr Amit Gupta, a specialist in micro follicular hair transplant. Trained in Brazil by the doctor who invented it, Dr Gupta says, “One doesn’t need to fly to foreign shores for hair transplants. We use latest technology and our results are impressive.”
Well, the youngsters of Gurgaon are throwing up in large numbers for scar less breast augmentation programme as well as liposuction. For the BPO industry employees suffering from Delhi-belly, Dr Singh advises them to undergo colon hydrotherapy to detox the intestines. “Especially with hot and spicy Indian food, lots of toxins tend to accumulate in the intestines. It’s a must for all to cleanse these intestines and detox them. It’s all about healthy living,” says Dr Singh.
Apart from customized nutritional counseling to an Ayurvedic massage packages, FOS Laser Spa is all about wellness under one roof. With a strong team of specialized doctors and trained nurses, the experience here is rather different from a normal beauty spa.
“We use the latest techniques for body sculpting and facelifts. Areas with localized fat and extra volume like arms, abdomen, waist lines, inner thighs, saddle bags can be treated easily,” adds Dr Singh.
As for the cost, one can get a smile makeover for as low as Rs 3,000. The weight reduction packages start from Rs 20,000 depending on the individual’s requirements. Presently the spa is offering complimentary oral check ups for Gurgaon residents.

Miracle & a spa

To help combat work stress, Gurgaon residents have another option in the recently opened spiritual spa — Miracle World Spa — in DLF phase IV. A combination of Buddha statues and bamboos imported from South Africa adorn its walls and corners. Its owner Geeta Dev Sharma says, “As soon as customers walk in here, we want them to relax in peace here. Their experience should be soothing so we have designed the interiors accordingly. Spa means to dip oneself in mud and meditate. And unlike other spas in town, we try to follow it in its essence.”
Juxtaposing the elements of earth, water and fire in its theme, the Miracle World Spa has two bamboo huts, beautiful spa rooms, beauty room, counseling rooms, hair saloon, and are building a hydrotherapy unit which would be functional shortly. It has an in-house academy to train the staff and each department has its own exclusive staff.
However, talking about the clients who are visiting the spa, Sharma says, “Right from top corporate honchos having back problems to even school and college students, all come here. Examination stress is a big problem that children face. We help them ease out stress with meditation and exercises. Our USP is that we have separate rooms for men and women and we have no cross massagers.”
A centre of excellence for Thai Yoga, Marma and sports massages, the spa also lets you experience all forms of massages using different aroma oils. However, there’s a Samaritan side to the spa. The money earned from here goes for treatment of the poor in Ajmer. “My spiritual guru is Baba Sahib Badam Shah of Ajmer. There’s a charitable hospital in his memory where poor are treated free,” Sharma says.
A legal-eagle by profession, Sharma has designed the interiors of the Spa herself, crediting designer instincts in her to her father who was a chief architect.
Packages start from Rs 1500 to 3500 per session and all kits used in the treatment are disposable. The spa at present is giving summer discounts and one can also opt for annual membership.

Bad roads, broken sewers and resident's miseries

Bad roads, broken sewers and authorities giving a royal ignore to the resident’s plea to maintain them. That’s the price you pay to live living in those high-rise spacious luxury apartments in Gurgaon. Turn your head towards any side, the condition will remain the same. And try to improve it any which way you can, nobody will listen.
Residents of sector 55 are facing a similar kind of problem. The road leading to their apartments has disappeared, thanx to the broken sewer which floods the roads so badly that even the SUVs find it a problem to chug through the muddy pool, forget about small cars.
“We feel ashamed to invite our relatives and friends to our place. When the sewage water turns the road into a pool, the foul smell emanating from the road adds to our miseries. We have to take a long detour to avoid this road,” says RC Goel, a retired scientist and a resident of Paarth Apartments, Sector 55.
Goel, who shifted from Delhi’s Pitampura area, feels that Gurgaon is nothing in comparison to Delhi in terms of providing civic amenities. “Only thing good about Gurgaon is the space available inside your apartment compound and your home. Outside it is just like any other urbanized village,” Goel adds.
The road also leads to the Sushant Lok II residence of District Congress leader Satbir Gujjar. According to Gujjar, “On my insistence HUDA had once repaired the road. But with broken sewer it came back to the same position again. If residents approach to HUDA again, I am sure they will repair the broken sewer and make the road metalled.”
However, Goel says, “Several times we have brought it to HUDA’s notice, but nothing has been done till now. We are confused now, whether the road actually belongs to HUDA or falls under Gurgaon Municipal Corporation or some other civic body.”

Smriti Vatika's ugly scar

From the outset it seems that Gurgaon’s Smriti Vatika Park in sector 55 is well manicured and maintained perfectly. However, once you enter the park reality seems to be pegged differently. An open sewer dissects the park into two leading with foul stench emanating from it perennially. Maintained the horticulture department of HUDA, residents feel Huda should intervene and do a cosmetic makeover of the park.
Catering to the needs of residents of Sector 53, 54, 55 and 56, the lone park in the area is a hub of activities. Morning walkers grace the park quite early here, feeling the need of proper lighting facilities here.

“Most of the walkers come here before the break of dawn. It is quite dark at that time. We just need that Huda should keep the park properly lit up,” says ML Chawla, a resident of sector 56.
Most of the sectors around the Smriti Vatika have apartments of Central Group Housing societies. Unlike private developers, they don’t have parks inside their apartment complexes. “This is the reason why this park draws a huge crowd,” says Subhash Sharma, resident of sector 56.
“If there’s a will, this park can be developed nicely. It can have a space for children’s park, a separate platform for people to practice yoga, and some more rain shelters having benches for old people to sit and relax after walking,” adds Sharma. Out of the two rain shelters, one is right next to the sewer, rendering it useless.
“The need of the hour is to close down the sewer that passes through the park. If HUDA can put pipes instead of the open drain, it will help us in reclaiming lot of waste land and using the entire area of the park,” says RS Kataria, President of morning walker’s association of Smriti Vatika.
However, 81-year-old Om Prakash Joshi feels, “A certain stretch of walking track is slanted and is rough for walkers. People wearing waist belts and old ones get jerks here. It should be leveled so that people like me can walk properly.”
“HUDA has done good job in some parts of the park. The manicured lawns and well kept garden at the entry is commendable. However, the open drain is an ugly scar and should be removed,” says BL Mehrotra, resident of Sun City heights, sector 54.

Why Gurgaon won't vote?

Are the Millennium City residents feeling left out of the poll process? Yes, say many residents who haven’t seen the face of a single candidate in their area. “Gurgaon is called the Millennium City, but surprisingly, the candidates haven’t even bothered to call upon us. We get the election update of our area through media. We are feeling left out,” says Subhash Chandra Sharma, a retired banker and resident of Sector 56.
With New Gurgaon voters forming only 10 per cent of the total electorate in Gurgaon Assembly constituency (which along with eight other Assembly segments forms the Gurgaon parliamentary constituency), all the candidates are focusing their campaign on rural areas.
Armed with the urban issues and problems, a few believed that candidates would come to woo the elite class of Gurgaon. However they are stunned by the royal ignore they have received from the candidates. “If you travel to Old Gurgaon, at least you can see banners and hoardings and you realise the campaign is on. In New Gurgaon the entire election paraphernalia is missing. Perhaps we are too few for these candidates to matter,” says Sunil Kalra, a DLF phase II resident.
Besides, there are people who have received their voter ID cards, but still they are unaware about their polling booths. “During morning walks, I meet so many people who don’t even know their polling booths, but they have a voter ID card. At least in other towns, parties make it a point to inform their voters about these things. Here political parties aren’t even courteous enough to make a basic point of contact by giving this information to their voters,” says Pooja Khan, a resident of DLF Phase V.
“New Gurgaon doesn’t form a vote-bank for politicians, so they ignore us. However, they tend to forget that the large chunk of revenue that the state earns comes from this area. And it is this achievement that they boast of on all political platforms. However, it’s unfortunate that they feel the residents of the same town are insignificant for them. Sad part is that the aim of a candidate is to win polls, so they focus on rural vote banks. And this is the main reason why urban middle class has become cynic for the electoral process,” says Shashi Sharma of People’s Action Group.
However, RWAs are miffed by the fact that voter’s list is not complete. “There are more than 1000 people living in Hamilton Court, but only 127 names are there in the voter list. Lots of names are missing from the previous list. This is the reason why New Gurgaon residents form such a small minority group to attract the attention of candidates contesting elections,” says Om Prakash Khetan, President, Hamilton Court RWA.
Khetan’s son and daughter-in-laws names are missing from this year’s voter list. “There are lot of people in our apartments who have ID cards and have cast their vote in 2004 elections, but their names are missing from here now,” Khetan adds.
V.N. Kapoor, President of Regency Park II RWA also complains, “Political parties are more interested in addressing slum issues than our problems. They know they will get chunk of votes from there and hence hardly waste time in contacting us. We are useless for them.”
Residents of Regency Park II also face the same problem as that of Hamilton Court. “The names of only 40 per cent of the eligible voters in our apartments are there in the list. Rest of the names is missing. Four years back me and my wife applied for ID card, but till now only I have received my card whereas my wife’s card is missing. In other parts of the country party workers of different political parties help the voters in getting them registered. In Gurgaon, none of the political party workers even bothered to help us out,” says Kapoor. “They don’t know that a small initiative taken by them would have helped them secure a chunk of votes of new Gurgaon,” says Khetan.

NBCC planning to expand Gurgaon Project

It’s good news for people looking for cheaper homes in Gurgaon. National Building Construction Corporation, who had earlier announced 800 apartments for Gurgaon, is all set to expand their project here.
According to NJ Singh, Senior General Manager, NBCC, “We have received around 21,000 expression of interest (EOI) applications, which is 26 times the available number of flats.”
The PSU has planned Pent Houses in Gurgaon apart from several apartment options of two, three, four and five bedroom apartments within the price band of Rs 25-45 lakh.
“If we start processing the applications at this stage, very few people will be getting allotment in this scheme. With an intention to satisfy the need for maximum number of applicants, we are in the process of acquiring more land in Gurgaon,” said Singh.
Moreover, the Election Commission’s Code of Conduct in effect, some permissions and approvals are getting delayed.
The country’s largest PSU in building sector is planning to come out with formal project details by June next month.

Raisina Residency project voted the best

Tata Housing’s Raisina Residency in Gurgaon’s sector 59, built on the theme of Art and Culture, has won the CNBC Asia Pacific Property Awards 2009 for best development marketing in Residential category. This award is the Asia Pacific edition of the International Property Awards, the industry’s most prestigious award programme globally.
On being successful at the Awards, Brotin Banerjee, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, TATA Housing said, "It gives me immense pleasure to receive these awards. The awards are a testimony to the high standards and expertise of TATA Housing to develop landmark projects in the country.”
The International Property Awards are split into regions covering America, Asia Pacific, Europe & Africa, Arabia and UK and the participants enter at their relevant national level. Each region then have winners in prescribed categories under given parameters and the highest-scoring winners from each region are automatically entered into the overall International Awards, which ultimately determine the world's finest property companies.
TATA Housing as an award winner in the Asia Pacific Property Awards, 2009, are invited to attend a glittering awards dinner for the Asia Pacific Region on July 16, 2009 where the star ratings for the projects would be announced.

Old Habits Die Hard

Hundreds of Delhi residents might have found their dream houses in Gurgaon but they haven’t gotten over with their Delhi hangover yet. For them ‘daily needs’ have changed into ‘weekly needs’ and a weekend trip to Delhi is a must for buying mutton, soaps, pulses and in some cases vegetables, too.
Rajesh Kalra, a resident of DLF Phase III, does his shopping from Delhi. “I first lived in Daryaganj and then moved to South Delhi. I feel comfortable buying stuff from there. In Gurgaon, you don’t have the comfort factor. I know my old kiryana shopkeeper won’t cheat me,” Kalra, who still goes to his old barber in Green Park market, said.
Ankit Batra of Shri Morning Palace, a retail store in E-block market Hauz Khas, said, “We have customer who have been buying stuff for the past 40 years. Some have shifted to Gurgaon but they come on weekends here.”
Before shifting to Sushant Lok, Akshay Saxena lived in Malviya Nagar. “I still go to Malviya Nagar for shopping. In Gurgaon, there is little option of buying daily need items within the colony. One has to go to far off places where parking is a hassle. So I go to my old shops in Delhi.”
Same is the case with former East Patel Nagar and Rajinder Nagar residents who have shifted to the Millennium City. “Most of my customers come from Gurgaon to buy fish, mutton and chicken,” Sanjay, owner of Sanjay Meat shop at Pusa Road, said. Most of them call him up in advance to ensure they don’t return empty hand. His USP – apart from mutton, chicken and varieties of fish, he also sells ducks and turkey.
"All our household items are bought from Hauz Khas market. Actually we are so comfortable with our kiryana store there that even after shifting to Gurgaon for so many years, we make it a point to go to Delhi for our daily needs stuff," says the DLF phase II resident.