This SEZ project has been in the works for many years but got affected because of the global slowdown. However, construction work on the supporting infrastructure has already started. The project also got environmental clearance (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-08-20/pune/28318820_1_environmental-clearance-khed-sez-bfl) as well http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1696/happys.gif

This city is being developed in 2 phases by a JV of Kalyani Group, Bharat Forge and MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation). 4,500 acres have been acquired for the first phase of the project.

So far it has received poor response from the industry (we need a Vibrant MH type event or Modi himself) but work is still underway at the site (see news reports below)

Website - Khed City (http://www.khedcity.com)

HOK (http://www.hok.com/) are the architects of the project.

Location
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9889/khedlocation.jpg

The Site
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3864/29839532.jpg


Renders - from HOK's presentation (http://www.slideshare.net/HOKNetwork/fit-khed-sez), Flickr Photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoknetwork/with/5164285663/)and the World Architecture News (http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=17439)

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2567/34468379.jpg


Masterplan - South East view
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6700/c14fdmasterplansoutheas.jpg

Masterplan - Land Use
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1429/32068147.jpg

Phase 1
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/8916/44727158.jpg

Phase 1 - Land Use
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4800/89133970.jpg

Town Center
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7449/98098566.jpg

Ridge-top Residential
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/3529/46206010.jpg

Residential Neighborhood
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6449/95250057.jpg

University Campus
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/2210/98465210.jpg

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7528/39023679.jpg

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/4195/21348471.jpg

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/7831/65479040.jpg

Mixed Use Main Street
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/1843/42911556.jpg


A couple of renders from Khed City's website (http://www.khedcity.com):

Town Center/Downtown
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7307/rszdowntown.jpg


Processing Area
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1862/rszprocessarea.jpg


Golf Club
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9587/rszgolf.jpg


Voyants (http://www.voyants.in/projects/township-sez-projects/#2) is working on the masterplan along with HOK:

Detailing of Master Plan & Infrastructure Design of Khed Multi-product SEZ, Maharashtra, India
VSPL was involved in the detailing of the Master Plan for Khed SEZ, one of the largest SEZs in India. This prestigious Multi-product SEZ is proposed to spread across 13500 acres. The Planning & Design of this SEZ is nearly completed and construction is expected to commence soon.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/6716/91515859.jpg

Services Provide By Us:
Review & Detailing of Master Plan
Concept Design
Detailed Infrastructure design including Roads, Power, Water, Sewerage, Drainage, Fire fighting, telecommunication and Street Lighting
BoQ Preparation & Rate Analysis
Detailed costing
Tendering Assistance

The design of this project got submitted to the World Architecture News 2011 Awards. Project page:


Thursday 01 Sep 2011
KHED SEZ, Maharashtra, India
Getting closer to nature...

Hok designed a city where man and nature coexist harmoniously

KHED is envisioned to be a world class community for scientific innovation and exceptional quality of life, integrated with the natural environment. It is conceived to be a place that nurtures a creative culture, promotes environmental stewardship and stimulates economic vitality.

All 30 million species of planet have learned to live sustainably within the operating conditions of the earth by evolving to fit into place, becoming progressively more well-adapted overtime. Using biomimicry as a design ethos for sustainability, the architects believe we can learn how to be more well-adapted to the plant in the long run, fundamental to this development's model of urbanism where man and nature coexist harmoniously.

The development is essentially made of three components: the 2000 hectare Processing Area (PA); the 2000 hectare Non-Processing Area (NPA); and the 1400 hectare Domestic Tariff Area (DTA). The Processing Area will provide the base of employment focused on export-oriented non-polluting industries and R&D facilities; the Non-Processing Area will become the mixed-use neighbourhoods located in the close proximity to employment concentrations; the DTA will remain the flexible area to be developed in the future based on the changing market demand.

The Processing Zones at KHED SEZ are envisioned to have the state-of-the-art infrastructure, equipped with the latest technology. Careful consideration is given to the location of industries and how they are arranged based on their symbiotic relationship with one another. A picturesque location on the Deccan plateau and interconnected industrial clusters in natural setting fosters inspiration and change on a global scale.

The Non-Processing Zones are essentially the urban centres of the KHED SEZ that cater to the creative class who desire environments with a range of amenities and lifestyle choices. These Urban centres are organised around the historically based form of the public squares, plazas and bazaars, in a contemporary form, yielding an urbanism that is both dynamic and familiar. urban centres are next to and connected with residential neighbourhoods, offering a wide range of housing options. This combination is complemented by the physical location of the community which sits upon a high plateau: a picturesque and inspiring location. The design process is still on-going as the conceptual master plan is being developed into a detailed master plan.

The following article highlightes the poor response the project has received. However work on the supporting infrastructure is underway. That should add some impetus to the project. They could also do with a better marketing team as well.

August 10: Bharat Forge-MIDC to set up 4,500 hectare SEZ but with changed conditions (http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-08-10/news/29872222_1_sezs-khed-chakan-road-infrastructure)
PUNE: The Bharat Forge-MIDC promoted 4,500 hectare SEZ in the Khed-Chakan area, about 60 kms from Pune, has had a poor reception. So far, it has sold just one plot of 12 acres on the 1,000 hectare of land the JV holds.

"SEZs have lost their original meaning, with the new law which makes units located here pay tax and government is now setting up National Manufacturing and Investment Zones (NIMZs), which further erodes the attraction of SEZs," BN Kalyani, chairman and managing director, Bharat Forge said. Commenting on the sole purchase of a 12 acre plot in the SEZ, Mr Kalyani said, "Clearly, response to SEZs is poor."

The Bharat Forge SEZ is a 74:26 joint venture between the forgings major and the state-run MIDC, an industrial infrastructure developer. So far, the JV has acquired 1000 hectares of land and has notified another 700 hectares, comprising Phase I of the SEZ. The JV has so far paid out Rs. 289 crore to land holders for Ph I, at the rate of Rs. 17 lakh/hectare.

There is a move to ask the state government for a conversion of part of the SEZ into an integrated industrial park, which is being driven due to tax law changes and the 2008 global slowdown, when export markets vanished. Mr Kalyani said they have not approached the state government for a change in status although the local industry chamber has put forward such a proposal.

Meanwhile, "We are putting up the road infrastructure, building a four-lane highway off the Pune-Nashik highway. Then, after the road connectivity, we will set up the power and water infrastructure and follow that up with the internal infrastructure," he said.

Mr Kalyani pointed out that in any case, all of the 4500 ha would not have been devoted to manufacturing. "Since these locations are far from a city, they need their own infrastructure: housing,schools and hospitals. So all the land would not have been used for manufacturing units," he said.

Nice!

Pune's new airport at Chakan will give this city a major..major boost. Chakan is just 15 kms away from Khed. You can see its location on the map above.

Now it all depends on when the Maharashtra government kickstarts the bidding for chakan. One project will lead to others.


The latest news on the airport:

June 14: State to expedite land acquisition for Pune airport (http://www.hindustantimes.com/State-to-expedite-land-acquisition-for-Pune-airport/Article1-709144.aspx)

After getting Navi Mumbai airport approved, the state government has now set its sights on a much-delayed international airport in Chakan near Pune. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan asked officials of the Maharashtra Airport Development Authority (MADC) to expedite land acquisition for the Rs7,000 crore project, which will be operational by 2014. Work on the airport was to commence this year, but was delayed by farmers protesting the land acquisition for the past four years. About 3,300 hectares of land covering seven villages has been notified for the airport.

Chakan is about 32 km from Pune on the Pune-Nashik Highway. The airport authorities need to shift its base to the new airport because the present Lohegaon airport being used belongs to the Indian Air Force. However, Pune has one of the highest air-traffic rates in the country and requires a dedicated airport.

A senior Mantralaya official told HT requesting anonymity that the CM decided to expedite the Chakan plan after being pressured by the union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Both the NCP leaders hail from Pune district. “The government will hold talks with the farmers to resolve the issue,” the officer said.

About time Maharashtra got a mega-project like this. We were falling behind Gujarat.

The renders are very beautiful :cheers:

why do i get a feeling that every big state in india wants one planned smart city? :D


anyways this seems like a good project and is linked to Chakan airport.


I do hope they build an expressway and convert the Nashik-Pune road rather than 4 lane highway. This project seems less grand and more sustainable than its counterpart in guj.

i wish.. all these smart cities.. before starting any construction on buildings... get the sewerage systems, roads, and footpath ready.. otherwise.. as usual.. clogged and jam packed roads which cannot be expanded..

^
as per the articles posted thats exactly what they are going to do.

This project seems less grand and more sustainable than its counterpart in guj.

KHED looks to be a good project, but a long way to go before getting into comparisons with other smart city projects that are at more advanced stages.

Main reason being, even going by highest figure in the articles, the KHED JV holds 1700ha, so still 62% of land acquisition needed to get the 4500ha for phase I... let alone 13500ha for the total project.

^
true

however a lot of that land is barren. Dont think it will be an issue.

They might follow the Magarpatta city model by giving the land owners a deal to help build the city and giving them an apartment in return.


But compared to the other projects along the MPE like Lavasa Hills and Amby city, this one certainly looks as if it might achieve what they have set out to do. I think even Sahara will acknowledge that Amby valley did not take off as they expected it to. Lavasa i dont have much knowledge but its got environmental issues.


Also i thought it was 4500 acres for phase 1 which they have already acquired? 1700 ha = about 4500 acres? for phase 1? or 17.5 square km

Oh ok, I misread it as 13500hectares overall, but its actually meant to be 13500acres, So yeah, similar in overall size to Lavasa/Amby Valley.

So ignore what I said earlier, can almost take this as a case study to see how such a project progresses in MH as compared to GJ.

Amby Valley and Lavasa both made luxury real-estate their priorities, with economic benefit almost a secondary afterthought. That is where KHED is better than those projects for sure and more comparable (in terms of aim) to the kinds of projects that are due to be coming up in Gujarat.

:eek2: :applause:

wow!! never heard of this! IU any mention of the total cost anywhere?

Oh ok, I misread it as 13500hectares overall, but its actually meant to be 13500acres, So yeah, similar in overall size to Lavasa/Amby Valley.

So ignore what I said earlier, can almost take this as a case study to see how such a project progresses in MH as compared to GJ.

Amby Valley and Lavasa both made luxury real-estate their priorities, with economic benefit almost a secondary afterthought. That is where KHED is better than those projects for sure and more comparable (in terms of aim) to the kinds of projects that are due to be coming up in Gujarat.

Amby valley yes is high end. I heard Sahara is pushing on with it despite the losses at this moment.

Lavasa hills is as middle class as they come. Yes there are some high end villas. But bulk are middle class apartments. It aims to be a sort of tourist destination for the middle classes. A retreat in Lonavala hill station located between mumbai and pune. Thats their aim. Dont think economic issues were an afterthought. The master plan also calls for many foreign universities of the west to set up campus. So they also want to make it a sort of seat for education.Tourism + education and higher learning are going to be (in their minds) the economic drivers.

Khed and GIFT differ in their aims. Khed aims for processing/manufacturing as a main driver. GIFT accountancy and financial services.


I would say GIFT is a much more ambitious and compact project (in terms of area) then KHED. There is no signature tower and skyline of note. Just a collection of well planned buildings. There does not seem to be any intent to make a statement. Just a quiet and efficient place.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Build it and they will come :)

Pent up demand in the area. All other cities will boom. GIFT, KHED etc.
The naysayers were after Navi Mumbai and Salt Late/Newtown, and with back then finances, tech., 'socialism' - those places got going anyways. 'New' Bangalore, 'New' Chennai, Sriperumbudur, Coimbartore all took off. Many other's specially in the South. Gurgoan came up from behind and wow-ed all. Noida took off. Gr. Noida too. Farida/Ghaziabad still taking off. No problem.

Mumbai-Pune strip, Amby and Lavasa and the likes are gr8 4 ppl. to re-settle after flipping the Mumbai apt.'s and retire to a slower paced life. With money in the bank ;) .

That part of the world is r8 in between the hottest areas of the world, S-E Asia and Middle East.

The real maaza is only starting :banana::banana::banana:.

wow!! never heard of this! IU any mention of the total cost anywhere?

Nope. Couldn't find it anywhere.

anyways, I had sent an email to the Khed SEZ officials and got this reply:


Greetings!

Thank you for showing interest in our project,I will send you an update and photographs on progress of project.

Kindly fill in the enclosed Project information Breif (PIB)for us to start sharing maps and other details. I presume we met in Ahmadabad Pharma expo.

That last sentence of his made me clarify my identity and purpose for seeking updates. As expected, I didn't get a reply. But what's clear from the reply is that work is underway - that came straight from the horse's mouth.

9 months have gone by... no updates ???

^^ I read sometime ago that they are waiting for the notification of changes in SEZ rules by the centre some time ago. Only after getting that clarity they will move ahead.

Here it is


The second and third phase of the 5,000 hectares multi-product SEZ being developed by Bharat Forge near Pune has been put on hold till there is clarity on the awaited change in the rules by the Centre.

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has acquired 1,700 hectares for the SEZ, which is being developed as a 76:24 joint venture between Bharat Forge and MIDC.

Acquisition of the remaining 3,300 ha. has been deferred till the new regulations are formulated, an MIDC official has said.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article3597644.ece

This area is going to boom a lot in the coming decades, Chakan MIDC, Khed SEZ and the new airport all close to each other.

Video:

4458448

The project also recently got listed on HOK's redesigned website (http://www.hok.com/design/region/india/khed-special-economic-zone-/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB-FquV40bg


Recent video from their youtube page.

The road linking Khed with the Pune-Nashik highway (NH50) seems to have been completed. It was reported to be u/c around the time this thread was made.

Snippet from this (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/latin-american-markets-on-radar/article2343606.ece) article:

“The SEZ has lost its meaning, now we have to see how to go ahead. But work on the 4,500 acres of land at Khed acquired for the SEZ is on at full steam,” Mr Kalyani said, adding that the response had been muted and 12 acres had been sold so far.

Currently the company has built a 4-lane road from the Nasik highway to the SEZ, and is putting the infrastructure and utilities in place.

Interesting project....but one more in the long list of gravity (economy) defying project.

Not much of an update, but Khed's website just got redesigned:
http://www.khedcity.com/


The events page has blurbs on their participation at various expos:
http://www.khedcity.com/news-events

^^Has it anything to do with the new MH Integrated Industrial Areas policy?

Google indicates that the new site went live on September 24, so the site update is not connected with the new industrial policy.

As for the new policy, Kalyani has 6 months from April to apply for opting out of the SEZ policy. From then on, it'll take a year or less for approvals from the union commerce ministry and local building/construction authority.