MUMBAI: US private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co has made its entry in the country’s real estate sector by finalising investments of Rs 750 crore in two property projects. KKR has struck a structured debt transaction for Rs 400 crore for the Bhartiya Group’s integrated township project in Bangalore, two people with direct knowledge of the transactions said. It also agreed to provide a Rs 350 crore structured loan to the Wadhwa Group’s luxury home project in west central Mumbai, they said. The group will use the money to repay other lenders of the project, where the cost of apartments ranges from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 10 […]

BANGALORE: When Sameer Rana was looking for a dream property last month, he was spoilt for options in the real estate market. Yet, the 44-year-old investment banker was not sure whether he had all the information to spend Rs 2 crore on an apartment. “Is the area safe? Are the nearby schools good? Will the builder give possession of the house on time? All such questions plundered my mind and I did not have the time to go through every property myself to decide,” Rana said, adding, “Brokers could not be trusted.” But now online start-ups, including Housing-.com, PropTiger, and CommonFloor, are setting up their own teams, data science labs […]

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has begun the construction of 3.1 km-long new Metro Line 7A. The proposed metro corridor would comprise two stations and would connect Line 7 with the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has commenced the development of the Metro Line 7A.  The reach of the new metro would be 3.1 km, out of which 2.1 km-long section would be underground and would include a twin-tunnel. The corridor would establish connectivity between Metro Line 7 and the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Other areas that are expected to benefit from the improved connectivity include Andheri and Dahisar (East). According to an MMRDA […]

KOLKATA: The absence of a clear motive and strong indication that an “insider” might be involved in the murder of an elderly citizen at Deshapriya Park has sent neighbours of this upscale locality in shock. What adds to their anxiety is that Ranajit Chatterjee was being pursued by local promoters for the last two years to sell off his ancestral property worth crores now. Chatterjee refused. Police say his daughter cannot recall if he was ever threatened for this, but they will investigate this angle. “After what transpired at Short Street, we can hardly take a chance,” said a senior officer. Local residents – including actor Biplab Chatterjee – say […]

Bengal has rationalised property valuation by doing away with the discrepancies between the registration authorities and their actual market value. The move comes into effect across Kolkata and suburbs , sources in real estate body Credai said. Earlier, the registered value of a property was anywhere between 10 and 50 per cent higher than the prevailing market rate. The difference between the market rate and the registered value was deemed as income and taxed. “As a result of this discrepancy many people were either holding back their purchases or not registering their properties ,” Harsh Patodia, President, CREDAI-Bengal, said. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/credai-hails-rationalisation-of-property-valuations-in-bengal/article5614557.ece

HOWRAH: With an eye on boosting revenue, the Howrah Municipal Corporation announced a partial waiver for property and commercial tax on Tuesday. Under the waiver scheme, no penalty or interest need to be paid. The KMC has already enforced such a scheme and has benefited greatly, said Howrah mayor Rathin Chakraborty. He said the last board, controlled by the Left Front, bungled in tax collection, resulting in tax default of around Rs 200 crore. “The state is supporting us, but we must be self-sufficient. The tax outstanding will be collected without burdening civilians,” the mayor added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Howrah-Municipal-Corporation-announces-partial-waiver-of-property-and-commercial-tax/articleshow/31431111.cms

Kolkata is all set to turn into a blue-and-white city during the Mamata government. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) announced Monday that if you paint your house’ exterior blue-and-white, you will be fully exempted from paying property tax to the government. The Trinamool Congress-run KMC has come up with a proposal to waive the property tax for 2014-15 if a residential building or house is painted in the party’s favorite color combination — white and sky blue. “We will allow full waiver of property tax for 2014-15 if anybody wishes to paint his/her house or even apartment buildings, of course residential, in white and sky blue – the theme color […]

PUNE: Across the city, the rush to pay the annual property tax in advance and avail the discount has swelled the Pune Municipal Corporation coffers. Over 4.50 lakh property owners, who paid the tax before May 31 and availed of the 10% discount, helped the civic body collect Rs 400 crore in two months. “More than 50% of property owners paid the tax in the first two months of the new financial year. The good response to the scheme is due to the awareness programmes the administration undertook. The efforts to provide bills at the doorstep of residents helped boost collection. A maximum number of bills were sent to the […]

Mid-segment residential properties witnessed the highest appreciation in Bangalore in the past three years, while in the high-end category the credit went to Pune, says a study. As per the report by global real estate consultants, Cushman and Wakefield, mid-segment residential property prices almost doubled in the north-west part of Bangalore, while they were up nearly two-thirds in some areas of Pune. The study spanned between first half (January-June) of 2011 and first half of 2014. In the mid-segment, Chennai with 27 percent, Delhi region with 22 percent and Kolkata with 17 percent, also saw some noteworthy increases, while Mumbai saw the second-lowest jump with 16 percent, following Hyderabad with […]

NEW DELHI: Low-cost housing, which found several mentions in BJP’s 2014 election manifesto, is likely to get infrastructure status, making it easier for real-estate developers to get finance from banks and for longer tenures, and eventually increasing the supply of houses. While developers are in favour of an infrastructure tag to the housing sector as a whole, the government is likely to grant it only to the low-cost segment, said a senior government official, who did not wish to be named. According to government definition, low-cost houses are those with an area of up to 40 sq metres. BJP’s manifesto talks about rolling out a massive low-cost housing programme to […]

Mumbai: Brookfield Asset Management Inc., a Canadian asset management company that manages investments worth $181 billion, is set to acquire all of Unitech Corporate Parks Plc (UCP), a London Stock Exchange-listed, India-focused real estate investment firm, paying `3,000 crore. A definitive agreement to this end is likely to be signed this week in London, said four persons directly involved in the deal. None of them wanted to be named. “We do not comment on market speculation,” said Brookfield Asset Management in an email response. Routhu Nagaraju, executive vice-President at Unitech Ltd, said, “UCP has announced that it will sell six projects and the process has not seen anything adverse. It […]

Few that have bought or even rented real estate in India would be surprised by a recent survey showing the property market here can be maddeningly murky. Jones Lang LaSalle’s Global Real Estate Transparency Index showed that while things have improved, Indian cities still have to work on transparency. The Chicago-based real-estate consultant said India needs to go further to create more clarity on the rules connected to property purchases and real estate prices. “India still scores among the lowest in the transparency of its transaction process,” the report said. Jones Lang LaSalle looked at just over 100 markets around the world and rated them on a dozen parameters ranging […]

BANGALORE/MUMBAI: After a lull of nearly three years, sale of large land parcels is picking up across the country amid a general improvement in sentiment on expectations that the new government will focus on infrastructure development. Not only developers but private equity (PE) players, too, are keen on joining hands with builders to acquire land parcels at fair valuations without having to pay a premium as corproates try to unbolt the value of their real estate properties, inspiring the realty market out of its trance. Some of the builders looking for sewing large land transactions include Tata Housing Development Company, Oberoi Realty and Runwal Group in Mumbai, DLF in Delhi, […]

According to a study by India Ratings, lack of credit availability and ongoing economic slowdown in India due to the coronavirus pandemic could lead to the residential sector witnessing weak demand in the fiscal year 2020-21.  Residential demand could remain muted in the next financial year, 2020-21 due to the increasing risks to India’s growth in case the economic impact of coronavirus continues beyond the first quarter.   Moreover, the housing sector faces a liquidity crunch and refinancing challenges due to increasing uncertainty over the availability of credit in the market, coupled with poor demand. This is in the backdrop of the recent meltdown in the financial market and rising risk […]

Buying a house or any residential property in Noida will now be a costlier affair, as the Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities decided to hike the land allotment rate up to 10-12% at a board meeting on Monday. “We have increased the land allotment rate up to 10% in Noida in all categories, except for commercial properties. Rates of commercial property in Noida will not be increased because we want to correct the rates. “Land allotment rates will be hiked up to 12% in Yamuna expressway area. The rates are unchanged in Greater Noida because they saw an increase in February this year,” said Rama Raman, chairperson of Noida, Greater […]

NEW DELHI: Builders in Noida are unable to hand over more than 30,000 completed homes to their buyers, because of a National Green Tribunal order forbidding the Noida Authority from giving completion certificates to projects within a 10-kilometre radius of the Okhla bird sanctuary. Developers in Noida say they have in the past seven months since the tribunal’s order lost close to Rs 1,000 crore as they have been holding on the flats, paying interest on their loans as well as penalty to home buyers. “Everyone is bleeding,” said Vineet Gupta, director of the Ajnara group, which has around 1,500 apartments waiting to be handed over to buyers. Projects of […]

MUMBAI: Until recently, real estate portals were used by home buyers to research on floor plans and price of apartments but builders are taking this process to the next level: you can now buy a home online. With growing internet penetration, builders have realised the potential of the online space in selling homes and some have even tasted success. Mumbai-based Lodha group has generated over 100 bookings through its online portal for its new township project Palava in Navi Mumbai. “We see the online space offering the potential for us to connect with consumers in new ways across the engagement cycle, from first contact to providing basic information all the […]

INDORE: To ensure hassle-free establishment of special economic zones (SEZs) in Indore, the state government is all set to go for Development Control Regulation (DCR). On the lines of Gujarat, a single window clearance system is being planned for them. A decision to this effect is likely to be taken during the meeting of the state cabinet in Bhopal on Wednesday. Once cleared, the Act will empower the SEZ development commissioner to sort out the issues and give necessary permission to the SEZs that have already been allotted land by the state government and received notifications for the SEZ status. They include TCS, Infosys and Impetus. While TCS and Impetus […]

CES 2014, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR) debuted several new products for the mobile aftermarket today at CES, continuing its tradition of leadership for best-in-class car audio.

CES 2014, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR), today announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band Linkin Park will be the new brand ambassadors for the Infinity brand. Reflective of a common history of pushing boundaries, challenging convention, and producing cutting-edge sound, the exclusive five-year partnership between Linkin Park and Infinity will go beyond advertising to include collaboration in product design. To mark the new relationship, Linkin Park will help unveil a sneak peek of two all-new Infinity product lines – the Infinity Reference Loudspeakers Series and the brand’s first portable wireless sound system, called Infinity One.

NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group (NYSE:HAR), is making a strong showing at this year’s New York International Auto Show, with a range of leading automakers featuring HARMAN branded audio systems in vehicles debuting at the show. In addition to the new vehicles– which run the gamut from modern sedans to sports cars, minivans and crossover SUVs – HARMAN technology and solutions can be found in automaker booths throughout the show, a reflection of HARMAN’s longstanding auto partnerships and unmatched industry achievements.

CES 2015, LAS VEGAS – HARMAN, the premium global audio, visual, infotainment and enterprise automation group (NYSE:HAR), introduced today at CES 2015 the Infinity® BassLink SM, the latest subwoofer in the BassLink line. The compact under seat subwoofer is designed to reinforce the low-end bass performance in vehicles and put the richness back into the music.

CES 2016, LAS VEGAS – Today, HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced the newest version of Infinity® Reference Speakers and...

CES 2016, Las Vegas – Today, HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced the next generation of the Infinity® Kappa Series Subwoofers. The...

CES 2017, Las Vegas – January 4, 2017 - Today, HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced the Infinity BassLink DC compact powered ...

CES 2019 - LAS VEGAS, NV – January 7, 2019 – HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, is showcasing at CES 2019 the vehicle’s role...

From April 4-7, JBL and Toyota joined forces for an epic snow-covered party to remember. 250 music lovers, media, and influencers attended the ‘Sky High’ JBL Snow Party in a spectacular setting in the French Alps. Snow Party guests enjoyed a ...

Shanghai Auto Show 2019 – SHANGHAI – April 16, 2019 – At the Shanghai Auto Show, HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced...

The desire to get things ‘my way’ is innately human. From suggested playlists on Spotify to personalized recommendations on Netflix, consumers love it when things are tailored to their own preferences. The concept of personalization isn’t new but the...

Digital innovations are shaking up the hospitality industry with the help of technologies such as artificial intelligence that are unlocking new and better customer touch points and experiences. When hospitality providers deploy AI-powered technologies,...

Each year, Americans collectively spend 70 billion hours behind the wheel. Three out of four Americans listen to audio in the car – and get this – half of all listening time occurs in the car, according to Edison Research Share of Ear 2018.   It is no...

Conversations around depleting resources and energy waste have driven governments, businesses and leaders to take sustainability seriously. Though the topic of smart energy usage within sustainability has gained focus in recent years, the role of ...

Since Samsung’s acquisition of HARMAN less than two years ago, the two companies have worked closely to create and implement connective technologies that align with what consumers want today – and in the future. As technology grows ever more capable,...

CES 2019, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 7, 2019 – HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, today announced new AKG DMS100 and DMS300 professional digital wireless systems.

For more than 70 years, some of world’s most respected musicians, producers and DJs have used HARMAN’s exceptional audio solutions and products from the studio to the stage. In honor of Make Music Day 2019, we sat down with Aasheesh Paliwal of HARMAN...

Nothing compares to the feeling you experience when you make music – whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time or laying down your 100th track. As longstanding partners with the Make Music Alliance, HARMAN takes great pride in helping...

For its 69th edition, basketball enthusiasts across the country gathered in the Windy City and home of the Chicago Bulls, to celebrate the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) annual All-Star Celebration.     As a proud and longstanding partner of...

CES 2020 – LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 6, 2020 – It’s time to ditch your generic, piercing smartphone alarm. The JBL Horizon 2 Bluetooth clock radio and speaker duo customizes the wake-up experience to help make anyone a morning person. Following the success...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – Movie lovers, listen up. The latest addition to JBL’s popular Bar Series brings the audio experience of a movie theater to your living room. The JBL Bar 9.1 creates true wireless surround sound with crowd-pleasing...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – Turn up the volume, because the latest speaker in the JBL portables portfolio is here and it does not disappoint. JBL’s Boombox 2 provides JBL Original Pro Sound with big bass, clear mids and smooth highs in an...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – Today, JBL is introducing its first headphone series inspired by touring musicians, the JBL CLUB. Equipped with Legendary JBL Pro Sound, Personi-Fi™ and native voice assistants, the JBL CLUB series – CLUB ONE, CLUB...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – No wires? No problem. JBL continues to elevate its true wireless headphones portfolio by adding two more options to their existing lineup. Whether it’s window shopping on city streets, commuting into the office, or...

CES 2020, LAS VEGAS – JANUARY 6, 2020 – HARMAN International Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, is announcing its entry into the gaming...

BANGALORE, INDIA – HARMAN International (India) Pvt. Ltd., the premium audio, infotainment and enterprise automation group, was awarded with this year’s TATA Motors Supplier of the Year award at the TATA Motors Annual Supplier’s Conference 2014 held in Mumbai on November 12^th. The TATA Motors Supplier of the Year award recognizes the contribution and commitment of its most valued partner and involves a rigorous selection process.

STAMFORD, CT – HARMAN (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today announced that Pradeep Chaudhry has been appointed Country Manager for its India operations, effective January 1, 2016....

BANGALORE, INDIA –  HARMAN (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today announced the launch of limited edition JBL® Raaga Synchros S500AR headphones, autographed by academy award winner...

BENGALURU, INDIA –  HARMAN (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today announced that it has launched its global corporate social responsibility initiative, ‘HARMAN Inspired’, in India....

GUJARAT, INDIA – HARMAN (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, today opened an exclusive premium showroom for its high-end, Luxury Audio range of products in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This is the company’s fifth luxury audio showroom* in India and offers the most advanced high-performance audio systems available in the country.