Builders mean business, bet on Muslims-only homes

Amid reports that Muslims find it difficult to buy homes in housing societies in the state, a number of real estate developers are offering housing schemes exclusively meant for Muslims.

For instance, Balvantsinh Padheriya, director of B Shahjee and Company Pvt Ltd, is offering plots of 200-400 square yards in the price range of Rs 6-12 lakh to Muslims on the Dholka-Bagodara highway in the outskirts of Ahmedabad. And to hardsell his project, the developer is even building a mosque at the site.

"As eating habits and religious rituals of two communities differ, I thought of keeping the scheme exclusive for Muslims. It is a risk, but I am a businessman and I understand what is a good investment. I have seen many housing schemes leaving out people from the minority communities," says Padheriya.

"I will be talking to a Maulvi soon to finalise plans for building a mosque at the site," he adds.

"This is definitely a good move as we get a lot of inquiries from Gujarati Muslims living in UAE about housing schemes, but we are not able to give them many options. Many builders have developed areas around temple towns Mahudi and Sankeshwar, which makes it easy for them to sell land parcels to NRIs or religious tourists," says Pravin Bavadiya, president of Ahmedabad Realtors' Association.

Offering gated premises to the Muslim community is not restricted to Ahmedabad.

Space Age Infracon Pvt Ltd is building a housing project in Fatehganj of Vadodara exclusively for Bohra Muslims.

"Having built Ammatullah Residency comprising 22 bungalows near Ajwa Road in Vadodara in 2009, this is my second community-specific housing project.

We have made every effort to create the right ambience for a close-knit community experience — right from a prayer hall for namaz to space for religious festivities," says Tahir Jhabuawala, the director of Space Age which is offering 2-3 BHK flats in its Fatehganj project.

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