Gated communities offer security to beleaguered Karachiites

KARACHI: Nestled between Safari Park and apartment complexes that define Gulistan-e-Jauhar; lies the KDA Overseas Housing Society. Getting inside the securely guarded compound means offers a glimpse into a lifestyle very different from the crime infested areas that surround the society.
Children are seen riding merrily on their bikes with no adult supervision, while families and individuals can enjoy a peaceful evening along tree covered lanes.
It’s a scene that is at odds with what goes on outside. In general, Jauhar – as it’s called – remains crime ridden and violence prone. Most residents wouldn’t dream of a walk on their own, let alone with families. Increasingly, those who can afford it are moving to safer locales – the overseas society amongst them.
It’s a trend that’s increasing across the city. Gated communities in Karachi have increased by at least 20 percent due to the volatile law and order situation.
The rising threats of kidnapping for ransom and extortion are also major reasons that citizens prefer to live in barred streets.
However, as supply remains limited, gated communities tend to be expensive. Aqeel Karim Dhedi, Chairman of AKD Group, said peole prefer Clifton and Defence due to stability in rental and sale prices.
Dhedi said gated communities have better security arrangements. No outsiders are allowed to enter without reference from residents. This enables residents to enjoy a peaceful environment with their families. Children can move around without any fear. He added that new gated communities are offering a variety of facilities including sports complex, parks, health club, and play grounds, super markets, mosques, schools, shopping arcades, health centers and much more.
Besides the luxuries, another reason to move into a gated community is that it reduces the maintenance cost for security, sanitation, and other general utilities as a fixed monthly charge. The same is much higher in case of a normal residence. For example the maintenance cost in Creek Vista apartment is Rs.10,500 with additional charges for generator and water.
But it’s the new upcoming projects - apartments and houses that redefine the elite urban living experience- that are gated communities in the real sense. Apartment complexes include high speed and personal elevators, servant quarters and backup power. All things required for everyday existence will be available within their barriers.
Mohammad Shafi Jakvani CEO CITI Associates deals with properties in Defence, Clifton, and Shara-e Faysal. He said that the demand for gated community has made their prices appear to be on fire.
This demand that has led to the development of schemes such as LuckyOne at Rahid Minhas Road, BT Icon in Clifton, Com3 Clifton and AKD’s ARKADIAN in Defence Phase VIII. A joint venture between DHA and AKD group, it’s expected to be launched just after Eid. The prices are expected to be in the range of Rs.40million to Rs.50 million, Mohammad Shafi Jakvani said.
Com3’s prices are in the range of Rs.20million to 40 million depending upon the size and location of the property. Three to four bed rooms apartments and duplex houses (two floor apartments) are being offered on 40 months installments, a Com3 Official told the News.
LuckyOne is the first project to offer high end residences for the upper middle income group in the down town area. There will eight towers 1232 apartments of three and four bedrooms, with all facilities available in any of the upcoming gated communities. The most important thing is that the project will generate power itself to avoid load shedding, said Nasir Aziz, technical director at Luckyone .
However, neither has a launch date been announced nor have prices been decided. Aziz said the cost of construction is increasing due to widening rupee-dollar gap and the high inflation rate, so the company has decided not to fix the price till the project is near completion.
For the middle class and lower middle class, two other major projects are being developed. One is Naya Nazimabad and the other is soon to be launched at Gulshan-e Maymar on 1000 acres with small town houses and apartments.
Jakvani added that since the gated community trend has increased in the last five years and those who can afford it are moving to guarded apartment complexes or gated communities. Though expensive, residents feel safer in these environments thus making security the biggest reason for the rising price of these communities. Specifically gated communities in upscale Karachi areas have seen increase in price a minimum two to three times in the last three years, Jakvani explained.
Habib Fida Ali, a renowned architect, said that the concept of gated community is not just based on security but there are other facilities provided including, schools, health care centers, sports complexes, parks, children play areas, maintenance staff, electrician, plumber and other skilled labor, Stand by generators facility is there, availability of water is much better than other open housing units, easy maintenance cost, and most important is security.
He added that the issue here is the maintenance as there are no maintenance laws in any area including DHA, Clifton Cantonment, KDA, KMC, etc. Due to this, standards are compromised. Ali said it was the new projects would break this trend and keep their promises to provide the best facilities to clients.
Currently the upscale gated communities are mostly military managed residentials such as Askari, Naval and Air force housing schemes. Amongst the private schemes, Creek Vista is most prominent – although the private companies involved were in collaboration with DHA. When, launched the prices of apartments were 5.9 Million for three bedrooms and 6.9 Million for four bedrooms. The current prices of these units are ranging from 28 to 35 Million for three and four bedrooms apartments. The price difference is based on floor and specific location of a particular apartment. All together there are 12 such housing schemes including all the phases, said Jakvani.
The upcoming communities aim to take this to a whole new level. While Pakistanis continue to wail about the government’s inability to provide security on the streets, even those who can afford it prefer to tough it out in these debilitating circumstances. The answer increasingly appears to the gated community – for all those for whom there is no place like home.