“House of Mess” offers a unique blend of interactive activities tailored for kids, focusing on science, paper, liquid, and sensory experiences. From thrilling volcano and slime science experiments to engaging in wraps and sand art made from paper, the event promises a myriad of activities to spark imaginations and foster creativity. Children can enjoy playdough, create personalized name bracelets, indulge in bubble art, participate in a car wash adventure, and explore number coloring and connect-the-dots challenges. Additionally, a photo booth and a ball pit with a swing await young adventurers and their families.

Event: House of Mess by Hamleys

Dates: 18th May to 9th June | Saturdays & Sundays

Timings: 12 PM – 9 PM

Venue: Kopa Mall, Koregaon Park

Upon arrival, children will receive an apron and a personalized bag to decorate with their name, adding a touch of personalization to their experience. “House of Mess” is not just about activities; it is about fostering lasting impacts on children. For a nominal fee, the children will take home not only memories but also a newfound sense of creativity, curiosity, and confidence.

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The study, encompassing 2,000 respondents across major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Bhopal, underscores a remarkable trend: 49% of participants admitted to waiting for their house help for over half an hour, even when scheduled for important appointments. Moreover, 15% of respondents emphasized the paramount importance of their domestic help in their daily lives, revealing an emotional bond that transcends mere assistance.

Commenting on these insights, Shyam Motwani, Business Head at Godrej Locks & Architectural Fittings and Systems, remarked, “The findings of our study are not just revealing but indicative of a larger societal trend. We recognize the challenges of a modern Indian household and the various complexities involved in managing disrupted plans. Hence, we are proud to introduce a solution that prioritizes safety and convenience with differentiated Digital Locks by Godrej Locks.”

Engineered to address concerns regarding misplaced keys and offer controlled access, Digital Locks provide seamless solutions for household management. Through a user-friendly app, homeowners can grant access to family members and domestic help from anywhere across the globe, ensuring smooth adherence to schedules without disruptions. Moreover, this technology enables homeowners to monitor entry into their premises, enhancing security and peace of mind.

The ‘Live Safe, Live Freely’ study is aimed not only at understanding human behavior regarding household assistance but also to explore the adoption of smart-home devices for safety and convenience. With its extensive reach and insightful findings, this study serves as a cornerstone for redefining household management in contemporary Indian society.

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MUMBAI: Demand for bigger apartments refuses to wane despite life returning to normalcy across the country – and rising residential prices. Latest ANAROCK data indicates that average flat sizes in the top 7 cities have grown by 11% annually last year – from 1,175 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,300 sq. ft. in 2023. Back in 2021 and 2020, the average flat size across the top 7 cities was comparable to 2022 – 1,170 sq. ft. in 2021 and 1,167 sq. ft. in 2020.

A deep dive into the data across the top cities reveals that MMR and Kolkata were the only two cities where the average flat sizes decreased in the last year.

• In MMR, average flat sizes stood at 840 sq. ft. in 2022 and decreased to 794 sq. ft. in 2023 – a 5% yearly decline. However, over 5 years, avg. sizes in MMR were similar to 2019 at 784 sq. ft.
• In Kolkata, avg. flat sizes saw a 2% yearly decline from 1,150 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,124 sq. ft. in 2023. However, over 5 years, avg. flat sizes have risen by 12% in the city. Avg. flat size in the city stood at 1,000 sq. ft. in 2019.

Among the top 7 cities, NCR saw the highest growth (37%) in average flat size in the last year – from 1,375 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,890 sq. ft. in 2023. Developers in the region are actively tracking demand and launching larger homes – homebuyer demand is skewed significantly towards luxury apartments, which are primarily defined by bigger sizes.

• Hyderabad has the highest average flat size in 2023 at 2,300 sq. ft., followed by NCR with 1,890 sq. ft.
• In the other southern cities – Chennai and Bengaluru – average flat sizes are 1,260 and 1,484 sq. ft., respectively.
• Pune’s average flat size stood at 1,086 sq. ft. in 2023

“Northbound housing prices in the top cities have in no way dispelled the demand for generous living spaces,” says Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Group. “The supply of bigger luxury homes increased significantly in 2023. ANAROCK data indicates that more than one lakh units (or approx. 23%) of the total new launches in 2023 were in the luxury category. The demand for bigger-size homes was kick-started by the pandemic, but there are no signs of it waning three years later. Led by an enduring ‘new normal’ in homebuyer preferences, this demand seems eminently sustainable.”

Source: ANAROCK Research

City Highlights

On a yearly basis, there has been an 11% rise in avg. flat sizes in the top 7 cities in 2023 against 2022. The 5-year trend shows a 24% rise – from 1,050 sq. ft. in 2019 to 1,300 sq. ft. in 2023. NCR again saw the maximum rise of average flat sizes in 2023 with 51%, followed by Hyderabad with a 35% rise in this period.

• In NCR, the average flat size increased from 1,375 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,890 sq. ft. in 2023, thus rising by 37% every year. If we consider 5-yearly trends, avg. flat size jumped by 51% from 1,250 sq. ft. in 2019.
• Avg. flat sizes in Hyderabad witnessed a 30% yearly increase and a 35% 5-yearly rise. The avg. flat sizes in the city stood at 1,700 in 2019, 1,775 sq. ft. in 2022, and 2,300 sq. ft. in 2023.
• In Bengaluru, the average flat size increased by 26% in the year – from 1,175 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,484 sq. ft. in 2023. On a 5-yearly basis, India’s Silicon Valley saw a 16% jump in avg. flat sizes, from 1,280 sq. ft. in 2019.
• Avg. flat sizes in Pune saw an 11% yearly increase to 1,086 sq. ft. in 2023 from 980 sq. ft. back in 2022. In the last five years, the city saw a 19% jump in avg. flat sizes. In 2019, it stood at 910 sq. ft.
• Chennai saw a 5% yearly jump in avg. flat sizes – from 1,200 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,260 sq. ft. in 2023, and a 15% 5-yearly rise. The avg. flat size stood at 1,100 sq. ft. in 2019.
• Kolkata and MMR were outliers, seeing a drop in average. flat sizes in the year by 2% and 5%, respectively. In Kolkata, avg. flat sizes decreased from 1,150 sq. ft. in 2022 to 1,124 sq. ft. in 2023, while in MMR it reduced from 840 sq. ft. in 2022 to 794 sq. ft. in 2023. However, on the 5-yearly basis, the cities saw average sizes rise – in MMR by a mere 1% between 2019 and 2023, but a 12% increase in Chennai in the same period.

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Elaborating on this, Anuradha Barpande said, “Although services like Plant Trucks are widely available in the US, they do not seem to have taken off in India. Our attempt to provide home or terrace garden services through a Plant Truck is probably the first such example in our country.”

For the past few months, the greenery inside the new airport in Bengaluru has become a topic of discussion around the world. Recently famous actor and newly appointed director of FTII – Pune, R. Madhavan was also fascinated by this greenery and praised it through a post on Instagram. Pune’ Anuradha Barpande and her husband Pradeep Barpande are the ones behind the creation of this beautiful vertical garden spread over an area of more than 55,000 square feet inside the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

“Our Plant Truck offers a wide variety of plants, beautifully designed pots, accessories for indoor natural greenery, essential organic fertilizers, other essentials/tools for indoor and terrace gardening, innovative vertical greenery options, and skilled manpower to keep your home or terrace garden always blooming and green“, added Barpande.

Barpande mentioned that ‘Plant Truck’ is a promising step that has been taken to create a relationship between citizens and the small but sustainable greenery at home, with the reasons to enjoy being in the company of nature and to keep the surrounding environment pleasant and happy.

Giving more information about this, Durga Dharmadhikari said, “Biophilia and the plants available in our Plant Truck are developed in our own nursery at Varve or near Khed Shivapur, and so we are able to maintain its quality and standard. Biophilia’s founders have over 33 years of experience in the gardening segment and with the help of this massive experience we have been able to create a unique ‘Potting Mix’ by adding various components to a naturally occurring biomass ‘Peat Moss’ by adding some required elements. This not only helps to control the PH value of the plants, retain water for a longer period, keep insects and mosquitoes away but also helps to simplify the maintenance process of the plants planted in the home garden.”

“We intend to spread awareness about Home Gardening through this Plant Truck. Some workshops will also be organized by taking this Truck to the big house societies“, she informed.

Ecogreen Landscape Technologies is the parent company of Biophilia founded by Anuradha and Pradeep Barpande. It is the leading company in the country for innovative greeneries developing Green Walls, Green Roofs, and Urban Farming as per the requirements of clients. The organization has been functioning since 1987 and is mainly operational in areas like technical implementation, maintenance, transplanting of large trees, soil erosion control, bulk supply of saplings, and landscape maintenance. Anuradha Barpande is an expert in microbiology and Pradeep Barpande has a special interest in gardening and nursery. All the ELT India Green Wall systems are innovative, proprietary, and protected by intellectual property applications including designs, patents, and trademarks. Earlier, Green Walls were either imported from abroad or developed in India using foreign technology.

World’s largest man-made Vertical Garden at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru which is spread over an area of 55,000 square feet was designed and developed by the Barpande couple. Realizing that it would be a challenging task to maintain each of these trees, the Barpande couple has developed a method of watering and drainage of the water system by using sensor-based technology. Moreover, the massive indoor greenery which consists of a lot of Bells and Veils of big size has been designed in such a way that its care and maintenance becomes easier.

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• The average increase in water level by 4.88 ft.
• Increase in agriculture productivity of 7,380 acres of agricultural land
• Increase in the area under irrigation by 2,232 acres through an increase in water availability and water use efficiency
• 1,500 acres of area brought under diversified farming systems (horticulture, agroforestry, mixed cropping, etc.)
• 4,028 acres area protected from direct soil erosion
• 520 acres of area brought under horticulture
• Created 1,302 million liters of water harvesting potential
• Increase in average annual household income of 1,628 HHs by 25%

MUMBAI: HDFC Bank has completed and handed over its Climate Change Adaptation Project to the panchayat of 20 villages in Jafrabad, Maharashtra. The project was launched in October 2020 to aid local people in coping with adverse climate change vulnerabilities such as drought, heat waves, and erratic and intense rainfall patterns.

The project has successfully increased the average annual income of 1,628 households by 25% and increased the agricultural productivity of 7,380 acres of agricultural land. It has also brought 1,500 acres of the area under diversified farming systems and created 1,302 million liters of water harvesting potential.

The project took a multi-dimensional approach with work in the areas of Area Treatment, Horticulture, Water Resource Development, Nala Deepening, Micro Irrigation System Automatic Weather Station, and Pest and nutrient Management Demonstrations. Cumulatively, the project has helped enhance the lives of nearly all 25,000 village dwellers.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ms. Nusrat Pathan, Head CSR at HDFC Bank, said, “Climate change is likely to stay for a longer haul. It becomes imperative to change our approach, making it response-based instead of relief-based. Our interventions have successfully built the farmer’s response capacity to become climate and market-compatible, while also improving their farm incomes and maintaining the integrity of the ecology.“

HDFC Bank’s interventions have successfully increased agricultural productivity and the area under irrigation through an increase in water availability, along with an increase in the agricultural land cover through diversified farming systems. The project has addressed many important issues like Runoff Harvesting, Groundwater recharge, Soil protection and moisture retention, Micro irrigation, and other climate-resilient agriculture practices.

The project has also increased the groundwater level by 4.88 ft and protected 4,028 acres of the area from direct soil erosion. It has brought 520 acres of the area under horticulture and increased the area under irrigation by 2,232 acres through an increase in water availability and water use efficiency.

HDFC Bank’s Climate Change Adaptation Project has helped over 5,400 households fight water shortage in Maharashtra and has successfully built the farmer’s response capacity to become climate and market-compatible. The project has enhanced the lives of nearly all 25,000 village dwellers and has addressed many important issues related to climate-resilient agriculture practices.

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