'Call a Lower Parel a Lower Parel, not Worli'

Builders often embellish to sell their homes. However, on January 7, well-known Lodha Builders took the embellishing a tad too far when they rechristened Lower Parel as the affluent area of Worli.

What's in a location? While Lodha Builders pre-launched its latest project at Lower Parel at Mumbai Textile Mill, a landmark in the Lower Parel-Elphinstone area, the invitation to the brokers clearly mentions the location as Worli

On Monday, Lodha Builders pre-launched its latest 17.5-acre premium project at Lower Parel at Mumbai Textile Mill, a landmark in the Lower Parel-Elphinstone area. However, to add some glam element to their project, they used Worli as the location. But the move wasn't appreciated by brokers and even asked senior officials why they were being misled.

Yashwant Dalal, a senior real estate agent and the president of the Real Estate Agents Association with India, raised the issue with one of the builder's representative and enquired if Mumbai Mill, where the builder is developing his project, is under Mumbai pin code 13, (Lower Parel) and if it was then why was the developer selling the product claiming it to be in Worli pin code 18.

Dalal argued, "If we tell the buyer that the project is in Worli and our customer realises that it is actually in Lower Parel, not only do we, but the company as well will lose its reputation." Dalal further argued that it was time that builders and brokers took the names of locations more seriously otherwise "a time would come when homes in Tardeo would be sold as Peddar Road homes, and those at Peddar Road as Altamount Road and so on and so forth."

Prakkash Rohira, another broker who was present at the event, added, "We were told the project is located in Upper Worli. Even the invitation from the builder categorically mentions Worli." However, when MiD DAY spoke to Uday Bhatt, one of the mill union leaders, he categorically mentioned that the builder had redefined the area as per their convenience. "They don't like using the term Lower Parel and hence, Worli was used. However, the location is in Lower Parel and not Worli," said Bhatt.

The other side
When MiD DAY contacted Lodha, a response from them read as follows, "Our project is located opposite the Hard Rock Café on Pandurang Budhkar Marg and adjacent to Marathon Heights. Further, all buildings on Pandurang Budhkar Marg use Worli as their address. The above facts will give you a clear idea of why the address is Worli and not Lower Parel. It seems that you may have obtained your information from the CS (Cathedral Survery Records), which places most of Worli in the Lower Parel Division."

Name Game
Bhandup: Lower Powai
Vikhroli Industrial area and slums: Off Powai
Govandi: Upper Chembur
Vidyavihar (West): BKC extension
Dharavi-Sion: BKC extension
Thane border: Mulund
Lower Parel: Upper Worli
Saat Rasta: Opposite Race Course

Did you know?
Five years ago, when a five-star hotel was being launched in the Parel/Lower Parel area, the builder had also used the same rule and said that its location was Worli. Similarly, a builder trying to sell homes in Bhandup four years ago re-christened it Lower Powai.u00a0