This Blog is an attempt to highlight the plus and minus points of living at Residential complex developed by Mahindra Life Spaces Developers Limited. Residents woes may seem to outweigh the positive outlook advertised by Mahindra Lifespaces.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Flood of Emotions
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Powwow with CEO OF Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited
Residents are hopeful that true to the dignity of her rank, CEO will have judicious look into the grievances and pull up the managerial and engineering hierarchy to deliver on promises and save the reputation of the brand which was painstakingly cobbled together after years of dedicated workforce of Mahindra Group. How can these guys hold the prestige of Mahindra brand to ransom, and in fact allow the real estate arm of Mahindra Group - "Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited" to score so low on the scale of customer satisfaction and grievance redressal.
We hope that CEO also doesn't take the leaf out of the book of her project team, who seem to have attained mastery in constantly repeating like a parrot that miseries faced by residents are due to unauthorised and shoddy structural modification by some of the residents.
When project team is confronted why there is perennial leakage in the pipe ducts which causes dampness in adjoining walls and attracts fungus and algae formation, they come up fully armed with laptop, digital projector and very enthusiastically start the slide show of pictures depicting unauthorised modification by some residents and wave the fancy looking spiral bound audit report on the issue.
Does it not show how childish they are in their approach to solving the problem?
Does it not show that they have failed miserably in taking timely action to prevent unauthorised modification which may cause nuisance to all the residents?
Does it not reflect that they have unwittingly admitted their failure to do their duty?
Does it not show that instead of finding the solution and rectifying the mistakes they are engaged in producing fancy papers and passing the buck?
Why not they stop printing fancy brochures, bulky audit reports, digitally enhanced misleading pictures and instead show their talent in giving shape to the concrete structure?
When people invest their hard earned money to buy their dream home they also invest their emotions. When people start living in their homes and are confronted with stinky realities almost on daily basis, they tend to ask the question to themselves, if they really did something wrong by blindly investing their emotions and money with brand named - MAHINDRA. The thoughts of having our dream home made by who else but famous Mahindra brand name, were juking and jiving in our mind until they landed with a thud all because of bunch of duds from Mahindra Lifespace developers limited, who believed themselves to be the dudes of construction business.
How can CEO allow some handful of her own people to compromise the Mahindra brand so recklessly. After all MAHINDRA name has gone on to become from someone's surname to one of the most visible brand names globally. Even though we don't work for Mahindra Group, but feel passionate and take pride with brand when we see it appearing globally. But the irony is CEO's team doesn't seem to be passionate about it, and we, who are more passionate about Mahindra brand are being savaged more ruthlessly and being taken for a ride.
How can Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited even digest the fact they are now being rated lower than many of the second rung builders in Mumbai? Is that how CEO intends to scale the heights in Real Estate business? Is it only the balance sheet and annual bonus which keeps the CEO ticking?
Our dealing with Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited has brought to the fore this fact that Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited -
1. neither score high on OPERATIONAL SPEED - moving quickly, completing the projects on time.
2. nor scores on STRATEGIC SPEED -reducing the time it takes to deliver value.
Mahindra Lifespaces seems to have pioneered the concept of flouting their own set deadlines over and over again. Operational speed has already been bid adieu by them and we tend to wonder if STRATEGIC SPEED was ever on the agenda of MAHINDR LIFESPACE DEVELOPERS LIMITED.
Strategic Speed is a function of leadership. With customer dissatisfaction reaching high among Mahindra Eminente residents, is it not the time for leadership to take a pause, look around to be sure that MLDL is on track and if any course correction is required, rather than plow ahead full bore to either dig khaddas after khaddas in the name of water body within the complex not knowing how to keep it clean or to fill the khadda up with concrete in your quest to con some more customers into buying apartments in new residential tower ANGELICA. If this course correction and self introspection is not resorted to now then it may lead to decreased value over time.
Historically the companies who have "slowed down to speed up" have averaged almost 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating profits. Choice is on the leadership - madame CEO!
Only after the meeting with CEO, that the residents would come to know whether leadership believes in Operational speed , Strategic speed or doesn't believe in the concept of speed at all.
Lets hope this meeting with CEO doesn't turn into another round of braying and baying in an otherwise sepulchral quiet of conference room.
Also
Lets hope this meeting with CEO doesn't lead to hodgepodge of initiatives without any overarching vision or plan.
Come on .........Hold on to coffee containers , switch blackberrys & iphones to vibration mode and file in to conference room for some powwow with CEO and her bunch of bhaus....Remember.....? Those infamous "Bhaus" of Goregaon's "Bhaucha Dhakka"!!!.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Duds behind deadline
QUOTE
"..........I would jog our memories to the last meeting we had with the MLDL team. After much frustration vented by the residents (justified because it was bred over months and months of MLDL's abject failure with the waterbody - It has never worked in all its eight months of existence!), after debate, and consternation Mr. Kharkhanis - just about stopped short of thumping his chest - declared that the waterbody would be up and running in 15 days flat - that the team had the monster in control finally.
It's been well over a month and a half since that meeting, and Mr. Kharkhanis has proved as effective as his word. The waterbody is still dysfunctional, its gone worse! And Mr. Karkhanis is as silent as the dry gaping holes of the gargoyles.
For all the flourish and conviction that these blokes advertise, they must also realize that this abject apathy is unacceptable in today's day and age. This is a classified premium property, and it must be backed with accountability for the money they have siphoned off the believing customers.
What world are these guys working in? Gone are the days when builders were beyond reproach. This is no anarchy - this the age when customer is the king.
The waterbody typifies a developer who is probably the last dinosaur of his ilk. He belongs to the museum.
It infuriates me when I see all the troubles of living here in exchange for hard-earned money. We come to a brand and pay the price it commands only so that we do not have to take this s**t.
What were these guys thinking when they built this great ode to architectural disasters?
Where is the brand when it has to answer for all the claims it made?
Do these people spend any time at all when the complaints come in? Or are they just too busy approving the layouts and deciding the font sizes of yet another misleading brochure.
They should be in the printing business then. They must vacate the construction line; leave it for the Lodhas, the Rahejas and the Oberoi's and spare themselves further public humiliation.
I will point out to the health hazards due to the waterbody in a subsequent mail..................."
UNQUOTE
==============================
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Deadline is dead again!
At the first instance they fleeced one set of home buyers in buildings- VERVIAN and VERONICA by showing the plans depicting the greenery, then suddenly some nerd in MLDL thought - Nope! blue water body in the glossy brochures will be more appealing for next set of home buyers for their new buildings- ASPEN and ANGELICA . So, quickly new set of brochures printed and dug up the mother of all khaddas right in our midst.
Ground reality is that since January 2010 when Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited sent across the circular with digitally enhanced images of operational waterbody and waterfall area, declaring it ready, it has never been ready in true sense. It was always dirty, full of muck and been the breeding ground of mosquitoes and no one in MLDL having a clue about how to keep it clean and operational. Since then it has always been in such a sorry state that look, feel and atrocious fishy smell around the water body is no less than what one is subjected to when at Bhaucha Dhakka (Ferry wharf) in Mazgaon Mumbai.
Is this the Spanish design of water body?
Is this the Spanish standard of maintaining the water body?
In which part of Spain, have MLDL bosses and Hafeez contractor seen this kind of water body which has no parallel anywhere else in the world except right here in Bhaucha Dhakka at Mazagaon? We don't want any more (maz)gaon in Goregaon. One gaon is enough!
Where is that Bhau, who conceptualised it ? Where is that bhau who erected it and where is that bhau who is now shouldering the job of operationalizing it? Let all the three Bhaus come here in our midst and show us from which of the four cardinal points, this water body concept is trying to replicate the Spanish architectural glory?
Forget about Spanish architectural glory, is it even looking any shade closer to the shade of blue painted in advertising brochures.
Since the last meeting with Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited on 13th June 2010, the job of cleaning of water body was taken back from international cleaning experts KNIGHT-FRANK and was handed over to another set of local experts. Since then one obese expert was pretending to supervise while constantly chatting on his phone and the other so-called expert has been vacuuming the bottom of the water body. After more than 20 days of expertise, experts decided to drain off the water (and also the money), then got down to Indian style of mopping and scrubbing.
Our bai , who neither appears international nor calls herself an expert, definitely doesn't take 20 days to clean our house and does better job than both KNIGHT-FRANK and "experts" put together.
By the way, lets not let go the three Bhaus off the hook.
How can Mahindra & Mahindra Corporate group turn a blind eye to such kind of talented Bhaus being nurtured in Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited? On the other hand, Mr Anand Mahindra tweets that he is busy distributing Mahindra Scholarship. I hope after enjoying the scholarship, those talents also don't turn out to be same blokes as we are currently struggling with in Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited. This is the time, Mr Mahindra, to take a break from that kabutarbaaji(tweeting), and taking to task these errant bhaus and cronies of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited.
Once again - We don't want Bhaucha Dhakka inside the premises of Mahindra Eminente!!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Monsoon Nuisance III
Monsoon Nuisance -I
Monsoon Nuisance-II
As the monsoon arrives so starts dripping water in the stilt parking area through various expansion joints between concrete slabs. When Engineers of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited are confronted with this situation they comfortably resign to the fact by boldly stating that concrete expansion joints are expected to leak. What kind of water proof joint was used which was supposed to leak in addition to absorbing the expansion.
Has Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited patented a new technology of "leaking expansion joints of concrete structure", and made Mahindra Eminente project a guinea pig for first trial of that kind of rubbish technology.
Mahindra Eminente residents are not amused by this kind of rubbish technology. We challenge Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited to show us one concrete Expansion Joint, anywhere in whole of Mumbai other than the ones in Mahindra Eminente, which allows water to pass through.
Now the icing on the cake - Instead of repairing such leaking expansion joints, project team has chosen to fix the containment tray complete with drain pipes under all such leaking joints to capture the water leaking through.
Now some more dollops of icing and for some good measure sake throw in some falooda too - Even the containment trays are leaking and now workers are trying to fix the leakage of containment tray with liberal quantity of cement. Why not M-Seal? man!! o man!! Does "M" in "M-seal" stand for Mahindra? Clearly a shoddy workmanship , isn't it? Did you all miss previous story about workmanship? Never mind, just follow this link, but after reading that story come back again to complete this episode of Monsoon Soap opera.
Now best one for the last -
When there is water logging in the silt parking area due to water leakage through concrete expansion joints and disproportionate slope in the floor of stilt parking area, engineers of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited collectively decide to chisel out miniature canals to lead the water to nearest drain hole.
Any children living in the complex following this blog?....Monsoon is the right time to let your paper boats traverse through these miniature canals!!!! Maajhi Re!!
Jai Ho!!! Mann Gaye Mahindra Lifespace Developers ko!!!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Workmanship at its worst!
Attached picture is of the wall at the elevator entrance lobby on stilt parking level. One of the tiles on the wall is of the shade different from other tiles.
Monsoon Nuisance -II
Monday, July 12, 2010
Bird Bath
That white bowl kind of thing so decoratively placed in the middle of waterfall area is supposed to be "Bird Bath" - in which birds are supposed to take bath fluttering their beautiful feathers while enjoying the greenery and surrounding nature.
But looking at the state of this bird bath and adjoining greenery it looks like that even the birdies are protesting and have chosen to register their protest by pretending this white bowl is not a "BIRD BATH" but "BIRD COMMODE". God only knows when Mahindra Lifespaces and Knight-Frank will care to take adequate measures in order to change sullen mindset of birds.
Balustrades
Refer this appended picture of balustrades.
While replicating these design of balustrades from Spanish architecture books, Hafeez contractor didn't realise that birdies over here are nowhere as desciplined as their winged counterparts, far away in europe.
Thanks to the expertise and international experience of KNIGHT-FRANK maintenance team, balustrades are in such a sorry state and remains inundated with pigeon excreta.
Waterbody or Waterkhadda? - Take your pick
Which shade of blue is visible in these pictures?
This can be categorized as water khadda rather than a waterbody.
This reminds me of the pond which is used for giving bath to buffaloes and cows in tabelas (cowsheds).
Is there anybody with pet buffalo or a cow?
Monsoon Nuisance - I
Monsoon has arrived and also has brought along unending stream of woes for its residents. Also it has exposed chinks in the workmanship of MAHINDRA LIFESPACES DEVELOPERS LIMITED.
There is water logging at many places on the podium. Full walkway is logged with water and there is no proper slope to find its way to drain. If you intend to walk or jog on the podium, then finding your way without doing chapp-chapp through the water logged walkway will be quite a challenge. Amphitheatere gets water logged too.
Workmanship is so pathetic that a proper slope cant be given for water drain. This is the state of affairs when building is just new. How this developer can even think of expanding in future and taking up other infrstructure projects which will require much higher degree of detailing than just providing the slope.
Some pictures are appended for dekko.
Club House
Club House is not yet ready even though residents have been living in the complex since last one year. Mahinda Lifespaces management has promised that clubhouse will be ready by August 2010. Looking at the appended pictures as of today anybody can say that club house will not be ready by August 2010.
Miscellaneous Issues
Miscellaneous
Water leakage through pipe ducts.
Transfer of BMC water is routinely done between water tanks of A-Wing and B-Wing and find out the root cause of the problem and revert with corrective actiona solution so that need for frequent transfer doesn’t arise.
What is the routine of cleaning pipe ducts at the stilt parking area to avoid the stink.
Maintenance charges are steep / Knight Frank Performance is not acceptable. Seek removal of knight frank at current rates.
Need to look at entire snag list which was prepared at the time of handover of maintenance to Knight-Frank. Completion Status and verification is required.
There was promise for replacement of Mosquitoe mesh in windows, but not yet replaced. All these mesh are rusted already. To be replaced with steel mesh.
Generators/ fire extinguishers/ elevator safeties – when they were tested, what is the routine. If security guards aare aware of the response expected in case of emergency? Has the maintenance contract been finalised for these?
POP cracking around main door frame due to banging of doors. Proposal of fixing moulding around the doors not yet complete
What is the Time frame of redressal of complaints registered in complaint book. Many of the complaints are almost one month old but still action has not been completed. Passing the buck between Knight-Frank and Mahindra staff. Mr Nilesh and Pataole have not been able to exercise good control over maintenance issues.
Ventilation windows at every lift lobby to be cleaned and kept clean thereafter.
Benches to be put up in garden area. Definitely not like the one we see at railway station. Design of benches should gel with the kind of architectural design.
Additional play station for children considering that two more towers are coming up. Step rests on Rock climbing board in play station area are fixed wrong way.
Natural grass to be replaced with synthetic grass(astroturf) considering that there is no designated play area and children use the grassy patch for playing.
Electrical circuit breakers for external lighting in the podium area keeps tripping. This problem has been since a long time but staff has consistently turned blind eye. This can be serious because Circuit breaker tripping is caused by short circuits. Why the electrician has not been rectifying the problem.
Many light fittings around the podium area are not working. This was brought to the notice of Umesh pawar but not yet rectified.
Lamp post in garden area in front of A-Wing is loose from foundation and risk of injury exists.
When clubhouse will be ready? Last deadline was 31st August but looking at the progress it will not be complete by that time.
WORKMANSHIP AND SKILL OF NOT ONLY WORKERS BUT EVEN OF MAHINDRA SUPERVISORY STAFF IS QUESTIONABLE. RECENT GLARING EXAMPLE IS RENEWAL OF ELEVATOR FLOORING. BROKEN AND POOR QUALITY material was used.
No preemptive action is initiated to rectify till some resident points out.
Work culture is poor, skill, ability and experience is questionable.
KINIGHT FRANK is not able to maintain cleanliness to appropriate standards. It has been six months and alternative facility management company to be hired to improve maintenance standards.
Security Issues
Security
Outsiders continue to access the main door of apartment without any prior intimation to flat owner from security.
All outsiders should enter and leave the building only from podium level. All movement to be logged.
Parking stickers should be issued to regulate traffic and for easy identification of vehicles of flat owners.
Visitors vehicles s/ taxis should only go on podium so that security at entrance lobby can maintain access control of visitors.
Flat owners permission should be sought before access to residential floors is given to visitor and entry /exit should be logged.
One security man standing at end of ramp is wastage. Instead security at stilt parking entrance is moved to position on main access passage before the ramp so that instead of using 2 security one at stilt entrance and 1 at the ramp we use only one who maintains control both to podium and to stilt.
One access control is required near the elevator / staircase entrances at stilt level.
Back side wall should be provided with high grill and barbed wire to prevent unauthorised access to stilt parking from behind.
How many security guys are presently roaming around and how they are being posted?
Main gate on SV Road should be moved back more inside to provide halt space for vehicles trying to enter the complex and allow the security to check and question the purpose of visit. Parking stickers on flat owners vehicles should prompt immediate opening of gate and unrestricted access.
Logging of in/out time of all vehicles entering the main gate.
ID Card to all domestic helps and drivers.
Safety concern, regards people being able to move across flats thru the ducts - e.g. put a MS grill
Intercom not working / intermittently working. Inter Connectivity with podium security/ stilt parking security and maingate to be operationalized immediately.
Security must not allow outward clearance of any household item unless written approval from flat owner or confirm from flat owner via intercom.
Waterbody / Cascade water fall area
Awaiting action.
Waterbody/ Cascade water fall area
Design has been changed from what it was before.
In previous meetings residents had suggested to get rid of water body completely and replace with childrens’ play area but MLDL has rejected the suggestion.
Cleanliness is not maintained in water body. Water is dirty black/ green and smells. Bottom can not be seen . Nobody knows how to keep it clean and maintain.
No steps have been taken to prevent growth of mosquitoes.
Finishing touch has not been given to water body. Corner tiles on the wall of water body are different from rest of the wall and do not match. Finishing touch has not yet been given to Gargoyles POP is still showing. All of them spewing water unevenly.
More potted plants should be put up around the area enclosed between the water body. Concrete ledge around the tree coming up from stilt parking area is cracked.
Cascade water fall is littered with pigeon droppings and paint droppings.
Appearance of the complex
Complete stilt parking area is dirty and has never been water washed/ scrubbed clean.
Water dripping all over through concrete expansion joints and even from other places. Containment trays have been fixed below expansion joints to capture the water leakage but even the trays are leaking. When discussed with Project team, he confirms that expansion joints are supposed to leak? Funny isn’t it? Steel plates covering the expansion joints on podium level have loosened out and their edges are protruding up. Injury hazard.
Pipe ducts in stilt parking are completely open and pipes are exposed in pipe duct area.
One more finish coat of paint is required in stilt parking area, podium level, and in the elevator lobby of all floors.
Entrance foyer from stilt parking spaces to elevator lobby is completely dirty.
Elevator lobby walls and staircase area at various floors is marked with obscene graffitis.
Parking demarcation should be marked by yellow parking studs and bolted on the floor as permanent demarcation.
Speed breakers should be installed on ramp and on the podium to discourage speeding of vehicles.
Stilt parking must have more plants and plants to be used
Entrance lobby walls on the stilt parking must have vitrified tiles or rquivalent material to improve the looks and discourage graffiti writing.
Lots of plants/ flowers and even one of the trees in front of b-wing grass area is dying.
Pigeon droppings have made external appearance of balustrades on 1 st floor level around the building pathetic.
Elevator flooring was changed but broken and selection of flooring was poor. Why the flooring outside in podium lobby can not be put inside the lifts as well
Elevator lights are not working. Many times elevators don’t stop at intermediate floors even though appropriate call button is pressed.
Stray dogs to be chased out and not allowed in. pest control and rat control measures to be activated.
Why no plants and flower pots have been put up in reception area? All the flower pots put up anywhere should be provided with spil tray underneath to capture water spill from the pot.
Open pipes at podium level. Work is going on since last one month but not yet completed.
Plantation and flower pots to be spread out more on podium level too.
Pigeon nest inside the recess of false ceiling of reception lobby. The design of false ceiling in reception area is open invitation to pigeons for nesting, mating and laying eggs. B-wing reception lobby has pigeon nests.
Tiles on flower beds of podium area are broken and loose.