“I wanted the building design to be timeless. That is how the whole idea about European Architecture came up but not many appreciated this concept at that time. Today, a brand new building or a building made 20 years ago; they all look new and similar. This is perennial and attractive architecture. Powai at that time was an undeveloped quarry land and we were able to get about 250 acres at reasonable price. With an aim of creating a lifestyle, the construction at Powai was started in 1987. Architect Hafeez Contractor who had just started his practice and had done our Versova project Beach Classic joined in 1988-89 and has been working with us ever since. We built the entire infrastructure from roads, electricity, storm water drains, sewage treatment plants, telephone cabling ducts, schools shopping complex, hospital etc. Of course, most people were cynical of what I was doing and it was a huge risk for us, of building an entire suburb from scratch. We met with resistance to change but managed to convince the authorities that our intentions were clean. Few in the government department supported us, though the concepts like cement concrete roads or recycling of water were new at that time.”
Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani
About Hiranandani Garden, Powai
During that time I was studying in school and then college and the construction at Powai was just going on and on. I used to go there with my father Shree Ratilal Makwana who used to do ornamental fabrication work for Architect Hafeez Contractor. Absolutely new location for Mumbai, larger than life size and grandeur of towers with so much of ornamentation. The beautiful crowns in various colors, tall & round palatial columns, never ending details over plans, clean wide roads, lovely landscaping and so on. I used to wonder ‘Am I in Mumbai or am I in Europe?’. Such is the impact of this developing world of Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani, that it inspired me and my family to create something, which is no less than this, in terms of grandeur and beauty, skill and passion. After college I started working for HCL, but time spent at Hiranandani Garden, kept me calling back to creative field. Same was the dream of my brothers, Dharmendra Makwana & Mukesh Makwana. We not only continued with our ornamental fabrication work for architects & builders, but also ventured into contracting, designing & finally into real estate development. We think only in terms of uniqueness & quality, whenever we start any project. And our passion rewarded us with an award for our project Om Palace, Malad under The Makwana Group | Builders & Developers, and that too from the hands of none other than our idol, our inspiration, Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani. We are so thankful to Him.
AMIT MAKWANA
Director, Design & Planning
The Makwana Group | Builders & Developers
www.TheMakwanaGroup.com
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