Seawoods

Seawoods, located in the south western part of Nerul, is considered the second-most developed node in Navi Mumbai. One of the most expensive and quickly developing areas, it is aimed at attracting NRIs returning to India. Seawoods is part of one-of-its-kind Transit Oriented Development, aimed at building a world-class entertainment and commercial centre around Seawoods-Darave railway station.

Because of its good connectivity, Seawoods sees people frequently coming in from South Mumbai as a preferred destination for shopping and entertainment. Popular restaurants like Barbeque Nation and Chilli’s have outlets in the area. Some projects in Seawoods are still under construction and, on completion, will make the area a hotspot.

Seawoods has excellent infrastructure, especially because of its aim to become a world-class locality. Reputed schools such as Delhi Public School and Ryan International are in the neighbourhood, along with Seawood Hospital. The region is home to many people working in the Central Business District, Belapur.

Connectivity and transit points

A major road, Palm Beach Road, connects Seawoods to National Highway 4 making it one of the most accessible areas in Mumbai. NMMT and BEST buses serve as a cheap means of transport, the alternative being taxis.

Not only does Seawoods have the Seawoods-Darave station - the largest railway station in India with international standards - it is also connected to the Nerul station, which is close by. Navi Mumbai Airport is set to come up soon, in the locality. Navi Mumbai will also be enabled with Metro connectivity soon.

Major landmarks

l  Parsik Hills

l  Karave Pond

l  New Park

l  Nag Devi Temple

l  Lake DPS School

l  Panvel Creek

l  Seawoods-Darave Railway Station

Factors for growth in the past

This coastal plot was marked for development in the late 1990s to ease the exploding population and growing traffic seen in Mumbai. Seawoods was also developed to provide open spaces for recreational activities and for hosting housing and industrial sites outside the city limits.

In April 2008, a development project agreement was signed between L&T and CIDCO. L&T invested in this project – the highest investment ever received by Navi Mumbai. The development efforts of this venture kick started rapid growth. The infrastructure in the area began to be upgraded and the water and electricity supply networks existing in the area were beefed up.

The roadworks in the area too, were optimised to handle more traffic. And because of these improvements, many real estate players entered the region, leading to ample residential project development.

Residential & commercial markets

Seawoods is especially known for its affordable 1 BHK flats. But the demand for 3 BHK flats in multi-storey apartment is on the rise. A non-furnished or semi-furnished 3 BHK flat  in Seawoods can be rented for about Rs 20,000-40,000 per month, depending on the exact location of kind of apartment project. A fully furnished flat, on the other hand, is available in the rental price range of Rs 40,000-70,000 per month.

Major challenges

Like Mumbai, Seawood in Navi Mumbai too, suffers from heavy rains during the monsoon season. The expansion of the city has caused the mangroves in the area to dwindle and almost disappear. There is a cause of concern in terms of water supply, as well, with shortage experienced for 10-11 months during a year. Waste recycling has been an issue, as well.

Factors for growth in the future

To ease the burden on local trains, there’s a proposal for Navi Mumbai to get its own Metro station and Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, which will connect Sewri to Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai Airport is to come up not too far from Seawoods, which will further increase its connectivity to the world at large. Because of the high commercial value of the area, the demand for good quality offices and hospitality services is also rising.

L&T has announced that it plans on floating a Realty Equity fund to attract investments in Seawoods for long-term, highly profitable project ventures. L&T proposes to build the Seawoods-Darave station with a Clubhouse, IT Park, supermarket, multiplex and mall, which would make it the largest railway station in India. The company also proposes to create a differentiated shopping experience by creating malls specifically designed to serve a particular function, like malls which will be a one-stop shop for home interior and jewelery.

It is estimated that nearly 3 million people may visit Seawoods each year, and this number is likely to go up in the coming years.