by Suman Gupta
That discussion about a family vacation, inevitably cued in on Goa, Kerala, or the exhilarating escapes of North India. If it was a short, weekend getaway, or reunion, or even that quick vacation, Lonavala, Mulshi or Karjat made the list.
Two years of the pandemic and lockdowns, have changed how we look at life! The getaway vibe has changed, and how ! A quick whisk of the coffee evoked pure happiness as we sat at our balconies taking in the sounds of birds chirping in Mumbai devoid of the raucous traffic. We learnt to reconnect with the most natural joys, around us. We unlearnt pace, and embraced slow living.And, not so quietly, a new wind of change was playing up in Alibag.
The Alibag Phenomenon, born during the pandemic, is now taking the world by storm. Samira Habitats, the visionary land asset people, took charge and rewrote this new chapter, in a changing world.
So, how did this bayside clutch of hamlets, across the Mumbai Bay, evolve into one of the biggest real estate benchmarks ?
A generation ago, the beautiful beaches or the historical significance of this place, was not given a second thought. Alibag was ‘snooze-ville’ all along, until it became the repose of a select, who’s who of Mumbai’s crème de la crème.
Still, only the almost secret, privilege to a few !
2020 changed all that. Accessibility to Mumbai, a spattering of beautiful hotels and boutique destinations, started luring people to retreats and the intimate destination weddings.
This giant leap in tourist inflow, was further catapulted by two significant and overlapping events – the pandemic, coinciding with the the flagging off of the Mumbai-Mandwa RoRo (Roll-On, Roll-Off )Ferry Service .
At a time when interstate travel was a dream, the private villas at Alibag, the freedom to move around mask-free in the company of your loved ones, and the blink-and-reach speed of the RoRo made it easier for people from South Mumbai to reach this beach town.
Everybody, across city demographics and sociographic, was thronging to Alibag. And half of them began to look at home options and second homes in Alibag.
Transformations seldom come easy. And, The Alibag Phenomenon too, wasn’t built in a day. It took several developers and visionaries to make it the buzz we see, today.
Undoubtedly, one such visionary, who believed and invested his belief, dreams and passion, even before the money, into Alibag, is Mr. Samir A Nerurkar, the founder of Samira Habitats. When others were busy constructing bungalows in Lonavala, he sat patiently at the Samira by the Bay lounge at Mandwa Jetty watching the dream unfold. One of the largest land aggregators in Alibag, the company has continued its unshaken voyage and is #NowTrending on the real estate map.
We spoke to Samir about the evolution of Alibag from a sleepy town to the bayside, boho-chic vibe it now has…
Q. Tell us about you and your beginning in Alibag?
I started with as less as Rs. 25000 which was borrowed from my mother and an old Maruti 800, when I put foot in Alibag for the first time. Starting with as less as half acre to today being the largest land aggregator of Alibag region.
In this journey have met various people who have been instrumental in building up Samira Habitats. We share a very close bond with the locals in Alibag and have always ensured the best for them and that the local farmers always got their dues. That’s the prime reason that this land has accepted and embraced us with open arms. We shared a common dream & love for the land.
Q: Tell us about the Alibag of the early days, when you first saw this dream ?
A: For that we need to rewind all the way to 1995 ! Then Alibag was a distant thought, on any realty mind. No one, at that time could visualise or calculate, by any conventional projections, the way its popularity would rise over the years. We began by working extremely hard on Alibag’s lifestyle infrastructure to draw attention to it and bring out the lively energy that Alibag had at its heart.
Back in the days, even the Trans-Harbour line and sea commute between Mumbai and Alibag seemed like such a far-fetched dream.
Q: Tell us about your interaction with the place?
A: I had conviction in this land, and worked intuitively to understand the place in and out. In turn, the town unraveled new grounds and opportunities for us. We faced plenty of challenges along the way but it made us what we are today.
I knew, that Mumbai would eventually saturate its vertical expansion; and would have to expand horizontally. That expansion would have to be towards the mainland, across the sea. Alibag.
Q: How has Alibag changed over the last couple of years?
A: Today’s Alibag embodies multiple facets of a slower, more meaningful life, sprinkled with a good drizzle of excitement and haute culture! People come here to spend a day or two away; yet so close to home. Its become so simple! Hop on to the RoRo, with your car, and retinue if you please! Indulge in a hearty, gourmet, or local meal, bask under the clear sky, cavort at one of the many beautiful beaches, and come back to Mumbai by late evening!
Most Alibag Second Home owners spent months at their private reposes, during the lockdown. It’s now an alternative to Goa and people spend days or even weeks at the chain of hotels, villas and homes here. Since the last couple of years, it has developed a cult of its own. It’s a quiet, pretty place sitting still with the sway of coconut trees, the salty air and a subtle sense of surrendering to be one with the wind… Thanks to the quick commute, South Mumbaikars would rather visit Alibag than go to any other part of Mumbai.
Q: Can you share briefly about your contribution to the town?
A: Our vision is synonymous with Alibag; to work in collaboration with the land and her people. Samira ensures that anybody looking for land is hand-held with our full support right from the start to end. We have nurtured and built our relationship through 25+ years of symbiotic presence in Alibag.
This land is extremely resourceful for investors. We have chaperoned thousands of satisfied customers into embracing the Alibag Life.
We hold a sweet pride, in stating that investing in Alibag is really an invitation to #investinyourself… in an expanded life!
Our list of proud Samira’s Alibagkars spans the globe and includes many prestigious institutions. We’re the one-stop-shop for anyone looking at acquiring land, and building that dream home, here.
But, beyond the land, we are deeply invested in creating the infrastructure to support a life here. There is a lot brewing on the hospitality, healthcare, marine infra et al! So, watch this space!
Q: What role did the pandemic play in this shift?
A: The who’s who of Mumbai, all from different walks of life were taken in by the Alibag Phenomenon during the pandemic. For those who wanted the best of both worlds – be in Alibag; yet close enough to Mumbai – made this dream come to life. It finally got the acknowledgement that was long overdue !
Q: What are your future plans?
A: We want to develop the region by partnering and facilitating the setting up of healthcare / criticare and trauma facilities, the best bistros, and restaurant brands, retail communities and shopping villages, sporting facilities and utility services. The whole community that feels deeply for its town is working in tandem to collaborate with this changing avataar of Alibag.
Our gated communities of ready to build plots, Bespoke land holds and bungalows, Villa Communities and more, are spread across the scenic landscape of Alibag. Beyond the beaches, we are offering you, scintillating hillsides, greens, thickets and premium cul de sacs close to Mandwa.
Something for every discerning taste.
I see the Alibag of my dreams, as a lively, throbbing, organic, conscious and warm community of like minded people, who have finally come home!
The Alibag I’d dreamt of is finally here!
