— Atul Mehrotra, Director, Uppal Group

Till now your focus was National Capital Region (NCR). Are you planning for a pan-India presence?
Undoubtedly, the Uppal Group is one of the leading real estate developers in NCR. But, now we are moving out of NCR to places like Chandigarh. Lucknow, Hyderabad and Pune.
What road map plan do you have for making Delhi and NCR world-class destinations?
We are committed to alter the landscape of Delhi and its suburban areas like Gurgaon, by providing destinations of the future. The Uppal Group has a philosophy ‘To work with the Best’. From architects and engineers to consultants and planners, everyone involved in the group’s businesses are thorough professionals.
How are Uppal’s hotels going to change Delhi’s hospitality industry?
Uppal’s Orchid has set entirely new standards for the world of luxury hotel keeping. Combining ecological beauty with modern facilities, the Orchid is the ultimate experience in every sense. Uppal’s Orchid is a member of the ‘Small Leading Hotels of the World’. It is a five-star deluxe Ecotel business hotel, spread across 10.5 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. Due to its ideal location, the hotel offers an easy access to the international airport, domestic airport, New Delhi’s city centre and the new Gurgaon business district. The landscaping of Uppal’s Orchid was created by the renowned landscape architects, Belt Collins. The interiors were designed by WAT & G of USA, with proven expertise in projects of such magnitude.
How is the hotel industry planning to meet the increasing requirement of hotel rooms?
The economy is expected to grow at the rate of eight to nine per cent. Lot of business activities will take place. As the business grows, the number of business travellers will also rise, so the need for more hotels would also be there. Delhi alone is falling short of 20,000 rooms. Lots of projects are coming up to bridge the demand-supply gap.The Commonwealth Games is also putting additional pressure. It has to be addressed in time.
How long will this boom in hospitality industry last?
I think the boom is going to be here for at least coming five years. After that there will be status quo, though demand for business hotels will continue to grow. Charges of luxury hotels are too high in comparison to other countries.
Tell us about Uppal Group and its areas of operation?
The Uppal Group brings in world-class technology, ideas and designs into real estate development in India and aspires to grow across all verticals of the real estate sector in the coming years throughout India. The group’s business of real estate development and construction comprises super luxury residential complexes, retail spaces and commercial complexes, luxury hotels, IT and ITES parks, colonisation, farm house estate developments, large residential complexes and special economic zones.
Which projects is Uppal currently executing?
Uppal Group has over 28 years of experience of having delivered more than 500 quality projects on time and has presence in all real estate verticals including residential, retail, commercial, SEZ and hospitality. To name a few, Plaza M6, New Delhi; Plumeria Garden Estate & Plumeria Gardens II, Greater Noida; and Plumeria Homes, Lucknow. The group has been allocated land in Lucknow for development by the Uttar Pradesh Township Pvt. Ltd and designed by a leading architect from Singapore. Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, conducted an auction for residential plot near newly set up Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park in Manimajra, and Metro Park, Dwarka, New Delhi. These are recent projects taken up by the group.
How good is the financial health of your company?
Over the years, the Uppal Group has only grown, as corroborated by its financial statements. The hroup had a turnover of Rs 1,138 million ($25 million) and a net worth of Rs 973 million (22 million) in 2004-2005. In coming two-three years we expect growth of somewhere near 30-40 per cent annually.
What are your company’s future plans?
Two multi-utility approved SEZs in Gurgaon and integrated townships in Hyderabad and Pune are in pipeline.
The Uppal Goup has signed an MoU with US real estate giant Vernado for development of a 272-acre SEZ in Rathiwas, Bhodakalan and Bhudka villages in Gurgaon district of Haryana located on the main NH-8, approximately 10 km towards Jaipur from IMT, Manesar. Approximately 25 million sq. ft of ready-built infrastructure will be developed by Uppals, including business centres for trading zone, logistics park and warehouses, shops and other commercial developments, offices, hotels and service apartments, community facilities/amenities etc.
The size of the second SEZ is 72 acres, which also situated in Gurgaon. Spadework will commence in June 2007 for these two projects.