India open the gate to luxury living

India's rising middle class seem to be catching ‘Gated Community' fever, attracted by the offer of luxury living accommodation and the benefit of extra security for their property.

Gated Community is a kind of a residential complex, often characterised by high walls and fences. It boasts of controlled entrances for pedestrians and automobiles, surveillance cameras, clean streets and first class facilities.

The concept - already popular abroad in places such as Argentina and Brazil - is making a foray into the country as Non Resident Indians returning to their roots look for the same security and amenities of gated communities found overseas.

In a bid to entice this high-end sector, developers have begun offering services of international standards, albeit at a premium cost.

These residential complexes resembling luxury hotels possess swanky swimming pools, saunas, clubhouse, spas, fitness centres, well manicured lawns, golf courses, cricket pitches and shopping malls.

These communities, tending to be self-contained, are also perceived as luxury hideaways for the nouveau rich who wish to stay clear of the general riffraff.

Indian jet-setters regularly commuting between India and other global cites seem to have bought into the gated community idea the most. These residents, who often leave their homes for months, now depart knowing that extra tight and gated security will prevent any harm coming to their property or possessions.