A home for senior citizens on the southern fringes of Kolkata opened its doors on April 16.
Jagriti Dham, which stands on a two-acre plot at Merlin Greens off Diamond Harbour Road, around 10km south of IIM Calcutta in Joka, is the latest senior living project to have come up in the city.
The residents have to make an upfront deposit and pay a monthly charge. Deposits are refundable, after a deduction, when the resident leaves the property, said an official of Infinity Group, which has built the home.
Jagriti Dham has opened with 72 rooms.
The upfront deposit amount ranges between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh per room.
The monthly charges are Rs 50,000 for a double-occupancy room and Rs 40,000 for a single-occupancy room.
The monthly charge covers four meals a day, utilities like electricity, water, AC and laundry, and overall maintenance of the property. It will also cover the expenses of a nurse and an attendant.
Each floor will have 24 rooms and a couple of attendants. A common medical room (for the property) will have a nurse round-the-clock. A weekly health check-up by a doctor is covered in the monthly rent.
“We have a comprehensive assisted-living facility for people suffering from neurological disorders like dementia and Parkinson’s disease. A caregiver will be constantly with such residents,” said an official.
The property has a meditation room, an ayurvedic spa, a community hall, a library, a games room, a gymnasium and an outdoor dining space. It also has a 24-hour power back-up.
Premium residential projects for senior citizens, a much-upgraded version of traditional old-age homes, has generated significant interest among real-estate players. Developers are building on the success Snehodiya, a pioneering project done by Hidco in Rajarhat.
Many senior citizens, who can afford luxurious living, do not want to go through the grind of shopping, house maintenance and similar chores. Their offspring who have moved out of Kolkata or West Bengal in search of better prospects want a safe and secured life for their parents without the risks of living “alone”.
“Jagriti Dham has been carefully conceived to fulfil a two-pronged aim — one, senior citizens are able to live a fully active life and make the most of their golden years; two, their next of kin are assured of their (senior citizens’) safety and well-being. With life expectancy touching 80 and steadily growing, Jagriti Dham is well poised to respond to a growing need of the hour. It is indeed an idea whose time has come,” said Ravindra Chamaria, chief trustee of Jagriti Dham and chairman and managing director of Infinity Group.
“Room applications can be made through our website (www.jagritidham.com) and also in the offline mode by visiting our compound,” he said.