Garuda Mall is one of the biggest malls in south India. It is spread out over 75,000 sq meters and includes 26,000 sq meters of shopping and entertainment space on five floors and 120 stores. The glittering retail palace has all Store chains from Shoppers Stop and Westside to Marks & Spencer and Mango. Garuda’s entertainment options include the INOX, with five screens and 1,150 seats and activity centres for children.
Garuda Mall boasts the city’s largest integrated parking complex with enough space to park a thousand cars and shoppertainment centre spread over five floors and two basements . The man behind this mall, Uday Garudachar, has steered it into an innovative venture, with concepts like 100 years of Indian Cinema and the wonder of the world themes, giving a creative look every time you visit the mall.
He speaks to Vyas Sivanand about his future plans, his foray in Africa and Gulf and his recent achievement, a doctorate for his contribution towards management.
Garuda Mall has now become a landmark. What are your plans of expansion?
Other than the Garuda Mall, we have an area centric shopping mall in Jayanagar, Garuda Swagat Mall, which is about 100,000 square feet. We will be opening the first phase of our mall in Mysore by first week of December. It got delayed as the mall got entangled in legal issues. The residents in the area had taken the case to the Supreme Court; eventually we won the case.
Next, we are looking at starting a mall near Ejipura. But again there were issues as there were illegal occupants on the site. So a writ of mandamus was issued to BBMP and the police, after which the site was to be vacated by October.
But due to Cauvery issues and some other problems, the police were short of force. But now, they will be enabling the vacating process and we will commence work soon.
Are you looking at other areas apart from malls?
We have ventured into affordable housing for the economically weaker class. The slum board has given an order of constructing 160 houses near K R Puram. We are also into clinic-based wellness and have started a brand called Vriddhi in Jayanagar. We are planning for more outlets.
Will you be expanding to other states in the country?
We are looking for greener pastures and would prefer to move out of the country rather than to any other state. There is lot of scope for affordable housing in Africa and the Gulf countries. There is also focus on social housing there and it is one area where not only do you get bulk business, but you also derive pleasure from a social perspective. Many people are living in tin shacks and providing them with a proper roof over their head is really a gratifying feeling.
What is unique about your affordable housing concept?
Technology has enabled many innovative practices and we have patented our own fast track Indo-Spanish technology using which we can construct a strong house in a short span of time. The 160 houses that we are constructing for slum board will be made using this technology. We can construct a single unit house in just four days using ferro-cement concept.
In the Gulf and Africa, we will be using this technology to build villas. For me the world is the platform.
Tell us about your doctorate.
Some representative from Uganda had visited houses constructed by us here and in various other countries. They wanted us to do similar constructions in Uganda and other places too, which we were keen. The idea was to propagate the concept or it will eventually die with you. There are many BPL families in Africa and such countries, where our technology can provide houses at breakneck speed. Towards my contribution, they asked me if I would accept a doctorate from their university, the Fairland University in Jinja, which I readily agreed.
I got the doctorate in social science (Honoris Causa) for contribution towards management. Sometimes recognition comes from your backyard, while some times it comes from space.
We then proposed to start an institute in Uganda — Fairland Garuda Institute of Construction Management. We will encourage a lot of exchange programmes from India.
Several Indian professors and civil engineers will be visiting the institute on a frequent basis. High tech research will also be conducted in the institute.
The world needs to understand and appreciate Indian knowledge and our acumen. Through such efforts, we are ensuring that Indian efficiency reaches far and wide.