NRI families prefer flats to isolated houses
Mahir Haneef
Kochi
Families of Non-Resident Indians (NRI) are shifting to apartments in the city in large numbers for reasons of safety and convenience, even though they can own a house on their own. Living in an apartment in a city makes life easier for these families because of easy access to amenities.
These families find security as the main reason for living in an apartment than in a rented or own house. Jessy Cherian, a resident of Malabar Gate, said “We can just lock the front door and go out as we have a security guard. We don’t have to lock all the windows and doors as we do in a house.”
By employing a security guard, the entry to the apartment is restricted and this makes NRI families more secure. Sixty two year-old Valsamma Mathew’s two sons are abroad, but she isn’t bothered about security as she is in an apartment. “If we are living in a house, we have to worry about thieves as parents of NRIs living alone are often targeted by thieves. But being in an apartment, we haven’t had any trouble yet,” Mrs Mathew said.
Aged parents of NRIs also find apartments more convenient as the managers of the apartment would help them with shopping and would even go to the bank for them. Another important advantage these families find is easy medical access. “It is difficult to buy a house in the city and the prices are very high; but there are plenty of apartments available in the heart of the city,” said Mrs Mathew.
Travelling is also much easier in the city with easy access to bus services and taxi cabs. “We find travelling easier as taxi cabs would come to our apartment within a few minutes of telephoning them. Even if it is a medical emergency, we reach the hospital within a short time,” Mrs Mathew said.
Common lobby at the entrance of the flat is a blessing for most NRI families. Aysha Mohammed, an NRI’s wife who lives with her two small children in an apartment, says “The lobby is useful to entertain people whom you do not know directly but are unavoidable. Friends and acquaintances of my husband come here and as I do not know these people well enough, I meet them downstairs at the lobby. It is safe there as there are security guards and managers nearby.”
Many posh flats have small telephone switching boards that enable communication via intercom between flat residents. This facility is most used by aged residents. Sixty five year-old Amina Umma says “I am living with daughter-in-law and my son is abroad. After the children and daughter leave in the morning, I am alone here. But I don’t have to worry as I can call my relatives living on the floor right above us using the intercom and somebody would come down instantly.”
Another advantage of an apartment is that it is easier to manage, say NRI families. “We don’t have to employ a servant at all. Myself and my daughter-in-law can manage all the cleaning and other household chores, which we would not have been able to do in a house as I am aged,” said Mrs Mathew.
Children of NRI families also like life in apartments as they have access to well-equipped play areas. Another reason for their happiness is that they can easily find friends to play with. Going to school is also easier for children as the bus would come right to their doorstep as opposed to the ordeal of reaching the bus stop while living in a separate house outside the city.
Shape-conscious youngsters are also happy as they have fitness centres and swimming pools in apartment complexes to keep themselves fit. “When I was living in a rented house in Thiruvananthapuram, I had to travel five kilometres to reach Water Works swimming pool. Now I can swim as much as I want without going anywhere,” says 25 year-old Jayakumar.
