Date:30/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/07/30/stories/2004073002221900.htm

Back `Smaller cities hold future for mall developers'

Our Bureau

Kolkata. July 29

A YEAR ago Mr Rahul Saraf, Managing Director of Forum was apprehensive about the business opportunities available in Bhubaneswar in Orissa. That his fears were misplaced is borne out by the fact that, today, he is planning to open a second mall in that city. Setting up a mall at Siliguri in West Bengal is also on the cards.

"The experience in Bhubaneswar has made us confident about the possibilities available in what are known as class-B cities. Unlike in metro cities where business is generated at the weekends, footfalls remain almost at the same level over the week in Bhubaneswar," Mr Saraf said while addressing a seminar on "Retail 2004" organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. "The smaller cities hold the future for mall developers," he added.

Mr Saraf's views were seconded by Mr Amitabh Taneja, director of the International Council of Shopping Centres, India, Mr Deepak Sachdev, vice-president of Ansal Properties and Industries. In fact, Ansals have already expanded in cities like Faridabad and Ludhiana.

Pointing out that there was no fixed format in developing malls in smaller cities, Mr Sachdev said that in Faridabad they had added a multiplex to the mall to ensure visitors.

On the importance of clubbing a multiplex with a mall, Mr Taneja said that research had indicated that such convergence increased the number of visitors to a mall.