GOOD COMPANY

New ventures are addressing an age-old problem for those moving to Delhi on a small budget—a place to call home

Acluster of new ventures is taking on what’s long been the biggest headache for students and young professionals moving to Indian metros for college or work: Finding affordable and comfortable housing.

Gurugram-based CoHo, for instance, offers relatively cheap and wellappointed (they have a PlayStation) rooms for students and bachelors, in fully furnished apartments and villas. To encourage a sense of community, they even organise events for residents, like movie screenings and even a dog therapy session.

“Three years ago, when my sister moved here, she had a lot of trouble finding a decent place to live, one safe and affordable,” says 20-year-old Tamanna, a CoHo resident who moved from Patna two years ago to pursue a course at Delhi University. Her CoHo housing not only has power backup and air conditioning but also “a comfortable and kind of accepting environment, which is crucial when you move to a new city”.

General manager John Jacob says the company caters to students and professionals aged around 18 to 30. Its 24 Gurugram properties are home to more than 500 residents, while its five North Campus facilities house another 100. One USP: There’s no curfew and no restrictions on overnight guests.

“What clicks with our clients is that we provide maintenance for everything—WiFi, repairs, broker dealing—included in the rent, along with the water bill,” says Jacob.