Amitabh Bachchan purchased land in Alibaug for Rs 10 crore. What makes a beach town a desirable real estate destination?

According to sources, Amitabh Bachchan paid Rs 10 crore to The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) for a 10,000-square-foot land parcel in Alibaug, near Mumbai. The transaction was registered last week. 

According to sources, Bachchan has purchased a plot in the A Alibaug project, a 20-acre plotted development in Alibaug that was launched in April of last year. 

The residence of Abhinandan Lodha did not respond.

Amitabh Bachchan previously purchased a land parcel from the same builder in Ayodhya for its project The Sarayu, a 7-star mixed-use enclave in the temple town. According to real estate industry sources, Bachchan plans to build a home on a 10,000-square-foot plot worth Rs 14.5 crore.  

Alibaug has recently emerged as a popular real estate destination for high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) seeking luxury retreats and investment opportunities. As a result of its proximity to Mumbai, well-developed infrastructure, and coastal landscape, high-end properties have become more in demand. 

In 2023, actor Amitabh Bachchan and his wife, Jaya Bachchan, will leave Pratiksha bungalow, the first of five family homes in Juhu, to their 49-year-old daughter Shweta Nanda as a gift. Pratiksha was the couple’s first bungalow in Juhu, purchased shortly after the success of the blockbuster Sholay in 1975. 

Other properties owned by Amitabh Bachchan’s family in Juhu include the Janak bungalow, which is primarily used as an office, and two other bungalows, Vasta and Ammu, part of which was leased to Citibank and re-leased to State Bank of India in 2021. 

In 2021, Bachchan sold the Sopaan bungalow in Gulmohar Park, New Delhi, for Rs 23 crore to Avni Bader, CEO of the Nezone group of companies. The 2.100-square house was registered in Teji Bachchan’s name, and his parents lived there before moving to Pratiksha. 

Bollywood actors have bought properties in Alibaug. 

Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, who made her film debut with the Archies, bought farmland in Thal village in Alibaug for Rs 9.5 crores in February. Last year, she paid Rs 12.91 crore for 1.5 acres of agricultural land in Alibaug, Raigad district, which included three structures. Suhana’s father, Shah Rukh Khan, also has a sea-facing property in Thal with a swimming pool and helipad, and he enjoys hosting parties for his Bollywood friends. 

Several celebrities and industrialists own bungalows in Alibaug, including Navin Agarwal of Vedanta Resources, Gautam Singhania of Raymonds, Prakash Mody of Unichem Labs Ltd, Salil Parekh of Infosys, Sanjay Nayar of KKR, Falguni Nayar of Nyka, and equity investor Deven Mehta, brokers said. 

Alibaug’s coastal villages have long been popular vacation destinations for celebrities and corporate executives. 

In February 2023, Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli paid Rs 6 crore for a 2,000 sq ft villa in Aditiya Kilachand’s luxury bungalow project, Avas Living, in Awas Village. In September 2022, the couple purchased a 3,350 sqm (36,059 sq ft) farmhouse in Zirad village for Rs 19.24 crore. In 2021, Rohit Sharma bought four acres of land in Mhatroli village.

Is there an investment opportunity? 

Alibaug’s connectivity improved after Ro-Ro and speed boats were established from Mumbai. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Sea bridge, which connects Sewri and Nahava Sheva, has also improved road connectivity to Alibaug. 

According to industry reports, Alibaug plans to invest around Rs 3000 crore and develop 250 acres of land in stages to build integrated townships and luxury villas. 

“The Maharashtra government is working to improve Alibaug’s infrastructure, including public transportation, waste management, and water supply.” This is also a part of the ambitious Alibaug Smart City project. Over 40 developers from India’s residential and commercial real estate sectors, financial institutions, and potential buyers, have invested in Alibaug, according to Ritesh Mehta, Senior Director and Head of West and North, Residential Services and Developer Initiatives at JJL.