Mumbai's gateway to Delhi

Sanjeev Batra's heritage haveli plays host to several lifestyle peddlers from Mumbai

When he bought it in 1991, Delhi-based chartered accountant Sanjeev Batra thought of converting the ancient haveli in Qutub Minar's backyard into a farmhouse for personal use.

Today, the over one acre heritage haveli, run by his company Sunrydge India Heritage Private Ltd, boasts of housing a Mumbai-centric restaurant cum boutique complex in the heart of a historical Delhi site.

Very soon, Mumbai's famous designer duo, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, will open an outlet at the Sunrydge, also known as Kutub Haveli Serai. That is not all.

Yantra, Mumbai's lifestyle boutique, run by industrialist Yash and Avanti Birla, will make its Delhi debut via Sunrydge.

Says Sanjeev Batra with pride: "For both Yantra and Abu Jaani, Sunrydge will be their entry into the Delhi market."

Last week, the famous Mediterranean restaurant brand Olive of Mumbai made its appearance at Batra's haveli.

Interestingly, the area where Olive exists today was designed and built by Batra to start his own restaurant. But apparently the Olive promoter fancied the place and insisted on opening his restaurant there.

But why did Batra want to introduce Mumbai brands to Delhi anyway? "That's how I wanted to position the complex. Also, why not, because Delhi is where the money is and these brands wanted to try out this market," says Batra.

Now he claims that he's inundated with calls for the remaining boutique space left in the complex.

"There are so many inquiries... but I want to give it to somebody housing more than one designer wear brand," he adds.

Currently, of the one acre-plus haveli, the complex is spread over 15,000 sq ft and done in Mediterranean style.

Clearly, the Sunrydge complex targets the city's elite and the tourists. "Not the backpackers but the value-added tourists. The idea is to offer them a complete experience and not just the Qutub Minar," he says.

But doing up the heritage site that's a stone's throw away from Qutub Minar has not been easy. Batra says it took him almost 10 years to clear the haveli of tenants ranging from a carpet factory, to a marble showroom to families inhabiting various parts of the property.

However, he is quick to add that it took him time to develop the place also because he did not want to do anything without permission.

"It is a heritage site thanks to its proximity to the Qutub Minar. So the renovation started after requisite permissions from relevant authorities were acquired," he says.

The Olive complex is only part of the story. For the rest of the sprawling haveli, Batra has bigger plans.

"The haveli is wrapped around stables, halls and a hamam allowing the place to be used innovatively," he admits.

Little surprise then that he may convert the stables into hotel rooms overlooking the Minar while the hamam will make way for a modern-day swimming pool.

"There could be cardrooms, banquet halls, beauty salons and spas. Of course, it will take me at least three-four years to further develop the property," says Batra.

Though a fortune seems to have gone into buying and developing the heritage site, like a seasoned CA, Batra is weary of sharing investment figures.

"All I can say is that I haven't taken a loan to build the place," he says. "I still practice and have about 20-25 large clients," he adds.

While Batra continues to develop the haveli "" the oldest records of which date back to 1859 when it was bought by a Delhi family from the Britishers ""- he's onto his next ambitious venture: building a premium club in Lado Sarai. The two-acre land for the club has been given by the government, he says and the building is being designed by London's WATG, the architects of the famous Sun City.

Knowing Batra's penchant for serving the upmarket consumer, the club will be restricted to a privileged few in the corporate and government circles.