Calcutta, April 14: Calcutta-based real estate major Siddha Group has decided to offer the skywalk feature to its forthcoming and ongoing projects in and around the city.

The company will add the skywalk feature - conjoined concrete patch connecting the roofs, doubling up as the recreation area - to its projects on BT Road (ongoing), EM Bypass and Sonarpur (forthcoming).

"We managed to sell 200 flats in the last four months in the Rajarhat project. Given the weak market sentiment, it was an unusually high number. According to our internal estimates, the sale was more than all other projects at that price point in that area. After receiving such a rousing response, we want to add the feature in three more projects," said Sanjay Jain, managing director of Siddha.

The developer said around 4,000 units were being offered with the Skywalk feature. The delivery will take place by 2020. Jain, however, claimed it would be completed much before that.

Each skywalk will cost around Rs 20 crore. However, the buyer will not have to pay any additional cost, the developer claimed, adding the expense would be built into the overall scheme.

Industry observers said the move was intended to speed up sale in a weak market by creating a differentiator. Siddha will keep the initial prices at around Rs 4,100 per square foot range, except EM Bypass where the rates will start at Rs 6,100 per square foot.

"The units priced between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 75 lakh are selling in Calcutta. But even then sales are low and developers' fund are getting stuck. If by creating a differentiator Sidhha can sell units fast, it will save big on finance cost, not to mention boosting the brand in the market," they said.

Architect J.P. Agarwal, who designed the building, said he was initially unsure if the skywalk should be extended to all projects. "But we are yet to understand the impact of this development."