Hyderabad: Families taking safer route to avoid getting infected by thronging to farmhouses

Hyderabad: With Covid cases on the rise, families are taking the safer route to avoid getting infected by thronging to farmhouses and service apartments. Farmhouses far away from the City are catering to people who want to be stay away from crowded areas. Families believe they would be in a safer environment.

There are many farmhouses on the City outskirts at places like Gajwel, Siddipet, Sadashivpet, Zaheerabad, Chevella, Shankarpally, Alair. In most of such areas families are spending time because of the lockdown in the State. With most offices providing work from home facility, techies are preferring to stay with their dear and near ones. Generally, people prefer to go to farmhouses, resorts or service apartments during week-ends or during holidays. But now with the shutdown, they are thronging to these places.

It is said that many well-to-do families, who own farmhouses, are opting to stay in a secured and peaceful atmosphere. Those who do not own them are going for rented premises. According to some farmhouse-owners, there were quite a number of visitors during the last fortnight. It is learnt that some such premises are rented for about a month, with charged of around Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000.

Realtor Badri said he has been with his family in a farmhouse near Chevella. "The second wave (Covid) has been very dangerous. My family is important for me and we decided to be in a secured atmosphere. Hence, we have been in farmhouse for a fortnight. Money is not a problem because, if health is good everything will be good," he pointed out.

Farmhouses are booked in advance. A popular place near Jeedipally, in Medak district, has no dates till June 30, indicating how people are looking to rural atmosphere. Leading serviced apartment and hospitality management company Oakwood director of operations, India, Hoshang Garivala said it has been receiving bookings during the lockdown from local companies. "We do not take any booking for Covid isolation. Since we have guests staying for months and years, their safety and security is paramount. All guests have to present a negative certificate, which has to be 48 hours old when they check in with us," he stated. The price would depend on the category of apartment. For example a week-long stay can cost around Rs 25,000, Garivala added.