Staying isolated or detaching from a group was a huge threat to survival in ancient times, which resulted in the formation of communities that guaranteed safety. A group of people who live in the same place and have something in common is referred to as a community. The commonality between the members of the community can be anything ranging from common interests to race, religion, etc. With time, and an increase in population, these communities grew bigger and many new ones were formed. This in turn raised the need for secure places to live in. People started making efforts to build houses that suffice the needs of residents. However, no plan was completely flawless, and needed to be worked on even more.
Years have passed but issues aren’t a lot different from the past. After the establishment of gated societies, a debate started that could not be settled to date. Why do people choose to live in gated societies? Why pay such an exorbitant amount of money when a house can be constructed on any piece of land? A standalone residential area costs much less, then, why is it that the masses still prefer to live in gated societies, regardless of the inflated prices?
What are Gated Societies? A Brief History
A gated society is a locality enclosed in walls with gates installed for entry and exit. In addition to providing the members with basic facilities like water, electricity, and gas, gated societies provide them with a number of recreational activities and amusement spots i.e. parks, fitness clubs, etc.
Bahria town was the pioneer gated society in Pakistan. It was introduced in 1997. After its establishment, a new trend was introduced in the real estate industry. In the following years, a large number of housing societies were established- DHA, Gwadar city, Capital smart city, and Ittihad town, to name a few. All of them aimed to provide people with exceptional residential experiences. The problems common citizens face while living in an ordinary area were taken into account and their solutions were provided. A lot of work is being done with each passing day to deliver services that are beyond expectations.
Proverbial Wall of Separation for the Rich
It’s a general rule that when someone pays a price, they get the value. In other words, the more money someone spends, the better services they are likely to get. A person with 50 Lac Rupees can’t be provided with services worth 1 Crore Rupees. This is also true when it comes to getting a house. Which means that not everyone can afford to live in a gated society. This leads to the intensification of the already existing class difference, and the walls of society become the walls separating the rich from the poor.
As a result, the people present on one side of the wall (the rich ones) get to enjoy luxuries while those on the other side of the wall can hardly afford the necessities of life. For example, despite load shedding in most areas of a city, a society provides power backup to its residents. A person living in a society doesn’t have to worry about the shortage of clean water for drinking, gas crisis or any such problems, like the rest of the citizens have to.
Paying for Safety; Steep Escalation of Gated Societies
A surge in the establishments of gated societies has been observed over the past 2 decades. People opt for them despite huge price differences. Following are some of the reasons why:
Safety
There is no doubt that crime rates in gated communities are lower than in other areas. The absence of walls makes it easy for criminals to wander around fearlessly and target anyone they want. Lack of security, watchmen, and adequate defense equipment can put the lives of citizens to risk. Though a decline in crime rates has been seen in Pakistan, during the last few years, the threats have not been fully eradicated. Crimes like target killing, thievery, sexual harassment, etc. still exist, and are among the biggest fears of the citizens.
Gated societies are the safest possible option for the protection and security of children and women due to the strong security mechanism involving the digital system as well as manpower. This makes a society ten-fold safer than a standalone residential area.
Privacy
The regulations of letting limited and relevant people in are also seen as a clear sign of classism by many. Whereas, to residents, it’s their right to choose the people who can visit so that their privacy is not compromised. Having a place to themselves and like-minded people makes them feel comfortable and enjoy their time.
Round the Clock surveillance
Surveillance vehicles keep circulating and are fully trained to tackle unforeseen situations. Besides, armed guards are sent for patrolling who work in shifts. Which means that the area is observed 24/7 to ensure utmost security.
Protocols and controlled access
A random citizen cannot enter the premises of society unless they show a custom society ID card. The ones who fail to prove their identity are not allowed access to society. Moreover, every new vehicle is searched for suspicious activities in case suspicious activity is witnessed. Access is granted to the authorized visitors only.
Flawless Management
A society is highly organized. Contrary to a standalone building, it has an administrative team to take care of different affairs such as cleanliness, maintenance etc. Any issue pertaining to the availability of utilities is addressed without any delay. All complaints are catered swiftly for comfort and satisfaction of residents.
The Bottom Line
Societies are being established one after another at a fast pace. According to an estimate, a 5-Marla plot in a relatively quiet area of a city costs around 25 Lac Rupees. Whereas in a society it can range from 50 Lac to 1 Crore or so. The price differences are astronomical.
Nonetheless, gated societies are preferred.
So, what are people paying this much for? Do people prefer climbing the social echelons through inordinate and inflated land purchases? Or is it the security that makes them spend double the amount?
What people might not understand is, personal preferences play their role too. A person can choose to invest in the safety of their family. At the end of the day, the one who pays the price must be provided with the value, whether it’s in the form of enhanced security, safety or enjoying the company of like-minded people, with the same social status.
But is having monetary ascendancy the only path to achieving basic human rights, like safety and privacy, in this country?
