They have some top names such as the Mayor, people with political influence, owners of a big utensil showroom, and most sought-after chartered accountants as their neighbours. It is not surprising then that the residents of CIT Nagar don’t have too many civic issues to complain about and that the government departments give them a good hearing when they are making their demands. Yet, not a single person could have brought about such a drastic change in this neighbourhood, which was craved out only in 1959 under the City Improvement Trust. For over 50 years, the West CIT Nagar Association has been an active force turning it into one of the most urban localities in the city. Some of its founder members talk about the transition.
R. Sundaresan served as the secretary of the association for over 40 years. “The layout for this housing board colony was first created in 1959, but none occupied it until 1961. The reasons were simple: there were no roads, water connection or sewage lines. The trust offered the most inhuman conditions to stay in. Seeing that there were no takers, the government officers were allotted houses here. When we moved in, the first thing we did was create an association,” says Sundaresan, adding that by 1965, there were 550 occupants. Within a span of 10 years, the association was able to successfully lobby with the Corporation to get all basic facilities for the neighbourhood.
Not stopping with getting the best for themselves, the members of the association started a private school for the underprivileged in the nearby area.
“Part of the land for the school was gifted to us by Srinivasa Mudaliar and the remaining was taken on lease for 25 years from the Housing Board. From an elementary school, it went on to become a high school, but in 2006 we hit a major roadblock. The lease got over and the Housing Board refused to extend it. We went in for a legal battle but lost it and had to shut the school. But we made sure the children were enrolled in other schools,” says Rajaram, the association’s first treasurer.
Though the area has everything today, it lacks the most essential of facilities: a park providing the much needed breathing space. “The old 136 division of the Corporation has no parks. Those looking for any lung space must travel to Jeeva Park or Natesan Park.
The kids are also forced to convert roads into a play area. Now, we have asked the Government to convert the land where our school stood once into a playground for both adults and children. We have forwarded the request to the CM’s cell,” says V. Suresh, the association’s current vice-president.
Calling CIT Nagar a gas chamber, another member says that, given its central location, the North Street and First Main Road are used as a main thoroughfare by all vehicles heading to K.K. Nagar, T. Nagar, Mount Road and Saidapet.
“These streets must be made one way for the benefit of the pedestrians,” he adds.
Apart from their monthly meetings, the present members regularly conduct awareness drives, police meets and workshops for the residents.
