Will Tiruchi be a congested city in the future? The present activity of construction of towering apartments in the city stands as a signal to congestion in the city. The promoters of flats utilise every available space and applying the latest construction technology, construct an apartment comprising a number of flats.
For the construction of an apartment, its blueprint turns an intelligent plan, with a meticulous plan on the external design of every individual flat, facility for ventilation, drainage, space for car parking and other basic needs.
Obviously, a large extent of vacant land is needed for every project. Old houses constructed in early settlement zones about three decades ago, come in handy for flat promoters.
For instance, the face of Ponnagar – one of the oldest settlements in the city, has changed in the last six years, where a few old houses have given way to a number of flats.
The site where a single individual house was constructed about four decades ago, now accounts for at least eight flats in an apartment. All these bear testimony to the fact that population density in the city would increase manifold.
All this has resulted in a sharp increase in the rates per square foot of a piece of land in the city.
The non-development of peripheral areas of Tiruchi into residential settlements has been a major reason for congestion within the city, point a cross section of flat promoters.
The irony is that a large number of rural zones on the outskirts have been converted into a prime area for real estate business. But, not a single house has been constructed in a majority of these areas, although one could find boundary stones buried in to the earth on these vacant sites.
“Basic amenities right from the availability of newspaper up to school or college, power supply, security and road facility are some of the important factors which attract an individual before purchasing a house or flat,” says T.V. Murali, one of the flat promoters. He feels that the development on the outskirts is imperative, as an index of growth in every direction of a city. For instance, the development of BHEL Township in Thuvakudi decades ago has resulted in an overall economic growth in the area including education and entertainment.
With this in view, he had taken up a project in Bikshandarkovil years ago, which has contributed to the development of that area.
P. Ramesh, a marketing executive of a real estate firm, says for many, purchasing a piece of land is more of an investment.
However, the provision of new facilities such as ring road or service roads in peripheral areas would be a catalyst for development of new residential areas in course of time. “Pollution-free environment, ground water table with potable drinking water facility and proximity to the city are some of the factors preferred by investors,” he says.
Ranganathan, a senior citizen, says the outskirts of the city should be developed into residential settlements sooner rather than later. “Mushrooming growth of flats in the city would lead to over exploitation of resources particularly ground water,” he says.
