“Chennai is a city, Madras is an emotion, and Anna Nagar is a separate country,” so the saying goes. It might have some base to it considering that Anna Nagar was once a village that is today one of the poshest areas of Chennai.
Anna Nagar began life as Mullam village, a tranquil place little place dotted with emerald paddy fields, the river Coovum flowing through, the air scented with wood smoke and rain. Later, its name changed to Naduvakkarai, and in the 1960s, the Tamil Nadu Housing Board began taking a special interest in the area.
Soon, residential plots, houses, commercial complexes, wider roads, and bus stops expanded Naduvakkarai into a small town. The government offered subsidised development plans, which attracted a few families to settle down here, away from the noise and pollution of the big city.
But everything changed in 1968 when the Indian International Trade and Industries Fair was held. The event brought in a lot of attention to Naduvakkarai, triggering more interest and development.
Anna Nagar developed at a blistering pace and today it is one of the most prestigious neighbourhoods in Chennai. Here are five reasons why Anna Nagar can be your locality of choice.
Location and layout
Anna Nagar is located in north-west Chennai and is one of the most well-laid neighbourhoods in Tamil Nadu. It follows a very organised layout where all roads run parallel and perpendicular to each other, making it very easy to navigate the area or to give directions.
Roads going from east to west have even numbers, and odd numbers are for the roads going from north to south.
Accessibility
Anna Nagar is a very accessible area with two bus termini, one in the west and the other in the east and is close to the Koyembedu Bus Stand as well. It is well connected by underground metro.
Anna Nagar is also close to prominent localities like Shenoy Nagar, Villivakkam, Padi, and Kilpauk while the airport is located around 17 kilometres away.
A neighbourhood for children
In many ways, Anna Nagar is still a laid-back neighbourhood with quiet bylanes and leafy streets. There is plenty of lung space and safe zones for children to play outdoors. In addition to the popular Anna Nagar tower park, there is also the Millenium Park in Anna Nagar West.
Employment opportunities
Anna Nagar is located close to multiple employment hubs. Prince Info Park is located just three kilometres away, the Ambattur Clothing Company and One India Bulls Park are just four kilometres away, and the Ambattur Industrial Estate is six to seven kilometres away.
Social infrastructure and amenities
Electricity and water supply are mostly reliable and well regulated in Anna Nagar, which is one of its most attractive features. In addition to parks, there are premium schools and colleges in its vicinity, which is very advantageous for families and the presence of major hospitals makes it a senior-citizen-friendly neighbourhood as well.
Prices in Anna Nagar range from Rs 10,200 per sq ft to Rs 12,900 per sq ft.
This article is contributed by RoofandFloor , part of KSL Digital Ventures Pvt. Ltd., from The Hindu Group
