Jeeva Nagar problems in The Hindu

The Hindu has today (Jan 29, 2007) carried a lengthy appeal from Mr. Ramkumar in the Readers' Mail column on behalf of all owners and residents, on the civic problems affecting the layout.

The text of the letter is as follows:

Civic works in Jeeva Nagar

The residents of Jeeva Nagar, a CMDA-approved layout in Kattupakkam just off the fast developing Mount-Poonamallee Road (PPD LO No. 134/2003 and Survey Nos. 558/2B2, 559/2, 561/2 and 562 of Mangadu Village) are awaiting civic works to be undertaken, to overcome problems of severe monsoon flooding, lack of basic roads and street lighting.

The Mangadu Panchayat, which has jurisdiction over the layout, has said that it is considering these development works, and tenders are being processed, which is a commendable step.

We would like to point out that optimal utilisation of the allocation can take place only if the road level in the layout is raised through addition of debris (which is readily available from nearby encroachment demolition work carried out by official agencies in December 2006). This would bring the Jeeva Nagar ground level on par with adjoining Badrimedu ward and AUDCO Nagar.

During 2005 and 2006, Jeeva Nagar remained inaccessible for nearly four months because of flooding, release of sewage from adjacent wards, lack of roads and total darkness at dusk. As a result, house-building activity came to a halt and the panchayat suffered revenue loss.

While thanking the Kancheepuram District Collector and the Mangadu Panchayat for their initiative, we appeal that they make the best use of funds by ensuring at least four feet road height, and provision for laying of drinking water pipelines along all interior streets.

S. Ramkumar,

President

Jeeva Nagar Owner's And Residents Welfare Association

Kattupakkam.

It would be good if we could follow it up by calling up the Panchayat and urging them to devote the required attention to the problems immediately.

Tender works 'on anvil'

We have heard from Mr.Ramkumar today that the Mangadu Panchayat is about to call for tenders for road, streetlighting and drinking water works for Jeeva Nagar.

This is a very promising piece of information, but we are not sure if the panchayat will take into account the low road level in the layout, when compared with AUDCO Nagar on one side and Badrimedu on the other.

One of our neighbours with good contacts in the panchayat was requested to pursue the matter with the panchayat EO and he has expressed his readiness.

Unless the road level is raised and repairs carried out, any investment on Jeeva Nagar will be a waste of public funds.

Neighbouring Bougainvillea site of Alliance

Some of us have seen the nearby site of Alliance, the real estate company where it is putting up a gated community called Bougainvillea.

The advertisements of the property fashion it as a Spanish villa complex with English gardens. Currently, it looks very much like the Ayyappanthangal-Kattupakkam-Poonamallee belt, where it is located. The site is 1 km off the Mount-Poonamallee road and about 2 km from Jeeva Nagar, towards Ayyappanthangal. Take second road to the left after crossing Ayyappanthangal bus terminus, while travelling towards Kattupakkam from SRMC.

Here is a slideshow of the Bougainvillea property.

Alliance Bougainvillea

Watch a slideshow of Jeeva Nagar Then and Now

Those of us who hoped to see Jeeva Nagar, Mangadu come up as a healthy, clean and attractive neighbourhood have been disappointed by the lack of action by the promoter, BLB Estates and the Mangadu Panchayat to repair the roads so that we could enter our properties and start building.

I have dug up the photos of Jeeva Nagar from the time it was first created and announced by BLB Estates and sold to us, and its status after the monsoon of 2005 and 2006.

Here is an online album. If you would like to add your own photos, please mail them to me.

Jeeva Nagar

Power Point Show on Jeeva Nagar

Greetings to all members for 2007. Let us hope the New Year will bring everyone peace and happiness.

During a recent visit (Sunday, December 31, 2006) I could see that little had changed in Jeeva Nagar. The rainwater and sewage mix was still stagnating in several plots and it was impossible to move around the layout.

Watchman Karuna said BLB Estates had instructed him to clear the thorny bushes and arrange for raising of road level. We have to see whether BLB will deliver on this matter.

Meanwhile here is a powerpoint show on the latest situation, with an appeal to the Kancheepuram District Collectorate.

This presentation should also be an eye-opener for those purchasing other properties about the failure of CMDA-approved layouts and the role of developers.

Another post of a neighbouring real estate development, the Bougainvillea site promoted by Alliance with pictures will shortly be published.

Secretary

Growing in importance

Despite the shabby treatment meted out to the plot buyers at Jeeva Nagar by BLB Estates and the Mangadu Panchayat, as a result of which they are having to bear additional costs to handle water stagnation, the entire area in which the layout is situated is growing in importance.

The attractiveness of the Mount - Poonamallee Road is becoming clear from the choice of the area by two major real estate companies, DLF and Alliance, to develop properties makes this clear.

As a layout located just a couple of hundred metres off the main road and surrounded by residential colonies such as Audco Nagar makes Jeeva Nagar even more attractive. By that we mean the preservation of a sense of residential quiet in the layout, while still being accessible from an arterial road.

Click here to see the planned development by Alliance, close to the Ayyappanthangal Bus Terminus. There is a map of this location here.

Mangadu Panchayat yet to act

The Mangadu Panchayat has not acted yet to make the plots coming under Jeeva Nagar accessible to the owners. Originally, it did not ensure that BLB Estates creates proper roads as per civil engineering norms.

As a result of such indifference, the area continues to be under water with even the access roads cut off.

This situation makes everyone wonder whether there is any significance to approvals granted by Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP)which are prominently advertised by plot sellers and promoters.