At the recent Chennai Metblogs meet, when we were exchanging notes on the city’s development, my plaintive question to everyone was, “Does anybody know of a multiplex coming up on the OMR?” No one did, nor had I heard of any such development. So I assumed that we, who live along the OMR (Old Mahabalipuram Road), were doomed to travelling long distances to watch a movie or shop.

So you can imagine my delight when today’s Economic Times informed me that (hold your breath) not only one, but three malls with multiplexes are under development on the OMR with up to 1.3 million sq feet of retail space over the next 18 to 24 months. Each of these malls will apparently have a multiplex, food courts, hyper market and anchor stores, besides entertainment areas.

The largest is a 6.1 lakh sq foot development in Navalur by the Allied Group and Arihant which will include a 160 room business hotel. This mall will have 4.7 lakh sq feet of retail space, 1.4 lakh sq feet of hospitality space and a 8 to 9 screen multiplex. So it will comprise of retail stores, several food courts and the hotel with ample car parking.

The Riverside Mall by Marg Constructions, will have 4.5 lakh sq feet and will be completed in the next 18 months. Most of the space will be for retail stores and will also include a 5 screen multiplex. A hotel is likely to be added on at a later stage. The third is the Coromandel Plaza by Suryavardhan Estates with 2.5 lakh sq feet of space and a five screen multiplex, to be ready by March 2008.

According to Mr Sanjay Chugh, Head, TrammelCrow Meghraj, a leading property consultant, “All leading retail brands across India have expressed their interest to be a part of this new development on the OMR. This also applies to the established multiplex brands”.

Up to 30,000 jobs are being added along the OMR this year, and many new residential complexes are under development. This will result in a growing demand for shopping and entertainment facilities along the OMR (“Yes,yes”, says this OMR resident!), so this is welcome news indeed. Coming on the heels of the rapid development of the IT Corridor, this will further catalyze the future development of the city towards the South along the OMR.

With inputs from the Economic Times, page 5.