Villiwakkam could have been the heart of the city, had the city expanded towards the other direction. Unfortunately, Chennai inclined towards Velachery. That turned out to be an advantage for me.. I could afford a very comfortable flat of my interest (and ICICI interest) here. I hear Chennai has crossed Rs. 4000 plus per sqft in the residential areas. Villiwakkam is however at 1400 to 1800 per sqft. You could get much lesser and sometimes depending on the proximity to Railway station and Bus stand, a little higher. Quite a lot of Flat promoters available here and currently Land Marvel is constructing a big one close to the bus stand. So, if you want a residence in Chennai, there are reasons you can choose Villiwakkam.

When you board a train from Chennai Central towards Arakkonam, the first level crossing you would encounter is Villiwakkam Level Crossing. Villiwakkam Level Crossing has become a legend in Chennai Corporation office, as the fly-over or underground way both has been sanctioned and funds have been allocated and Yet not a stone is moved. I personally waste 15 minutes in the mornings,especially on a bad day. It actually becomes a Bad day, when the gate is closed. Neppolean was the MLA here, and he was in opposition when he was in power, and that was his reason when asked why the bridge wasnt materialized. Now, Mr. Ranganathan is the MLA, and the first promise in his manifesto is about the Level Crossing, and nothing yet. It is a dream of every person in villiwakkam for this level crossing nightmare to get cleared. We can only Vote and Wait. Of course, the Exnora and other welfare associations have been pesturing the MLAs office for this problem. Our government doesnt work that way, does it ?

Other than this trouble, there is Zero problem in Villiwakkam. Villiwakkam hardly faced water problem, when the rest of the city was running at the back of the Death Truck. It has got a huge vegetable market, which is sometimes cheaper and fresher than the Koyambedu market. I have seen people get down at Villiwakkam Railway station, and buy vegetables and continue their journey. It has a bus terminus, which connects villiwakkam with most of the city. I personally like 27D route, which travels through most of the important cinema theatres.

Villiwakkam is surrounded by Anna Nagar, ICF, Ayanavaram, Kolathur and Korattur. However, talking by constituencies, Villiwakkam is far more bigger. This is the largest constituency in Asia (Thats what I was told when I was reading Geography in School. Not sure if it still holds good).

Villiwakkam is a typical Middle Class residential area, and mostly these middle classes are becoming upper middle classes. You can see it in your eyes when you go through the streets of villiwakkam. Most of the houses will be constructing their second floors with NRI money. Their Sons and daughters (not much daughters give money to their parents, do they ?) studied in St. Johns and Don Bosco (few of them in SBOA, which is closer in Anna Nagar). These schools are the most popular ones in Villiwakkam, and attracts students from Avadi and even Pattabiram. It is a typical place where you will find people with well to do houses stand in ration shops for Sugar and rice. These people started their lives as poor, and now are middle class.

Most of the people in Villiwakkam and Korattur were employed in the TVS group. From Lucas TVS to Wheels India. Now that, that generation is getting retired, the next generation which was funded by the workers money are becoming managers. Other than Lucas TVS, most people are employed in the ICF – Integral Coach Factory.

Villiwakkam once had a slum called Rajamangalam. It still does, only its not a slum anymore. We used to call that Settlement area. Not sure why we called it that way, but I have witnessed a lot of Saaraya Arrests happen there. But now that area has evolved into a middle class residential area. Most of the people started getting income from other things such as political meetings. Few of them are into Furniture business. That area wkould probably soon turn into an elite area. I invite people to make a research on the growth pattern of Rajamangalam. I’ve never seen a slum turn like this.

I personally like Villiwakkam because, I’ve been in here for 23 years. We already own a residence here, and when it came to a question of where do we go for the the next bigger residence, the answer was simply Villiwakkam, may be the next street.

It is trouble, only if you have to go to Velachery or Anna University. Its a long drive from here. Otherwise to any part of the city its a normal drive, with added time of course.

So many medical shops, quite some hospitals, 8 to 10 marriage halls, 9 to 10 schools, Bars, markets (2 of them. One wholesale.. and one retail.. both of them too good), prime railway station, bus terminus and all basic facilities in place. You wont have to run for anything. We got them all inside. But there is something bad. Lack of Hotels. You will fiond this trouble in almost any place with middle class residence. People hardly eat outside, and the take-family-out-for-dinner-on-weekends is not a part of their cultre yet. This is a crowd that goes out for lunch with the family, only on the day they make their Diwali purchase in Pondy Bazaar or Ranganathan Street. So, there’s one hotel with decent features and medium taste. Thats the only hope of villiwakkam stomach’s if their family left it uncared.

Villiwakkam’s got plenty of temples, and most of them grew very recently. There is a Amman temple, Agastheeswarar temple and a Sowmya Dhamodharar Temple.The Baliamman temple is slowly becoming popular for various events. I’ve seen a lot of burial grounds in here, within Villiwakkam (I hear they are becoming extremely costly. I thought it is expensive to live.. and now they say its expensive even if we die !).

There used to be a Royal Theatre, and now its becoming a huge residential complex. So, People have to shutup with a medium-facility Nadhamuni theatre. Otherwise there is a 27D bus that takes you to Sathyam.

On the whole. Villiwakkam is not a great place to be in. Atleast not a great place to invite your guest, until you pick them up. But its a good facility for a typical middle-class-day-job person. Having been in this place for more than twenty years, I might hate any other place. I doubt if i will ever go out of this place.

To me Villiwakkam is heaven, with a railway gate.