Jasmine Courts, Green Meadows, Felled Trees…
Last week I posted a snippet on Green Meadows. Understandably, one reader called it the haven for Elitist Pigs, another wondered if a hardworking, non-IT, ten thousand rupee earning person could ever dream of buying anything anymore, a third called the post a free-ad for the developer. Guess what, I am back with another such announcement, this time an overseas investment for a 4.4 acre place called Jasmine Court. A related article on the same news speaks in such glowing terms about Chennai that you bet we will have more such monstrosities being built. I hope the next one gets named Felled Trees. It would be truer to what such developers are doing to this city.
There are reasons why I keep tracking such new residential ventures in this blog. No, I have’nt the least intention of buying a posh flat in any of these places – a) I can’t afford them b) I view them as artificial beautifications of this city and shudder to think of what a dump Chennai would turn into in the next twenty years. One reason is that it is a record of sorts. And brick by brick, year by year, fell this city. Another is the ridiculousness of it all. The way every new developer (the irony starts with its very name!) markets community and value and rest and heaven. The way they try to get you to pay 45 and 75 and 95 lakhs for a heaven that you had for free a couple of decades ago. The way we all rush to take out the loans and tie ourselves to an EMI that will kill us early. The ridiculousness of it all. Yet, this is life, this is progress, go with the flow you will be told. Save the trees, we scream. Save the human, we shall, soon.
Idealism and Romanticism is how i sum it up.
Heres a realist solution:
The second master plan has to be revamped to increase FSI and remove height restrictions on buildings. That way you will have more trees in developed plots and the city will not spread out so much, hence marshlands and trees will not be destroyed. Chennai will see alot more skyscrapers and alot more fresh air and nice views in the upper floors. But the one fall out is that public transport, water and sewage lines will have to be augmented to handle higher population density.
The Premise of this suggestion is that unless we turn back the trend of urbanisation and population growth, cities will expand and cost of land will increase. Once FSI increases, flats will become cheaper because the cost of land per developed sq ft will reduce.
Why is this not happening if its so rational?… well its the same old.. politicians do what suits them best.
Lavanya,
As a result of real estate priceraise, seldom known places like Padappai, Ayyapanthaangal and as far as Sriperumbudur’s real estate markets are booming. I guess in a way, its nice to have amenities as a result of our metropolis spreading out, because I’d no longer have to travel all the way to Adyar to buy a Mobile Phone, univercell in there in chromepet. At the same time, a piece of land with clean drinking ground water becomes a precious commodity.
People are also more sold to the idea of owning an individual house, but they forget the problems involved in it.