Five years into my service, I decided I would buy a house. Having resided in flats and small colonies, I dreamed of buying land and constructing an independent house. A dream, no doubt, but one that could come to fruition. A vast stretch of land, mostly clay soil with many brick kilns operating, was chosen by the government for development. The area was extensive, and a reputed town planner was tasked with planning this huge land parcel for mostly residential purposes.

The original plan, as I saw it then and still see it now, was brilliant—something new to the city. The land was divided into avenues, with the odd-numbered avenues running north-south and the even-numbered ones running east-west. Main roads were also laid out in a similar pattern. These were further divided into blocks and then smaller streets. Areas were designated for flats, independent houses, shopping, parks, etc. The basic idea was that there would be no multi-storied structures, limited to only two or three floors, if I remember correctly. Spaces were also allocated for schools.

The progress was not very fast but was developing at a slow pace. By the early 1970s, houses could be seen scattered around, but clusters had not yet formed. There were a few nursing homes and clinics around the periphery. Very few shops catered to day-to-day requirements, and street vendors were one source of getting your needs, but even they were infrequent. However, the place had a pristine beauty about it—nice flow of wind, and the sea breeze could be felt here almost in full force, though the area was more than 10 km away from the sea. Except for the avenues and main roads, the streets were yet to be smoothly laid out.

Chennai has flooding issues, and this vast area was low-lying, which became a problem for many residents and owners much later. With few houses and many vacant plots yet to be constructed upon, drainage of storm water was not an immediate issue. Being a developed and planned area, drainage, electricity, and water connections had been well thought out. Water used to gush into the sumps, and there was no shortage. Drainage was never blocked or choked.

It was during this time, in the early 1970s, that I managed to get a land allotment here. Being a new and slowly developing area, people were still perhaps hesitant to invest here. So, without much difficulty, I got the land. The location seemed far inside, away from civilization, toward the northern end. I was assured that this area would develop. So, into this blossoming, sprouting, self-contained area, promising to soon become a posh locality, my family moved in. It’s another matter that it took nearly two years for me to complete the construction.

In my location, an area reserved for a park was allotted to a school, and after the residents raised the issue, the government reduced the cost of the land, refunding some amount from the original price.

To be continued... 62 - How and How Not - Pain and Pleasure - Part 2