Emerging trend of Gated Communities in Chennai
The concept of gated community living is picking up fast in Chennai, with many areas, particularly in Central Chennai witnessing considerable demand for such apartments. Some of the areas in Central Chennai where the demand for such residences is quite high are Kolathur, Perambur, Vadapalani, Nirumbakkam, Valasaravakkam etc.
Present scenario
The concept of gated communities is an elaborate one which requires considerable space so as to design it in such a manner that it includes all modern facilities. However, in big cities like Chennai where space is a constraint, it might not be feasible to construct a gated community project in the true sense. It would rather be feasible to have a modified version of a gated community, which provides residential living more like a multi-storey apartment, within a secured premises.
Due to the space crunch faced in Chennai, most of the ‘gated community’ residential projects are located along the fringes of the city, where such projects can be more elaborately planned and implemented. These projects provide a feasible option for those who wish to live within the city, but at the same time would like to enjoy the facilities and amenities provided in gated community residences.
Areas within the city
Vadapalani, located about 5 km to the west of the heart of Chennai, is one area where there are considerable number of gated community residential projects. Kolathur, located about 11 km along the north-west fringe, Perambur, 10 km along the north fringe, Arumbakkam, located about 7 km along the western fringe and Valsaravakkam, located about 10 km along the western fringe are other peripheral areas which are renowned for gated community apartment project in Chennai.
Areas beyond the city limits
There are many other areas beyond Chennai city limits where such gated community projects have been developed. The main advantage of developing such projects in these areas is that there would not be the hurdle of space constraint. Some of these areas are Villupuram, Tambaram, Avadi, Oragadam, Selaiyur, Medavakkam, Porur, Thiruvanmiyur, Tondiarpet, Madhavaram, Medavakkam, Pallavaram, Kundrathur, Peerkankaranai, East Coast Road etc.
Prices and features
Most of the gated community projects are either 2 or 3 BHK apartment or villa projects with size ranging between 800 sq. ft. to 1500 sq. ft. The price range for units in gated community projects is between Rs.35-90 lakh, with most of them being priced above Rs.10,000 per sq. ft. Besides the advanced security features provided by these projects, some of the other facilities offered are clubhouse, swimming pool, party hall, sports facilities like tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, provisions for table tennis and pool, cricket pitches, gymnasium, jogging track, landscaped gardens, Vastu-compliant houses automated houses, multi-level parking etc.
Important projects
Some of the gated community projects in Chennai are Harsham Gated Community at Pallavaram, Purple Serene Gated Community at Villupuram, Evocon Eden Gardens at Tambaram, Ruby Ashok Manor at Selaiyur, Sidharth Natura at Medavakkam.
Future prospects
Due to the security as well as the other amenities offered by gated community projects, there is a rising demand for them among buyers who are looking for a peaceful existence, with all modern amenities, not too far away from the heart of the city. Hence, it presents a lucrative opportunity for developers to come up with such projects where there are large parcels of land not too far away from the city center.
