Those Were The Days: A sleepy village in suburbs that became the 1st planned neighbourhood

With paddy fields and a tranquil Cooum flowing at its southern edge, the village of Naduvakkarai was truly a countryside in the early 1950s. Across the Cooum lay the Poonamallee High Road which led to Bengaluru among other places.

Noticing the substantial migration to urban areas, the then State government became aware of the need to address the housing needs of lower and middle income families who made Madras their home. Thus was set up the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) in 1958. Soon afterwards, the city that attracted most of the migrant families entrusted the board to develop a self-contained township in Naduvakkarai.

The work started in the late 50s as the West Madras Neighbourhood Scheme (it was later that it was named as Aringar Anna Nagar after DMK’s victory in the legislative Assembly polls.) It was a comprehensive plan of a self-reliant township with residential plots, apartments, commercial complexes, expansive roads, schools and colleges, temples, bus terminus and large parks.

However, the government had to offer heavy subsidies and instalment schemes to sugar-coat the sales schemes, as people were very reluctant to move there – its isolation being the main reason. The Cooum overflowed in the monsoon flooding the areas and was a major contributor to reptiles as well, all of which made the people think twice before moving there.

Initially, the residential plots measuring 1.5 ground land was offered at a subsidised cost of Rs 4,500. What changed the fortune of the area was a proposed national trade and industries fair for which the All India Manufacturers Organisation was looking for a large space adjacent to an urban setting.

On January 21, 1968, the fair was inaugurated to showcase India’s industrial development as well as bring in prospective foreign investors, with the theme “Prosperity through Partnership”. Twenty-three public sector companies, eleven ministries, and different States participated. However, international response was lukewarm, with only the Communist block participating. West Germany and Thailand were the only other countries. The Railways displayed locomotives, engines and a model railway network. Their mini-rail train, which covered part of the fairgrounds, was very popular. Double decker busses took visitors to all parts of the fair.

But what stole the show was the phallic shaped Panchsheel Tower (now colloquially called the Anna Nagar Tower though its official name was Visvesvaraya Tower). At 138 feet height, it was the second tallest structure in the city; the LIC building, just completed then, was just six feet taller. From the tower, a panoramic view of the fair site and later all of Anna Nagar could be seen for a charge of 10 paisa. In the recent years, however, entry has been restricted following a spate of suicides.

Some films like Galatta Kalyanam starring Shivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa were shot in the exhibition grounds and serve as records of the event. After the trade fair ended, these pavilions were auctioned with buyers finding new uses like the present Anna Nagar Ladies Club (Thailand pavilion) and the Anna Nagar Club (the Kerala pavilion). Some remnants of the fair, including wide arches and an Aiyanaar statue survive even today.

This space reserved for the annual exhibition was used only once; the fair moved to Delhi thereafter. Whether the trade fair brought in investment or sold goods is subject to question. But it certainly turned the spotlight onto Anna Nagar.

Possibly for the first time in the country, the idea of an integrated system of housing meant for all classes was initiated. The roads in Anna Nagar are designed based on matrix structure comparable to those in developed countries in the West, and uses a standardised nomenclature. In Anna Nagar, 2nd, 4th and 6th avenues run east-west, while the 1st, 5th and 7th avenues run north–south. All the streets are interconnected to these avenues. The 4th Avenue is the only location in Anna Nagar that has a name – Shanthi Colony. It was a serene locality and hence the name.

A huge twin arch called the Anna Arch marks the access of the southern part of Anna Nagar on the Third Avenue. It was erected much later, in 1985, by the Corporation of Chennai at a cost of Rs 12 lakh to commemorate the platinum jubilee celebrations of former chief minister CN Annadurai. In 2012, the arch was proposed to be demolished to make way for a flyover that was planned to connect Anna Nagar with Aminjikarai. Demolition work began on September 2, 2012. But the arch stood strong and resisted all attempts to bring it down. Finally, the alignment of the flyover was modified slightly – also because many raised its connection to former chief minister and AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran, which prompted the then AIADMK government led by Jayalalithaa to reconsider the decision.

Over the years, the locality changed unimaginably, from a reticent village to a most sought after residential and commercial neighbourhood. Today, Anna Nagar is totally self-sufficient as envisioned by its founding fathers.