Chitlapakkam சிட்லப்பாக்கம் |
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— panchayat town, suburb — | |
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Coordinates: 12°56′15″N 80°08′19″E / 12.93739°N 80.13874°ECoordinates: 12°56′15″N 80°08′19″E / 12.93739°N 80.13874°E | |
Country | India |
State | Tamil Nadu |
District | Kancheepuram |
Metro | Chennai |
Population (2001) | |
• Total | 25,292 |
Languages | |
• Official | Tamil |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Chitlapakkam is one of the 20 panchayat towns in Chennai metropolitan area, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is a residential township located in the Kanchipuram district. It is well known for its small, perennial lake and adjoining ecosystems.
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Overview
Chitlapakkam is a fast-developing suburb, located about 7 km south from the Chennai International Airport. Land values grew as the demographics favoured software professionals working with various IT Companies in Sholinganallur or OMR as the IT super highway is just 9 km away from Chitlapakkam. The neighbourhood is served by Tambaram Sanatorium railway station, which is 2 km from the locality. Proximity to major suburbs, such as Pallavaram, Chromepet, Selaiyur, Tambaram Sanatorium, and Tambaram, which are within 10-minute riding distance, aids in the development of the township. Rapid development has led to increased pollution.
The main attraction near the area is the famed Kumaran Kundram temple of Lord Muruga atop the hill. It is a 15-minute walk from Chitlapakkam.
Chitlapakkam Lake has water almost all throughout the year; there are plans to modernize it with boating facilities.
Chitlappakkam and Sithalapakkam are frequently confused, as both are suburbs of Tambaram. Chitlappakkam is the more developed and well-established suburb.
Chitlapakkam is a fast-developing part of the city, and many people from Chennai city have relocated here because of its green environment and water availability. Chitlapakkam, however, is infamous for its public transport facilities. The government buses are unable to access the city due to its narrow roads.
Village details[1] | |
Area | 2.95 sq km |
Population | 25,232 |
Total roads | 315 |
Wells | 10 |
Overhead tanks | 2 |
Water storage tanks | 3 |
Hand pumps | 33 |
Small culverts | 80 |
Lake
The Chitlapakkam lake, coordinates 12°56'2"N 80°8'10"E, measuring 50 acre is the chief water body in the neighbourhood.[2] Earlier, Chilapakkam was a main agricultural area. Pachamalai hill used to serve as a source for the Chitlapakkam lake. This lake water was used for irrigation before urbanization. After the conversion of agricultural farms into residential areas, the water from the lake is not used for irrigation. There are three channels at the foot of the hill, which have been connected to the Chitlapakkam Lake.[1]
Because of the presence of lake, the water table level is higher compared with many other areas in Chennai. The level of water table in this area is 2.50–8 m, and the level of TDS is 400–900 ppm.[3]
According to a report submitted to the Kancheepuram district administration, improvement work on the lake would require an estimated 4.5 million for the improvement of the lake. The public has funded 1.5 million and the state government is funding 3 million.[2]
Dump Yard
The open space near a lake in Chitlapakkam has been converted into a dump yard. The dump yard has been in existence for more than a century. The city generates about 8 tonnes of waste everyday. Sanitary workers of the local body dump 3 tonnes of waste generated by the town at the half-acre yard in front of the lake and set fire to it. The smoke generated creates woes to the general public and the patients who come to the adjacent government hospital. The remaining 5 tonnes of waste is collected from 10,030 households in the 18 wards of the local body by Green Friends of Hand-In-Hand (HIH). It is segregated in a scientific method in a biocompost shed. HIH is a Kancheepuram-based NGO that specializes in solid waste management in the state.[4]
Demographics
As of 2001 India census,[5] Chitlapakkam had a population of 25,292. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Chitlapakkam has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 86% and female literacy of 82%. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
In 1971, Chitlapakkam was upgraded as a town panchayat. The town hit the headlines in the late 1980s and early 1990s when residents came together to successfully protect the Chitlapakkam Lake. Fearing that onslaught in different forms would irreparably damage the lake, like-minded citizens joined together and mobilised public support and sensitised the State government to the need for preventing the shrinking of the lake in the form of encroachments.
In 2004, when the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply classified Chitlapakkam town panchayat as a special village panchayat, along with many other urban local bodies in Tamil Nadu, residents here impressed the elected representatives on the need for seeking municipality status. Though the council passed a resolution to this effect, the State government did not consider it.[6]
Activities and landmarks
Industrial activity is increasing in the area owing to the presence of the Warehousing Corporation of India's godowns.[7] Also, real estate boom in the locality due to abundance of water supply. Some of the landmarks in the area include Varadharaja theatre, Chitlapakkam tank, and Indira Cotton Mill.
Infrastructure
Transportation
The neighbourhood is served by two Chennai Suburban Railway stations: Tambaram sanatorium and Chromepet. Road transport for this locality is catered by government-run MTC buses and private share autos. BT roads in Chitlapakkam have been upgraded with the financial assistance from NABARD RDIF during the year 2009 to 2010 at the estimated cost of 18.40 lakhs.[8]
Wood-gas-fired crematorium
A sum of Rs. 44 lakh was spent on a wood-gas-fired crematorium.[8] Chitlapakkam is the first among 561 town panchayats in Tamil Nadu to have this facility. The State government gave a grant of Rs.33 lakh and the remaining cost of was met by the Chitlapakkam town panchayat from its general funds. The State government has also decided to entrust the responsibility of the facility’s maintenance to Chromepet-based Shree Gayethri Trust, a voluntary organisation.[9]
Liquid waste management plant
Chitlapakkam was the only urban local body in the region to have a liquid waste management plant to prevent sewage from entering Sembakkam lake, treat it and use it again for gardening purposes. There are plans to buy some more vehicles for better collection and disposal of garbage.[7] However, this project too has not been completely successful as sewage continues to drain into the lake from multiple entry points.[10]
Solid waste segregation shed
During 2004, the Chitlapakkam town panchayat began door-to-door collection of garbage in seven of its wards.Twelve tricycles were used and conservancy workers were appointed to collect garbage from the houses. Each tricycle manned two workers. The collected rubbish were segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances in a segregation shed, constructed behind the town panchayat office.[11]
Community hall
Unlike other local bodies, especially along arterial roads such as the Velachery Main Road, Grand Southern Trunk Road, Medavakkam Main Road and Mudichur Road, where there were plenty of private marriage halls, there were only a couple of them within the Chitlapakkam town panchayat limits. They were either not big enough or beyond the reach of the middle-class and lower income groups. In June 2012, community hall that was built next to the town panchayat office by the Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat was renovated. A sum of Rs. 7.6 lakhs was spent on sprucing up the walls and floors. Concrete floors were replaced with tiles in the ground and first floors of the hall. The open space outside the halls was fitted with contemporary cement concrete tiles. Another sum of Rs.2.6 lakhs was spent on separate washrooms for men and women. Many families in Chitlapakkam organizing functions such as wedding engagements, get-togethers, wedding receptions and even birthday parties find this convenient.[12]
Post office
The building housing the post office, which is adjacent to the Chitlapakkam panchayat office, was inaugurated in 1969 by the former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran. He was the Alandur Member of the Legislative Assembly at that time. although it was built to accommodate the post office, even today the Department of Posts is paying a monthly rent of Rs.500 to the panchayat.[13]
Location in Context
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Chromepet | Chromepet | Chromepet | |
Tambaram Sanitorium/Chitlapakkam Lake | Hastinapuram Lake / Nanmangalam Reserved Forest | |||
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Tambaram East | Selaiyur | Hastinapuram Lake |
References
- ^ a b Chella, Devatha; Arun Kumar Thalla (May 2009). "Analysis of flow pattern between hill and lake". ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Asian Research Publishing Network) 4 (3): 64–68. ISSN 1819-6608. Retrieved 30-Jun-2012.
- ^ a b Manikandan, K. (8 October 2012). "From the people to panchayat: Rs. 10 lakh to improve their lake". The Hindu (Chennai: The Hindu). Retrieved 11-Oct-2012.
- ^ "INFRASTRUCTURE: Water Supply". CMDA. Retrieved 6 July-2012.
- ^ "Chitlapakkam chokes on its burning garbage". NSWAI ENVIS. 4 August-2011. Retrieved 11 July-2012.
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ "Chitlapakkam General Outline". The Hindu. Retrieved 26-June-2012.
- ^ a b "Chitlapakkam industrial activities". The Hindu. Retrieved 26-June-2012.
- ^ a b Schemes implemented in Town Panchayats
- ^ "Chitlapakkam gas-fired crematorium from April 1". The Hindu. Retrieved 27-June-2012.
- ^ "Storm water drains, source of pollution". The Hindu. Retrieved 27-June-2012.
- ^ "Garbage collection at your doorstep in Chitlapakkam". The Hindu. 13 October 2004. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^ "New lease of life for community hall". The Hindu. June 2012. Retrieved 6 July-2012.
- ^ "Chitlapakkam post office, not a pretty sight". The Hindu. 12 February 2006. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
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