Sithalapakkam: Difference between revisions

Sunrise in Sithalapakkam

Sithalapakkam (Tamil: சித்தாலப்பாக்கம்) is a suburb of south Chennai, India. It is about 3 km away from Medavakkam. Sithalapakkam is surrounded by two lakes and a hill. Some portion of this hill is cutout for sand and stone. Wild birds can be seen at Sithalapakkam. Though some buildings have erupted in the region, most of Sithalapakkam has no tar or concrete roads making it difficult to navigate in rainy season.

It is often confused with Chitlapakkam (Tamil: சிட்லப்பாக்கம்), which is an older suburb, more established and more closer to Tambaram.

Sithalappakkam is rarely connected by public transport. Share autos are a more popular mode of transport to Medavakkam as they ply frequently

Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) (MTC) operates the following services via Sithalapakkam.

1. 51K - Tambaram to Karanai/Navalur (via Sithalapakkam)

2. 551A - Tambaram to Kelambakkam (via Sithalapakkam)

3. M51B - T.Nagar to SITHALAPAKKAM

4. M51C - T.Nagar to Ottiyambakkam (via Sithalapakkam)

5. 51B - Saidapet to Karanai (via Sithalapakkam)

6. M51D - Saidapet to Kelambakkam (via Sithalapakkam)

7. 51L - C.M.B.T. to SITHALAPAKKAM

8. L51 - C.M.B.T. to Ottiyambakkam (via Sithalapakkam)

9. E51 - High Court to Ottiyambakkam (via Sithalapakkam)

10. C21 - Broadway to Ottiyambakkam (via Sithalapakkam)

11. M51V - T.Nagar to Kolathur (via Sithalapakkam)

12. 70C - Koyambedu/Tambaram to Maduraipakkam

13. 551 - Velachery to Acharavakkam

14. D51 Extn - Highcourt to TNHB colony (from 31 March 2012).

The nearest railway stations are Tambaram (10 km) and Velachery MRTS (10 km). MTC buses M51K and 551A ply from Tambaram and M51B and M51V are frequent from Velachery.

Many independent houses are popping up in this region. Due to good ground water and less pollution, many families find Sithalapakkam an attractive place to live in. But due to overdrawal of water by the mineral water companies the ground water level is receding. Leo Housing had promoted many layouts here in the 70s and early 80s. Vivekananda Nagar, Vijayapuram, Venus Colony and Sankarapuram are some of them.

The DLF Garden city,Bollineni Hillside, Sankarapuram, Vijay Avenue, Jothimangalam layout and ADP avenue, Basil Avenue are the most prominent residential townships being developed near Sithalapakkam. This change in demography is well poised to improve the general infrastructure and ambience of Sithalapakkam.

The Government is upgrading Medavakkam to Mambakkam road to four lanes which connects Vandalor-Kelambakkam road where many colleges like Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT Chennai campus), Tagore engineering college are situated.

Sithalapakkam has a secular religious mix. Hindus, Muslims and Christians live together. Hindus are more in number than Muslims who are slightly more than Christians.

The Kaliamman Koil is organizes festival during Tamil month of Aadi. People surrounding Karanai, puthupakkam, navallur, sithalapakkam frequent the temple every Friday. The pond and 100 year old banyan tree are located near the temple. Other popular temples include Mariamman temple, Pillayar Kovil parasamman temple, Kanni ammam Koil

Sithalapakkam has a Mosque in Indira Naagar. Indira nagar has large Muslim community.

Church of Sinai, a wing of Shelter Ministries ^[1] is located at Sithalapakkam.

Minminz is a playschool for kids coming up shortly near Jayanagar bus stop in Sithalapakkam.

Kids of the residents currently rely on Medavakkam or Selaiyur for good schools.

Some schools in the surroundings are Mayfield residential school(CBSE), PSBB Millennium branch in the DLF Garden City, Zigma Matriculation School within 3 km Radius, Zion Matriculation School within 4 km radius, Bala Vidya Mandir was there within 1.2 km radius, R V Matriculation School, Govt School(up to 8th Std)

The nearest major hospital is the Global Hospitals & Health City off the Medavakkam-Sholinganallur road.Freedom Care Drug & alcohol deaddiction/Rehabilitation center with 60 beaded felicities at sithalapakkam with 130000sq ft set ups, Raajan Hospital,a 24hr facility with medical shop, has recently opened in Sithalapakkam.

Recently "Manjal" supermarket has opened in Valluvar nagar bus stop, sithalapakkam. Apart from that, there are small provisional stores in Sithalapakkam. But they do not stock enough variety. In Medavakkam people can get almost everything. It has the look of a traditional 'sandhai'. It also has convenience stores from More and Reliance Fresh. Also, it has Home Needs and Mami Super market to serve daily needs on provisions.

A new fuel outlet is going to open opposite to Sithalapakkam panchayath office.

Medavakkam, Tambaram and Velachery are better apparel shopping destinations.

Manjal Super Market has opened in Sithalapakkam.Medavakkam has Sekar Home Stores, Sathya Agencies and George Enterprises, which store most branded durables. Also two new Super Markets Opened (Mami Super Market & Home Needs)

Printing press is available at jayanagar bus stop. People no need to go medavakkam for invitations printing for their family functions.

Due to the immense population growth and due to extraction of ground water, Sithalapakkam now faces water shortage. Many borewells that goes up to 100 ft are turning to be dry. Though this place is witnessing a massive boom, this seems to come along with a curse of water scarcity.

Sithalapakkam was a relatively unpolluted place, however, due to factories and human settlement its pollution levels have increased dramatically. Food companies located in Sky Lab avenue generates effluents, which is pumped into Pallikarnai lake, smoke and heavier than air particles released into the atmosphere.

Karur Vysya Bank is situated with ATM Facility at Valluvar Nagar bus stop. The other Bank ATMs like Axis bank ATM is available at jayanagar bus stop. SBI ATM is avaialble near Indira Nagar Bus stop. Added to these, HDFC bank ATM and ICICI bank ATM are available at Kanni kovil bus stop on Mambakkam road.

The current counselor an Independent candidate named MARIYAL NATARAJAN . The 7th ward counselor of sithalapakkam is from MDMK. Sithalapakkam belongs to Sholinganallur constituency.

• Medavakkam
• Vengaivaasal
• Madambakkam
• Perumbakkam
• Maduraipakkam
• Semmancheri
• Ponmar
• Ottiyambakkam
• Thalambur
• Karanai
• Navalur
• Siruseri

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sithalapakkam.

1. Sithalapakkam news
2. An article in The Hindu praising the virtues of living in Sithalapakkam