Ghost Towns While Private Builders Cash In
Over twenty years after the Tamil Nadu Housing Board announced a grand satellite township in Thirumazhisai, the site remains vacant land with grazing cattle and garbage mounds. Meanwhile, private developers are building thousands of homes just kilometres away and watching land prices soar. The people are left waiting while the private sector profits.
Why Is Thirumazhisai Still Empty After 20 Years?
A billboard and arch welcome you to the Thirumazhisai satellite township, about 25km west of Chennai. Step past that welcome, and you find a vast expanse of vacant land dotted with grazing cattle, mounds of garbage, and overgrown vegetation. More than two decades after the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) announced plans for a satellite township, little has changed on the ground.
Conceived in the 1990s across nearly 1,600 acres, the TNHB project ran into land acquisition disputes and legal battles. By 2007, the agency was left with just 466 acres. After the 2015 floods, the housing board scaled down its immediate plans and focused on developing 123 acres in phases. Of this, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) used 34 acres for the Kuthambakkam terminus.
We have 98 acres left to develop. But progress is slow, a TNHB official admitted. Officials claim roads, drains, and utility networks have been laid, but a visit to the site shows little evidence of a township taking shape. The most visible structure today is the yet-to-be-opened Kuthambakkam bus terminus.
How Private Developers Are Cashing In
While the government drags its feet, private developers have wasted no time. Industry estimates show nearly 5,800 housing units are under construction in and around Thirumazhisai. Land prices have climbed to around 5,000 rupees a square foot in some pockets. The money is flowing, just not to the people who need affordable homes.
Groundwater is available, but there is no underground sewer network. Residential development is growing much faster than civic infrastructure, said a developer. They build and sell, leaving the public to deal with the infrastructure mess.
A few years ago, CMDA expanded the vision, proposing a 1,600-acre 15-minute city at Thirumazhisai spread across seventeen villages in the western corridor. The idea was a transit-oriented, self-contained urban hub where residents could easily access jobs, schools, healthcare, and shopping. This plan too has struggled, slowed by opposition from landowners to the proposed land-pooling scheme. The larger satellite city proposal remains largely on paper.
Who Really Benefits From the Development Boom?
Developers point to the area's location on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway, proximity to the Sriperumbudur manufacturing belt, the upcoming bus terminus, Metro Rail expansion plans, and connectivity through the Outer Ring Road as drivers of demand.
Thirumazhisai today is at the stage in which Old Mahabalipuram Road and Outer Ring Road were a decade ago. As connectivity improves, the region is likely to emerge as one of Chennai's major growth corridors, said Sanjay Chugh, city head and director, Chennai, ANAROCK.
Haresh Kishor, managing director of KG Foundations, said the locality offers a combination of affordability and accessibility. Demand for plotted developments is also strong because property prices are still far lower than in established city locations, he said.
Ashwin Chendilnathan, managing director of Vijayaraja Homes and secretary of Credai's youth wing, said the proposed Metro extension beyond Poonamallee could boost demand. There is also potential for rental housing because of the proximity to hospitals, medical colleges and industrial establishments, he said.
Will the Thirumazhisai Township Ever Be Built?
TNHB officials said the board is preparing to seek fresh approval from CMDA to develop the remaining land with residential plots, apartment blocks, and commercial facilities. It will take at least a year before the project moves to the next stage, an official said. The people have heard that before.
Why Do Government Housing Projects Stall While Private Housing Booms?
Government housing projects often stall due to land acquisition disputes, legal battles, bureaucratic delays, and a lack of coordinated infrastructure planning. In Thirumazhisai, the TNHB lost over 1,100 acres to disputes and scaled down plans after the 2015 floods, while private developers moved quickly to build and profit.
What Is the 15-Minute City Plan for Thirumazhisai?
The 15-minute city plan proposed by CMDA envisions a 1,600-acre self-contained urban hub across seventeen villages, where residents can access jobs, schools, healthcare, and shopping within 15 minutes. The plan has stalled due to opposition from landowners to the land-pooling scheme.
How Many Private Homes Are Being Built Near Thirumazhisai?
Industry estimates show nearly 5,800 housing units are under construction in and around Thirumazhisai by private developers, while the government township remains largely vacant land with no underground sewer network.