Gudapakkam, a village located close to the Tiruvallur High Road, around 13 km from Poonamallee, had a population of only 666 families in 2001, according to the census data.
The demographic profile of this sleepy village, with an adjacent reserve forest, was to dramatically change over the next couple of decades, with an almost four-fold increase in the number of families. The drastic change was not due to a voluntary influx of people, but because the village was made a site for resettlement of families evicted from their encroached dwellings in areas like Porur, Aminjikarai, Ramapuram, Mogappair, Villivakkam and Maduravoyal, all of which are located at least 25 km away.
The first wave of resettlement took place in 2006 when 2,000 families, evicted from near the Porur lake, were allotted small plots of land in a new uninhabited area in the village, christened as Collector Nagar. However, not many moved here because of lack of amenities and livelihood opportunities. Census 2011 showed the number of families had nearly doubled to 1,275 from 2001.
1,000 apartment units built in 2014
In 2014, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) built over 1,000 apartment units in another area in the village. In the next two to three years, all these units were filled with resettled families. They included more than 150 families of Sri Lankan repatriates.
Kalyani*, whose family was moved from Maduravoyal six years ago, says it appears the clock had been reset in their journey towards socio-economic progress. “We were beginning to lead a settled life in Maduravoyal with our children in school and a steady income. The eviction and resettlement, all of a sudden one day, destabilised us,” she says.
Like her, many resettled families feel that the resettlement has made it difficult for them to access healthcare, employment and education. Transport tops the list of problems of the residents of these apartments.
No job opportunities
The majority of the population, especially women, commute to places near where they had lived earlier for employment. They worked as home helps and daily-wagers. Though the number of industries has increased in Poonamallee and nearby areas, these people say many are unable to find employment there.
Hundreds of people walk a kilometre to Tiruvallur High Road to board buses. While women wait for the buses in which they can travel free, they complain that these buses are not frequent. “We end up taking other buses or share-autorickshaws to Poonamallee sometimes,” says Kalyani.
The real problem is the commute back from work. T. Vijayakumar, one of the residents, says there are no buses from Poonamallee to Gudapakkam after 8.30 p.m. “A large number of men and women return from the city around that time. They have to rely on a few private buses or autorickshaws. Sometimes, men have to go pick them up in two-wheelers,” he says, adding that every person spends at least three hours on commute daily.
V. Raja, a painter, cannot rely on public transport because of his work. “Of the ₹800 to ₹1000 I earn a day, ₹300 goes towards petrol,” he says, adding that riding a bike on Chennai-Bengaluru Highway and Tiruvallur High Road is riskier, especially at night, because of speeding cars and heavy vehicles.
A primary health centre, constructed near the apartments, has remained non-functional for the past two years. “A nurse and an assistant used to be there. However, they felt unsafe because of the rogue behaviour of a few youngsters and refused to report for duty. No one else has been appointed,” says an elderly resident. Many elderly residents of the apartments, he says, go to the Government Hospital at Tiruvallur, 12 kilometre away, for even minor illnesses.
Acknowledging the safety concerns expressed by the PHC workers, he says a police outpost is necessary at Gudapakkam because of the increase in population. The jurisdictional Vellavedu police station is 7 km away.
Mr. Raja says that while many schools are available at the places where they lived earlier, there are limited options of schooling now. The students now go to the government school at Gudapakkam or commute to Tiruvallur daily.
A community hall, built for the use of resettled families in the apartments, has been handed over to the village panchayat. “While the rent has been increased from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000, fans, lights and water supply are faulty. We have to spend more to arrange for them,” says Mr. Vijayakumar. Similarly, a building constructed for an e-Sevai centre remains unused.
Plaster flaking off
Another major concern of the residents is the poor quality of construction. The plaster has been flaking off the walls in most houses. “We cannot drill a nail as the plaster comes off immediately,” he says. Referring to similar issues faced in TNUHDB tenements at K.P. Park in Pulianthope, Mr. Vijayakumar says the situation is not very different at Gudapakkam. Water seepage through the walls is a concern, including in the anganwadi building.
The Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities, which recently conducted a detailed study of the issues at Gudapakkam, has made recommendations to TNUHDB. A senior official of the Board said that while issues at the houses were being rectified gradually, efforts were being made in consultation with the Tiruvallur district administration to address the concerns over the PHC and transport.
(*Name changed as per request)
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