Robinso58
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| Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:28 pm In Thrissur, tharavads give way to high-rises |
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Even though the flat culture is fast picking up in Thrissur there is hardly anyone, both among the local authorities and the numerous builders, who can quantify the extent of the growth of high-rise buildings in the city.
The proliferation of the high-rise is certainly altering the landscape of this otherwise traditional city, and many of the orthodox `tharavads' which were the landmarks of the cultural capital of Kerala have already become casualties of the intense onslaught of the flat culture. The city has not yet `evolved' into a concrete jungle, but the trend of high-rise buildings is fast catching up here.
Like in other cities, security concerns and the skyrocketing land cost are the prime factors that woo people to investing in projects like Kerala apartment and flats in Thrissur. Some people buy flats as an investment. They rent out the flats and the heavy annual flow of students to the popular entrance coaching centres in the city is one factor that has accelerated investments in flats. The lowering of interest rates both on the bank deposits and on the housing loans and the IT benefits of availing housing loans are some of the other factors pushing investments in flats.
In many of the flats, mostly the aged people and women and children stay alone, with the youngsters and earning members staying away. Most of the flats have common security arrangements, and the very fact that so many people are staying together adds to their sense of security. They also do not have any problem going out on long vacations, keeping their apartments closed.
The alienation of children from nature and from others is a major casualty of the flat culture.But the mushrooming of flats has led to civic problems related to waste management and water and power supply arising in certain areas. The lack of proper parking facilities and access roads that are wide enough are also causing hardships to the inmates of many flats. |
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