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Marching on, bravely
"ON AN excursion, as a schoolboy, to St. Thomas Mount, I beheld a vast expanse of jungle and greenery. Little did I realise that in years to come, a beautiful hamlet would spring up there and that I would come to live therein," observes a senior resident of the Defence Officers' Colony. Yet another remarks, "When I visited the Colony in the early 70's, I felt sorry for those who were living there. The place was desolate, a good two kms from Butt Road and without bus or other facilities. Though I felt that buying a plot there was an unwise decision then, I now feel that it is the best thing that I have ever done!"
About 200 yards from the Butt Road bend on Mount Poonamallee Road is a fork to the right, which takes one, after St. Thomas Hospital, to Defence Officers' Colony. It is a medium sized colony of 200 plus bungalows built on plots ranging from about 2.5 grounds to 3.5 grounds in extent, along two main avenues and a few side roads. Retired Service Officers, to whom these plots were allotted for purchase, have built their own houses and settled here.
This is one of the well-run housing societies in the city. It has never received any financial assistance from the Government or any private body. A Board of Directors duly elected by the house owners administers its affairs. The colony has all basic facilities such as good roads with shady avenue trees and adequate lighting, excellent arrangements for storage and supply of water, drainage and sewerage. The society organises milk supply for the residents and assists them in paying their electricity and telephone bills. There is a bank and a sub-post office. A colony institute provides club activities, weekly tambola and outdoor games like tennis and badminton. It has a library, card room, a children's playpen and a lecture hall where social functions, marriages and receptions are held. There is also a ladies club.
With a vast open ground on the west, the colony enjoys fresh air and a pollution free environment. In addition to the famed St. Thomas Church atop St.Thomas Mount and a mosque in the vicinity, there are also a few temples in the area adding to its secular atmosphere. While weekly bhajans are held by the devout in houses by turns, come Christmas, the residents join together singing in the spirit of Yuletide. The Colonels, Generals, Admirals and the Wing Commanders of the Colony assiduously discuss strategies of war and the fight against terrorism on their regular morning or evening walks. The residents would seem to have carried their regimental lifestyle into their retired days as well. Many of the fitter soldiers enjoy playing tennis and badminton every day. The library is popular and the card room is ever busy in the evenings with inveterate bridge players shouting themselves hoarse at their ever-erring partners!
But in recent times, the colony has been facing problems. Without proper boundary fencing, unregulated traffic from the 100' road cuts across the colony to access the Bangalore Highway. This causes much wear and tear to the colony roads.
Second, the water-logging in the Adyar river ever since the Ekkattuthangal bridge was constructed causes mosquitoes to multiply and the residents of the colony and surrounding areas are literally invaded by the winged menace. Also, the evils of indiscriminate industrialisation has taken its toll on the open ground to the west making it a dumping ground for various factories.
The water supply is inadequate in summer months.
But despite these woes, the colony marches on in true soldierly fashion, as it has done for the last 40 years.
R.GANAPATHI
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