HUMAN SETTLEMENTS ROYAPETTAH

Royapettah is a centrally located neighbourhood in Chennai city.It is

an outgrowth of the traditional Triplicane settlement, that developed
almost a century ago as a primary residential area.

Just after the Auction House is the Provident Fund Commissioners

Office. Now a modern building, it was once a vast garden house, named at
various times as Gowri Vilas and Acharya Griha. In olden times it was
Nawabi property and a secret passage was said to run from it to Amir Mahal.
Opposite this building is Swagath Hotel, a throwback to the 1960s. It still
functions, though its competitor and another landmark of Royapettah,
Ajanta Hotel with its art deco faade has vanished to make way for a
modern one Deccan Plaza.
Some of the old shrines here are the Srinivasa Perumal and Gangai Amman
temples. The Gaudiya Mutt, established here in 1932, is a small piece of
Bengal transhipped to Chennai.
Further down Gaudiya Mutt Road is the Balasubramania Bhakta Sabha, a
place where bhajans were performed regularly and where Tamil scholars
such as Maraimalai Adigal and Tiru Vi Ka met. Royapettah High Road is now
named after Tiru Vi Ka.

LAND USE AND IMAGEABILITY

Behind all these great buildings is a bewildering maze of streets, all of
them with street houses and some spacious bungalows. Interestingly,
several still have houses of early 20th century vintage, giving the
impression that Royapettah is happy to live in the past. The land use
in this area is primary residential and mixed use category.
Institutional areas can be found along Westcott Road , Peters Road and
Anna Salai.
Royapettah and Amir Mahal can be described as Urban Centres
(Context Specific Transect)
Distinguishing characteristics - Attached housing types like
continuous built up areas and apartments mixed with retail,
workplace and civic activities at the community or sub regional
scale.
General Character - Predominantly attached buildings
landscaping with in public right with substantial pedestrian
activity.
Building Placement - Small or no setbacks building with
placement and character defining a street wall.
Frontage Types - Shops, dooryards, storefronts, and added
walkways.
Typical Building Height - Three to five storeys with some
variations.
Type of Open Space - Parks, plazas and squares, boulevard
median landscaping.

SEX RATIO OF STUDY AREA

MALE

FEMALE

LITERACY RATE OF STUDY AREA

LITERATES

ILLITERATES

RELIGION
In the Amir Mahal area, there are a large number of Hindus and
Muslims with a small population of Christians in particular areas.
Royapettah ward has a mixed population with no particular
concentration.

ROYAPETTAH - 112
Worker

Main Worker

Marginal Worker

Non Worker

Total

43.2% (6440)

36.4% (5423)

6.8% (1017)

56.8% (8472)

Male

61.5% (4578)

53.9% (4010)

7.6% (568)

38.5% (2866)

Female

24.9% (1862)

18.9% (1413)

6% (449)

75.1% (5606)

MAIN WORKERS CLASSIFICATION

Cultivators

Agricultural

Household

Other Workers

Total

58

labourers
49

industry workers
113

5203

Male

43

33

42

3892

Female

15

16

71

1311

MARGINAL WORKERS CLASSIFICATION

Cultivators

Agricultural

Household

Other

Total

111

labourers
18

industry workers
26

Workers
862

Male

41

511

Female

70

11

17

351

Occupational Structure of study area - Ward 111& 112

Main workers Marginal workers Non Workers