I am going to get a transfer from my company in March 2017, and I have now started the process and am currently looking for a house to rent. I am looking online as well, but I need some help when it comes to choosing the area. I would like to know when choosing houses for rent in Chennai which areas I should choose and which I should avoid totally. Staying with me will be my two daughters and wife, so it should be a safe area.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! (Images from Lazgaz via Deviant Art, Suri Musiri via Flickr and Trekker Pedia) Overview Chennai is one of the main metropolitan cities of India but what's good about it is that it has more affordable rates as compared to other metro cities. The cost of living here, from the house or apartment rentals, to the food expenses and utilities, are comparatively cheaper as compared to living in Mumbai or even Delhi. The public transportation system is also very much extensive although the roads are not devoid of the usual traffic. Food options when it comes to restaurants are also quite plenty. For these reasons, Chennai is one of the most preferred relocation site for many expats and most IT sector employees. Best Areas to Stay in Chennai for Families 1. Adyar - This is a posh locality in southern Chennai, located quite close to the Elliot's Beach. Adyar was named after the Adyar River, which flows quite close to the neighbourhood. It is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the city and offers all the necessities you might ever need. It is centrally located, close to all commercial hubs such as shopping centres and restaurants. Aside from apartments, there are also gated communities around Adyar, that are safer for families with smaller children. Rental rates for 2-bedroom apartments range between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000. It depends on whether the apartment is fully furnished or not, plus whether it has facilities such as a swimming pool, club house or lift. The three closest railway stations to the locality are the Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station, Indira Nagar Railway Station and Kasthuri Bai Nagar Railway Station. You can easily walk or hire an auto rickshaw to reach these railway stations from any point in the locality. There are also plenty of schools around the neighbourhood, so that children won't need to go out of it just to reach their schools. Some of the best-rated schools here are the Sri Sankara School and Saint Michael's Academy. When it comes to dining options, there are plenty within the locality too, ranging from Indian cuisine ones to international cuisine ones. Grocery stores such as S. Nathan Super Market and Lifestyle Super Market are also located within the neighbourhood. Perhaps the only downside of the locality is that the roads within the areas here are quite congested with traffic since it is located within the centre of Chennai. But if your main goal is to be near the main commercial hubs of the city, Adyar would be a good choice for that. Nearest Railway Stations - Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station, Indira Nagar Railway Station & Kasthuri Bai Nagar Railway Station Best Schools - Sri Sankara School & Saint Michael's Academy Grocery Stores - S. Nathan Super Market & Lifestyle Super Market Adyar (Image Courtesy of Alchetron) 2. Anna Nagar - Anna Nagar is located on the north-western part of Chennai. Unlike the former, it isn't directly connected or close to any beaches. It is a posh locality though, located in the central area of the city. The main landmark of the neighbourhood is the Anna Nagar Tower, which has a skating rink and a playground at its lower grounds, perfect for little children. Rental rates for apartments here are a bit on the lower side, ranging from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 20,000 for a 2-bedroom apartment. Unfortunately though, the Anna Nagar Railway Station was closed a few years ago but it has a couple of near railway stations such as the Koyambedu Railway Station and Nungambakkam Railway Station. There are also plenty of schools around the locality like the Spring Dales School and Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School. Popular fast food chains such as McDonald's, KFC and Subway are all available within the neighbourhood, as well as numerous restaurants like Mainland China and Zameendar. And when it comes to your grocery needs, you can go to stores like Saravana Super Market and Spencer's Daily. Another good feature of the locality is that it has lots of temples and churches around it, like the Madhya Kailash Temple and CSI Emmanuel Church. Nearest Railway Stations - Koyambedu Railway Station & Nungambakkam Railway Station Best Schools - Spring Dales School & Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School Grocery Stores - Saravana Super Market & Spencer's Daily 3. Velachery - If you want to enjoy the best of both worlds in Chennai, a combination of the modern and traditional era, then Velachery is a good choice for that. Sure it has its fair share of problems, like water drainage during heavy rains, but it is also one of the most progressive localities in the region. Its location lets you access the major IT industries but at the same time, still be located close to the older parts of Chennai like its beaches. The crowd here is very diverse too, with both North Indians and South Indians occupying the place. Rental rates can be as low as Rs. 10,000 but can go as high as Rs. 32,000 too. There's also plenty of railway stations here, with the main one being the Velachery Railway Station. Top-rated schools in Chennai such as the American International School and Vana Vani Matriculation Higher Secondary School are also located here. Food chains such as Domino's Pizza and Barbeque Nation as well as other high end restaurants are also located within this locality. For grocery shopping, there are two branches of Heritage Fresh in the neighbourhood. For recreation, there's the Velachery Aquatic Complex, where you can enjoy your weekends swimming in its huge pool. Nearest Railway Stations - Velachery Railway Station & Meenambakkam Railway Station Best Schools - American International School & Vana Vani Matriculation Higher Secondary School Grocery Stores - Heritage Fresh (Two Branches) 4. Kilpauk - If you want a place away from the crowds and noise of the city, yet still pretty close to it, you can opt for Kilpauk. This locality is located close to Egmore and Anna Nagar but doesn't have as many crowds or vehicles. It is a safe place too and offers your necessities like hospitals, schools and even shopping areas at a walking distance away. Rental rates are a bit on the higher side though starting at Rs. 20,000 and above. While it doesn't have its own railway station, nearby ones are that of Koyambedu Railway Station and Nungambakkam Railway Station. There are many schools around the locality, with Bhavan's Rajaji Vidyashram being one of the best schools. Even the DAV Boys Senior School is a good choice. Numerous restaurants and grocery stores also line the neighbourhood. For recreation, the Kilpauk Garden is a good free choice while there's also the Abirami Mega Mall for paid entertainment centres. Nearest Railway Stations - Koyambedu Railway Station & Nungambakkam Railway Station Best Schools - Bhavan's Rajaji Vidyashram & DAV Boys Senior School Grocery Stores - Grace Super Market & Nuts 'N Spices 5. RA Puram - This is also located on the southern part of Chennai. RA Puram is a locality close to Mylapore and Adyar. Rental rates for 2-bedroom apartments here range between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 50,000. It is smaller though as compared to the other mentioned neighbourhoods. As such, you can get to know your neighbours easier as the place is more compact. It doesn't have a railway station within it but nearby ones are that of Greenways Road MRTS Station and Mandaveli MRTS Station. As for schools, you would need to venture a bit further from the locality, but they are easily accessible still. The Boston International School and PS Senior Secondary School are easily accessed from RA Puram. Again, there are no grocery stores within the locality but there are near ones like the Vaer Organic and More Super Market. The Shirdi Sai Baba Temple is also located within the locality so you can easily do darshan any time you want. Nearest Railway Stations - Greenways Road MRTS Station & Mandaveli MRTS Station Nearest Schools - Boston International School & PS Senior Secondary School Nearest Shopping Hubs - Vaer Organic & More Super Market RA Puram (Image Courtesy of Mylapore Times) 6. Besant Nagar - Besant Nagar was once a favoured expat relocation site and so it has remained largely an affluent and posh neighbourhood. It is the closest neighbourhood to the Elliot's Beach, also known as Bessie Beach. The beauty of Besant Nagar is that it has plenty of greenery going on in the neighbourhood. It is not quite noisy or crowded yet still located centrally, in such a way that you can easily reach other commercial hubs. A 2-bedroom apartment here costs more than Rs. 25,000 per month. It is also surrounded by lots of railway stations with the closest ones of Indira Nagar Railway Station and Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station. The Besant Nagar Bus Terminal is also one of the busiest bus terminals in the city. The locality is close to Adyar too, so schools from that neighbourhood can be easily accessed from here. There are also numerous restaurants within the locality and also on the shores of the beach. Nuts 'N Spices and Heritage Fresh grocery stores are also located within the boundary of Besant Nagar with Adyar. For the religious ones, the Ashtalakshmi Temple and Annai Vailankanni Shrine are located close to the Bessie Beach as well. Nearest Railway Stations - Indira Nagar Railway Station & Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station Best Schools - Sri Sankara School & Saint Michael's Academy Grocery Stores - Nuts 'N Spices & Heritage Fresh 7. Nungambakkam - One of the oldest localities in Chennai is Nungambakkam, also located on the southern part of Chennai, close to Egmore and Vadapalani. If you stay in Nungambakkam, you have plenty of options when it comes to restaurants, educational institutions and even boutique shops. It also has its own railway station, the Nungambakkam Railway Station, so you can get in and out of the neighbourhood easily and reach other points in Chennai. For 2-bedroom apartment rentals, rates are between Rs. 16,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month. The Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School is one of the top-rated schools here but it also has the National Public School. Reliant Fresh and Jaycee Greens are just some of the grocery stores lining the place. For recreation, there are plenty of malls here too, from the Bergamo Mall, Alsa Mall to the Express Avenue. Nearest Railway Station - Nungambakkam Railway Station Best Schools - Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School & National Public School Grocery Stores - Reliant Fresh and Jaycee Greens 8. Guindy - Guindy is located on the southwestern part of Chennai. It is a good location just because it has lots of greenery going on, especially with the Guindy National Park within its premises. As such, you can easily incorporate a trip to this national park as a weekend getaway from your home. This is one of the smallest national parks in India and also one of the rare ones located within a city itself. The Guindy Railway Station connects the locality with other points in Chennai so you're not completely cut off from the centre of the city. For a 2-bedroom apartment rental, you can find one for as low as Rs. 12,000 per month. Well-known institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Anna University and Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Secondary School are located close to the locality as well. More Super Market and Food World are located close to the neighbourhood as well. Nearest Railway Station - Guindy Railway Station Best Schools - Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Anna University and Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Secondary School Grocery Stores - More Super Market and Food World Guindy (Image Courtesy of Today City Updates) 9. Thiruvanmiyur - This locality is also on the southern part of Chennai, close to the Thiruvanmiyur Beach. It has some issues with the sea water reaching the water table but beyond that, it is a fairly quiet residential area. Being in close proximity to the beach, it eases the summer heat with the breeze from the sea. Its 2-bedroom apartment rates are also fairly reasonable starting at Rs. 13,000 per month. It has its own railway station the Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station, which is directly connected to the Indira Nagar Railway Station and Taramani Railway Station. One of the best-rated schools here is the Besant Arundel Senior Secondary School, which is a school for high school students. It also has an assortment of primary schools such as Apple Kids International and The Little Flowers Kidzee. The JK Store and Avanti Wholesome Grocery are good options for grocery shopping here. For dining options, Subway, Pizza Hut and Dal Roti Express are just a few of the fast food chains and restaurants here. Nearest Railway Station - Thiruvanmiyur Railway Station Best Schools - Besant Arundel Senior Secondary School, Apple Kids International & The Little Flowers Kidzee Grocery Stores - JK Store & Avanti Wholesome Grocery 10. Alwarpet - Last on this list is Alwarpet, which is more of a high end residential area in Chennai's central zone. Several notable Indian personalities also reside in this neighbourhood. Rates for a 2-bedroom apartment here cost as much as Rs. 20,000 per month. Although it doesn't have its own railway station, closer ones are that of the Mandaveli Railway Station and Greenways Road Railway Station. Also located within this neighbourhood is the MCTM Chidambaram Chettyar International School and the PS Senior Secondary School. The Challa Mall and Mayas Plaza are also quite close to the locality, you can do your grocery shopping in these malls. For dining, try out Benjarong, which serves the best authentic Thai cuisine in the city. Since Alwarpet is more of a higher end area, safety here is a bit more secured and even the crowds aren't as noisy or as rowdy as compared to the northern localities. Nearest Railway Stations - Mandaveli Railway Station & Greenways Road Railway Station Best Schools - MCTM Chidambaram Chettyar International School & PS Senior Secondary School Grocery Stores - Challa Mall & Mayas Plaza Areas Not Suitable for Families Relocating to Chennai 1. Tambaram - Although Tambaram is a residential area in the southern part of Chennai as well, it faces some issues with both water supply, water drainage during monsoon and also traffic. For starters, there's a lack of potent water suitability around the major areas of the locality. This can be a major downside of living here, especially if you have smaller children with you. Another issue is the lack of water drainage during the monsoon season. When the area is lashed by heavy rains and floods are rampant around the locality, it can take some time before the water is drained. And lastly, traffic is inevitable in the locality, although measures have been done to minimise them. But these constructions then lead to diversions which also cause traffic along the different areas of Tambaram. Reason - Deficient Water Supply, Water Drainage System Inefficiency and Traffic 2. Tidel Park - Tidel Park, along with the areas around it, is notorious for the badly congested roads. As such, it's best to avoid these areas especially if you hate the traffic. Since Tidel Park is a major IT hub in the city, over 30,000 vehicles utilise the roads leading to it everyday. Traffic cannot be avoided in this area, at any time of the day. And although it's an IT hub, the assortment of restaurants or dining options here are less as compared to other localities. While this place might be suitable for bachelors, there's not much that little children can do around when staying here. The pollution and the traffic are just not worth it in the end. Reason - Badly Congested Roads 3. West Mambalam - West Mambalam is the twin locality of T. Nagar, yet it doesn't quite have the same features as the latter. It does not have wide roads, efficient drainage systems or nicely-planned buildings. And its worst problem is that it faces drainage issues during floods from heavy rains. Although stormwater drains have been built around the locality, this has still not helped solve the issue of flooding. It can get especially bad during the peak month of monsoon season. And due to this stagnant water filling up most areas in West Mambalam, mosquitoes are part of the problems faced by residents daily as well. Reason - Inefficient Drainage System and Mosquitoes 4. Chromepet - Chromepet is another locality in the south of Chennai. The locality faces some issues when it comes to water supply although for the most part, it's a progressive and developed area. It mainly experience scarcity of potable drinking water during the summer season. Also, power cuts in this locality are quite common and longer than the other localities. If your job is near Chromepet, it's better to live in a near area that has better supplies of water and electricity. Reason - Scarcity of Water Supply and Power Cuts 5. Nandambakkam - Again, the main issue with this locality is that it can be greatly affected by heavy lashes of rains that turn into floods. Floods can go very high and take a longer time to drain in here as compared to the other localities. Just last 2011, over 50 hours were flooded in the locality, which had the floods going into their houses as well. It can be a bit challenging and dangerous to stay in this locality in Chennai. Reason - Flooding during Heavy Rains Conclusion There you go, some of the best places and worst places to stay in Chennai. Always remember though that each locality has their pros and cons. It's really up to you to make sure that you find a suitable home and area for your family. Always do some research before transferring to a new locality and find the best place for you and your family. I hope this helps you.
