Properties in Kovilambakkam

Priced out of OMR and Velachery but still want to reach both? Kovilambakkam, in south Chennai near Medavakkam and Pallikaranai, grew as buyers moved inland from the OMR corridor. It gives you a route to the OMR offices and the Velachery side while costing less than either. The area is mostly residential, and flats in Kovilambakkam fall in the middle of the market.

The listings here are apartments from two builders. Sobha Winchester by Sobha Limited is a completed project on 4.29 acres with 344 homes, all 2.5 BHK, listed from about Rs. 47.11 Lakhs, with possession from February 2021. TVS Emerald Elements is under construction on 6.56 acres with 820 homes, offering 2 BHK and 3 BHK layouts with two or three bathrooms. It is listed from about Rs. 67.9 Lakhs, with possession quoted from 2028. You can move in soon at one, or pay in stages for a newer home at the other.

Getting around is the reason people settle here. Both the OMR offices and Velachery are within reach, so you can get to either without living on the corridor itself. Try both drives at peak hour, since inland roads can be slower than they look on a map.

Think through the trade-offs. A lower price than OMR or Velachery comes with a longer daily drive, so count the time as part of the cost. Parts of south Chennai are low-lying, so ask how the building and its approach road fared in recent monsoons. For the ongoing project, look up its registration on the TNRERA portal and compare the completion date with the brochure. For a resale flat in a finished complex, ask for the sale deed, the completion certificate and the association's statement of dues. Ask how water reaches the building, whether piped supply, borewell or tanker, and what that adds each month.

For comparison, look at Medavakkam and Pallikaranai next door, which offer a similar mix at their own price points.