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Photo: G. Moorthy

inclusive Of all facilities

Neatly arranged houses in rows and newly laid roads add to the visual appeal of the area and one can’t help but compliment Hindu Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) Colony as perhaps one of the best residential area en route Madurai Kamaraj University.

It were the plantain fields of Ponmeni village that transformed into HMS Colony in 1982 under the initiative of the Sabha to enable the mill employees to have their dream house.

The Sabha bought 13 acres at the rate of Rs.950 per cent and sold for Rs.2,417. Once the plots were bought over, houses started coming up in the late 80s. Today, the area has 300-odd houses.

As the initiative was taken by Ramiah and Narayanan, members of the HMS, the area was initially named Ramiah – Narayanan Nagar. Later, the residents rechristened it as HMS Colony. Given the pucca lay out of the place, it was easy to allot four acres for multiple things like a park, a separate children’s park, community hall, shopping complex, road and other open and public utility space like temple and library. After the establishment of HMS Colony Resident’s Welfare Association in 1997, the colony witnessed all round growth from good roads to corporation drinking water facilities, claims M. Karuthakannan, president, Resident’s Welfare Association.

Located in sprawling 13 acres, the HMS Colony has three main roads and many cross streets.

The active welfare association has constructed a Rajaganapathy Thirukovil that is under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board. There is a library too maintained by the Central Library at Simmakal.

Earlier, it was under the control of the association. The library with 400 members has a collection of over 5000 books.

The groundwater in HMS Colony is available at 60 to 70 feet but people prefer to deepen their borewells upto 200 feet to have excess water. Drinking water is made available by the Corporation on alternate days through individual pipes. Apart from this, an overhead tank is being constructed under the Integrated Vaigai Drinking Water Scheme.

The other services rendered by association are honouring children of the residents who score high marks in the Board examinations. Besides, every need of the area is closely monitored, be it replacing a street light or removing the garbage.

Though the area was started for the benefit of the mill employees, people from various walks of life have opted to settle down here. The going rent in the area is anywhere between Rs.1,500 to Rs.4000. “It is a residential area complete with all facilities. The onus is on the association to maintain all the facilities perfectly,” says Mr. Karuthakannan.

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