From holiday homes to housing hub: ECR’s residential boom

B.S. Raj Narain, founder and CEO of Optima Response Management Pvt Ltd, a digital marketing agency in Chennai, had spent a major part of his professional life living in the city. His work involved travelling extensively to meet clients, but worsening traffic congestion and pollution eventually became too much to endure.

This is when he chanced upon a residential project coming up on the scenic East Coast Road (ECR) and decided to move lock, stock and barrel. “For 25 years, I was a resident in the Vadapalani/Valasaravalkam region and shifted to ECR about a year ago. It has all the trappings of the city without its congestion. The best thing is, I get to see the blue sky once I get up and the air is clean,” says Narain. He moved to Oceanique, a 15-floor, 180-apartment residential complex next to the multiplex Mayajaal.

“It is not like only older professionals like me have moved here. Even young professionals are opting for ECR off late,” Narain adds. “That is evident in the number of school vans that come to our premises, as ECR is home to several international schools.”

For Nandan Suresh, an online tutor for school students who spent over two decades in Ashok Nagar and K.K. Nagar, it was the need to stay closer to his larger family — and ensure his parents do not miss spending time with grandchildren — that made him move. “I was familiar with ECR, and it is suitable for being a residential hub since everything is available,” says Suresh, who shifted to Chaitanya Greenspaces, a 16-acre development including villas and a five-floor, 10-apartment (3,000 sq. ft. apiece) space at Muthukadu.

ECR has undoubtedly evolved into one of Chennai’s most preferred residential corridors, starting from Kottivakkam and passing through Neelankarai, Akkarai, Uthandi, Muthukadu and up to Kovalam. While established locations within the city continue to remain important, ECR has emerged as a strong alternative for homebuyers seeking a better quality of life. It is no longer viewed merely as a luxury second-home destination, but as a mainstream residential market offering premium apartments, villas, plotted developments and gated communities. Improved infrastructure, better social amenities and changing lifestyle preferences have transformed ECR into one of the city’s fastest-growing residential destinations.

“Several factors have contributed to this transformation. The post-pandemic shift towards larger homes and healthier living environments has encouraged buyers to move away from densely populated urban neighbourhoods,” says Sanjay Chugh, city head and director of Anarock Property Consultants Pvt Ltd, a leading property advisory. “It also benefits from improved connectivity to OMR, the IT Corridor, educational institutions, hospitals and entertainment hubs.”

He adds, “The availability of larger land parcels has enabled developers to create expansive integrated communities with premium amenities, something increasingly difficult to achieve within the city due to land scarcity and high costs.”

From retreats to residences

Traditionally, ECR was dominated by beach houses and holiday homes owned by affluent families. However, over the last decade, developers have introduced well-planned apartment communities and villa projects catering to end users across different budgets. “Better digital connectivity, improved road infrastructure and growing commercial activity have further encouraged people to make ECR their permanent address,” says Chugh, who recently shifted to ECR from Chetpet.

Presently, over 1,500 apartments are under development between Uthandi and Muthukadu. While sizes range from 850 sq. ft. to 3,000 sq. ft., the price per sq. ft. ranges from ₹7,000 to ₹10,000, thereby offering a wider range in terms of size and price. “One major minus for ECR is there isn’t a big hospital. This is very surprising. OMR has a few including Apollo and Chettinad,” adds Suresh Chandra Menon, filmmaker.

Another reason why people are shifting is price. If someone sells their land in Nungambakkam or other such areas, it usually fetches about ₹8 crore to ₹10 crore, according to Menon. “For that money, they will get 3-4 grounds on ECR. People prefer that conversion and also know that the appreciation in ECR will be more than a city property.”

Not another OMR

“ECR is more open and less populated, and very few buildings come up due to restrictions of the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) norms. Unlike OMR, which has become a concrete jungle, ECR can never become that. Furthermore, properties are available at 20%- 30% of that of the city,” says Atul Gupta, managing director of Altis Properties Pvt Ltd, a real estate developer flor uxury apartment in Chennai. His company has launched Ocean Cliff, a high-end nine lakh sq. ft., 317 residential apartment project in ECR.

Besides the cost advantage, Gupta says, people are attracted by the larger-sized housing units they can opt for on ECR.

Suman Voora, managing director, Voora Group, a real estate builder and construction company in the city, is in favour of ECR expansion. The recently launched ‘Voora One Sea’ at Kanathur is being developed across 16 acres of pristine land; the project offers 1,039 apartments across three towers with 41 floors each. When ready, the structure will be the tallest building on ECR.

“Our message is clear to home buyers. Get out of the concrete jungle (OMR) and get into a life on a parallel street (ECR), which is pollution-free. People’s confidence in us will increase manifold once the towers are fully built. While the prices are zooming on ECR, we have kept it at a starting point of ₹7,200 per sq. ft., given the large size of our project,” says Voora.

Even those from other sectors feel the landscape of ECR has changed to accommodate more residences and become a residential hub. “Our own project, Myans Luxury Villas, was visualised as a weekend home concept, but now all the owners there are using the properties like regular homes,” says Udeep Reddy, managing director, Eagle Ridge Developers Pvt Ltd, Mayajaal Entertainment Pvt Ltd and Mayances Constructions Pvt Ltd.

“One can see the number of high-rise apartments that are coming up in ECR now and they are all regular home projects. All these developments have had a positive impact on Mayajaal’s business. In fact, not only the multiplex, but also in general retail business,” he adds. “Brands such as Dmart, Unlimited and Lifestyle are open to taking up retail space in Mayajaal, while they were hesitant earlier.”

Meanwhile, Menon says the “State government, too, should step in and extend its support by going ahead with the elevated flyover for ECR. There have been contradicting reports about its future. ECR needs that elevated structure to ease traffic and prevent future snarls”.

Leisure activities

In this melee of becoming a residential hot spot, has ECR lost its character of being a leisure corridor for fun and food? Not at all, says Chugh.

“ECR continues to be one of Chennai’s most vibrant leisure corridors. Restaurants, beach resorts, adventure parks, cultural attractions and recreational destinations continue to attract visitors from across the city. The difference today is that residential development has complemented rather than replaced these attractions,” he says. “Residents now enjoy the unique advantage of having these lifestyle destinations virtually at their doorstep, making ECR one of the few locations in Chennai where everyday living seamlessly blends with recreation.”

Weekend life along ECR is very different from that in the city. Many residents begin their mornings with cycling along the coastline, surfing, kayaking or long walks on the beach. Families spend time at independent cafés, artisanal bakeries and restaurants, while community events such as farmers’ markets, beach clean-up initiatives and wellness activities have become increasingly popular. Rather than travelling away for recreation, residents find that leisure is available close to home.

“We see a different audience in our cafe in ECR than what we saw in the city. More families and larger groups, slightly skewed towards the weekend unlike in the city, where the customer visits are steady throughout the week,” says Bhavesh Shah, owner of The Bask. “There is a surge of people living in ECR post-COVID.”

For Suresh, his favorite time is the weekend. “My weekend starts with a visit to Kovalam Blue Flag Beach, followed by a meal at Kaly’s Pizzeria,” he says. “ECR truly offers a wonderful mix of nature, food, recreation, culture, spirituality, and family-friendly experiences, making it one of my favourite places to spend the weekend.”

Where to go

Visitors and residents are spoilt for choice when it comes to leisure. Sports enthusiasts can head to Dev Sports Academy in Kanathur or Colosseum Dinkin Arena in Panaiyur for a game of pickleball, while Nassa Uth Hub in Uthandi offers bowling and arcade games for families and groups. Those interested in culture and nature can explore DakshinaChitra, the Madras Crocodile Bank, Faunus Park, or visit the Nithya Kalyana Perumal Temple at Thiruvidandhai and the nearby Matsya Narayana Temple. The stretch is also home to several popular dining destinations, including Bhangra, Geetham, Malt’s Pizzeria, Gossip Bistro, Zhouyu, and Kai from the Sea. For dessert, Stellar Gelato in Injambakkam is a favourite, while Sorrel Gardens offers a serene escape for those looking to spend time amidst greenery.

The writer is a journalist from Chennai.