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SHOPPING

Many new colonies have sprung up in the last few years like Anna nagar, Ashoknagar, and KK Nagar. Each area has its own well stocked "market" where all items are available.

Thrift minded residents prefer to go to the main markets. There are several market areas: some of the popular ones are at Kodambakkam, Pondi Bazaar,Saidapet, Parry;'s, Triplicane, Mylapore. The characteristic Chennai �mom and pop � stores ( to use global jargon) are invariably named Murugan stores.
(Murugan is the name of a popular deity).

Large stores like Saravanans are midway between the older style shops and the newer supermarkets like Foodworld, Nilgiris etc. Efficient home delivery is usual, too. The other end of the spectrum is represented by mega stores like Globus, Shoppers� Stop, West Side and Life Style . Chennai residents also proudly point out Spencers, the first and largest shopping mall in India.

Illustrative costs :
Wheat Rs 18
Rice Rs 23
Tur dal Rs 30
Udad dal Rs 35
Masur Dal Rs 35
Onion Rs. 8
Potatoes Rs. 10
Sugar Rs. **
1 litre milk 10.50 govt dairy .
Others 14
butter Rs 135 kg
mutton Rs 140
beef Rs 60
fish Rs 160
eggs 1.50 each
1 kg tomato Rs 8
1 kg beans Rs 24
1 kg brinjal Rs 10
cauliflower avg size 1 flr Rs 8
1 kg carrot Rs25
Often, home deliverymen undertake to supply all staples, at a nominally higher
cost.
A meal in a clean, middle class restaurant on average Rs. 30-45
Hotel Saravana Bhavan Rs 29 onwards
Hotel Sangeetha Rs 25 onwards
Hotel Angappar Rs 50 onwards
A meal in a upmarket restaurant costs on average Rs. 400
Taj Continental Rs 375 onwards
Connemara Rs 400-
Chola Sheraton Rs 400 -
A cup of tea Tea house/cafe Rs. 3
Road side tea vendor 2 - 2.50
Middle class restaurant Rs 6
Upmarket Rs 15 -25
Local savouries and snacks chitchat Rs 30
Sangeetas Chaat Rs 25
Hot breads , Hot chips Rs 25
A haircut Rs. 15 - 20
Stitching a pant Rs. 180
Shirt 120 Blouse 40
Salwar kameez 150
Kids set clothes 180
Ironing a shirt Rs. 2
Ironing a pant Rs. 2
Ironing a saree Rs 6
Rolling/polishing saree 25-30
Haircut (men) 30-50
Hair dye 25-150 (parlour)
Face session 120-250
A trip to doctor 50-150
Injection 15-50
Minor surgery/diagnostic 5000-10,000 , Angiogram 14,000
Major surgery . bypass 1.4 to 2.3 lakh

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INFRASTRUCTURE, SERVICES, COST OF LIVING

Electricity: Chennai rarely experiences power cuts. The power supply is better than most Indian metros.

Cooking Gas: Unless you are transferring your existing connection from elsewhere forget about the major state owned gas companies. New connections from public sector gas companies take 2 years from application. Refill delivery time ranges between 3 days to a week Private gas vendors supply on demand and are efficient, for instance SPIC who charge a deposit of Rs 2500 plus Rs 250 per refill for the 12 kg cylinder. (and around Rs 400 for 17 kg cylinder).

Water: The municipality supplies piped water but the supply is insufficient. Hence the water is released only for 4 hours in the morning and 1 hr ain the evening. In some years there has been a shortage of water in summer. Residents of flats generally get water from water suppliers.

Sanitation: Chennai municipal authorities have outsourced the collection and disposal of garbage to a singapore firm. The city seems to be cleaner than before say long time residents.

Domestic help: Domestic help is available without difficulty: cost around 350 to 600 a month. This includes cleaning the house, washing the dishes and clothes.

Creches: Creches are available and they cost around 400 to 500. There are several special facilities for handicapped persons, aged people and so on and are usually listed in telephone directories.

Telephones: Realistically speaking new connections are difficult to obtain immediately (takes at least a month) from the govt telephone. Cell telephones are easily available.

Internet: Internet is available in Chennai and the service is said to be good. Apart from VSNL, the private services are Satyam, Dishnet, Cyberwave (cable modem) and several others. Rates are going down with competition. Cybercafes are seen all over the city.

Banks: All over the city, ATMs are common. Very efficient service, you can't see much difference between nationalised banks and private banks it is said.

Media: Chennai has many newspapers including the The Hindu, Indian Express, Daily Thanthi, Dinamalar. Many magazines and journals too are published from here.

Cinema and TV: Chennai is the capital of the south Indian film industry...what south Indian..many Hindi films too are made here. Several studios are based in Chennai. The influence of films is all pervasive. More than fifty years ago politicians in these parts realised the cinema could be a powerful tool for mass awareness. They planned to systematically make use of the film industry to further their goals. They were successful, unfortunately too successful and it is now a case of films dominating politics. Sometimes it is hard to tell in Chennai where the real world ends and the film world begins. In recent times directors have been concentrating on technical excellence and the results are showing.

TV is also very popular but has not yet shaken off the cinema influence. The success of cable TV and demand for locally oriented TV is likely to increase the penetration of TV in Chennai. Already service providers have started offering internet through cable TV.

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