Understanding the gentrification of a suburb: A case study of Sholinganallur along the IT Corridor of Chennai, India

Abstract

Gentrification has been described as a simultaneous physical, social, and cultural phenomenon which involves invasion by middle-class or higher-income groups of previously working-class neighborhoods. Although this phenomenon originated in the urban context, it has now spread to the suburb, contradicting Neil Smith's neighborhood lifecycle approach. This paper shows the suburban gentrification of Sholinganallur, a neighborhood along the IT corridor of the city of Chennai than has become the abode of the IT people. It attempts to understand the supply side drivers that commonly include the real estate developers and government interested in increasing economy of the country. The demand side drivers comprise of the people working in the IT sector, looking for a cosmopolitan lifestyle. The paper further explores the physical and social impacts of gentrification on the population as well as solutions for improving the situation of the neighborhood.