We booked our flat in April 2000. Ours was the first to be booked in Phase 3. We visited the site a few times. Hardly found any roads. Very few knew the way to Jyotsna or Padmavathi Nagar for that matter. We went abroad four months after booking the flat and could not visit Jyotsna construction site for next 8 months. We visited the site again in May 2001. There was absolutely no progress in the construction. Since then we made frequent visits to monitor and follow up with Alacrity. It was rainy season during 2001. We could not drive beyond Vijaya Nagar 1st cross street. After a couple of days we could come as far as Murugu Nagar extension. That added to our worries. We began thinking if we made right decision to buy a flat so far from Vijaya Nagar bus stand. Our well-wishers even questioned us for booking the flat.

During our visits to the site we met some of the families to know about the living conditions. Ground water was in abundance, but not potable. There were no street lamps at all. The only lights were the flood lights provided by Alacrity. Those were primarily meant for securing their own materials at the site. There were no roads to commute. Over time, corporation laid roads leading to Padmavathy Nagar. Still our colony did not have roads. Water was primarily supplied by Alacrity. We had security guards from Alacrity to secure the construction site. Over a period of 2 years, our house construction was completed by Alacrity themselves. We moved into the colony in April 2003. There were about 30 families at that time.

Gradually the situation changed. Alacrity could not proceed with construction. They had engaged another builder to complete the project. The new builder did not even provide the simple facilities like flood lights. The colony was in the dark all of a sudden. Stepping out of the house, since then,in the evenings was a night mare. The residents comprised of senior citizens, small children apart from the adults. The west side of our colony was full of marsh and bushes. That area had a number snakes. Finding snakes in the colony (motor rooms in particular), was common sight. Children were rarely allowed to go beyond the closed doors of their homes when darkness decended. Alacrity stopped supplying water. A number of owners had their woes added due to the delays in construction, poor living conditions, lack of basic civic amenities and the additional money they had to spend to get their houses registered. A number of these common problems got the residents and owners together.

Attention was given to street lights, water supply and security. We requested the residents to keep their gate lights on at nights. We engaged an electrician to fix the lamps to all gates . It is perhaps worthy to mention that even though the electric wiring was done by Alacrity, the basic fixture to put a gate lamp was not existing in most of the houses. We also requested some of the owners to lend electricity so that some lights could be switched on through out the night. They agreed to do it for nominal monthly charges. Some of the owners were kind enough to leave the gate lights on throughout the nights. In parallel the association made attempts with corporation to provide street lights. After a long struggle, we finally got the street lights in February 2005 It was a matter of great happiness and celebration to the residents. It was as thought electric lamps were never seen before !

We engaged a security agency to provide security guards. We had hardly few members paying the subscription. We had to manage things with a meager sum. We started off with 3 security men. One during the day and two during the night. We were not satisfied with their services over time and finally the association decided to engage watchmen on its own during 2006.

We had no telephone cables in the colony. We had only wireless phones or WiLL phones as they were called. Due to the efforts of our founder President, we got telephone cables laid the in colony in 2001. Since then we have regular phones and Internet access too! BSNL also opened an office closer to Padmavathi Nagar and that made our lives easier.

A number of representations were made in several forums by the association requesting authorities for basic amenities in the colony. I vividly remember attending one of the public forums in Adambakkam organized by Indian Express with all government authorities. We made a representation and our President spoke about our problems. We used to look at newspapers and find out about such public meetings, so that our problems could be brought to the notice of the Authorities. Exnora also helped us by providing some saplings for shade giving trees and contacts in government offices to meet right persons. As you may guess, knowing the right process and the right people is the key to getting things done in these matters.

The houses had no door numbers for years. The watchmen only could guide the visitors to the right house. So the association took the initiative to paint plot numbers and street numbers on the compound walls. It was a sigh of relief to many of the residents to see the door numbers. One might find it a bit odd to know that the association was sent congratulatory messages for putting the door numbers! In any other established colony, it would have gone unnoticed. All these helped us secure ration cards and voter ID cards subsequently. The Association coordinated the efforts to obtain these from the Corporation.

After addressing the need for lights and security, some time in 2004, we took up common area cleaning. It took a while to understand the expectations of residents, to find the right people and make it a basic service that is in place today.

While we were approaching the Corporation for basic amenities, we were questioned on the progress the owners made on Corporation tax assessment and regular payment. It was during 2003 to 2004, we could complete this exercise for a majority of the houses. The Association played a key role in compiling the applications, submission to Corporation and completion of the assessment.

Since we were not paying any tax to water supply authorities, we were not permitted to even buy water through Metro Water lorries for a long time. We did not have sewerage or water connection. We had engaged a private water supplier to provide water at reasonable rate. It was only due to the Association and cooperation of the residents,that we could keep the price of water under control. We introduced the system of buying a lorry load of water once three sumps are empty and sharing the cost. After we started paying water tax, we could buy water from Metro Water.

All the houses had their own septic tanks and getting them cleared regularly was another challenge. The Association had found the details of whom to contact for the same and passed on to all houses. The septic tanks were designed such that if there is an overflow, the sewage water would flow through storm water drain, so as to give temporary relief before the tank is cleared. One fine day we found that many of the septic tanks in our colony were full at the same time. After investigation, we spotted that one of the storm water drain exits was blocked by a neighbouring plot owner and the drainage water flowed back into the tanks! It took a bit of time, to resolve these matters. Over these years, the Association followed up with Sewerage Board to file the papers and get the sewerage lines laid.

Fortunately enough, the 2005 floods came after completely laying the sewerage lines. But then we did not have roads. On top, the existing (so called) roads were already not even fit for comfortable walking, due to the unevenness left after the laying of sewerage lines. By the time floods came, our houses were not connected to the sewerage lines. The flood waters filled water sumps and septic tanks on the same day night! Since our houses were constructed well above the ground level, water did not enter the houses, even though it was 1 foot deep inside the compound. On the (so called) streets, the water was 2 to 2.5 feet deep. Many residents left the colony to stay with their friends, relatives and office provided accommodations. Snakes were visibly spotted in the colony often in those days. Electricity supply was completely cut due the water logging and safety reasons. Once the rainy season got over, we finally managed to get sewerage connections to individual houses.

In addition to lack of roads, the builder who sub-contracted from Alacrity was not cooperative with the residents. The construction workers and the material covering a major portion of the roads had given us tough time. The builder even refused to help us with street lighting, from the temporary connection provided by Electricity Board for construction purposes. While all other things were happening, we continued our endeavors with the Corporation to obtain roads. They first agreed in 2006, to temporarily increase the height of the roads and level them. After multiple visits by the committee members and residents and requests to various authorities, we had roads laid in early 2007.

When we moved into the colony in 2003, the park was full of construction material and garbage. After many requests, the builder vacated the park. Some members of the Association gave one time donation to clean up the park that was full of bushes and small plants. With these contributions, the park was cleaned. Since then the Association improved the park progressively. In 2004, the Volley ball and Shuttle cork courts were arranged. In 2006, the benches were provided. One of the members donated the swing and the Association got it installed. The coconut trees also grew over the years. The park became good enough to conduct yearly meetings, Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations.

It is nostalgic to write how we over came the lack of basic amenities that we deserve as citizens, how we had to put in effort to obtain every amenity to where we are today, to celebrate the Independence Day or a New Year Eve merrily. Without the untiring efforts of the residents, the committee members and support of the owners, for sure, Jyotsna could not have become the preferred place to live.