Anna Salai (), formerly known as St. Thomas Mount Road or simply Mount Road,
is an
arterial road
An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban road that sits below freeways/motorways on the road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and speed. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector ro ...
in
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
, India. It starts at the Cooum Creek, south of
Fort St George
Fort St. George (or historically, White Town) is a fortress in the coastal city of Chennai, India. Founded in 1639, it was the first English (later British) fortress in India. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further s ...
, leading in a south-westerly direction towards
St. Thomas Mount
Parangimalai (known in English as St. Thomas Mount) is a small hillock in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, near the neighbourhood of Guindy and very close to Chennai International Airport.
The ancient Syrian Christian community of India trace t ...
, and ends at the
Kathipara Junction in
Guindy
Guindy is one of the most important neighborhoods of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and is nicknamed as ''The Gateway to Chennai''. The Kathipara junction where Anna Salai, Mount-Poonamallee Road, Inner Ring Road, 100 Feet Road or Jawaharlal Nehru Roa ...
. Beyond the Kathipara Junction, a branch road arises traversing westwards to
Poonamallee
Poonamallee is suburb of Chennai, India under the Chennai Metropolitan Area. It was historically called ''Pushpagirimangalam'', later renamed in Tamil as ''Poovirundhavalli'' (), and now colloquially called as ''Poondhamalli''. It is a town in ...
to form the
Mount-Poonamallee Road
St. Thomas Mount-Poonamallee Road, popularly known as the Mount-Poonamallee Road (SH-55), is an arterial road in the city of Chennai, India. It runs for 11 kilometres from Kathipara Junction to the NH 4 highway connecting St. Thomas Mount wit ...
while the main branch continuing southwards to
Chennai Airport
Chennai International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu and its metropolitan area. It is located in Tirusulam, southwest of the city centre. Chennai International Airport is the sixth busiest airpo ...
,
Tambaram
Tambaram is a southern suburb of Chennai, India. Located in the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, it is governed by Tambaram City Municipal Corporation and is a part of the Chennai Metropolitan Area.
Etymology
Tambaram is an ancient town ...
and beyond to form
Grand Southern Trunk Road Grand Southern Trunk Road (or) National Highways 45 is an arterial road in Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Chennai–Trichy Highway. The Road starts from Kathipara Junction in St Thomas Mount, Chennai towards Tiruchirappalli. It branches out from A ...
(
GST Road Grand Southern Trunk Road (or) National Highways 45 is an arterial road in Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Chennai–Trichy Highway. The Road starts from Kathipara Junction in St Thomas Mount, Chennai towards Tiruchirappalli. It branches out from ...
or
NH45
National Highway 45 (NH 45) is a primary national highway in India. This highway runs in the states,sagartola of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The route of NH-45 was extended from Jabalpur to Bilaspur in June 2016.
Route
NH45 traverses ...
). Anna Salai, which is more than 400 years old, is acknowledged as the most important road in Chennai city. The head offices of many commercial enterprises and public buildings are located along Anna Salai. It is the second longest road in Chennai, after
EVR Periyar Salai
EVR Periyar Salai (EVR High Road), earlier known as Poonamallee High Road (NH 48) and originally the Grand Western Trunk Road, is an arterial road in Chennai, India. It is the longest road in Chennai. Running from east to west, the road start ...
.
There were several flyover projects under proposal along the stretch, many of which have been shelved owing to the construction of the
Chennai Metro
The Chennai Metro is a rapid transit system serving the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is the 4th longest metro system In india. The system commenced service in 2015 after partially opening the first phase of the project. The network c ...
Rail project, which runs along the median of the road. Anna Salai Head Post office, one of the most important post offices in the city, is located on this road. It was established in 1854 as Mount Road SO as a non-gazetted delivery office. With the growth of commerce and urbanization, this SO was upgraded to gazetted in the year 1955. Nomenclature of this Head Post office was changed from Mount Road Head Post office to Anna Road Head Post office on 15 September 1974.
History
Anna Salai can be traced from at least the early 17th century,
and has its origins in a cart track which was used by the European employees of the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
to travel from the factory at
Fort St George
Fort St. George (or historically, White Town) is a fortress in the coastal city of Chennai, India. Founded in 1639, it was the first English (later British) fortress in India. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further s ...
to the holy town of
St Thomas Mount where the apostle
St Thomas was crucified. The road, in its present form, took shape during the time of
Charles Macartney
Charles George Macartney (27 June 1886 – 9 September 1958) was an Australian cricketer who played in 35 Test matches between 1907 and 1926. He was known as "The Governor-General" in reference to his authoritative batting style and his flamb ...
who served as
Governor of Madras
This is a list of the governors, agents, and presidents of colonial Madras, initially of the English East India Company, up to the end of British colonial rule in 1947.
English Agents
In 1639, the grant of Madras to the English was finalized be ...
. With the construction of Marmalong Bridge in 1724, the road started gaining prominence. In the following years, the road became part of the city's central business district which originally covered only
George Town.
Today, most of Chennai's business and corporate offices are located on Anna Salai.
In the 1700s, the road was lined with garden houses and large colonial mansions with balconies and verandas set amidst lush gardens.
By the 1800s, Mount Road has become the traders' area of the city of Madras while First Line Beach in Georgetown remained the seat of processing, shipping and manufacturing businesses. However, the business activities of Mount Road was responsible for the city's economic growth. Several giant firms had beginnings on Mount Road, from the Amalgamations group to the TVS group. The road's proximity to the Government House, the home of the Governor, and the palaces of the Nawabs of Arcot resulted in several firms selling cars and other luxury goods setting up shops on the road. Simpson & Co, which moved to its current location opposite Government Estate after 1875, began building carriages and coaches and then cars. In the early 1900s, the road became the entertainment hub for the British.
In 1903, the first steam-driven car was taken for its debut drive on Mount Road. To overcome the Great Depression of the 1930s, Simpon's introduced the
hire purchase
A hire purchase (HP), also known as an installment plan, is an arrangement whereby a customer agrees to a contract to acquire an asset by paying an initial installment (e.g., 40% of the total) and repaying the balance of the price of the asset pl ...
system for cars and trucks. In the 1930s, the TVS group, which was a travel operator in mofussil areas, was established in Madras by acquiring the Madras Auto Service property. In the 1940s, Anantharamakrishnan helped with the formation of Amalgamations & Co. The city's first skyscraper, the
LIC Building
LIC Building is a 15-storied building in Chennai, India, serving as the southern headquarters of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. It is the first skyscraper built in Chennai and an important landmark in the city. Located on the arteria ...
, was built on Anna Salai in 1959. Several major firms were then established, namely, Spencers & Co, Victoria Family Hotel (the present location of the Indian Overseas Bank Headquarters) and Higginbothams.
The Stretch
Anna Salai starts from the
Parktown
Parktown is a wealthy suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, the first suburb north of the inner city (both chronologically and geographically). It is affectionately known as one of the Parks, others including Parkview, Parkwood, Westcliff, Parkt ...
area of Chennai city where
Chennai Central
Chennai Central (station code: MAS, short for ''Madras''), officially known as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, is the main railway terminus in the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is the busiest railway ...
railway terminus is situated. It, then, traverses
the Island with its statue of Sir Thomas Munro to the other side of the Coovum before entering the neighbourhoods of
Thousand Lights
Thousand Lights is a constituency of the legislative assembly of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Its State Assembly Constituency number is 20. It forms a part of the Chennai Central Lok Sabha constituency for national elections to the Parli ...
and
Teynampet
Teynampet, also Teynampettai, is one of the busiest commercial localities in the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Part of the city's central business district, it is surrounded by Gopalapuram in the north, Mylapore in the east, Alwarpet in t ...
areas. From Teynampet, it continues straight southwards to
Nandanam
Nandanam is a neighborhood in Chennai, India. It is a busy location and is home to many commercial institutions. This locality also offers a calm residential location. Nandanam Arts College was established in 1901. Nandanam Junction, on the a ...
and
Saidapet
Saidapet, also known as Saidai, is a neighbourhood in Chennai, India, situated in the northern banks of the Adyar River and serves as an entry point to Central Chennai. It is surrounded by West Mambalam in the North, C.I.T Nagar in the North- ...
before traversing the
Maraimalai Adigal Bridge
The Maraimalai Adigal Bridge (previously the Marmalong Bridge) is a road bridge on Anna Salai connecting the northern and southern banks of the Adyar River.
History
The oldest bridge across the Adyar River - the Marmalong Bridge - was original ...
across the
Adyar River to
Little Mount
Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt
* ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film
*The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...
and finally,
Guindy
Guindy is one of the most important neighborhoods of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and is nicknamed as ''The Gateway to Chennai''. The Kathipara junction where Anna Salai, Mount-Poonamallee Road, Inner Ring Road, 100 Feet Road or Jawaharlal Nehru Roa ...
. Anna Salai is maintained by the
Tamil Nadu Highways Department. The road extends for a total of 11 kilometres and traverses the heart of the city.
By the 2010s, the stretch between
Parry's Corner and
Nandanam
Nandanam is a neighborhood in Chennai, India. It is a busy location and is home to many commercial institutions. This locality also offers a calm residential location. Nandanam Arts College was established in 1901. Nandanam Junction, on the a ...
was used by over 16,000 vehicles during rush hour. Anna Salai is used by over 0.183 million vehicles every day.
The Metropolitan Transport Corporation in Anna Salai carries about 14,000 passengers per hour per direction.
Safety level
Anna Salai remains the road in the city experiencing second most number of accidents annually, next only to Jawaharlal Nehru Road (100 ft Inner Ring Road), with one person being injured every 1.13 days. Together, these roads account for almost 14 per cent of the 5,101 accidents that occurred in Chennai in 2010.
Landmarks on Anna Salai
Major landmarks
* Agurchand Mansion (built late 1800s)
*
Anna Flyover
Anna Flyover, also known as Gemini Flyover, is a dual-armed grade separator in the central business district of Chennai, India. Built in 1973 and dubbed one of the top-rated flyovers in the country, it is Asia's First Grade Separator, the firs ...
*
Ashok Leyland
Ashok Leyland is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturer, headquartered in Chennai. It is owned by the Hinduja Group. It was founded in 1948 as Ashok Motors and became Ashok Leyland in the year 1955. Ashok Leyland is the second-most ...
- ALCOB Building
*
Bharat Overseas Bank
Bharat Overseas Bank (BOB) was a private bank based in Chennai, India. In 2007, it merged with Indian Overseas Bank, which took over all the bank's employees, assets, and deposits.
BOB was established in 1973, in order to takeover for the Bangko ...
Headquarters
*
Indian Overseas Bank
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) is an Indian public sector bank based in Chennai. It has about 3,214 domestic branches, about 4 foreign branches and representative office. Founded in February 1937 by M. Ct. M. Chidambaram Chettyar with twin object ...
Headquarters
*
Bharat Insurance Building
Bharat Insurance building is a heritage building in Chennai, India. Located on the arterial Anna Salai, it was built in 1897. Originally known as Kardyl Building, the building is an example of the Indo-Saracenic architecture, a hybrid of Muslim d ...
(built 1897)
* Century Plaza
* Christ Church (built 1852)
* Cosmopolitan Club
* Cosmopolitan Club Golf Links
*
American Consulate
*
Devaneya Paavaanar Library
* Devi Theater
*
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; DMK) is a political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu where it is currently the ruling party having a comfortable majority without coalition support and the union territory of Puducherry where it is curre ...
MK(Party Headquarters)
* Gove House (built 1916)
*
The Grand Chola Hotel
* Guindy Railway Overbridge
*
Higginbotham's
Higginbotham's is an Indian bookstore chain and publisher based in the city of Chennai. The company's first bookstore at Mount Road, Chennai is India's oldest bookshop in existence. Madras Rediscovered, Pg 81 The company's second bookstore in B ...
(India's oldest bookshop) (built 1844)
* Hindustan Teleprinters Limited (built early 1900s)
*
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vaca ...
* Indian Oil Building
* Intellectual Property India Headquarters
* Island Grounds Exhibition Centre
* Kalignar Satellite Television Headquarters
*
Kamaraj Memorial Hall
Kumaraswami Kamaraj (15 July 1903 – 2 October 1975, hinduonnet.com. 15–28 September 2001), popularly known as Kamarajar was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the Chief Minister of Madras State (Tamil Nadu) ...
*
Kathipara Cloverleaf Intersection
*
Le Royal Meridien Hotel
*
LIC Building
LIC Building is a 15-storied building in Chennai, India, serving as the southern headquarters of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. It is the first skyscraper built in Chennai and an important landmark in the city. Located on the arteria ...
(Chennai's first skyscraper)
*
Madras Gymkhana Club
The Madras Gymkhana Club (MGC) is a club in Chennai, India, which was founded in 1884 to promote sports and social and cultural activities. It owns and operates one of Chennai's two 18-hole golf courses, one of Asia's oldest courses. Tamil Na ...
*
Maraimalai Adigal Bridge
The Maraimalai Adigal Bridge (previously the Marmalong Bridge) is a road bridge on Anna Salai connecting the northern and southern banks of the Adyar River.
History
The oldest bridge across the Adyar River - the Marmalong Bridge - was original ...
* Mount Road Mosque
*
Thousand Lights Mosque
Thousand Lights is a multi-domed mosque in Anna Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is one of the largest mosques in the country and is a revered place of worship and azadari for Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest ...
(built early 1800s)
*
Mount Road Head Post Office
* ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
''
* ''
The Mail
Mail is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels.
Mail or The Mail may also refer to:
Newspapers
* ''Daily Mail'', a British newspaper
**The Mail on Sunday
**MailOnline
* ''Sunday Mail'' (Adelaide), formerly The Mai ...
'' (built 1921)
* Thevar Statue
* Oxford University Press
*
P Orr & Sons (built 1873)
* Panagal Building
*
The Park Hotel
* Poombuhar Building (built late 1800s)
*
Rajaji Hall (built 1802)
*
Raheja Towers
* Rani Seethai Hall
* Rayala Towers
* Sacred Heart School, Church Park
*
Safire Theatre complex
The Safire Theatre complex was India's first largest multi-theatre complex located in the southern city of Chennai that functioned from 1964 to 1994. The theatre complex was located on Mount Road (now Anna Salai) and consisted of three screeni ...
(now demolished)
*
Saidapet Teachers' College
The Institute of Advanced Study in Education, popularly known as Teachers' College is the oldest teacher training institute in India located in Saidapet, Chennai.
History
It was started in Vepery as the 'Government Normal School' in 1856. The ...
*
Semmozhi Poonga
Semmozhi Poonga, variously spelled as Semmoli Poonga (literally translated to "Classical Language Park"), is a botanical garden in Chennai set up jointly by the Horticulture and Agricultural Engineering department of the Government of Tamil Na ...
* Simpsons
*
Spencer Plaza
Spencer Plaza (Tamil language, Tamil: ஸ்பென்சர் பிளாசா) is a shopping mall located on Anna Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and is one of the modern landmarks of the city. Originally built during the period ...
*
SPIC Building
* State Bank of India building (built early 1900s)
* St. George's Cathedral (built 1816)
*
St. Thomas Mount
Parangimalai (known in English as St. Thomas Mount) is a small hillock in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, near the neighbourhood of Guindy and very close to Chennai International Airport.
The ancient Syrian Christian community of India trace t ...
*
Sterling Towers
*
Taj Connemara Hotel
* Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Headquarters
* Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Government Estate
* Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL)
* Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
* Tarapore Towers
*
The British Council
The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh la ...
* VGP Victory House
*
Victoria Technical Institute
Victoria Technical Institute is an institute established to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The institute promotes traditional handicrafts of South India.
History
The Victoria Technical Institute was opened in Pantheon Road, ...
* Voltas
* Willington Bridge
* YMCA
Railway Stations
*
Chintadripet MRTS railway station
*
Guindy railway station
Guindy railway station is one of the railway stations of the Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu section of the Chennai Suburban Railway Network. It serves the neighbourhood of Guindy, a suburb of Chennai. It is located at about 14 km from Chennai ...
File:Anna Salai shops.jpg, Anna Salai shops
File:Gemini Flyover-Mount road-Chennai.jpg, Gemini Flyover-Anna Salai
File:Anna Salai2.jpg, Anna Salai near old Anand Theater
File:Thomas Munro classic.jpg, Statue of Thomas Munro
Major-General Sir Thomas Munro, 1st Baronet KCB (27 May 17616 July 1827) was a Scottish soldier and British colonial administrator. He served as an East India Company Army officer and statesman, in addition to also being the governor of Mad ...
in The Island, Chennai
The Island, also called as Island Grounds, is a river island situated on the Coovum River in the northern part of the Indian city of Chennai. The island was created artificially in the early 19th century by merging the Coovum River with the the ...
File:State Legislative Assembly (5319604341).jpg, The Tamil Nadu Omandurar Government Multi Speciality Hospital and Medical College
File:The Hindu and The Mail.jpg, The offices of ''The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'' and the now-defunct ''The Mail
Mail is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels.
Mail or The Mail may also refer to:
Newspapers
* ''Daily Mail'', a British newspaper
**The Mail on Sunday
**MailOnline
* ''Sunday Mail'' (Adelaide), formerly The Mai ...
'' in Anna Salai
File:LIC Building Anna Salai Chennai.jpg, LIC Building
LIC Building is a 15-storied building in Chennai, India, serving as the southern headquarters of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. It is the first skyscraper built in Chennai and an important landmark in the city. Located on the arteria ...
File:Spencer Plaza from Anna Salai.jpg, Spencer Plaza
Spencer Plaza (Tamil language, Tamil: ஸ்பென்சர் பிளாசா) is a shopping mall located on Anna Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and is one of the modern landmarks of the city. Originally built during the period ...
from Anna Salai
File:Thousand Lights Mosque (6708375421).jpg, Thousand Lights Mosque
Thousand Lights is a multi-domed mosque in Anna Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is one of the largest mosques in the country and is a revered place of worship and azadari for Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest ...
File:Equestrian Statue Anna Salai Chennai.jpg, Equestrian Statue on the Nungambakkam
Nungambakkam is a locality in downtown Chennai, India. The neighborhood abounds with multi-national commercial establishments, important government offices, foreign consulates, educational institutions, shopping malls, sporting facilities, to ...
side of Anna (Gemini) fly over.
File:Anna Salai seen from Chennai MRTS near Willingdon Bridge.JPG, Near Willingdon Bridge, seen from Chennai MRTS
The Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System, a state-owned subsidiary of Indian Railways, is a metropolitan elevated railway line in Chennai, India. Operated by the Southern Railways, it is the first elevated railway line in India and also the coun ...
File:Panagal Building.jpg, Panagal Maaligai or Panagal Building, Saidapet
Saidapet, also known as Saidai, is a neighbourhood in Chennai, India, situated in the northern banks of the Adyar River and serves as an entry point to Central Chennai. It is surrounded by West Mambalam in the North, C.I.T Nagar in the North- ...
See also
*
Transport in Chennai
Transport in Chennai includes various modes of air, sea, road and rail transportation in the city and its suburbs. Chennai's economic development has been closely tied to its port and transport infrastructure, and it is considered one of the best ...
References
{{Transport in Chennai
Roads in Chennai
Central business districts in India
Memorials to C. N. Annadurai