Ambattur does not seem to have a close association
with ‘bhakthi’, or devotion. The few temples that are seen are of
recent origin. We can find a church near the bus stand. Since Mouna
Guru Swamigal was residing in this area, the residents probably felt
that the Swamigal's house was sufficient enough to meet their
devotional needs. Or else they would have visited the
Thirumullaivoyil Temple which is located about four or five
kilometers away and therefore not built any major temple in Ambattur.
But any area should have a hospital. In that aspect the Stedford
Hospital is situated very close to Ambattur. Some doctors and smaller
clinics have also come up now. The absence of a proper drainage system
and good streets are conducive for the occurrence of ailments. After
the rains, water can be seen stagnating in various places in this
area. Even then it has come to light that the level of ground water is
going down day by day. For a long time the Ambattur residents had to
come all the way to the city to watch any movie. But today Ambattur is
provided with a modern cinema theater complex, which screens even the
latest releases.
The Ambattur railway station is situated along the broad gauge railway
line between Chennai and Arakonam. The area around the railway station
is highly crowded. But this place is quite close to almost all the
residential areas of the locality. When bus facilities were not fully
developed the public would reach the railway station on foot and also
walk the distance to many areas that were not connected. Or they would
engage a cycle rickshaw or a jatka. The employees of the TI Cycle
Factory used to walk a distance of about a kilometer along the railway
track and then climb the small mount to reach their factory. But the
advent of the buses has totally changed this scene. And moreover the
railway fares are also on the higher side. They are about one and a
half times more than the bus fares. Today new stations have been
opened on either sides of the Ambattur railway station. After an
inordinate delay name boards of these stations are being displayed. It
is strange to name one of them as ‘Thirumullaivoyil’ in the Tamil Nadu
scenario.
