Shade-less driveway in mid-day sun

We could plant a row of shade-giving trees, on the parkside, along the driveway.

Driveway Car-park slots, an after-thought?

Mantri project team is working overtime to cover the clubhouse driveway with paver blocks, after felling three coconut trees, ignoring our pleas.

Plans are afoot to mark out more than 10 parking slots along the driveway. This appears an after-thought on the part of Mantri's space marketing minds.

This photo was taken in June last year. You can't miss the driveway demarcation line running along the row of three coconut trees. In fact, in response to my plea,I was given to understand by PropCare that Mantri project team in consultation with landscape architect was inclined to set aside this space for Mantri residents community-planting programme. Whatever happened since is not clear. The driveway is being paved and the coconut trees that marked the demarcation line (see June photo) are no longer there.
Apartment owner Madhumita,in a comment posted in this blog, alleged that Mantri's didn't submit,let alone get approval for, the plan for converting open space into a minimum of 200 open parking slots, making Rs.250 lakhs from apartment owners. Now that we can't undo the sale of car-park without prejudice to buyers,Mantri ought to transfer the money to its rightful owners - Mantri Apartment owners Association - suggests Madhumita.
We must remember to raise this point with the Association Managing committee when they initiate the take-over process from Mantri's.
Meanwhile, a reminder to residents about our Sunday programme:
Memorial Service to trees
Clubhouse Driveway
9.00 a m - 9.15 a m
Sunday, March 25

Who killed the coconut trees ?

Mantri project team, winding up its work at Mantri Synergy complex (OMR),has in a farewell gesture to residents chopped three coconut trees on the driveway to our clubhouse.A memorial service would be in order.
I wonder if PropCare/project team so much as cared to inform, let alone consult, Mantri residents representatives (ad hoc committee) before the tree slaughter. Unlikely. Because the secretary and vice-president, to whom I gave vent to my frustration this morning, were just as surprised and mad as I was at Mantri's gesture.
It is not just a matter of felling a few trees. It's Mantri's attitude with which I have an issue. Aren't they accountable to residents, who are represented by an ad hoc committee ? At individual level the issue of tree planting/protection has been raised repeatedly in this blog, in a recent e-mail to PropCare, and also with Mantri's landscape architect, Mr Sekar James. And they responded to our plea with supreme indifference.
My inquiry with a friendly security man revealed that the coconut trees on clubhouse driveway were chopped on orders from EB (electricity board). They ruled that the trees had to go, before EB could give power connection to equipment (transformer ?) that has been installed near the gas bank close to our grocery stores. Maybe there is no appeal against EB's ruling on such matters.

If the coconut trees had to go, for whatever reason, I would appeal to Mantri's 'green' sense to arrange for compensatory planting of trees. We could use some mid-day shade along the main driveway. Would suggest a row of neem, so that in a decade from now, Mantri residents can count on a tree-lined driveway.

Cat on our driveway

Not a pleasant sight to encounter on your morning walk. The cat wasn't there by the time I finished my rounds. Prompt work by watch-and-ward staff.

It's a long walk

If you view this picture close enough you find a gentleman carting a suitcase and lugging two shoulder bags. I happened to look out of our D block residence (9th floor) this morning, when the man struggling with his baggage caught my attention. I should have got down the lift to reach out and help this gentleman. Instead, I reached for my camera .
It is a long driveway at Mantri Synergy, and it was hot and stuffy, even at 8.45 a m. And within the next hour so you wouldn't have much shade left on the driveway.
Two things: 1) For some mid-day shade on the driveway we need to plant something more substantive than the potted plants placed for show on our driveway.
2) Couldn't we think of battery-operated golf-carts to ferry people from the main gate to, say, H or I blocks that are at the far end of the Mantri complex.
Golf cart deployed for movement of visitors and staff within Chettinad Health City.