Forgotten Shopping Malls !!

Parsn Complex is amongst one of the oldest shopping landmarks in the city. Situated near the Gemini flyover, this shopping plaza was once famous for the variety of shops that it housed. One could find almost anything. Computers, Travel agents, Mobiles - you name it and you got it.

Today, it is a picture of neglect. Not sure if any one even realizes that the complex exists! There has been no maintenance that has been carried out and that shows blatantly. The elevation (exteriors in technical jargon) doesn’t please the eye and is an instant turn-down for anyone wishing to go to the complex. The less said about the interiors, the better. Poor lighting within, pan stains all over the walls, nonsensical graffiti all over, urchins and other anti-socials lurking around the dark-alleys - has made this once active commercial space in the heart of the city to a shopper’s nightmare.

Most of the other shopping landmarks in the city present no different picture -  Fountain Plaza, Alsa Mall, Prince Plaza to name a few. Once THE hang-out locations of the Chennai youth, these places have lost their importance and have been overshadowed by their much swankier and posh cousins like Spencer Plaza and the Citi Center.

It’s high time the owners of these malls put in some concerted effort to project their prime properties in a better way. A few coats of paint, some lights and some innovative ideas to popularize them should help. These malls and shopping complexes are integral part of Chennai’s history and shouldn’t let them go into obscurity.