Joining Technopark? Where to live in Thiruvananthapuram and how to move there

Living close to Technopark

Technopark is in Kazhakkoottam, on the northern side of Thiruvananthapuram along the NH 66 bypass. If you'd like a short ride to work, the areas right around it are the obvious choice. Kazhakootam itself (usually spelt Kazhakkoottam on official signs) has plenty of apartments, PG accommodation and rented houses aimed at people working in the park. Kulathoor is right next door, and Karyavattom, home to the university campus, and Sreekaryam are a short drive away.

These areas suit bachelors and young couples well, and flats close to the campus tend to be taken quickly, so decide fast when you find one you like. Families with school-going children sometimes find fewer suitable options and look a little further towards the city.

Measure before you commit. Compact lifts and narrow stairwells are common in smaller buildings, and an L-shaped sofa that fitted fine in Bengaluru may not turn the corner here.

Also find out what the flat already has. Many rentals near the park come semi-furnished, with wardrobes, a modular kitchen and sometimes a fridge or washing machine. If yours does, you may be able to leave some bulky pieces in storage or sell them before the move, which cuts the load and the time on both ends.

Which city areas work if you have a family?

Plenty of people who've been in Thiruvananthapuram a while live in the city and drive out to Technopark. Pattom, Kesavadasapuram and Ulloor sit on the way, with established schools and hospitals nearby, and the commute stays reasonable outside peak hours. Medical College and Mannanthala are similar options. Kowdiar, Vazhuthacaud and Sasthamangalam are older, greener and closer to the centre, though the daily drive is longer.

Test the commute at the hour you'd actually travel. Junctions on the way through Sreekaryam and Ulloor can slow down badly when offices and schools open.

A lot of rentals here are independent houses rather than flats, often with a sit-out, a small yard and a work area behind the kitchen. That changes what's worth bringing. Outdoor chairs, a second fridge and bigger storage racks suddenly have a place.

School timing shapes the date for many families. Kerala state syllabus schools reopen around June, while most CBSE schools begin their session in April. Coming from Bengaluru or Chennai mid-year, you'll want the transfer certificate and recent report cards in your hand luggage, and it helps to call schools in Pattom or Kesavadasapuram before the goods leave.

Packing for heavy monsoon rain

Thiruvananthapuram is wet for a big part of the year. The south-west monsoon usually arrives in early June, and the north-east monsoon brings another round in October and November. Even in the dry months the air is humid. For a move, that means two separate problems: rain on the day, and damp inside cartons afterwards.

For rain on the day, our crew loads under cover wherever the building allows, and every carton and piece of furniture gets a waterproof wrap on the outside. Wooden furniture goes under Fabric Sheet first. We don't load in a downpour. If the sky opens up, we pause and wait.

The damp inside cartons is where people lose things. These habits help:

• Don't pack anything wet or freshly washed. Clothes should be fully dry, even if it means a day under the fan.
• Put silica gel sachets in cartons with leather bags, shoes, cameras and documents.
• Drain and dry the washing machine and water purifier the day before.
• Unpack books, clothes and leather within the first few days, because sealed cartons in a humid room grow mould faster than you'd expect.
• Check the new house for damp patches and termite tracks before furniture goes against the walls.

Moving from Bengaluru or Chennai

A lot of Technopark joiners come from Bengaluru, Chennai or Kochi. From Bengaluru the drive is about 670 km and takes 2–3 days, while Chennai is about 800 km and takes 3–5 days. Kochi is much closer, about 210 km and a 1–2 day move.

The pickup end usually sets the date. Gated communities in Bengaluru and apartment blocks in Chennai often want lift bookings and moving permission in advance, and a weekday slot is easier to get than a Saturday. Our Bengaluru packers and movers page covers that side. Once the goods are loaded, you can fly or take the train down, stay in a service apartment for a couple of nights and be at the new flat when the truck pulls in.

A car can travel on a car carrier with the household goods or on its own date, and a bike rides on our Bike Stand. A vehicle registered in Karnataka or Tamil Nadu has to be re-registered in Kerala if you stay beyond 12 months.

Timing the move around Kerala's calendar

Rain isn't the only thing that decides a date here. Onam, which falls in August or September, brings several days of holidays, and labour, transport and government offices slow down around it. Some families also avoid moving into a new home during Karkidakam, the Malayalam month that runs roughly from mid-July to mid-August. If your landlord is from an older generation, don't be surprised if they suggest a different date.

Many Malayali families hold a small house-warming with a milk-boiling ceremony before the furniture comes in. If you're planning one, ask for the kitchen cartons to be delivered first, or schedule the rest of the delivery for the next day.

If your joining date is flexible, the dry weeks after the north-east monsoon ends make loading much simpler.

Your first week in Thiruvananthapuram

1. Check which broadband providers serve your building and book a connection early.
2. Update your address with HR, the bank and the gas agency.
3. Keep the itemised packing list handy and check cartons against it as they come off the truck.
4. Unpack damp-sensitive things first: clothes, books, leather and electronics.
5. If you're unpacking slowly, put fragile items back into their Perfect Box cartons instead of leaving them on the floor.

For the areas we cover and moves inside the city, see packers and movers in Trivandrum.