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Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a
port city A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ha ...
, a
municipal corporation A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally owne ...
and an
industrial city An industrial city or industrial town is a town or city in which the municipal economy, at least historically, is centered around industry, with important factories or other production facilities in the town. It has been part of most countries' i ...
in
Thoothukudi district Thoothukudi District is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The district was formed by bifurcation of Tirunelveli district on 20 October 1986. Thoothukudi is the district headquarters and largest city of the distric ...
in the Indian state of
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
. The city lies in the
Coromandel Coast The Coromandel Coast is the southeastern coastal region of the Indian subcontinent, bounded by the Utkal Plains to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Kaveri delta to the south, and the Eastern Ghats to the west, extending over an ...
of
Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...
. Thoothukudi is the capital and headquarters of
Thoothukudi district Thoothukudi District is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The district was formed by bifurcation of Tirunelveli district on 20 October 1986. Thoothukudi is the district headquarters and largest city of the distric ...
. It is located about southwest of
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 ...
, northeast of
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
and southeast of
Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
. According to Confederation of Indian Industry, Thoothukudi has the second highest
Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, whi ...
in Tamil Nadu next to
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 ...
. Thoothukudi City serves as the headquarters of
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited (TMB) is a bank headquartered at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. TMB was founded in 1921 as the Nadar Bank, but changed its name to Tamilnad Mercantile Bank in November 1962 to widen its appeal beyond the Nadar ...
. Major educational establishments in the city include Government Thoothukudi Medical College,
Fisheries College and Research Institute The Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) is situated in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. History Fisheries College and Research Institute initially started as Fisheries College was established in the year 1977 as a constituent unit ...
, Tamil Nadu Maritime Academy,
V.O. Chidambaram College V. O. Chidambaram College (commonly known as VOC College) is a college of arts and sciences in Tuticorin, (Thoothukudi), a southern city of Tamil Nadu, India. The college, founded by Kulapathi A. P. C. Veerabahu in 1951, has been recognized by UGC ...
,
Kamaraj College Kamaraj College is one of the oldest arts and science colleges in Tamil Nadu, having been established in the southern port city of Thoothukkudi by various Hindu charitable organizations in the year 1966. The college has been named after the forme ...
,
Anna University Anna University is a public state university located in Tamil Nadu, India. The main campus is in Chennai. It was originally established on 4 September 1978 and was named after C. N. Annadurai, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. History & ...
(Thoothukudi Campus) and Government Polytechnic College. V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust is one of the fastest growing Major
Ports in India India has a coastline spanning 7516.6 kilometres, forming one of the biggest peninsulas in the world. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, around 95 per cent of India's trading by volume and 68 per cent by value is done ...
. Thoothukudi is an "Emerging Energy and Industrial hub of South India". Thoothukudi is known as "Pearl City" due to the pearl fishing carried out in the town. It is a commercial
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
which serves the inland cities of
Southern India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and T ...
and is one of the sea gateways of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the major seaports in India with a history dating back to the 6th century CE. The city is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, by the Early Pandyas,
Medieval Cholas Medieval Cholas rose to prominence during the middle of the 9th century CE and established one of the greatest empires of South India. They successfully united South India under their rule and through their naval strength extended their influen ...
,
Later Cholas The Later Chola dynasty ruled the Chola Empire from 1070 C.E. until the demise of the empire in 1279 C. E. This dynasty was the product of decades of alliances based on marriages between the Cholas and the Eastern Chalukyas based in Vengi, and ...
, Later Pandyas, Ma'bar Sultanate, Tirunelveli Sultanate,
Vijayanagar Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana and ...
, Madurai Nayaks,
Chanda Sahib Chanda Sahib (died 12 June 1752) was a subject of the Mughal Empire and the Nawab of the Carnatic between 1749 and 1752. Initially he was supported by the French during the Carnatic Wars. After his defeat at Arcot in 1751, he was captured by ...
, Carnatic kingdom,
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
,
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
and the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
. Thoothukudi was settled by the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
, Dutch and later by 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 ...
. The city is administered by a
Thoothukudi Municipal Corporation The Thoothukkudi City Municipal Corporation ( TCMC; ta, தூத்துக்குடி மாநகராட்சி, IAST: ) is the governing civic body of Thoothukudi, the sea gate of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was e ...
covering an area of and had a population of 237,830 in 2011. The urban agglomeration had a population of 410,760 . The majority of the people of the city are employed in salt pans, sea-borne trading, fishing, and tourism. The 21 islands between Thoothukudi and
Rameswaram Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kil ...
shores in the
Gulf of Mannar The Gulf of Mannar ( ) is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean with an average depth of .
are noted as the first Marine Biosphere Reserve of India, and have around 36,000 species of flora and fauna. This protected area is called
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a protected area of India consisting of 21 small islands (islets) and adjacent coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar in the Indian Ocean. It lies 1 to 10 km away from the east coast of Tamil Nadu, Indi ...
.
Our Lady of Snows Basilica Our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage centers in India dedicated to the Dedication of Santa Maria Maggiore, Our Lady of Snows, a title given to Mary (Mo ...
festival is celebrated annually during August. This and the Shiva temple festivals, including Adi Amavasai, Sasti, and Chittirai chariot festivals, are the major festivals of the area. Roadways are the major mode of transport to Thoothukudi, while the city also has rail, air, and sea transport.


History

Thoothukudi is also known by the name 'Pearl city'. It is also called as "Sea Gateway of Tamil Nadu". Thoothukudi is part of the Pearl Fishery Coast, and is known for its
pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...
fishing and
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
industries. The ancient town of
Korkai Korkai is a small village in the Srivaikuntam taluk of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, India. It was called Pandya-Kavada in the Kapatapuram in Kalithogai. It is situated about 3 km north of the Thamirabarani River and about 6 k ...
near present-day Thoothukudi has been a centre for maritime trade and pearl fishery for more than 2000 years.
Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...
's geography refers to Korkai as a centre of pearl fishery while describing commercial relations between western India and
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
, the chief eastern emporium of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
. The ''
Periplus A periplus (), or periplous, is a manuscript document that lists the ports and coastal landmarks, in order and with approximate intervening distances, that the captain of a vessel could expect to find along a shore. In that sense, the periplus wa ...
'' says that the Pandyan Empire extended from Comari towards the north, including Korkai, where the pearl fisheries were. Eventully, the
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hinduism, Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana an ...
took over Thoothukudi. Conducted trade with the Portuguese. The Empire split into Nayak kingdoms, who got overthrown by the
Nawab of Arcot The Carnatic Sultanate was a kingdom in South India between about 1690 and 1855, and was under the legal purview of the Nizam of Hyderabad, until their demise. They initially had their capital at Arcot in the present-day Indian state of Tamil N ...
. The Nawab eventuality ceded the land to the British in 1801. The Portuguese established ports in Thoothukudi during the 16th century, and the Dutch occupied these ports in the 17th century as evidenced by Pagoda coins. During the 18th century the British overpowered and occupied the town. Being a port town, the town received attention from the rulers for improving their trade, and so it was brought to Municipal status in 1866. Rao Bahadur Cruz Fernandez and J. L. P. Roche Victoria as the chairmen of municipal corporation made significant contributions, laying the foundations for a modern Thoothukudi. On 20 October 1986, a new district, carved out of the erstwhile Tirunelveli district was born in Tamil Nadu and named after V. O. Chidambaranar, a prominent national leader hailing from Ottapidaram who led the Swadeshi Movement in the south. Since 1997, as is the case in other districts of Tamil Nadu, this district has been named after its headquarters town, Thoothukudi. Thoothukudi became the citadel of freedom struggles in the early of the 20th century.


History of the ports

The major harbour of Thoothukudi is well known as a pearl diving and fishing centre. It is one of the oldest seaports in the world and was the seaport of the Pandyan kingdom after
Korkai Korkai is a small village in the Srivaikuntam taluk of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, India. It was called Pandya-Kavada in the Kapatapuram in Kalithogai. It is situated about 3 km north of the Thamirabarani River and about 6 k ...
, near Palayakayal. It was later taken over by the
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
in 1548, captured by the Dutch in 1658, and ceded to the British in 1825. The lighthouse built in 1842 marked the beginning of the history of harbour development in the city. Thoothukudi was established as a Municipality in 1866 with Roche Victoria as its first chairman. It attained the status of Corporation on 5 August 2008 after 142 years of being a municipality. Thoothukudi Corporation is divided into 60 wards after its expansion in the year 2011 and these wards are comprised in four zones—i.e., East, West, North, and South. East zone has 14–16 and 19–33 wards, West zone has 34–47 wards, North zone has 1–13 and 17, 18 wards and South zone has 48–60 wards. The minor port of the Thoothukudi anchorage port with lighter age facilities has had flourishing traffic for over a century. The first wooden jetty of this port was commissioned in 1864. This port was used for export of salt, cotton yarn, senna leaves, palmyrah stalks, palmyrah fibres, dry fish, country drugs, and other goods to neighbouring countries and for import of coal, cotton, copra, pulses and grains. The minor port of the Thoothukudi has the distinction of being the intermediate port handling the highest traffic tonnage of over 1 million per annum.


Geography and climate

Thoothukudi is a port town situated in the Gulf of Mannar about North of KanyaKumari and its environs form part of the coastal belt which forms a continuous stretch of the flat country relieved here and there by small rock outcrops. The region, surrounding Thoothukudi is liberally dotted with rain fed tanks. Red soils found on the southern side of the Thoothukudi town is composed quartz and variable quantities of fine red dry dust. The port is an all weather one. The bay formed by the Hare Island, Devils point and the main land gives ample protection to the lighters from monsoonal weather. The beach of Thoothukudi is featured with calm breeze and very low waves giving an image of a big river. Thoothukudi is located at . Thoothukudi is located in
South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
, on the
Gulf of Mannar The Gulf of Mannar ( ) is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean with an average depth of .
, about south of
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 ...
and north of
Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...
. The hinterlands of the port of the city is connected to the districts of
Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...
,
Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tami ...
,
Ramanathapuram Ramanathapuram (), also known as Ramnad, is a town and a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanathapuram district and the second largest town (by population) in ...
and
Tiruchirapalli Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...
. The city mostly has a flat terrain and roughly divided into two by the Buckle channel. Being in coastal region, the soil is mostly clay sandy and the water table varies between below ground level. The city has loose soil with thorny shrubs in the north and salt pans in the south. Thoothukundi experiences a hot semi-arid climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''BSh'') characterised by sweltering summers, hot winters and occasional heavy rain during the northeast monsoon. Summer extends from March to June when the climate is very humid. Thoothukudi registers a maximum temperature of and a minimum temperature of . The city receives adequate rainfall only during the months of October and November. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 6 The city receives around rainfall from the
Northeast monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...
, during summer, during winter and during the
South-west monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...
season. The coolest month is January and the hottest months are from May to June. The city has a very high humidity being in the coastal sector. The 21 islands between Thoothukudi and
Rameswaram Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kil ...
shores in the Gulf of Mannar are notified as the first Marine Biosphere Reserve of India. About 36,000 species of flora and fauna exist in the region covered with mangroves, sandy shores, sea grass beds that are conducive for turtle nesting. J. 2008, p. 10 The region around the Thoothukudi shores are home to rare marine flora and fauna.
Coral reefs A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups. Co ...
and pearl oysters are some of the exotic species while
algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...
,
reef fish Coral reef fish are fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the fish stand out as colourful and interesting to watch. Hundreds ...
,
holothurians Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothuria ...
,
shrimps Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...
,
lobsters Lobsters are a family (Nephropidae, synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, ...
, crabs and
Mollusca Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000  extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
are very common. J. 2008, p. 14 Out of 600 recorded varieties of fish in the region, 72 are found to be commercially important. J. 2008, p. 17 The thermal discharge from the thermal plants and excessive brine run off from the salt pans impact the flora and fauna in the region to a large extent.


Demographics

Thoothukudi was a port town during the period of
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
,
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
and British in the 16th–19th centuries. The city expanded after 1907 due to the presence of public establishments. Residential and industrial growth was maximum around Palayamkottai and Ettaiyapuram roads between 1907 and 1930. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 12 According to 2011 census, Thoothukudi city had a population of 237,830 with a sex-ratio of 1,010 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. Thoothukudi had an average literacy rate of 92.10% with male literacy being 94.84%, and female literacy being 89.37%. A total of 24,959 were under the age of six, constituting 12,684 males and 12,275 females.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...
accounted for 7.42% and 0.1% of the population, respectively. The city had a total of 60,714 households. There were a total of 83,669 workers, comprising 114 cultivators, 154 main agricultural labourers, 1,498 in house hold industries, 77,420 other workers, 4,483 marginal workers, 69 marginal cultivators, 25 marginal agricultural labourers, 280 marginal workers in household industries and 4,109 other marginal workers. At the time of the 2011 census, Thoothukudi urban agglomeration had a population of 411,628. A total of 42,756 of the population was under 6 years of age. Tamil is the predominant language in the city and is spoken by almost 99% of the population. The dialect is the Thoothukudi Tamil which is related to
Nellai Tamil Tirunelveli Tamil also known as Nellai Tamil or ThenPaandi Tamil is one of the dialects of Tamil which is spoken in the districts of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari, as well as over the vast area of south Tamil Nadu which was o ...
. English is also widely spoken. In Thoothukudi Municipal Corporation 65% of the population are Hindus, 30% Christians and 5% Muslims. In the urban agglomeration overall, 71% are Hindus, 25% Christians and 4% Muslims.


Economy

Salt pans in and around the city contribute majorly to the economy of the city. The salt pans produce 1.2 million tonnes of salt every year, contributing to 90% of the salt produced in the state and 50% needed by the chemical industries of the state. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 17 The other major industries are shipping, fishing, agricultural, power and chemical industries. Fishing is one of the largest contributor to the local economy. Thoothukudi Fishing Harbor is one of the oldest and largest harbors in Tamil Nadu. The Thoothukudi Thermal Power Station has five 210 MW generators. The first generator was commissioned in July 1979 and the newly built thermal power plant of 1000 MW by NLC and TANGEDCO, the NTPL Thermal Power Station. In addition to this there are several private power plants like Ind-Barath Thermal Power Limited, Coastal Energen Private Limited,
Sterlite Industries Sterlite Copper is a subsidiary of Sterlite industries, a company owned by Vedanta Limited. History It was originally incorporated as Rainbow Investments in 1975, the name of the company was changed to Sterlite Cables in 1976. It was later r ...
Captive power plant. Thoothukudi Spinning Mills Ltd, Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation, Thoothukudi Alkali Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited, Heavy Water Board Plant, Venus Home Appliances, S.K.S.C. Nadarajan & Bror, P. S. S. Krishnamurthi Exports Private Limited, Madura Coats Private Limited, DCW Limited, Kilburn Chemicals Ltd, Nila Sea foods, Diamond Sea foods Maris Associates, VVD Coconut oil mill, AVM oil mill, Ramesh flowers, Agsar Paints and KSPS Salts are some of the small scale and large scale industries in the city. Thoothukudi is the headquarters city of leading private sector bank
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited (TMB) is a bank headquartered at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. TMB was founded in 1921 as the Nadar Bank, but changed its name to Tamilnad Mercantile Bank in November 1962 to widen its appeal beyond the Nadar ...
located. It is one of the fastest growing banks in India during the period of 2007–2012. Its total business is worth 360 billion. The bank targets a Total Business of 500 Billion INR in 2014–15. The city also has a research institute set up by
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute was established in the government of India on 3 February 1947 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and later, in 1967, it joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR ...
and a Spices laboratory set up by
Spices Board of India The Spices Board is the Government of India, Indian government regulatory and export promotion agency for Indian spices headed by a Chairman, rank equivalent to Joint Secretary to Government of India. The board is headquartered in Kochi (India ...
. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 15 Thoothukudi also has a
State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) ( ta, தமிழ்நாடு அரசு தொழில் முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் (வரையறுக்கப்பட்டது) ...
Industrial Estate and SIDCO's Industrial Estate which comprises several Small scale and Medium scale Industries. To cope with the increasing trade through Thoothukudi, the Government of India sanctioned the construction of an all-weather port at Thoothukudi. On 11 July 1974, the newly constructed
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority is a port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the 13 major ports in India. It was declared to be a major port on 11 July 1974. It is second largest port in Tamil Nadu and third largest container terminal i ...
was declared the tenth major port in India, second only to JN Port (Mumbai) in size. Thoothukudi is an artificial port. During the union budget of 2014–2015, the Central government sanctioned an 11,500 crore Outer Harbour Development Program for Thoothukudi port which is expected to give a push to the export-import sector in southern Tamil Nadu. The project would commence in 2015 and be completed by 2020. The DPR for Outer Harbour was released recently by the Union Shipping Minister. As a port city, almost all major logistics companies have set up office in Thoothukudi. The port also has a dedicated container terminal operated by PSA International. The port recently commenced the operation of 2nd Container Terminal by ABG (DBGIT) Pvt Ltd. The port handled 0.5 million TEU's in 2013–2014 to become third largest container port among Major Ports of India. The port is also a significant port due to the fact that it is located close to East-West International Sea Route. The port has direct cargo and container vessel connectivity to all major ports in the world like Colombo, Singapore, JNPT (Mumbai), Mundra, Jebel Ali, Salalah, Rotterdam, Karachi, Hong Kong and much more. This is the third international port in Tamil Nadu and its second all-weather port. The port also helps to increase the tourism in the region. A new ferry has been commenced between Thoothukudi and
Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
. The Station Commander,
Indian Coast Guard The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India with jurisdiction over its territorial waters including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone. The Indian Coast Guard was formally es ...
Station Thoothukudi is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu under the operational and administrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), Chennai. The Coast Guard Station Thoothukudi was commissioned on April 25, 1991, by Vice Admiral SW Lakhar, NM, VSM and then Director General Coast Guard. The Station Commander is responsible for Coast Guard operations in this area of jurisdiction in Gulf of Mannar. Thoothukudi is the end point of the proposed
Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...
-Thoothukudi Industrial Corridor. The study for this Corridor was completed by the
Government of Tamil Nadu Government of Tamil Nadu is the subnational government for the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is seated at Fort St George, Chennai. The legislature of Tamil Nadu was bicameral until 1986, when it was replaced by a unicameral legislature, lik ...
recently. The Corridor would consist of four manufacturing regions, one agri-business region, two business investment regions, a special tourism zone, one rural tourism hub and one knowledge hub. The government estimates that this Corridor would attract 1,900,000 crore industrial investment over a period of 10 years. The State Government recently formed a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for Speedy implementation of the Project. The upcoming new railway line from Madurai to Thoothukudi via Aruppukotai, Ettayapuram would serve as the backbone for the development of this corridor.


Entertainment and leisure

Thoothukudi has All India Radio Station which Carries AIR External Services for South Asia in English, Sinhala and Tamil (1053 kHz). FM Radio Stations in Thoothukudi City include Suryan FM (93.5 MHz), Hello FM (106.4 MHz). Thoothukudi is the landing point for the first undersea cable of BSNL connecting Thoothukudi with Colombo. The city has Tharuvai Multi Purpose Stadium which is maintained by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi Gymkhana Club has two Synthetic Turf Tennis courts, Thoothukudi is the only other place after Chennai in Tamil Nadu to have this modern facility. Thoothukudi is known for its bakery items especially Macaroon. It is a light, baked confection including ingredients like
almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...
s,
coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
s and nuts. Thoothukudi macaroon is slightly different from European macaroons since it contains cashew as a main ingredient. The Shankara Rameshwarar Udanurai Pagampriya Temple, Vaikundapathi Perumal Temple and Jamia Mosque in the centre of the town and the
Our Lady of Snows Basilica Our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage centers in India dedicated to the Dedication of Santa Maria Maggiore, Our Lady of Snows, a title given to Mary (Mo ...
in Kadarkarai Salai are the major religious attractions in the city. The church attracts lot of visitors around the country and is one of catholic pilgrimage centers in India dedicated to
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
. The church festival celebrated yearly during last week of July and first week of August, The Shiva temple festivals like Adi Amavasai, Sasti and Chittirai chariot festivals are the major festivals of the land. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, pp. 6-7 Bharat Ratna Puratchi Thalaivar M.G.R. Park and Rajaji Park in Tamizh Salai, Nehruji Beach Park and Roche Park in Kadarkarai Salai, M.G.R. Park in Kamarajar Salai, Sankara Narayanan Park in Tooveypuram, Kakkan Park in Boltenpuram and State Bank Colony Park are the attracting corporation parks in the city. Harbor Beach in Jawaharlal Nehru Salai and Muthu Nagar Beach in Kadarkarai Salai are the major beaches in the city. There are numerous islands located close to the city namely Hare Island (accessible by road), Nalla Thanni Island which attracts lot of visitors during weekends and festival seasons. The creek opposite to Roche Park has an eco-park with Kayaking facilities that operates everyday from 6 AM to 6 PM. There are a variety of water sports activities in Muthu Nagar beach which includes Jet skiing, Water scooters, Wind surfing, Paddle surfing, Bump rides, Banana boat ride, Fishing, Snorkeling and Scuba diving. KSPS Ganapathy Kalaiarangam, New Cleopatra Theatre, Perison Plaza Multiscreen, Sathya Theatre, and Sri Balakrishna Talkies are the movie theatres in the city for movie entertainment.


Transport

Thoothukudi has an extensive transport network and is well-connected to other major cities by road, rail, air and sea. The corporation maintains a total length of . The city has concrete roads, black topped surface roads, water bound macadam roads and earthen roads. The major roads within the city are Tamizh Salai connecting NH-138, Kamarajar Salai connecting NH-38, Ramanathapuram Road connecting SH-49, Tiruchendur Road connecting SH-176, V.O. Chidambaranar Salai and Victoria Extension Road. The highway V.O.C. Salai outside the city connects the
Port Authority In Canada and the United States, a port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority for a special-purpose district usually formed by a legislative body (or bodies) to operate ports and other t ...
,
Thermal Power Station A thermal power station is a type of power station in which heat energy is converted to electrical energy. In a steam-generating cycle heat is used to boil water in a large pressure vessel to produce high-pressure steam, which drives a stea ...
, SPIC industry and NH-38. The city has two bus termini; Perarignar Anna Bus Terminus in Tamizh Salai and Thoothukudi New Bus Terminus in Kamarajar Salai. About 700 buses are operated from these two bus stands to local and inter cities. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, pp. 13–14 The
Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Ltd. - (TNSTC) is a Government owned public transport bus operator in Tamil Nadu, India. It operates Intercity bus services to cities within Tamil Nadu, and from Tamil Nadu to its neighbouring states. It a ...
operates daily services connecting various cities to Thoothukudi. A new regional headquarters of TNSTC is being established in Thoothukudi which enables better transportation by government buses. The corporation operates a computerised reservation centre in the bus stand of the city. The
State Express Transport Corporation State Express Transport Corporation (Tamil Nadu) Ltd - (SETC) is a state-owned transport corporation that runs long-distance mofussil services exceeding 300 km and above throughout the state of Tamil Nadu and major cities in adjoining states of ...
operates long-distance buses connecting the city to important cities like Bengaluru,
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 ...
,
Vellore Vellore (English: ), also spelt as Velur (), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Palar River in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu and is separa ...
,
Nagapattinam Nagapattinam (''nākappaṭṭinam'', previously spelt Nagapatnam or Negapatam) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval ...
and
Kanniyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...
. Thoothukudi being a harbour city has lot of container truck transport. , the number of container trucks entering the city is 1000. The expansion of ECR from Thoothukudi to
Kanniyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...
via
Tiruchendur Tiruchendur is a municipality located in Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is home to the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, which is one of the Six Abodes of Murugan. Etymology Tiruchendur, a temple town like many towns in the s ...
and Koodankulam at a cost of 2.57 billion sanctioned and is in progress.
Thoothukudi Railway Station Tuticorin railway station is a train station connecting the city of Thoothukudi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by po ...
is one of the oldest and popular railway stations in India. It is one of few stations in Southern Tamil Nadu to have Pitline facility for Cleaning and Maintenance of Rail Coaches facilitating the operation of Long distance Trains from Thoothukudi. The line between Madurai and Thoothukudi was opened in 1874. The lines connecting to Thoothukudi is being electrified recently. Thoothukudi has direct daily rail connectivity to Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, Okha, Tirunelveli.
Vivek Express Vivek Express is a chain of express trains on the Indian Railways network. These trains were announced in the Railway Budget of 2011-12 by the then Railway Minister. These trains were started to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami ...
which connects Thoothukudi with Okha.
Pearl City Express The Pearl City Superfast Express is an overnight Superfast Express train of the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. The Pearl City Superfast Express runs between Thoothukudi and Chennai Egmore via Virudunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, ...
which connects Thoothukudi with Chennai Egmore Station is one of the Prestigious Trains of Southern Railway. An 8 Coach Link Train to
Guruvayur Express Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...
has been introduced recently which connects Thoothukudi with Chennai during daytime. South Indian Railway began a Madras – Thoothukudi service connecting with the boat to Ceylon in 1899. The station was declared a Model Station in 2007 and several infrastructure developments are in process. There is also another station, known as Thoothukudi Melur.
Thoothukudi Airport Tuticorin Airport is a domestic airport located from Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, serving the districts of Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari in southern Tamil Nadu. It is west of the city centre on Thoothukkudi-Tirunelveli N ...
is at Vagaikulam, from the heart of the city. It has flights to Bengaluru and Chennai operated by
IndiGo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', m ...
, it operate daily four services to Chennai and one trip to Bengaluru. The State Government and
Airport Authority of India The Airports Authority of India, or AAI, is a public sector enterprise under the ownership of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (India), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. It is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining, and ...
plans to extend the runway and modernise the airport to handle to more traffic and bigger aircraft. The land acquisition process is completed and AAI is ready to start the expansion works. A new Terminal has been planned and the runway is to expanded to facilitate the movement of Airbus A320 and Boeing 737s. There was also a proposal in 2009 for a greenfield airport.
Madurai Airport Madurai Airport is a customs airport serving Madurai and its adjoining districts in Tamil Nadu, India. It is the 36th busiest airport in India, both in terms of passengers handled and aircraft movement. The airport is located near State Highwa ...
is the nearest customs airport with daily international connections to
Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
and
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Thiruvananthapuram International Airport , is an international airport which serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and fifth international airport of ...
in
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
is the nearest international airport located at a distance of about .
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority is a port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the 13 major ports in India. It was declared to be a major port on 11 July 1974. It is second largest port in Tamil Nadu and third largest container terminal i ...
is an artificial deep-sea harbour. It is one of the major ports in India. A luxury ferry liner, the ''
Scotia Prince Scotia Prince Cruises was a cruise ferry operator based in Maine which owned and operated the M/S ''Scotia Prince''. This ferry operated across the Gulf of Maine between Portland, Maine, and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, until the end of the 2004 sailin ...
'', was operating a ferry service to
Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
,
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. Ferry services between the two countries have been revived after more than 20 years.


Municipal administration and politics

Thoothukudi municipality was established in 1866 during British times. It was promoted to a municipal corporation on 5 August 2008, bringing an area of within the city limits. The municipal corporation has four zones namely North, East, West and South. The corporation has 60 wards and there is an elected Councillor for each of those wards. The functions of the corporation are devolved into six departments: general administration/personnel, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, city planning and Information Technology (IT). All these departments are under the control of a Municipal Commissioner who is the executive head. The legislative powers are vested in a body of 60 members, one each from the 60 wards. The legislative body is headed by an elected Mayor assisted by a Deputy mayor. Thoothukudi city is the headquarters of the Thoothukudi district.


Municipal Corporation Officials

Elected members Commissioner Thoothukudi comes under the
Thoothukudi Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and he ...
assembly constituency and it elects a member to the
Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a strength of 234 members of whom are democratically elected using the First-past-the-post voting, First-past-the-post system. The pres ...
once every five years. From the 1952 elections, the assembly seat was won by
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...
(INC) for five times during 1952, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962 elections,
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 ...
(DMK) for seven times during 1967, 1971, 1989, 1996, 2006, 2016, 2021 elections and
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK) is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the  union territory of Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party founded by the former chief mini ...
(AIADMK) for six times during 1977, 1980, 1984, 1991, 2001, 2011 elections. The
Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency Thoothukkudi Lok Sabha constituency ( ta, தூத்துக்குடி மக்களவைத் தொகுதி) is one of the 39 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. Assembly Segmen ...
was originally part of the Tirunelveli constituency and was delimited to Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi constituencies during 2009 Lok Sabha election. The constituency was formed after the 2008
delimitation Boundary delimitation (or simply delimitation) is the drawing of boundaries, particularly of electoral precincts, states, counties or other municipalities.
with the following assembly constituencies:
Vilathikulam Vilathikulam is a selection grade panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a small town near the southern tip of mainland India. Vilathikulam is a little town, on the northern bank of the Vaipar river, wh ...
,
Thoothukkudi Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and he ...
,
Tiruchendur Tiruchendur is a municipality located in Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is home to the Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, which is one of the Six Abodes of Murugan. Etymology Tiruchendur, a temple town like many towns in the s ...
, Srivaikuntam,
Ottapidaram Ottapidaram is a small town in Thoothukudi district and headquarters of Ottapidaram taluk. Ottapidaram is a tourism centre with accessibility to many places in Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi or Tirunelveli can be easily accessed from anywhere and Ot ...
and
Kovilpatti Kovilpatti is an Industrial City and Special Grade Municipality in Thoothukudi District in the Indian States of India, state of Tamil Nadu. History The town already existed before 1876. Kovilpatti was a water stop for steam engines after the ...
.


Legislative Leaders

Elected Members


Education and utility services

There are 31 schools in Thoothukudi city, of which 10 are operated by the municipal corporation. There are 31 high schools and higher secondary schools, one of which is a government school. Tuticorin has high literacy rates and lower literacy rate gap between males and females. There are five arts and science colleges, three polytechnics in the city. It also has a Fisheries college in the outskirts affiliated to Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University,
Nagapattinam Nagapattinam (''nākappaṭṭinam'', previously spelt Nagapatnam or Negapatam) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval ...
. There is one government and many private Engineering college affiliated to Anna University in the city and arts colleges on Tamizh Salai and Tiruchendur road. There is also a Government Medical college and Hospital. The colleges are affiliated to the
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Manonmaniam Sundaranar University is a university in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was hived off the Madurai Kamaraj University on 7 September 1990. The motto of the university is "In Pursuit of Excellence". It is named after the Tamil s ...
in
Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tami ...
. There are three Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and about 50 computer training centres also. The city has Government Medical College Hospital and new ESI Hospital is being constructed at the Bypass road. Electricity supply to the city is regulated and distributed by the
Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (abbreviated as TNEB) is a power generation and distribution company owned by Government of Tamil Nadu, India. It was created as a regulated monopoly under section 131 of the Electricity Act (2003) as a successor o ...
(TNEB). Usage of Plastic polythene bags is banned inside corporation limits. Thoothukudi is the headquarters of the Thoothukudi region of TNEB that has four divisions. The city along with its suburbs forms the Thoothukudi Electricity Distribution Circle. A Chief Distribution engineer is stationed at the regional headquarters. Water supply is provided by the Thoothukudi City Corporation from the Tamirabarani with 8 overhead tanks. In the period 2010–2011, a total of 21 million litres of water was supplied everyday for households in the city. About 96 metric tonnes of solid waste are collected from the city every day by door-to-door collection and subsequently the source segregation and dumping is carried out by the sanitary department of the Thoothukudi Municipal corporation. The coverage of solid waste management had efficiency of 94% . The underground drainage system was constituted in 1984 and covers only certain zones of the corporation area. The remaining sewerage system for disposal of sullage is through septic tanks and public conveniences. The corporation maintains a total of of storm water drains. The corporation operates five health posts throughout the city. Apart from these, there are various private hospitals and clinics that take care of the health care needs of the citizens. Thoothukudi comes under the Thoothukudi Telecom District of the
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Bharat, or Bharath, may refer to: * Bharat (term), the name for India in various Indian languages ** Bharata Khanda, the Sanskrit name for the Indian subcontinent (or South Asia) * Bharata, the name of several legendary figures or groups: ** Bhar ...
(BSNL), India's state-owned telecom and internet services provider. Both Global System for Mobile Communications (
GSM The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe the protocols for second-generation ( 2G) digital cellular networks used by mobile devices such ...
) and
Code division multiple access Code-division multiple access (CDMA) is a channel access method used by various radio communication technologies. CDMA is an example of multiple access, where several transmitters can send information simultaneously over a single communication ...
(CDMA) mobile services are available. Apart from telecom, BSNL also provides broadband internet service. Thoothukudi is one of the few cities in India where BSNL's Caller Line Identification (CLI) based internet service Netone is available.


Environmental Issues

Air Pollution is the major environmental challenge faced by Thoothukudi while water and noise pollution are environmental issues too. Thoothukudi is the only city from the state of Tamil Nadu to be listed as one of the Non-attainment cities by Ministry of Environment primarily on the basis of excess
PM10 Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The te ...
under the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP) for the period 2011 - 2015. The city has a lot of red industries as a result of which the
PM10 Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The te ...
— tiny airborne particles seven times finer than human hair–exceeds national standards (60 micrograms per cubic metre, or μg/m3) by around 200 per cent. Indian Standards for
PM10 Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The te ...
is three times higher than WHO standards for PM10 particles which is 20 micrograms per cubic metre. Environmentalists blame public and private coal-fired thermal power plants, copper smelter and chemical industries for polluting the air quality of Thoothukudi. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Ecobiotechnology cites Industrial pollution in Thoothukudi as a major cause for various health issues. Respondents of the study had various health issues like
skin diseases A skin condition, also known as cutaneous condition, is any medical condition that affects the integumentary system—the organ system that encloses the body and includes skin, nails, and related muscle and glands. The major function of thi ...
, eye irritation,
asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...
,
allergy Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derma ...
, respiratory problems,
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
and
hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...
. The study also observed that Industrial disposals and other chemical contaminates that enter waterways through agricultural runoff, storm water drains, and industrial discharges may persist in the environment for long periods and be transported by water or air over long distances. They disturbed the function of the endocrine system, resulting in reproductive, developmental, and behavioral problems. The
endocrine disrupters Endocrine disruptors, sometimes also referred to as hormonally active agents, endocrine disrupting chemicals, or endocrine disrupting compounds are chemicals that can interfere with endocrine (or hormonal) systems. These disruptions can cause ca ...
reduced the fertility and increased the occurrence of still births, birth defects, and hormonally dependent Cancers such as breast, testicular, and prostate cancers. The effects on the developing nervous system can include impaired mental and psychomotor development, as well as cognitive impairment and behavior abnormalities. Studies like these led the people of Thoothukudi to protest for the closing of the Sterlite plant in May 2018. On the 22nd of that month, the police opened fire on protestors killing 13 and injuring 102. The plant was soon closed.


Research Institutes/Centres

There are many central and state government research institutes/centres also situated inside and outskirt of Thoothukudi city. Those are:
Fisheries College and Research Institute The Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) is situated in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. History Fisheries College and Research Institute initially started as Fisheries College was established in the year 1977 as a constituent unit ...
(FCRI) outside on Harbour bybass road,
Fisheries College and Research Institute The Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) is situated in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. History Fisheries College and Research Institute initially started as Fisheries College was established in the year 1977 as a constituent unit ...
Thoothukudi Research Centre of The
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute was established in the government of India on 3 February 1947 under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and later, in 1967, it joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR ...
(CMFRI) on the Beach road, Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI) on Beach road, Outreach Centre of CSIR-
Central Electrochemical Research Institute Central Electro Chemical Research Institute is one of a chain of forty national laboratories under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in New Delhi. Founded on 25 July 1948 at Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu Tami ...
(CERI) in new harbour area, Thoothukudi and Sub-Regional office of The
Marine Products Export Development Authority The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is a Government of India company headquartered at Kochi. It was constituted on 24 August 1972, under the ''Marine Products Export Development Authority Act 1972 (No.13 of 1972)''. The role ...
(MPEDA) in Millerpuram.


See also

*
Thoothukudi Airport Tuticorin Airport is a domestic airport located from Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, serving the districts of Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari in southern Tamil Nadu. It is west of the city centre on Thoothukkudi-Tirunelveli N ...
*
Thoothukudi massacre Thoothukudi massacre (also known as the Thoothukudi police firing, the Anti Sterlite protest firing and so on) denotes events that took place on 22 and 23 May 2018 in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. The violence took place during an ongoing pro ...
*
Thoothukudi Railway Station Tuticorin railway station is a train station connecting the city of Thoothukudi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by po ...
*
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority is a port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the 13 major ports in India. It was declared to be a major port on 11 July 1974. It is second largest port in Tamil Nadu and third largest container terminal i ...


Notes


References

* *


External links


Thoothukudiinfo

Thoothukudi

Thoothukudi Corporation

V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust
{{Authority control Former Portuguese colonies Gulf of Mannar Cities and towns in Thoothukudi district Port cities in India