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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 separated into four zones that are further subdivided into 60 wards, covering an area of 87.915 km2 and housing a population of 423,425 as reported by the 2001 census. It is located about west of Chennai, and about east of Bangalore. Vellore is located on the Mumbai–Chennai arm of the Golden Quadrilateral. Vellore is governed under a mayor and the Vellore Municipal Corporation. It is a part of both the Lok Sabha and
state assembly State Assembly is the name given to various legislatures, especially lower houses or full legislatures in states in federal systems of government. Channel Islands States Assembly is the name of the legislature of the Bailiwick of Jersey. The Baili ...
constituencies of Vellore. Vellore is the home to Christian Medical College & Hospital, the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and Sripuram Golden Temple. The Vellore region is the largest exporter of finished leather goods in the country. Leather exports from Vellore account for more than 37% of India's leather exports and leather-related products. Vellore is one of 27 cities chosen by the Government of India to take part in the country's Smart Cities Mission.


Etymology

According to a legend, many babul trees (known locally as velan trees) surrounded this region, which led to the name 'Vellore'. Vellore is also known as the Second Madras because of its importance and location relative to Chennai (Madras).


History

The recorded history of Vellore dates back to the ninth century, as seen from a
Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...
inscription in the Annamalaiyar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Vellore is strategically located and well-connected by rail and bus routes to major towns in the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Many dynasties and rulers dominated Vellore throughout its history, including the Pallava dynasty, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, the Rashtrakuta dynasty, the Sambuvaraya chieftains, Vijayanagar, the Nawabs of the Carnatic, and the administration of the British. In the 18th century, Vellore was involved in the Carnatic Wars between Britain and France. It was situated close to several decisive battles, including those at Ambur (1749), Arcot (1751), and Vandavasi (1760). Vellore Fort is important to Vellore's history. Due to a lack of historical records, it is not known exactly when the fort was constructed, but estimates based on stone inscriptions suggests that the fort was most likely built during the rule of Chinna Bommi Nayak between 1526 and 1595. The fort is a good example of Tamil Nadu military architecture, while the Jalakandeswarar Temple within the fort represents Vijayanagara architecture. Christian Medical College & Hospital, founded in 1900 by the American medical missionary Dr. Ida S. Scudder, is another Vellore landmark. The hospital has grown into a medical institution of international repute. The central prison in Vellore, established in 1830, had imprisoned notable figures like C. Rajagopalachari and
Ramaswamy Venkataraman Ramaswamy Venkataraman (, 4 December 191027 January 2009) was an Indian lawyer, Indian independence activist and politician who served as a Union Minister and as the eighth president of India. Venkataraman was born in Rajamadam village in Tan ...
. Other landmarks include the Aruganthampoodi mausoleums, located close to the section of National Highway 48 between Vellore and Arcot, where the family members of Tipu Sultan were buried; and the Muthu Mandapam, a memorial on the banks of Palar River built by the Tamil Nadu Government to honor
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha Sri Vikrama Rajasinha ( Sinhala:ශ්‍රී වික්‍රම රාජසිංහ, Tamil:ஸ்ரீ விக்கிரம ராஜசிங்க; 1780 – January 30, 1832, born Kannasamy Nayaka) was the last of four Kings to rule ...
, the last ruler of the
Kingdom of Kandy The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the Sri Lanka, island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. Initially a client kingdom ...
in
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 ...
, who ruled from 1798 to 1815 and was imprisoned in Vellore Fort for 17 years until his death.


Vellore Fort

The fort of Vellore was built around 1566 CE by the chieftains of Sadashiv Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire. In the mid-17th century the fort was owned by various parties. The Aravidus, the last dynasty that ruled Vijayanagara lost Vellore to the Bijapur Sultan before being captured by the Marathas after a siege that lasted four and a half months in 1676. The fort came under the charge of Dost Ali, the Nawab of Carnatic, before passing on to the British in 1760. Vellore Fort withstood Hyder Ali's siege from 1780 to 1782, and would later become the base for Lord Cornwallis’ march on Bangalore to defeat Tipu Sultan. When Tipu Sultan was killed at Sringapatam during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1798-79 CE), his kingdom was handed back to the Hindu Wodeyar kings of Mysore and the British exiled Tipu's surviving sons, daughters, their families, and their entire entourage to Vellore Fort. They stayed in the palaces in the fort and participated in the Mutiny of 1806.


Vellore mutiny

In 1805, the new Commander-in-Chief of the
Madras Army The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government ...
of the British East India Company, General Sir John Cradock, began an ambitious reform of the army's disciplinary system. New, standardized regulations were approved for the Madras Army, which dictated how
sepoy ''Sepoy'' () was the Persian-derived designation originally given to a professional Indian infantryman, traditionally armed with a musket, in the armies of the Mughal Empire. In the 18th century, the French East India Company and its oth ...
s should wear their uniforms and appear on duty. Under these regulations, Hindus were prohibited from wearing religious marks on their foreheads while on duty, and Muslims were required to shave their beards and trim their moustaches. One change that was especially problematic was a new headdress associated with Indian converts to Christianity, which included a leather cockade. This caused an uproar, as leather was a cultural taboo for the upper caste sepoys of the Madras Army. As a result, many sepoys believed that their British officers were conspiring to convert them to Christianity. In May 1806, a few soldiers protested against these changes and were sent to Fort St. George in Chennai, where they were publicly lashed and discharged from the army. With the levels of resentment towards the British already high, the sons of the deceased Tipu Sultan exacerbated the conflict by assisting the mutineers who revolted on 10 July. Under the pretense of attending the wedding of one of Tipu Sultan's daughters, mutineers gathered in Vellore Fort where the wedding was held and revolted. Raising the flag of the
Kingdom of Mysore The Kingdom of Mysore was a realm in South India, southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. From 1799 until 1950, it was a princely state, until 1947 in a subsidiary allia ...
, they declared Tipu Sultan's son Fateh Hyder king. The mutineers inflicted about 200 casualties before their revolt was put down by reinforcements under the command of Sir Hugh Robert Rollo Gillespie; many of the mutineers were captured and summarily executed or court-martialed. As a result of the uprising, the dress codes were retracted, and Cradock was dismissed. Although the mutiny took place before larger revolts in the 1850s, it was indicative of the simmering dissent in the Indian soldiery. The Vellore mutiny is considered to be the first large-scale Indian mutiny against the British, and a prelude to the much larger Sepoy Mutiny in 1857.


Economic, social and cultural changes in the 20th century

The economic condition of the district in the earlier stages was not sound with the absence of major industries. Industries like Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. Ranipet, Tamil Nadu Explosives Ltd., and Vellore Katpadi were established as the result of governmental policy. There has been notable growth of small scale industries and tanneries in the district, which not only generated employment opportunities, but also contributed economic growth to farmers. Uzhavar Sandhai helped the rural poor improve the economy. Women-driven self help groups played an important role in building rural economy and teaching rural women to be self-reliant. Vellore also changed socially as time went by. Increased social awareness and upward social growth marked the successful foundation of its districts. Literacy improved in part of the Arivoli Movement. During the first half of the 19th century, the town came under British rule. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 12


Geography and climate

Vellore is at , 220m above sea level. The city has a tropical savanna climate. It is in the Vellore district of the South Indian state, Tamil Nadu, west of the state capital Chennai. Vellore lies in the Eastern Ghats region and Palar river basin. The topography is almost flat with slope from west to east. Vellore is in a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen climate classification ''Aw''). The temperature ranges from to . Like the rest of the state, April to June are the hottest months and December to January are the mildest. Vellore receives of rainfall every year. The southwestern monsoon from June to September brings of rainfall, with September being the rainiest month. The northeastern monsoon which lasts from October to December brings of rainfall. The humidity ranges from 40%–63% during summer and 67%–86% during winter.


Demographics

According to 2011 census, Vellore had a population of 504,079 of which 247,002 are males and 257,077 are females. The sex-ratio of Vellore is 1,009 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 926. A total of 48,547 were under the age of six, constituting 24,692 males and 23,855 females. The literacy rate of Vellore is 87.09% which is higher than National Urban average of 85%. Literacy rate for male and female for Vellore stood at 92.03% and 82.23% respectively. Total literates in Vellore were 379,849 of which males were 199,247 and remaining 180,602 were females. The city had a total of 112,486 households, with 70,257 workers, including 297 cultivators, 395 main agricultural labourers, 4,387 in household industries, 59,281 other workers, 5,897 marginal workers, 59 marginal cultivators, 74 marginal agricultural labourers, 667 marginal workers in household industries, and 5,097 other marginal workers. According to the religious census of 2011, Vellore's population was 80.09%
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
, 14.28%
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, 4.79%
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, 0.02%
Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
, 0.03% Buddhist, 0.51% Jain, with 0.26% following other religions, and 0.02% following no religion or not indicating any religious preference. As of 2001, 69.88% of the city's land area was developed. Out of the developed area, 55.76% was used for residential purposes, 8.34% for commerce, 1.58% for industry, 3.3% for education, 16.46% for public and semi-public use, and 10.12% for transport and communication. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 29 Although population density varies between different areas, the average density of the city of Vellore is 241 persons per hectare. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 17


Administration and politics

Vellore is the municipal headquarters of Vellore district. The town was first recognized as a third-grade municipality in 1866, promoted to first-grade in 1947, to selection-grade in 1970, and to a municipal corporation on 1 August 2008. The functions of the Vellore Municipal Corporation are divided into six departments: General Administration/Personnel, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, Planning, and Information Technology (IT). These departments are under the executive control of a municipal commissioner. Legislative powers are held by a body of 60 members, with each councilor being elected from one of the city's wards. The legislative body is headed by an elected mayor who is assisted by a deputy mayor. Vellore is a part of the Vellore, Katpadi & Anaicut assembly constituencies and elects 3 members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once every five years. Since the 1977 elections, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won the assembly elections in 1977 and 2009, while Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won seats in 1980, 1984 and 1989. Elections were won twice by the Indian National Congress (INC), in 1991 and 2001, while the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) secured seats in 1996 and 2001. The current MLA of Vellore constituency is Mr. P. Karthikeyan, Katpadi constituencyis Mr. Duraimurugan and Aniacut constituency is Mr. Nandakumar all from DMK. Vellore is a part of the Vellore & Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituencies. It consisted of the following six assembly constituencies before 2009: Katpadi, Gudiyatham, Pernampattu,
Anaicut Anaicut or Anaikattu () is a very small village panchayat and taluk in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 20 km from Vellore city limit. The nearest large town is Pallikonda Pallikonda is a selection grade town ...
, Vellore, and Arni constituencies. After the 2009 reorganization, it is composed of Vellore,
Anaicut Anaicut or Anaikattu () is a very small village panchayat and taluk in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 20 km from Vellore city limit. The nearest large town is Pallikonda Pallikonda is a selection grade town ...
, Kilvazhithunaiankuppam, Gudiyatham, Vaniyambadi, and Ambur constituencies. Since 1951, the Vellore parliament seat was won by the Indian National Congress four times in the 1957, 1962, 1989 and 1991 elections; AIADMK twice during the 1984 and 2014 elections; CWL once during 1951 elections; independent once during the 1980 elections; Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam five times during the 1967, 1971, 1996, 2004 and 2009 elections; once each by NCO during the 1977 elections; and twice by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) during the 1998 and 1999 elections. The current Member of Parliament from the constituency is Kathir Anand from the DMK party. Law enforcement in Vellore is organized by the Vellore subdivision of the Tamil Nadu Police headed by a deputy superintendent. There are four police stations in the city, one of them being an all-women station. Different special task forces focus on prohibition enforcement, district crime, and social justice and human rights. Administrative duties are performed by a branch that operates at the district level and is headed by a superintendent.


Economy

According to the Indian Census of 2001, the urban workforce employment rate of Vellore is 43.64%. Vellore, being the headquarters of the district, has registered growth in its tertiary sector activities with a corresponding decrease in the primary sector. Most employment is provided by the leather industry, tobacco industry, agricultural trading, and industries in and around the city. Approximately 83.35% of the workforce is employed in tertiary sector comprising transport, services and commerce. The secondary sector activities like manufacturing and household industries employs 13.52% of the workforce. Male worker employment (43.64%) is higher than female work employment (24.39%). Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, pp. 20-21 Vellore is known as the leather hub of India. Hundreds of leather and tannery facilities are around Vellore and nearby towns, such as Ranipet, Ambur and Vaniyambadi. The Vellore district is the top exporter of finished leather goods in the country. Vellore leather accounts for more than 37% of the country's export of leather and leather-related products (such as finished leathers, shoes, garments and gloves). Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is one of the nine major government owned enterprises in the nation. The Boiler Auxiliaries Plant of BHEL in Ranipet is the industrial hub of Vellore. Chemical plants in the Ranipet- SIPCOT economic zone are a major source of income to Vellore residents. EID Parry is a sanitary-ware manufacturing company with 38% of the world's market share in bathroom accessories. Tirumalai Chemicals and Greaves are among the international brands that have manufacturing units in the city. Automobile and mechanical companies of global Brands, including SAME Deutz-Fahr, TVS–Brakes India,
Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...
, Greaves Cotton and MRF have their manufacturing units in the area. Brakes India Sholingur's foundry division is located at Vellore- Sholingur and is a major employer in the area. Asia's biggest explosives manufacturing company, Tamil Nadu Explosives Limited (TEL), is in Vellore at Katpadi. This is India's only government explosives company with more than a thousand employees. The company is headed by a senior Indian Administrative Service officer. Kramski Stamping and Molding India Pvt Ltd, a German precision metal and plastic integrated-component manufacturing company with automotive, telecommunications, electronics and medical applications is located in Erayankadu, near Vellore. Major businesses in the city center are on Officer's Line, Town Hall Road, Long Bazaar and Bangalore, Scudder, Arni, Gandhi and Katpadi Roads. Many boarding and lodging houses are in and around Scudder and Gandhi Roads. Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd. announced the launch of 14 Microsoft Innovation Centers (MICs) in India. Trichy, Vellore, Coimbatore, Madurai and Salem in Tamil Nadu. Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMCH), on Ida Scudder Road in the heart of the city, is Vellore's largest private employer and has a large floating population from other parts of India and abroad. Lodging, hospitals and allied businesses are among the major sources of income generated in the central part of the city. The Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital (VMCH) are located at Adukamparai in Vellore. With hospitals such as
Apollo KH Hospital Apollo KH Hospital is a multi speciality hospital located at Melvisharam in the city of Vellore, Tamil Nadu. This hospital is a product of joint venture between Apollo Hospitals, Chennai and KH Group, Melvisharam, Vellore Vellore (English: ...
in Melvisharam and
Sri Narayani Hospital & Research Centre Sri Narayani Hospital & Research Centre is a general hospital located near the famous Sri Lakshmi Golden Temple in the city of Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It ...
in Sripuram, coupled with colleges such as CMC &
VIT VIT may refer to: * Vitoria Airport (IATA code VIT; ICAO airport code LEVT), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain * VIT University (disambiguation) * Victorian Institute of Teaching * Vellore Institute of Technology * Vidyalankar Institute of ...
and other engineering and science colleges, the health care industry is growing rapidly. 'Naruvi Hospitals' is being built at a cost of 3300 million INR, a joint venture between vellore based 'Pearl Human Care' and Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System. Sri Narayani Aayurvedic Centre, was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik on August, 2019. Other rural industries than agriculture include weaving and beedi and matchstick rolling. The Indian Army has a number of recruits from the Vellore district (especially from
Kammavanpet Kammavanpettai is a village near Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. The Indian Army has a number of recruits from the Vellore district Vellore district () is one of the 38 districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India. It is one of the eleven dis ...
known as "the military village") and military spending is a major source of income.


Education

Vellore is considered a prominent destination for medical and technological education in India. It has a state-government university, a private technological university, one government and one private medical school and several engineering and arts and science colleges. Notable Islamic and Arabic college in Vellore is Bakqiyat Salihat Arabic College. The country's first stem-cell translational research centre was established in Vellore in December 2005. The central government's biotechnology department selected the Christian Medical College (CMC) as the first in a series of centers as it already had world-class clinical hematology and biochemistry departments. The college made a breakthrough which attracted the attention of the country's medical and scientific community: the Centre for Stem Cell Research at the Christian Medical College succeeded in reprogramming cells from adult mice to make them function like stem cells found in the human embryo. The agricultural research station at Virinjipuram is in the Northeastern Zone of Tamil Nadu. It is one of 32 research stations of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). The Government of India-sponsored National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA) scheme has been in operation since October 1997, and it makes conservation measures conducted in water and soil of 18 watersheds in the Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts.
Thiruvalluvar University Thiruvalluvar University is a public state university in the city of Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. It was established by the Government of Tamil Nadu, under the Thiruvalluvar University Act, 2002 (Tamil Nadu Act 32 of 2002). The university wa ...
was split off from the University of Madras and is located near Vallimalai, Vellore. Most government-run arts and science colleges in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and
Cuddalore district Cuddalore District is one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. History Since ancient times, the old town has been a seaport. Through the centuries, Cuddalore has been subject to a number of foreign powers including the Net ...
s are affiliated with Thiruvalluvar University. Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology is the only government engineering college in Vellore. The Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) has been ranked best private engineering university in India by the magazine '' India Today''. Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMCH), one of the largest hospitals in India and Asia, is based out of Vellore. It is a major health care provider for the surrounding districts. Auxilium Women's College (founded in 1954) is the first women's college in Vellore district; Other arts and sciences colleges in the city are the Dhanabakyam Krishnaswamy Mudhaliar Women's College (DKM) near Sainathapuram and the
Muthurangam Government Arts College Muthurangam Govt. Arts College (MGAC) is located in Bagayam, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. The college is affiliated with Thiruvalluvar University. This college offers different courses in arts, commerce and science. History Muthurangam Govt. Art ...
(MGAC) in Otteri, near Bagayam. Voorhees College (founded 1898) is the oldest college in the district and known as the institution where Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (former president of India) studied; a commemorative stamp for the centenary of the college was issued by the government of India. C. Abdul Hakeem College is in Melvisharam. Arignar Anna Arts College for Women (AAA) is located in Walajapet. The Government Law College was established in 2008. It offers a three-year Bachelor of Laws (BL) degree with an annual intake of 80 students. The college is in Katpadi, Vellore. There are several Arabic colleges in Vellore such as the Madrasa Al-Baqiyathus Salihath (popularly known as ''Baaqiyaath''), founded by
Shah Abdul Wahab Shah Abdul Wahhab (9 October 1831 – 1921) (Tamil:அஃலா ஹள்ரத் மவ்லானா ஷாஹ் அப்துல் வஹ்ஹாப்), (Arabic: اعلى حضرت مولانا شاه عبد الوهّاب) born Shah ...
and is the second oldest Arabic college in India after
Darul Uloom Deoband The Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic seminary (darul uloom) in India at which the Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement began. It is located in Deoband, a town in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The seminary was established by Muhammad Qasim ...
in Uttar Pradesh. Schieffelin Institute of Health – Research and Leprosy Centre (SIH-R & LC) is located near Vellore and was established in 1955 to care for leprosy patients.


Tourism

Vellore Fort is the most prominent landmark in the city. During British rule, Tipu Sultan's family and the last king of
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 ...
, Vikrama Rajasinha, were held as royal prisoners in the fort. The fort houses a church, a mosque and a Hindu temple, the latter known for its carvings. The first rebellion against British rule erupted at this fort in 1806, and it witnessed the massacre of the Vijayanagara royal family of Emperor Sriranga Raya. The fortifications consist of a main rampart, broken at irregular intervals by round towers and rectangular projections. The main walls are built of massive granite stones, surrounded by a broad moat fed with water by subterranean pipes from the Suryagunta reservoir. Within the fort is the similarly aged Jalakanteswara Temple. The fort houses the Tipu Mahal where Tipu Sultan is believed to have stayed with his family during the war with the British; the graves of Tipu's sons are found at Vellore. It is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. Vellore Fort has been declared a Monument of National Importance and is a famous tourist attraction. The State Government Museum is inside the fort and opened to the public in 1985. It consists of art, archaeology, prehistory, weapons, sculptures, bronzes, wood carvings, handicrafts, numismatics, philately, botany, geology, and zoology exhibits. Historical monuments of the North Arcot District are contained in the gallery. Special exhibits include a double bronze sword from Vellore Taluk dating to 400 BCE, stone sculptures from the late Pallava to Vijayanagar periods, ivory chess boards and coins used by the last Kandian King of Sri Lanka, Vikrama Raja Singha. Educational activities at the museum include an art camp for school students and the study of inscriptions and iconography for college students.


Transport


Road

The Vellore municipal corporation maintains of roads. It has of concrete road, of kutcha road and of bituminous road. The National Highways passing through or terminating at Vellore as per new numbering are: Vellore is connected with major cities in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Bus service is available to Chennai,
Coimbatore Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram,
Tirupathi Tirupati is a major pilgrimage city in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Tirupati may also refer to: Andhra Pradesh, India * Tirupati district, a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh * Tirupati Temple, in Tirupati * Tirupati Municipa ...
, Kadapa,
Anantapur Anantapur, officially Anantapuramu, is a city in Anantapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the mandal headquarters of Anantapuru mandal and also the divisional headquarters of Anantapur revenue division. The city is loca ...
,
Salem Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
, Chittoor, Kuppam, Kolar, Kolar Gold Fields, Madanapalle, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Karur,
Kumbakonam Kumbakonam (formerly spelt as Coombaconum or Combaconum) or Kudanthai is a city municipal corporation in the Thanjavur district in the States of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Chennai and is the headq ...
, Aranthangi, Mannargudi, Nagapattinam,
Hosur Hosur is an industrial city located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Hosur is one of the municipal corporations in Tamil Nadu. It is located on the bank of the river River Ponnaiyar, southeast of Bengaluru and west of Chennai, the state ...
,
Marthandam Marthandam is a major trade centre in Kuzhithurai municipality across National Highway (NH 47) in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Formerly known as Thoduvetty (another name for the Marthandam market region), it was a portion of ...
, Thoothukudi, Thiruchendur,
Sengottai Sengottai (also known as Shencottah, Chenkotta or Shenkottai) is a town in the Tenkasi district, of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the gateway to southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Spread over an area of 2.68 km2 with a population of over 26,823, t ...
, Cuddalore,
Kurnool Kurnool is a city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It formerly served as the capital of Andhra State (1953–1956). The city is often referred to as "The Gateway of Rayalaseema".Kurnool is also known as The City of Gem Stones. It also se ...
,
Kadiri Kadiri is a major city in Sri Sathya Sai District the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a ''Special Grade'' Municipal City Council and headquarters of Kadiri Mandal and Kadiri Revenue Division. Kadiri Taluka ('Tehsil') was the largest taluk ...
, Trichy, Thuraiyur, Thammampatti, Thiruvannamalai, Tindivanam, Pondicherry,
Kallakkurichi Kallakurichi is a Municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Kallakurichi district in Tamil Nadu. As of 2019, the town had a population of 73528. Member of the Legislative Assembly (Tamilnadu) is M. ...
, Tirupattur, Viluppuram, Kanyakumari, Arani, Madurai, Tirunelveli,
Kanchipuram Kanchipuram ('; ) also known as ''Conjeevaram,'' is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from Chennaithe capital of Tamil Nadu. Known as the ''City of Thousand Temples'', Kanchipuram is known for its temple ...
, Tiruttani, Kalpakkam, Pallikonda, Ponnai, Gudiyatham, Dharmapuri, Erode, Tirupur, Palakkad, Krishnagiri, mumbai Gingee and other major towns and cities in South India. Vellore is served by a city bus service, which connects the city, suburbs, and other places of interest. The bus service extends about 30 km from the city center. There are two bus terminals: the Town Bus Terminus (opposite the fort and near CMC Hospital) and the Central Bus Terminus (Near Green Circle). Other bus terminals are located at Chittor Bus Stand (near VIT Road), Bagayam and Katpadi (Junction bus stop). The bus stands are maintained by the Vellore Municipal Corporation. Vellore New Integrated Bus Terminus was constructed at a cost of ₹46.51 crore in a 9.25 acre area under the Smart City project by the Vellore City Municipal Corporation, it was completed in 24 months and become operational by January 2022.


Rail

Vellore has three main railway stations: Vellore Katpadi Junction,
Vellore Cantonment Vellore Cantonment is a railway station that serves the city of Vellore, in addition to . The station is located on Viluppuram–Tirupati line. It is located at the heart of the city on Infantry road (near Vellore Municipal Corporation V ...
and Vellore Town. The largest is Vellore Katpadi Junction (5 km north of CMC hospital). It is a major railway junction on the Chennai-Bangalore broad-gauge line running to Chennai, Bangalore, Tirupati, New Delhi, Howrah, Kanyakumari. There are direct rail links to Vijayawada Junction, Tirupati, Jhansi, Bhubaneswar, Nagpur, Bangalore,
Coimbatore Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
, Lucknow,
Dehradun Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative As ...
,
Agartala Agartala () is the capital city of the Indian state of Tripura, and is one of the largest cities in northeast India. The city is governed by the Agartala Municipal Corporation. The city is the seat of the Government of Tripura. It is located on ...
,
Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
, Ludhiana, Bhopal Junction, Mumbai, Mangalore, Tiruchchirapalli,
Mayiladuthurai Mayiladuthurai (formerly known as Mayavaram or Mayuram) is a town and district headquarter of Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located at a distance of from the state capital, Chennai. Mayiladuthurai was ruled by Mediev ...
, Chidambaram,
Kumbakonam Kumbakonam (formerly spelt as Coombaconum or Combaconum) or Kudanthai is a city municipal corporation in the Thanjavur district in the States of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Chennai and is the headq ...
, Bilaspur Korba, Patna,
Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...
, Trivandrum, Kanniyakumari, Shirdi,
Kanpur Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help·info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations o ...
,
Gaya Gaya may refer to: Geography Czech Republic *Gaya (German and Latin), Kyjov (Hodonín District), a town Guinea * Gaya or Gayah, a town India *Gaya, India, a city in Bihar **Gaya Airport *Bodh Gaya, a town in Bihar near Gaya *Gaya district, Bi ...
, Dhanbad, Jammu Tawi, Madurai,
Bhilai Bhilai is a city in Durg district of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Chhattisgarh, in eastern central India. With population exceeding 1 million, it is the second-largest urban area in Chhattisgarh after Raipur. Bhil ...
, Gwalior, Chennai Central, Howrah Station, New Delhi Railway Station,
Coimbatore Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
, Guwahati, Silchar, Madhupur, Nagarcoil, Kozhikode,
Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...
, Bhagalpur, Jaipur, Dibrugarh, Varanasi, Pune, Hyderabad, Vishakapatnam and other major cities. More than 150 trains cross the Vellore-Katpadi Junction daily. Nearly 250 to 265 trains halt this junction. This is the major and busiest junction in South India and 1st Important railway station in Vellore district.
Vellore Cantonment Vellore Cantonment is a railway station that serves the city of Vellore, in addition to . The station is located on Viluppuram–Tirupati line. It is located at the heart of the city on Infantry road (near Vellore Municipal Corporation V ...
is in Suriyakulam on the Viluppuram-Tirupati
broad gauge A broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the used by standard-gauge railways. Broad gauge of , commonly known as Russian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in former Soviet Union (CIS ...
line, 8 km from Katpadi Junction. EMU and passenger trains to Tirupati, Chennai and Arakonnam depart from here. The 150-km broad gauge line was extended to Villupuram in January 2010. It connects Vellore and South Tamil Nadu; however, it is serviced by slow passenger trains. The line was opened for goods trains in June 2010. An EMU from
Vellore Cantonment Vellore Cantonment is a railway station that serves the city of Vellore, in addition to . The station is located on Viluppuram–Tirupati line. It is located at the heart of the city on Infantry road (near Vellore Municipal Corporation V ...
to Chennai Central was introduced on December 22, 2008. Vellore Town Station is in Konavattam on the line connecting Katpadi Junction with
Viluppuram Junction Villupuram Junction is a railway station in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. Being a prominent railway station, it serves as the distribution point of rail traffic from Chennai, the state capital of Tamil Nadu, towards the southern and central parts of t ...
via Tiruvannamalai.


Air

The Vellore Airport was established in 1934 and is located in Abdullapuram, 11 km away from the city centre. It had been used to land trainer aircraft and helicopters. It was reactivated as a part of the
Airports Authority of India The Airports Authority of India, or AAI, is a public sector enterprise under the ownership of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India. It is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining, and managing civil aviation infrastruct ...
idle airports activation programme in July 2006 to facilitate regular flying by trainee pilots of the Madras Flying Club whose operations were restricted with the increase in scheduled aircraft movement at Chennai Airport. Vellore airport is in the process of being revived under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). UDAN, runway and terminal building works are under progress, all the required infrastructure works scheduled to be ready by June 2019 for operations.


Sports

Vellore is known for producing number of national and international weightlifters, M Tamil Selvan, a silver medal winner at the 1978, 1982 Commonwealth games and represented India in 1980 Olympics. Sathish Sivalingam, a gold medal winner at the 2014,2018 Commonwealth games. Vellore has the States first center of excellence for weightlifting. Built at an expense of 24 million INR, the centre has facilities for conducting international weightlifting events, latest training equipment and a multi-purpose training hall. Vellore was among the two districts in Tamil Nadu which didn't have a sports complex. In 2018, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced a sports complex would be set up with facilities for 400 metre athletics track, gallery, administrative office besides grounds for hockey, basketball, kabaddi, badminton and tennis. It would also have a swimming pool and gymnasium.


Urban Area


Utility services

Electricity supply to Vellore is regulated and distributed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). The city and its suburbs form the Vellore Electricity Distribution Circle. A chief distribution engineer is stationed at the regional headquarters. The water supply is provided by the Vellore municipal corporation from the Palar river through Palar headworks and Karungamputhur headworks and distributed through ten overhead tanks. As of 2005, there are 16,371 connections to 33,772 households. In 2000–2001, a total of 7.4 million litres of water was supplied daily for households in the city. The other sources of water are Otteri Lake, Sathuvancheri town panchayat, Ponnai and street wells. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, pp. 36-39 According to the municipal data for 2011, about 83 metric tonnes of solid waste are collected from Vellore every day by door-to-door collection. The source segregation and dumping are carried out by the sanitary department of the Vellore municipal corporation. The municipal corporation covered 16 wards for waste collection as of 2001. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 47 There is no underground drainage system and the sewage system for sullage disposal is through septic tanks, open drains and public conveniences. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 45 The municipal corporation maintained of storm water drains in 2011. As of 2011, 24 government and private hospitals and one veterinary hospital take care of the citizens' health care needs. As of 2011, the municipal corporation maintained 5,241 street lamps: 735 sodium lamps, 73 mercury vapour lamps, 4,432 tube lights and one high mast beam lamp. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 55 The municipal corporation operates the Netaji Daily Market that caters to the needs of the city and the rural areas around it. Urban Infrastructure Report 2008, p. 65


See also

* List of areas of Vellore * List of people from Vellore


Notes


References


Sources

* *


External links


Vellore Official Government Site


* * {{Authority control Cities and towns in Vellore district Smart cities in India