Oppanakara Street

Last updated

Oppanakara Street at Coimbatore
Oppanakkara street coimbatore.jpg
Oppanakara Street in November 2022
Maintained by Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation
From endSouth Ukkadam, Coimbatore
Major
junctions

Vysial street
Raja Street
Thomas Street
Big Bazaar Street
Edayar Street/Varity Hall Road
To endMill Road junction, Coimbatore

Oppanakara Street is a major commercial street in Coimbatore, India. It is located close to the Town Hall area and the Coimbatore Corporation building. Known for its dense concentration of textile and jewellery showrooms, the street is regarded as the busiest shopping district in the city and one of the most prominent retail stretches in Tamil Nadu. [1]

Contents

General

The street extends between South Ukkadam and Mill Road, intersecting with several historic trade lanes such as Raja Street and Big Bazaar Street. Commercial activity ranges from street vendors selling household items to large format showrooms dealing in silk sarees, textiles, and gold jewellery. Coimbatore is often described as the textile hub of India, and Oppanakara Street serves as the city’s traditional focal point for fabric and garment retailing. [2]

The street experiences particularly heavy pedestrian activity during festival seasons such as Diwali, Pongal, and Ramzan, when textile and jewellery purchases peak. Reports note that lakhs of people visit Oppanakara Street and nearby Big Bazaar Street during weekends ahead of Diwali. [3] [4] To support this surge in visitors, authorities introduce seasonal arrangements such as extended shopping hours, festive lighting, and smart camera systems to monitor the flow of people. [5]

Commercial shops

Oppanakara Street is anchored by several of Coimbatore’s largest textile and jewellery retailers. Notable stores include Pothys, The Chennai Silks, SPP Silks, Saravana Selvarathnam Stores, and major jewellery chains such as Thangamayil, Kumaran Thangamaligai, Joy Alukkas, and Malabar Gold and Diamonds. Alongside these flagship outlets, numerous mid-sized textile shops and long-established local traders also operate on the street.

Other commercial shops on Oppanakara Street include:

  1. Pothys
  2. The Chennai Silks (2 showrooms)
  3. SPP Silks
  4. Uday Textiles
  5. Ramraj Cotton
  6. Ganapathy Silks
  7. Saravana Selvarathnam Stores
  8. Thangamayil Jewellery
  9. Kumaran Thangamaligai (2 showrooms)
  10. Joy Alukkas Jewellery
  11. Malabar Gold and Diamonds

References

  1. "The buzz here has always been about business". The Times of India. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  2. "The buzz here has always been about business". The Times of India. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  3. "Enhanced security measures in Coimbatore's shopping districts ahead of Diwali". The Times of India. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  4. "Deepavali crowd: Shops in Coimbatore not to stay open late at night". The New Indian Express. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  5. "Coimbatore police monitor busy shopping streets with AI cameras". The Times of India. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2025.