Punganur

Punganur
City
Nickname(s):  Pungapuri, Pulinaadu
Punganur Location in Andhra Pradesh, India
Coordinates: 13°22′00″N78°35′00″E / 13.3667°N 78.5833°E / 13.3667; 78.5833
Country	India
State	Andhra Pradesh
District	Chittoor
Mandal	Punganur
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Body	Punganur Municipality
Area [1]
• Total	32.28 km2 (12.46 sq mi)
Elevation	764 m (2,507 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	54,746
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,400/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Telugu
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	517 247
Telephone code	+91–8581
Vehicle registration	AP 39
Assembly Constituency	Punganur
Lok Sabha Constituency	Rajampeta
Website	Punganur Municipality

Punganur is a Municipality city in Chittoor district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Punganur Mandel of Palamaner Revenue Division.

Geography

Punganur is located at 13°22′00″N78°35′00″E / 13.3667°N 78.5833°E / 13.3667; 78.5833 . ^[2] It has an average elevation of 764 meters (2509 feet).

Demographics

As of 2011 ^[update] India census, ^[3] Punganur had a population of 54,746. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Punganur has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 71%, and female literacy is 56%. In Punganur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Governance

Main article: Punganur (Assembly constituency)

Punganur Assembly constituency is a constituency of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, India. It is one of 14 constituencies and the largest constituency in Chittoor district. Punganur panchayat was upgraded to 3rd Grade Municipality on 19 January 1985.

The Punganur cow

The Punganur cow is a distinct breed, is named after the town of its origin. White and light grey in colour with a broad forehead and short horns, its average height is 70–90 cm and its weight is 115–200 kg. The cow has an average milk yield of 3 to 5 litres per day (with a fat content of 8%, whereas the normal milk has a fat content of 3.5%). Its daily feed intake of 5 kg. It is highly drought resistant, and able to survive exclusively on dry fodder. It is now on the verge of extinction.

Temples

Sri Someswara Temple (situated within the precincts of the Zamindar Palace, once the centre of the Punganur Estate), also called Kukkudechuram or Kukkutasuram, is one of the Thevara Vaipputh Thalangal of the Shaivite holy places mentioned in his literature by Tamil Nayanar Appar, the saint-poet of the 7th century A.D. Together with Sambandhar and Sundara, Appar is one of the three most prominent of the 63 Nayanars. This temple was constructed by the Cholas.

Another notable temple is the Pundeswara Temple in Mugavadi near Punganur.

Movie theatres

• Balaji Theatre
• Msr Movie Land
• Sri Venkateswara Mahal
• Taj Mahal Theatre (very old one)
• Gokul Theatre(Temporarily Closed)

Transport

Punganur is very well connected by road, and under the Kadapa-Bangalore railway project a railway line passes through Kudavuru, which is a village in Punganur mandal at an distance of 8 km (5.0 mi) from Punganur. After completion of this railway line Punganur will get railway station at Kudavuru. At present the nearest railway station is Madanapalle Road railway station which is located 36 km (22 mi) from Punganur. Punganur APS RTC Depot is the biggest bus depot in the entire state in terms of area and garage. There are two bus terminals in Punganur. State-owned APSRTC buses run to different parts of the district, state and interstate – Bangalore, Kolar (KA), and Chennai (TN).

One National Highway (NH42) and one Major State Highway pass through Punganur.

NH 42 - Uravakonda to Krishnagiri, SH 65 - Punganur to Rompicharla.

Education

The primary and secondary school education is delivered by government, aided and private schools, under the School Education Department of the state. The languages of instruction followed by different schools are Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English.

References

1. "Punganuru Municipality". Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration. Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
2. "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Punganuru, India". fallingrain.com.
3. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.