 |
| Life in Tamil Nadu |
|---|
Tamil Nadu, a state in South India, has a developed, dense, and modern transportation infrastructure, encompassing both public and private transport. Its capital city Chennai is well-connected by land, sea, and air and serves as a major hub for entry into South India.
Tamil Nadu has an extensive road network covering about 2.71 lakh km as of 2023 with a road density of 2,084.71 kilometres (1,295.38 mi) per 1000 km2 which is higher than the national average of 1,926.02 kilometres (1,196.77 mi) per 1000 km2. [1] The Highways Department (HD) of the state was established in April 1946 and was later renamed as Highways Department on 30 October 2008. [2] The agency is primarily responsible for construction and maintenance of national highways, state highways, major district roads and other roads in the state. It operates through eleven wings with 120 divisions and 450 subdivisions. [3] The agency maintains 73,187 kilometres (45,476 mi) of highways in the state. [4]
| Type | NH | SH | MDR | ODR | OR | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length (km) | 6,805 | 12,291 | 12,034 | 42,057 | 197,542 | 271,000 |
The ‘’National Highways Wing’’ of the highways department of Tamil Nadu was established in 1971 to look after the works of improving, maintaining and renewing of National Highways laid down by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). [5] There are 48 national highways of length 6,805 kilometres (4,228 mi) in the state. [6]
| Lanes | Two | Four | Six | Eight | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length (km) | 3,814 | 2,649 | 333 | 9 | 6,805 |
Roads which connect district headquarters, important towns and national highways in the state are classified as state highways. Construction and maintenance wing of the highways department is responsible for the construction, maintenance of the state highways. The wing has eight circles namely Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Tiruppur and Villupuram. [7]
| Lanes | One | Intermediate | Two | Four | Six | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length (km) | 39 | 366 | 10,170 | 1,466 | 250 | 12,291 |
Other roads include major district roads (MDR), other district roads (ODR), rural & sugarcane roads and special roads such as East Coast Road, IT Expressway, Ennore-Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP), Chennai Port – Maduravoyal Expressway and Outer Ring Road Project. These roads provide linkage between various towns and centers within districts and connectivity to respective district and taluk headquarters.
As of 2020, Tamil Nadu had 32.1 million registered vehicles. [8]
| Year | 2007 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count (mn) | 10.98 | 14.06 | 22.51 | 32.1 |
As of 2020, 32,598 buses are operated with the state transport units operating 20,946 buses along with 7,596 private buses and 4,056 mini buses. [9] Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) run by Government of Tamil Nadu is the primary public transport bus operator in the state. It was established in 1947 when private buses operating in Madras presidency were nationalized by the government. [9] It operates buses along intra and inter state bus routes, as well as city routes. There are eight divisions of TNSTC including Metropolitan Transport Corporation in Chennai and State Express Transport Corporation. [9] State Express Transport Corporation Limited (SETC), established in 1980, runs long-distance express services exceeding 250 km and above. It links important cities and other historical, religious and commercial towns, and adjoining states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry. SETC operates various classes of services such as semi-deluxe, ultra-deluxe and air-conditioned with advance booking and reservation on all of its routes. [10]
The rail network in Tamil Nadu forms a part of Southern Railway of Indian Railways. Southern Railway is headquartered in Chennai and there are four divisions in the state namely Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Salem. [11] As of 2023, the state had a total railway track length of 5,601 km (3,480 mi) covering a route length of 3,858 km (2,397 mi). [12] There are 532 railway stations in the state with Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore, Coimbatore Junction and Madurai Junction being the top revenue earning stations. [13] [14] Indian railways also has a coach manufacturing unit at Chennai, electric locomotive sheds at Arakkonam, Erode and Royapuram, diesel locomotive sheds at Erode, Tiruchirappalli and Tondiarpet, Steam locomotive shed at Coonoor along with various maintenance depots. [15] [16]
| Route length (km) | Track length (km) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broad Gauge | Metre Gauge | Total | Broad Gauge | Metre Gauge | Total | ||
| Electrified | Non electrified | Total | |||||
| 3,476 | 336 | 3,812 | 46 | 3,858 | 5,555 | 46 | 5,601 |
Chennai has a well-established suburban railway network operated by Southern railway, which was established in 1928. [17] The Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) is an elevated urban mass transit system established in 1995 operating on a single line from Chennai Beach to Velachery. [17]
| System | Lines | Stations | Length | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Suburban [18] | 3 | 53 | 212 km (132 mi) | 1928 |
| Chennai MRTS [19] | 1 | 17 | 19.715 km (12.250 mi) | 1995 |
Chennai Metro is a rapid transit rail system in Chennai which was opened in 2015. As of 2023, the metro system consists of two operational lines operating across 54.1 km (33.6 mi) with 41 stations. [20] Chennai metro system is being expanded with a proposed addition of three more lines and extension of 116.1 km (72.1 mi). [21] Rapid rail projects for Coimbatore and Madurai have been proposed. [22] [23]
| Line | Terminal | Opened | Length (km) | Stations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Line | Wimco Nagar | Chennai Airport | 21 September 2016 | 32.65 | 26 |
| Green Line | Chennai Central | St. Thomas Mount | 29 June 2015 | 22 | 17 |
| Total | 54.65 | 41 | |||
Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge railway in Nilgiris district connecting Mettupalayam and Udagamandalam. It was built by the British in 1908 and is operated by the Southern Railways. [24] [25] It is the only rack railway in India and operates on its own fleet of steam locomotives between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. [26] In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Mountain Railways of India [27]
There are three international, one limited international and six domestic or private airports in Tamil Nadu. [28] [29] Chennai airport, which is the fourth busiest airport by passenger traffic in India is a major international airport and the main gateway to the state. [30] Other international airports in the state include Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli while Madurai is a customs airport with limited international flights. [30] Domestic flights are operational to certain airports like Tuticorin and Salem while flights are planned to be introduced to more domestic airports by the UDAN scheme of Government of India. [31]
| Area Served | Airport Name | IATA | ICAO | Airport Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | Chennai International Airport | MAA | VOMM | International |
| Coimbatore | Coimbatore International Airport | CJB | VOCB | International |
| Hosur | Hosur Aerodrome | VO95 | State/Private | |
| Madurai | Madurai Airport | IXM | VOMD | Customs |
| Neyveli | Neyveli Airport | NVY | VONY | State/Private |
| Salem | Salem Airport | SXV | VOSM | Domestic |
| Thanjavur | Thanjavur Airport | TJV | VOTJ | Domestic (CE) |
| Thoothukkudi | Tuticorin Airport | TCR | VOTK | Domestic |
| Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli International Airport | TRZ | VOTR | International |
| Vellore | Vellore Airport | VOVR | Domestic |
The region comes under the purview of the Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force. The Air Force operates three air bases in the state Sulur, Tambaram and Thanjavur. [32] The Indian Navy operates airbases at Arakkonam, Uchipuli and Chennai. [33] [34]
Tamil Nadu has 1,076 kilometres (669 mi) long coastline and is the second longest coastline in the country after Gujarat. [35] There are three major ports Chennai, Ennore and Thoothukudi which are managed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of Government of India. [36] There is an intermediate sea port at Nagapattinam and sixteen other minor ports which are managed by the department of highways and minor ports of Government of Tamil Nadu. [1] Tamil Nadu forms part of both the Eastern Naval Command and Southern Naval Command the Indian Navy which has a major base at Chennai and logistics support base at Thoothukudi. [37] [38]
Coimbatore, 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. Coimbatore is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu after Chennai in terms of population and the 16th largest urban agglomeration in India as per the census 2011. It is the administrative capital of Coimbatore District and is administered by the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation which was established in 1981.
Velankanni (Vēḷāṅkaṇṇi), is a Special Grade Panchayat Town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It lies on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, 350 km south of Chennai (Madras), 12 km south of Nagapattinam, and 33 km southeast of Thiruvarur.
Sivaganga is a city and headquarters of the Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city is located at a distance of 48 km (30 mi) from Madurai and 449 km from the state capital Chennai.
Rajapalayam is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the largest municipality in the Virudhunagar district. Rajapalayam is located on the Madurai to Quilon National Highway at a distance of 562 km south of the state capital Chennai. The economy is primarily industrial with several mills for spinning and weaving. The town is known for its mango and the Rajapalayam breed of dogs.
Oddanchatram is a town in Dindigul district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Oddanchatram is a region in the southwest of Tamil Nadu. The Town was carved out of Madurai District in 1985. Oddanchatram is also famous for vegetable and cattle market. As of 2011, the town had a population of 30,064. It is known as vegetable city of Tamil Nadu. Oddanchatram vegetable market is the largest supplying of vegetables in Tamilnadu and Kerala. Agriculture is the major economic support for the town.
Tamil Nadu has the second largest state economy in India. It is also the most industrialised state in the country. The state is 48.40% urbanised, accounting for around 9.26% of the urban population in the country, while the state as a whole accounted for 5.96% of India's total population in the 2011 census. Services contributes to 54% to the gross domestic product of the state, followed by manufacturing at 33% and agriculture at 13%.
Sengottai 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, the economy of the town and Sengottai Taluk revolves around the cultivation of rice,coconut,Mango,clove and pepper. Sengottai is well known in Tamil Nadu as a major market of Dosa kal. This town has lot of Black smith shops.
Coimbatore Junction railway station, also known as Kovai Junction railway station, is a major railway station located in the city of Coimbatore in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the busiest railway stations in South India and serves as a gateway to the Nilgiri hills, a popular tourist destination. The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways and has six platforms. Coimbatore is the third highest revenue generating station in the Southern Railway after Chennai Central and Egmore railway stations and is the station that generates about 45 percent of the revenue of the Salem Railway division. Coimbatore Junction is an important junction connecting major cities such as Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. It also serves as a gateway to several popular tourist destinations such as Ooty and Kodaikanal.
Tirunelveli City being the district headquarters of Tirunelveli District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has a very extensive transport network. Tirunelveli district is a vital tourist destination with lot of religious places, monuments and hill stations. Tirunelveli is also a major junction for transportation around Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari Districts.
Erode city being the headquarters of Erode district, in Tamil Nadu, India, has an extensive road and rail transport network in all radial directions, as it lies landlocked.
In Tamil Nadu, the Highways & Minor Ports Department (HMPD) is primarily responsible for construction and maintenance of roads including national highways, state highways and major district roads. HMPD was established as Highways Department (HD) in April 1946 and subsequently renamed on 30 October 2008. It operates through seven wings namely National Highways Wing, Construction & Maintenance Wing, NABARD and Rural Roads Wing, Projects Wing, Metro Wing, Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project Wing, Investigation and Designs Wing geographically spread across the state in 38 districts with about 120 divisions and 450 subdivisions.
Tiruchirappalli has a well-developed transport infrastructure. Being located almost at the geographic centre of the state Tamil Nadu India, Tiruchirappalli is well connected by Road, Rail and Air with most cities.
Coimbatore is a city in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Most transportation in the city and suburbs is by road. Coimbatore is well-connected to most cities and towns in India by road, rail, and air, but not through waterways. The city has successful transport infrastructure compared to other Indian cities, though road infrastructures are not well maintained and developed according to the growing needs of transport, making traffic congestion a major problem in the city. A comprehensive transport development plan has been made to address many traffic problems.
Thoothukudi is an Industrial City and it has transport connections via road, rail, sea and air. After Chennai, Thoothukudi is the only city in Tamil Nadu to have all four means of transport.
Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India, has well-developed transport facilities. Modes of transport in Madurai include road, rail and air. Madurai faces increasing daily traffic problems, so master plans have been prepared to reduce the city traffic and traffic problems in suburbs.
The town of Viluppuram in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu is well connected by both rail and road to other major cities in the state including Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, Salem, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Dindigul and Vellore. And also other state major cities such as Bengaluru, Tirupati, Pondicherry and Mangalore. Viluppuram serves as one of the important railway junction of Tamil Nadu and Southern Railway Zone. The nearest domestic airport is Pondicherry, which has a daily chartered flight to Bengaluru. The nearest international airports are Chennai and Tiruchirappalli.
Tiruvannamalai is predominantly connected by road to other major cities in the state including Chennai, Bengaluru, Vellore, Arani, Trichy, Tiruppur, Salem, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Shimoga and Kanchipuram. And also other state major cities such as Hyderabad, Tirupati, Puducherry and Mangaluru. Tiruvannamalai serves as one of the important Road junction of Tamil Nadu and north roadways Zone. The nearest domestic airport is Vellore, which has a no daily chartered flights. The nearest international airports are Chennai and Tiruchirappalli.
Coimbatore Metro, also known as Kovai Metro, is a proposed rapid transit system for Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
The economy of Salem, Tamil Nadu is mostly influenced by Information Technology, Steel, Textile industry, Agriculture and more other fields. Salem is mostly known as Steel city and Mangoes city of India. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Salem city is 12,134.10 GDP and (YOY) is 10.31. It is the third-largest district economy in Tamil Nadu while GDP growth in Chennai GDP 20,847.32 (1), Coimbatore GDP 23,371.63 (2), Madurai GDP 10,401.02 (5), Tiruchirappalli GDP 10,493.93 (4). Salem has one Special Economic zone over 40 in Tamil Nadu, ELCOT has established an IT Special Economic Zone at Jagirammapalayam village, Salem, in an extent of 53.33 acres of land at an investment of Rs. 40.53 crore. Salem district also have local planning authority called Salem Local Planning Authority for development of Salem City Corporation area and Salem Metropolitan Area. And also for suburbs in Salem district.
| Transport by cities |  | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road |
| ||||||||
| Rail |
| ||||||||
| Air |
| ||||||||
| Water |
| ||||||||
| Space |
| ||||||||
