Thoothukudi

Tamilnadu > Thoothukudi

Kalyana Venkattaramasami temple

Thoothukudi is also known as "Pearl City" in tamil "muthunagar". Located in the east coast of Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi(previously called Tuticorin) has always been the hub of trade and progress in this region. A city with rich and varied cultures, flourshing since 200 B.C. Earlier known as Thriumanthiranagar. Thoothukudi is in South India nearly 550 km away from Chennai and is Geographically located in the Gulf of Mannar.

The district of Thoothukudi was carved out from the erstwhile Tirunelveli District on 20th October 1986.

It is situated in the extreme south-eastern corner of Tamil Nadu state and bounded on the north by the districts of Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram, on the east and south-east by Gulf of Mannar and on the west and south-west by the district of Tirunelveli. Total area of this district is 4621 sq. kms. and the administrative headquarters is an Urban agglomeration and also one of the taluk headquarters within the district.

History of Thoothukudi

Tuticorin is traditionally known for its pearl fishery and shipbuilding. Thoothukudi became the centre of the Indian independence movement in the early 20th century, with such leaders as the Maveeran Sundaralinga Kudumbanar , Tyagi Vadivu , Thalapathy Venni Kalady , poet Subramanya Bharathy, Veerapandiya Kattabomman and V.O. Chidambaram Pillai. In 1906, the freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, with the help of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, launched the first Swadeshi ship S.S. Gaelia from this port town in British India.

About Education of Thoothukudi

In this district the percentage o effective literacy (excluding children in the age group 1-6) is 74 %. The number of educational institutions available in this district are as follows:

1) Arts and Science Colleges - 12
2) Medical College - 1
3) Engineering Colleges - 3
4) Agriculture College - 1
5) Fisheries College - 1
6) Colleges for Special Education - 1
7) Primary Schools - 1076
8) Middle Schools - 284
9) High Schools - 73
10) Higher Secondary Schools - 97
11) Teachers Training Colleges - 3
12) Government Polytechnic - 2

A Government Polytechnic in the name of the greatest Tamil Poet Subramania Bharathiyar is functioning from 1982 exclusively for girls at Ettayapuram.

Transportation of Thoothukudi

Road

Tuticorin City is well connected by road. The Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project with funding from World Bank is laying an ECR(East Coast Road) from Arcot to Tuticorin (742KM) at an outlay of Rs.2,160 Crore (Rs.21.6 Billion). The project, which started in February 2004, is expected to be completed by March 2009.

Railways

Tuticorin is one of the oldest railway stations in India. South Indian Railway began Madras - Tuticorin service connecting with the boat to Ceylon in 1899. Currently the proposals for Electrification of the track up to Tuticorin and double line conversion from Dindugul to Tuticorin are approved by the Ministry of Railways.

Airport

Tuticorin Airport is at Vagaikulam, 14 km from the heart of the city. Currently a daily kingfisher, formerly Air Deccan Flight service between Chennai and Tuticorin is active. Flight arrives at 12:15PM and leaves after half an hour. The State Government has planned to extend the runway(Over 700acres of land is under approval) and modernize the airport to handle to more traffic and bigger aircrafts.