Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, IPA: [koːjɐmbut̪ːuːɾ]), also known

as Kovai (IPA: [koːʋaj] ⓘ), 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.
The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during the Sangam
period between the 1st and the 4th centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance
to the Palakkad Gap, the principal trade route between the west coast and Tamil Nadu.
Coimbatore was located along the ancient trade route Rajakesari Peruvazhi that
extended from Muziris to Arikamedu in South India. The medieval Cholas conquered
the Kongu Nadu in the 10th century CE. The region was ruled by Vijayanagara
Empire in the 15th century followed by the Nayaks who introduced the Palayakkarar
system under which Kongu Nadu region was divided into 24 Palayams. In the later part
of the 18th century, the Coimbatore region came under the Kingdom of Mysore and
following the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Anglo-Mysore Wars, the British East India
Company annexed Coimbatore to the Madras Presidency in 1799. The Coimbatore
region played a prominent role in the Second Poligar War (1801) when it was the area
of operations of Dheeran Chinnamalai.

In 1804, Coimbatore was established as the capital of the newly formed Coimbatore
district and in 1866, it was accorded municipality status with Robert Stanes as its
chairman. The city experienced a textile boom in the early 19th century due to the
decline of the cotton industry in Mumbai. Post Independence, Coimbatore has seen
rapid growth due to industrialisation and is one of the largest exporters of jewellery, wet
grinders, poultry and auto components; the "Coimbatore Wet Grinder" and the "Kovai
Cora Cotton" are recognised as Geographical Indications by the Government of India.
Being a hub of textile industry in South India, the city is referred to as the "Manchester
of South India".

Coimbatore was ranked the best emerging city in India by India Today in the 2014
annual survey, fourth among Indian cities in investment climate by Confederation of
Indian Industry and 17th among the top global outsourcing cities by Tholons.
Coimbatore has been selected as one of the Indian cities to be developed as a smart
city under the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT by Government of India. Coimbatore
regularly features among the top ten best cities to live in India and is amongst the top
three safest cities in India according to National Crime Records Bureau report in 2023.

Etymology
[edit]
According to one theory, "Coimbatore" is a derivation of Kōvanputtūr (lit. 'new town of
Kovan'), after chieftain Kovan or Koyan, evolved into Kōyamputtūr[6] and later anglicised
as Coimbatore.[7] Another theory states that the name could have been derived
from Kovaiamma. The word evolved from Koyamma, the goddess worshipped by Koyan
which became Koniamma and later Kovaiamma.[8]

History
[edit]
Main articles: History of Coimbatore and Timeline of Coimbatore history

The Sugarcane Breeding Institute at Coimbatore, 1928

The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period between
c. 1st and the 4th centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad
Gap, the principal trade route between the west coast and Tamil Nadu.[9] The Kosar
tribe mentioned in the 2nd century CE Tamil epic Silappathikaram and other poems
in Sangam literature is associated with the Coimbatore region.[10] The region was located
along an ancient Roman trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu.[11]
[12]
The medieval Cholas conquered the Kongu Nadu in the 10th century. A Chola
highway called Rajakesari Peruvazhi ran through the region.[13][14] Much of Tamil Nadu
came under the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire by the 15th century. In the
1550s, Madurai Nayaks, who were the military governors of the Vijaynagara Empire,
took control of the region. After the Vijayanagara Empire fell in the 17th century, the
Madurai Nayaks established their state as an independent kingdom. They introduced
the Palayakkarar system under which Kongu Nadu region was divided into
24 Palayams(towns).[15]

Aerial view of the city, circa 1930

In the latter part of the 18th century, the region came under the Kingdom of Mysore,
following a series of wars with the Madurai Nayak dynasty. After the defeat of Tipu
Sultan in the Anglo-Mysore Wars, the British East India Company annexed Coimbatore
to the Madras Presidency in 1799. The Coimbatore region played a prominent role in
the Second Poligar War (1801), when it was the area of operations of Dheeran
Chinnamalai.[16] On 24 November 1804, Coimbatore was established as the capital of
the newly formed Coimbatore district and in 1866 it was accorded municipality status.[17]
 Sir Robert Stanes became the first chairman of the Coimbatore City Council.[19][20] The
[18]

region was hard hit during the Great Famine of 1876–78 resulting in nearly 200,000
famine related fatalities. The first three decades of the 20th century saw nearly
20,000 plague-related deaths and acute water shortage.[21][22]

The decline of the cotton industry in Mumbai fuelled an economic boom in Coimbatore
in the 1920s and 1930s.[20] The region played a significant role in the Indian
independence movement with Mahatma Gandhi visiting the city three times.
[23]
Coimbatore was the base of operations for such political figures as S. P. Narasimhalu
Naidu, R. K. Shanmukham Chetty, C.S. Rathinasabapathy and C. Subramaniam during
the independence movement.[24] Post independence, Coimbatore has seen rapid growth
due to industrialisation and in 1981 it was constituted as a municipal corporation.
[25]
On 14 February 1998, the radical Islamist group Al Ummah bombed 11 places across
the city killing 58 people and injuring more than 200.[26]

Geography
[edit]
Main article: Geography of Coimbatore

Western Ghats along the Coimbatore-Palakkad National

Highway
Coimbatore lies at 11°1′6″N 76°58′21″E in south India at 427 m (1,401 ft) above sea
level on the banks of the Noyyal River, in northwestern Tamil Nadu. It covers an area of
642.12 km2 (247.92 sq mi).[27] It is surrounded by the Western Ghats mountain range to
the west and the north, with reserve forests of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve on the
northern side.[28] The Noyyal River forms the southern boundary of the city, which has an
extensive tank system fed by the river and rainwater.[29][30] The eight major tanks
and wetland areas of Coimbatore are namely, Singanallur, Valankulam, Ukkadam
Periyakulam, Selvampathy, Narasampathi, Krishnampathi, Selvachinthamani, and
Kumaraswami.[31] Multiple streams drain the waste water from the city.[29][32]

Ukkadam Periyakulam, one of the major lakes

The city is divided into two distinctive geographic regions: the dry eastern side which
includes majority of the urban area of the city and the western region which borders
the Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Munnar ranges. Palghat Gap, a mountain pass which
connects the neighbouring state of Kerala to Tamil Nadu, lies to the west of the city.
Because of its location in the biodiversity hotspot of the Western Ghats,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is rich in fauna and flora. The Coimbatore
urban wetlands harbours around 116 species of birds, of which 66 are resident, 17 are
migratory and 33 are local migrants.[33] The spot-billed pelican, painted stork, openbill
stork, ibis, Indian spot-billed duck, teal and black-winged stilt visit the Coimbatore
wetlands on their migration.[28] Apart from the species common to the plains, various
threatened and endangered species such as Indian elephants, wild
boars, leopards, Bengal tigers, gaurs, Nilgiri tahr, sloth bear and black-headed
oriole are found in the region.[34]

The northern part of the city has a rich tropical evergreen forest with commercially
significant trees such as teak, sandalwood, rosewood and bamboo. The soil is
predominantly black, which is suitable for cotton cultivation, but some red loamy soil is
also found. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, Coimbatore falls under the
Class III/IV Seismic Zone, having experienced an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 on
the Richter scale on 8 February 1900.[35]

Climate
[edit]

Coimbatore gets majority of rains from monsoon winds

passing through the Palghat gap (topography pictured)
Under the Köppen climate classification, the city has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh), with
a wet season lasting from September to November due to the northeast monsoon. The
mean maximum temperature ranges from 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) to 29.2 °C (84.6 °F) and the
mean minimum temperature ranges from 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) to 9.8 °C (49.6 °F).[36] The
highest temperature ever recorded is 42.6 °C (108.7 °F) on 22 April 1976 while the
lowest is 12.2 °C (54.0 °F) on 12 January 1957.[37]

Coimbatore has a tropical wet and dry climate. It experiences hot and humid summers
from March to June with temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 38 °C. The monsoon
season starts from July and lasts till October. The city receives moderate rainfall from
the south-west monsoon and occasional heavy rainfall from the north-east monsoon.
The winter season starts from November and ends in February. The temperatures
during this season range from 20 °C to 30 °C.
Due to the south-west monsoon winds passing through the Palghat gap, elevated
regions of the city receive rainfall in the months from June to August. After a warm and
foggy September, the north-east monsoon starts from October, lasting until early
November. The average annual rainfall is around 600 mm (23.6 in) with the northeast
and the southwest monsoons contributing to 47% and 28% respectively to the total
rainfall.[36] This periodic rainfall does not satisfy the city's water requirements throughout
the year and water supply schemes drawn from Siruvani and Pilloor help supplant the
requirements during low rainfall months.[38][39]

hideClimate data for Coimbatore (Coimbatore International Airport) 1991–2020, extremes

1948–2020)

Au No Yea
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Sep Oct Dec
g v r

35. 36. 36. 35. 34.

Record 38.8 40.8 42.6 41.2 38.0 38.1 37.8 42.6
9 0 8 6 4
high °C (101 (105 (108 (106 (100 (100 (100 (108
(96. (96. (98. (96. (93.
(°F) .8) .4) .7) .2) .4) .6) .0) .7)
6) 8) 2) 1) 9)

Mean 30. 31. 31. 30. 29.

33.2 35.6 36.4 35.0 32.4 31.5 32.5 32.5
daily 9 8 7 2 5
(91. (96. (97. (95. (90. (88. (90. (90.
maximum (87. (89. (89. (86. (85.
8) 1) 5) 0) 3) 7) 5) 5)
°C (°F) 6) 2) 1) 4) 1)

Mean 19. 22. 22. 21. 19.

20.3 22.3 24.1 24.0 23.0 22.4 22.5 22.0
daily 2 4 3 5 7
(68. (72. (75. (75. (73. (72. (72. (71.
minimum (66. (72. (72. (70. (67.
5) 1) 4) 2) 4) 3) 5) 6)
°C (°F) 6) 3) 1) 7) 5)

12. 16. 14. 14. 12.

Record 12.8 15.8 18.2 15.6 18.3 16.1 16.7 12.2
2 1 3 1 4
low °C (55. (60. (64. (60. (64. (61. (62. (54.
(54. (61. (57. (57. (54.
(°F) 0) 4) 8) 1) 9) 0) 1) 0)
0) 0) 7) 4) 3)

Average 4.1 10.3 15.6 43.3 57.4 24.6 27.6 44. 62.4 156 139 33. 618.
rainfall (0.1 (0.4 (0.6 (1.7 (2.2 (0.9 (1.0 3 (2.4 .1 .7 1 5
mm (1.7 (6.1 (5.5 (1.3 (24.
 (inches) 6) 1) 1) 0) 6) 7) 9) 4) 6) 5) 0) 0) 35)

Average
0.2 0.4 1.0 2.9 3.3 2.6 2.9 3.0 3.7 8.0 7.2 2.1 37.5
rainy days

Average re
lative
humidity ( 39 32 30 42 56 64 67 67 64 65 62 53 54
%) (at
17:30 IST)

Source: India Meteorological Department[40][37][41]

Demographics
[edit]

Historical population

Year Pop. ±%

1871 35,310 —

1881 38,967 +10.4%

1891 46,383 +19.0%

1901 53,080 +14.4%

1911 47,000 −11.5%

1921 68,000 +44.7%

1931 95,000 +39.7%

1941 130,348 +37.2%

1951 198,000 +51.9%

 1961 286,000 +44.4%

1971 356,000 +24.5%

1981 704,000 +97.8%

1991 816,321 +16.0%

2001 930,882 +14.0%

2011 1,601,438 +72.0%

Sources:

 1871–1901:[42]
 1911–2001:[43]
 1981: Increase in population due
to merger of Singanallur
Municipality
 2001:[44]
 2011:[5]
 2011: Increase in population due
to expansion of the city

Coimbatore has a population of 1,601,438.[5] As per the 2011 census based on pre-
expansion city limits, Coimbatore had a population of 1,050,721 with a sex ratio of 997
females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[45] It is the
second largest city in the state after capital Chennai[46] and the sixteenth largest urban
agglomeration in India. A total of 102,069 were under the age of six, comprising 52,275
males and 49,794 females. The average literacy of the city was 82.43%, compared to
the national average of 72.99%.[45] There were a total of 425,115 workers, comprising
1,539 cultivators, 2,908 main agricultural labourer, 11,789 in house hold industries,
385,802 other workers, 23,077 marginal workers, 531 marginal cultivators, 500 marginal
agricultural labourer, 1,169 marginal workers in household industries and 20,877 other
marginal workers.[47]

As per the 2001 census,[44] Coimbatore had a population of 930,882 within the municipal
corporation limits.[48][49][50] The population of the urban agglomeration as per 2011 census
is 2,136,916 with males constituting 50.08% of the population and females 49.92%. [27]
[46]
Coimbatore has an average literacy rate of 89.23%, higher than the national average
of 74.04%. Male literacy is 93.17% and female literacy is 85.3% with 8.9% of the
population under six years of age. The sex ratio was 964 females per 1000 males. [51] In
2005, the crime rate in the city was 265.9 per 100,000 people, accounting for 1.2% of all
crimes reported in major cities in India. It ranked 21st among 35 major cities in India in
the incidence of crimes.[52] In 2011, the population density in the city was 10,052 per
km2 (26,035 per mi2).[3] Around 8% of the city's population lives in slums.[53]

Administration and politics

[edit]
Main articles: Administration of Coimbatore and Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation

Administrative officials

Title Name

Mayor R. Ranganayaki[54]

Municipal Commissioner Sivaguru Prabakaran[55]

Police Commissioner A. Saravana Sundar[56]

Coimbatore is a municipal corporation administered by the Coimbatore Municipal

Corporation and is the administrative headquarters of Coimbatore district. Coimbatore
was established as the capital of Coimbatore district in 1804 and in 1866, it was
accorded municipality status.[17][18] In 1981, Coimbatore was elevated as a municipal
corporation.[25] The city is divided into five administrative zones – East, West, North,
South and Central, each further subdivided into 20 wards.[57] Each ward is represented
by a councillor who is elected by direct election and the Mayor of Coimbatore is elected
by Councillors. The executive wing of the corporation is headed by a Corporation
Commissioner and maintains basic services like water supply, sewage and roads.[58]
[59]
The district itself is administered by the district collector and the district court in
Coimbatore is the highest court of appeal in the district. The Coimbatore City Police is
headed by a Commissioner of Police and there are 18 police stations in the city.
[60]
Coimbatore was ranked amongst the top three safest cities in India according
to National Crime Records Bureau report in 2023.[61]

A large part of the Coimbatore urban agglomeration falls outside the municipal
corporation limits.[62] These suburbs are governed by local bodies called Village
Panchayats and Town Panchayats.[63] Besides the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation,
the Coimbatore urban agglomeration comprises the Town Panchayats
of Vellalur, Irugur, Pallapalayam, Kannampalayam, Veerapandi, Periyanaickenpalayam,
Narasimhanaickenpalayam, Idikarai, Vedapatti, Perur, Madukkarai, Ettimadai, Thondam
uthur, Uliyampalayam, Thirumalayampalayam, Othakalmandapam, Alanthurai, Pooluva
patti, Thenkarai, Karumathampatti, Sarcarsamakulam, Mopperipalayam and Gudalur,
census towns of Ashokapuram, Kurudampalayam, Malumichampatti,
Selvapuram, Chettipalayam, Sulur, Chinniampalayam, Somayampalayam,
Muthugoundan Pudur, Arasur, Kaniyur, Neelambur and municipalities
of Kuniyamuthur, Kurichi and Goundampalayam.[64] These local bodies are in turn split
into wards each electing a councillor through direct election. The head of these local
bodies are elected by the respective councillors from amongst them.[59][65]

Coimbatore has traditionally been a stronghold of the Dravidian parties with national
parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Communist Party of
India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) also having a significant presence.[66][67][68] The city elects ten
members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and one member to the Indian
Parliament. The six legislative assembly constituencies in the city are Coimbatore
North, Coimbatore
South, Kaundampalayam, Singanallur, Thondamuthur and Kinathukadavu which form a
part of the Coimbatore Parliamentary Constituency. Part of the urban agglomeration
comes under the Nilgiris and Pollachi constituencies. In the Indian general election held
in 2019, CPI (M) candidate P.R. Natarajan defeated C. P. Radhakrishnan of the BJP in
the Lok Sabha constituency.[69] In the last legislative assembly election held in 2021,
the AIADMK led front won in all the assembly constituencies in the city.[70][71]

Economy
[edit]
Main article: Economy of Coimbatore

Lakshmi Mills was one of the earliest textile mills in

Coimbatore[72][73]
A major hub for manufacturing, education and healthcare in Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is
among the fastest growing tier-II cities in India.[74][75] As of 2020, the GDP was estimated
to be US$13.06 (equivalent to $15.87 in 2024) billion.[2] It houses more than 25,000
small, medium and large industries with the primary industries being engineering and
textiles. Coimbatore is called the "Manchester of South India" due to its extensive textile
industry, fed by the surrounding cotton fields.[76][77] TIDEL Park Coimbatore
in ELCOT SEZ was the first special economic zone (SEZ) set up in 2006.[78] In 2010,
Coimbatore ranked 15th in the list of most competitive (by business
environment) Indian cities.[79] Coimbatore also has a 160,000 square feet (15,000 m2)
trade fair ground, built in 1999 and is owned by CODISSIA.[80]
 Coimbatore is one of the largest exporters of software.
[81]
Pictured is TIDEL Park, an IT SEZ.[82]
Coimbatore region experienced a textile boom in the 1920s and 1930s.[20] Though,
Robert Stanes had established Coimbatore's first textile mills as early as the late 19th
century, it was during this period that Coimbatore emerged as a prominent industrial
centre. In 2009 Coimbatore was home to around 15% of the cotton spinning capacity in
India.[83] Coimbatore has trade associations such as CODISSIA, COINDIA and
COJEWEL representing the industries in the city. Coimbatore houses a number of
textile mills and is the base of textile research institutes like the Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel International School of Textiles & Management, Central Institute for Cotton
Research (CICR) and the South India Textile Research Institute (SITRA).[84] Kovai Cora
Cotton saree is a recognised Geographical Indication.[85][86] The Southern India Mills'
Association (SIMA) founded in 1933 caters to the interests of the various textile mills
and their employees.[87]

CODISSIA Trade Center

Coimbatore is the second largest producer of software in the state after Chennai. TIDEL
Park Coimbatore and other Information technology parks in the city has aided in the
growth of IT and Business process outsourcing industries in the city. It is ranked at 17th
among the top global outsourcing cities by Tholons.[88] Software exports stood at ₹7.1
billion (US$81 million) for the financial year 2009–10 up 90% from the previous year.
[89]
Coimbatore has a large and diversified manufacturing sector and a number of
engineering colleges producing about 50,000 engineers annually.[90]

Coimbatore is a major center for the manufacture of automotive components in India

with car manufacturers Maruti Udyog and Tata Motors sourcing up to 30%, of their
automotive components from the city. G.D. Naidu developed India's first indigenous
motor in 1937.[91] India's first indigenously developed diesel engine for cars was
manufactured in the city in 1972. The city is also a major centre for small auto
component makers catering to the automobile industry, from personal to commercial
and farm vehicles.[92] The city contributes to about 75% of the 100,000 total monthly
output of wet grinders in India.[93] The industry employs 70,000 people and had a yearly
turnover of ₹28 billion (US$320 million) in 2015.[93] The term "Coimbatore Wet Grinder"
has been given a Geographical indication.[94][95]
Coimbatore is also referred to as "the Pump City" as it supplies nearly 50% of India's
requirements of motors and pumps.[96] The city is one of the largest exporters of
jewellery renowned for diamond cutting, cast and machine made jewellery.[97][98][99]
[100]
There are about 3,000 jewellery manufacturers employing over 40,000 goldsmiths.[101]
[102][103]
Coimbatore has a large number of poultry farms and is a major producer of
chicken eggs. The city contributes to nearly 95% of processed chicken meat exports.
[104]
Coimbatore has some of the country's oldest flour mills and these mills which cater to
all the southern states, have a combined grinding capacity of more than 50,000 MT per
month. The hospitality industry has seen a growth in the 21st century with new upscale
hotels being set up.[105][106][107]

Culture
[edit]
Main article: Culture of Coimbatore
Coimbatore and its people have a reputation for entrepreneurship.[108][109] Though it is
generally considered a traditional city, Coimbatore is diverse and cosmopolitan.[108][110]
[111]
The World Classical Tamil Conference 2010 was held in Coimbatore.[112] The heavy
industrialisation of the city has also resulted in the growth of trade unions.[113] The city is
regularly features among the top 10 best cities to live in India.[114] 24 November, the date
of establishment of Coimbatore as a district is celebrated as "Coimbatore Day". [115]

Language
[edit]
Languages of Coimbatore (2011)[116]
Language Percent
Tamil 67.60%
Telugu 16.48%
Malayalam 7.28%
Others 8.64%
Tamil is the official language and Kongu Tamil (also called Kangee or Kongalam), a
dialect, is predominantly spoken.[117][118] As per the 2011 census, Tamil is the most spoken
language with 710,326 speakers, followed by Telugu (173,136), Malayalam (76,485)
and Kannada (43,629). Other languages spoken in the city include Urdu (15,484)
and Hindi (13,608).[116] During the 1970s the city witnessed a population explosion as a
result of migration fuelled by increased economic growth and job opportunities.[43][119]

Ethnicity and religion

[edit]
The population of Coimbatore consists of majority of Tamils with a significant number
of Telugus,[120] Kannadigas,[121] Malayalis,[122][123][124] and North Indians,[110] mainly Gujaratis.[125]

Religions in Coimbatore (2011)[126]

Religion Percent
Hinduism 83.31%
Islam 8.63%
Christianity 7.53%
Other or not stated 0.53%
The city's population is predominantly Hindu with
minority Muslim and Christian population. Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists are also present
in small numbers.[50][127][128] According to the religious census of 2011, Coimbatore has
83.31% Hindus, 8.63% Muslims, 7.53% Christians, 0.28% Jains, 0.05% Sikhs, 0.02%
Buddhists and 0.01% Others. 0.17% of the respondents did not state their religion. [126]

The Mariamman festivals at the city's numerous Mariamman temples are major events
in summer.[129] Major Hindu temples in the city include the Perur Patteeswarar Temple,
[130]
Naga Sai Mandir,[131][132] Koniamman Temple,[129] Thandu Mariamman Temple,
[133]
Eachanari Vinayagar Temple,[134][135] Puliakulam Temple,[136] Marudamalai Murugan
Temple,[137][138] Loga Nayaga Shaniswara Temple,[139][140] Ashtamsa Varadha Anjaneyar
Temple,[141] Masani Amman Temple,[142] Karamadai Ranganathar Temple,[143] Dhyanalinga
Yogic Temple and Adiyogi Shiva.[144] The mosques on Oppanakara Street and Big
Bazaar Street date back to the 18th century CE.[145] Christian missions date back to the
17th century when permission was granted by the Nayak rulers to set up churches in
the region.[146] Sikh Gurudwaras and Jain temples are also present in Coimbatore.[147]

Cuisine
[edit]
See also: Tamil cuisine

A typical vegetarian meal

Coimbatore cuisine is predominantly south Indian with rice as its base. Most local
restaurants still retain their rural flavor, with many restaurants serving food over a
banana leaf.[148] Eating on a banana leaf is an old custom and imparts a unique flavor to
the food and is considered healthy.[149] North Indian, Chinese and continental cuisines
are also available. Idly, dosa, paniyaram and appam are popular dishes.[150][151][152][153]

Coimbatore has an active street food culture and various cuisine options for dining. Arisi
paruppu sadam and sambar sadam, made from a mixture of dal and rice, is a recipe
that existed from the 4th century CE that is unique to the area. Ariseemparuppu or arisi
paruppu satham (literally translated as Rice and dal) originated from Coimbatore and
the people of the city celebrate January 8 as national Aruseemparuppu day, after given
light by a popular influencer and food consultant.[154] Kaalaan is a popular dish prepared
by simmering deep-fried mushrooms (usually chopped) in a spicy broth until it reaches a
porridge-like consistency; the dish is served sprinkled with chopped onions and
coriander leaves.[155][156] Chaats made from potatoes and a mix of other vegetables and
spices are also popular.[157]

Arts
[edit]
Swamikannu Vincent, who had built the first cinema of south India in Coimbatore,
introduced the concept of Tent Cinema in which a tent was erected on an open land to
screen the films.[158][159] Central Studios was set up in 1935 while S. M. Sriramulu
Naidu established Pakshiraja Studios in 1945.[160] The city conducts its own music
festival every year.[111] Art, dance and music concerts are held annually during the
months of September and December (Tamil calendar month – Margazhi).[161] Coimbatore
also houses a number of museums and art galleries like G.D. Naidu Museum &
Industrial Exhibition, H A Gass Forest Museum, Government Museum, Kadhi Gandhi
Gallery and Kasthuri Srinivasan Art Gallery and Textile Museum.[162][163]

Transport
[edit]
Main article: Transport in Coimbatore
Air
[edit]

Coimbatore International Airport

Main article: Coimbatore International Airport
The city is served by the Coimbatore International Airport at Peelamedu 10 km (6.2 mi)
from the city center. The airport was established in 1940 with Air India operating
scheduled services in 1948.[164][165][166] Coimbatore flying club and aviation training
academy was established in 1960.[167][168][169] In 1987, the airport underwent modernization
and further expansion of the existing runway to enable handling of larger jet aircraft. [164]
[170]
On 6 June 2012, Prime Minister of India declared the government's intention to
upgrade the airport to international status and the Union Cabinet granted it the status of
international airport on 2 October 2012.[171][172] The airport is operated by Airports
Authority of India and caters to domestic flights to major Indian cities and international
flights to Sharjah, and Singapore.[173] As of 2023-24, the airport was the second
largest airport in Tamil Nadu in terms of passengers handled.[174][175] It has a single
runway, which is 2,990 m (9,810 ft) in length and is capable of handling medium sized
aircraft.[176]

Sulur Air Force Station, located at Sulur is an air base operated by the Indian Air
Force and accommodates Antonov An-32 transport aircraft, Mil Mi-8 transport
helicopters and the HAL Dhruv helicopters of the Sarang helicopter display team.[177] The
first squadron of indigenous built HAL Tejas fighter aircraft was inducted in 2020.[178][179]

Rail
[edit]

Coimbatore Junction, busiest railway station in the city

Main article: Railway stations in Coimbatore
Train service in Coimbatore started in 1861, upon the construction of
the Podanur – Madras line connecting Kerala and the west coast with the rest of India.
[180]
Coimbatore lies on the Jolarpettai–Shoranur line 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad
gauge railway line and the city falls under the Salem division of the Southern Railway
zone of Indian Railways. The major railway station is the Coimbatore Junction which is
the second-largest income generating station in the Southern Railway zone
after Chennai Central and is amongst the top hundred booking stations of Indian
Railways.[181][182][183] Other major railway stations catering to the city include Coimbatore
North Junction, Podanur Junction and minor stations at Peelamedu, Singanallur, Irugur
Junction, Perianaikanpalayam, Madukkarai, Somanur and Sulur.[184][185][186]

Metro rail
[edit]
Main article: Coimbatore Metro
The Central Government proposed a metro rail system for 16 tier-2 cities
in India including Coimbatore in 2010. In 2011, the Government of Tamil Nadu shelved
the proposal in favour of a monorail. Coimbatore Railway Struggle Committee has also
protested to implement metro rail project in Coimbatore. In 2013, E. Sreedharan made
survey and announced metro rail as suitable transport for Coimbatore In 2017, the
Government of Tamil Nadu proposed a metro for Coimbatore.[187] Feasibility studies were
completed in 2021 and five corridors were proposed.[188]

Road
[edit]
 Avinashi Road, one of the major arterial roads

Gandhipuram bus stand

There are six major arterial roads in the city: Avinashi Road, Trichy Road, Sathy
Road, Mettupalayam Road, Palakkad Road and Pollachi Road.[189][190][191] The Coimbatore
bypass is a series of bypasses connecting the various National Highways and State
Highways passing through and originating from Coimbatore. The first section of the
bypass, a 28-kilometre (17 mi) stretch from Neelambur to Madukkarai on National
Highway 544 opened for traffic in 2000.[192][193] It was the first road privatisation project to
be implemented on a build–operate–transfer model in South India.[194][195] In 2008, the
State Highways department came up with a proposal to create a Ring road to help de-
congest the main arterial roads and the 12 km road would extend from Peelamedu to
Mettupalayam road.[193] In 2011, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu announced the
construction of two new flyovers at Ukkadam and Athupalam to help de-congest the
Palakkad Road.[196] In 2012, the Government of Tamil Nadu decided in favour of an
eastern road that connected Mettupalayam Road with Avinashi Road and the existing
bypass.[197] The city municipal corporation is undertaking the construction of six rail-over-
bridges in the city.[198] There are five National Highways passing through the city:[199][200]

Race Course Road

 Highwa
Destinatio
y Via
n
Number

Salem Perundurai, Chithode

544

Kochi Palakkad, Thrissur

948 Bangalore Kollegal, Chamrajnagar

Chidambara
81 Karur, Tiruchirappalli
m

181 Gundlupet Mettupalayam, Ooty

Nagapattina Pollachi, Udumalaipettai, Palani, Oddanchatram, Dindigul, Tiruchirappalli, Tha

83
m njavur

Apart from State and National Highways, the city corporation maintains a 635.32
kilometres (394.77 miles) long road network.[29] The city is also served by auto
rickshaws and taxi services.[201] Coimbatore has four Regional Transport Offices viz. TN
37 (South), TN 38 (North), TN 66 (Central), TN 99 (West).[202]

Bus
[edit]

Bus stand at Mettupalayam road

Town buses started operating in 1921 and serve most parts of the city, as well as other
towns and villages in the district. The number of inter-city routes operated by
Coimbatore division is 119 with a fleet of more than 500 buses.[203] It also operates town
buses on 257 intra-city routes.[204] The intra-city buses operate from major bus stations
in Gandhipuram Central Bus Terminus, Singanallur Bus Terminus, Ukkadam Bus
Terminus and Saibaba Colony Bus Terminus to other parts across the city. Inter-city
and intra-city buses that connect Coimbatore operate from different bus stands:

Bus
Location Destinations
Station

Avinashi, Erode, Gobichettipalayam, Mettupalayam, Salem, Sathyamangalam,

Central
Tiruppur; Districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, and Tiruppur[205][206]

Gandhipura Express services towards Tamil Nadu, Andhra

SETC
m Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry[207]

Omni Bus Private mofussil bus services towards Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Stand Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry and Telangana[208]

Mettupalaya Coimbator
Nilgiris[205][206][209]
m Road e North

Singanallu
Singanallur Dharapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, and South Tamil Nadu[205][210]
r

Ukkadam Ukkadam Palani, Pollachi, Udumalpet; Districts of Dindigul and Theni;[205] State of Kerala[211]

The Coimbatore Integrated Bus Terminus planned at Vellalore was cancelled midway in
2023 due to a lack of sufficient approach roads to the terminus and a hazardous waste
dump nearby.[212] Coimbatore BRTS is a proposed bus rapid transit project under
the JNNURM scheme of the Government of India. It is planned along a 27.6 kilometres
(17.1 mi) stretch connecting Avinashi road and Mettupalayam road.[213]

Education
[edit]
See also: List of educational institutions in Coimbatore

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, one of the foremost

institutions of agriculture in India
Coimbatore is a major educational hub.[214] The first school was established in 1831.
[215]
The first college Government Arts College, was opened in 1875.[216] The first
engineering college in the city, the Arthur Hope College of Technology (now known as
the Government College of Technology, Coimbatore), was started by G.D. Naidu in
1945 followed later by private engineering colleges PSG College of Technology,
and Coimbatore Institute of Technology in the 1950s.[217] The Air Force Administrative
College, established in 1949, is the oldest training institute of the Indian Air Force.
[218]
Coimbatore Medical College was opened in 1966 and a second Government
run ESIC medical college was established in 2016. Government law college is a public
law college that started functioning in 1978.[217] The agricultural school established in
1868 was converted into Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 1971 and the Sálim Ali
Centre for Ornithology and Natural History was opened in 1990.[217]

As of 2023, the district is home to seven universities, 46 engineering colleges, 21

management schools, eight architectural schools, three medical colleges, two dental
colleges, 27 polytechnics and 62 arts and science colleges.[219][220] The city houses three
government run universities Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Bharathiar
University, Anna University Coimbatore and four private universities.[221]

Bharathiar University established in 1982 is based out of the

city
The city houses Government research institutes including the Central Institute for
Cotton Research, Sugarcane Breeding Research Institute, Institute of Forest Genetics
and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and
Tamil Nadu Institute of Urban Studies.[222][223][224] In 2008, Government of India announced
a plan to establish a world class university in the region.[225][226]

Three types of schools operate in Coimbatore: government run schools, schools funded
by the government but run by private trusts (aided schools) and schools funded
completely by private trusts.[217] Schools follow Tamil Nadu State
Board, Matriculation, CBSE, ICSE/ISC or Tamil Nadu Anglo-Indian school board
syllabus.[217] "Samacheer Kalvi" (Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education or
Equitable education system) was introduced by the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of
School Education Act 2010 to integrate the various school educational systems within
the state. The city falls under the purview of Coimbatore education district and about
31320 students appeared for SSLC examinations in 2023.[227]

Utility services
[edit]
Media
[edit]
Main article: Media in Coimbatore
See also: List of Tamil-language television channels
Four major English newspapers The Hindu, The Times of India, Deccan
Chronicle and The New Indian Express bring out editions from the city.[228] Business
Line, a business newspaper also brings out a Coimbatore edition. Tamil newspapers
which have Coimbatore editions include Dinamalar, Dina
Thanthi, Dinamani, Dinakaran, Tamil Murasu and Maalai Malar (both evening
newspapers).[229][230][231] Lotus News is headquartered in Coimbatore.[232]

A Medium wave radio station is operated by All India Radio, with programs in Tamil,
English and Hindi.[233] Five FM radio stations operate from Coimbatore – Rainbow FM,
[234]
Suryan FM,[235] Radio Mirchi,[236] Radio City[237][238] and Hello FM.[239] All these private
radio stations air exclusively Tamil-based programs, including film music. Television
relay started in 1985 from Delhi Doordarshan and in 1986, after inception of the
repeater tower at Kodaikanal, telecast from Madras commenced. In 2005, Doordarshan
opened its studio in Coimbatore.[240] Television services are accessible through DTH or
digital cable.[241]

Telecommunication
[edit]
Coimbatore has a well-connected communications infrastructure. Till the 1990s the
state owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was the only telecommunication
service provider in the city. In the 1990s, private telecom companies too started offering
their services. As of 2019, BSNL, Reliance Communications, Bharti Airtel, Tata
Communications, Tata Teleservices, Reliance Jio and ACT offer broadband service and
fixed line services. MTS offers mobile broadband services.[242] Cellular telephony was
first introduced in 1997 and mobile telephone services available.[243] Coimbatore is the
headquarters of the Tamil Nadu circle of cellular service providers.[244]

Healthcare
[edit]
As of 2010, the size of the health care industry in Coimbatore is estimated at ₹1,500
crore (US$170 million).[245] There are around 750 hospitals in the city with an in-patient
capacity of 5,000 beds.[246] These hospitals include single speciality institutions like eye
care clinics (e.g. Aravind Eye Hospitals) and also multi special hospitals.[247] The first
health care centre in the city was started in 1909. Coimbatore Medical College Hospital
and ESI Hospital are government run tertiary care hospitals and provide free health
care.[248] The city corporation maintains 16 dispensaries and two maternity homes.
[29]
People from nearby districts and the state of Kerala visit Coimbatore for medical
tourism due to the availability of hospitals and healthcare facilities.[249][250][251][252]

Sports and recreation

[edit]
 A typical raceday scene at Kari Motor Speedway

Nehru Stadium
Coimbatore is often referred to as "India's Motorsports Hub" and the "Backyard of Indian
Motorsports".[253][254] [Link] designed and built entry – level race cars and the Kari
Motor Speedway, a Formula 3 Category circuit, is named after him.[255] Tyre
manufacturer MRF assembles Formula Ford cars in Coimbatore in association with
former F3 Champion J. Anand and racing company Super Speeds designs Formula
cars.[256] Rallying is another major event with rallies conducted in closed roads around
Coimbatore. Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver hails from the city, and
other motorsport drivers from Coimbatore include J. Anand and V. R. Naren Kumar.[257]
[258]

Nehru Stadium, built originally for football, also hosts athletic meets. The stadium has
been renovated with Korean grass for the field and a synthetic track around it for
athletics.[259] Apart from the stadium, other sporting venues include the Coimbatore Golf
Course, an 18 – hole golf course[260] and Coimbatore Cosmopolitan Club, which is more
than 100 years old.[261] Coimbatore Flying Club is located in the Coimbatore
Airport premises.[262] The city hosts its own annual marathon called Coimbatore
Marathon as an event to raise cancer awareness.[263] Retired tennis player Nirupama
Vaidyanathan, who became the first Indian woman in the modern era to feature and win
a round at a main draw Grand Slam in 1998 Australian Open hails from Coimbatore.
[264]
Coimbatore District Chess Association (CDCA), established in 1940, is the oldest
chess association in the country.[265]

City based teams

[edit]

Club Sport League Home Stadium Founded

Lyca Kovai Tamil Nadu Premier SNR College Cricket

Cricket 2016
Kings League Ground

Chennai City Jawaharlal Nehru

Football I-League 2016
F.C.[266] Stadium[267]
Recreation
[edit]

VOC park and zoo

Main article: Entertainment in Coimbatore
There are several amusement parks around the city: Black Thunder water theme park
near Mettupalayam, Kovai Kondattam amusement park at Perur and Maharaja Theme
Park at Neelambur.[268] Since the 1980s, the city has had a few small shopping
complexes and major shopping malls include Prozone Mall, Brookefields Mall and Fun
Republic Mall.[269] The city also has a number of parks including the VOC Park, the Tamil
Nadu Agricultural University Park, Race Course Children's Park and Bharathi Park in
Saibaba Colony. Coimbatore Zoo houses a number of animals and birds and is located
near VOC Park.[270][271] The grounds are used for conducting fairs and events including the
annual Independence day and Republic day celebrations.[272] Singanallur Lake is a
popular tourist place and bird watcher destination.[273] Popular cinemas include KG
Cinemas,[274] The Cinema at Brookfields,[275] Cinepolis at Fun Republic,[276] INOX at
Prozone,[277] Miraj cinemas,[278] Karpagam cinemas,[279] Senthil Kumaran cinemas,[280] Baba
complex[281] and Broadway cinemas.[282]

Environmental issues
[edit]
Air pollution, lack of proper waste management infrastructure and degradation of water
bodies are the major environmental issues in Coimbatore. There is a sewage
treatment plant at Ukkadam with the capacity to process 70 million litres of sewage
water per day.[283][284] Garbage is collected by the corporation and sewage is pumped into
the water tanks and the Noyyal River through streams.[285] This along with garbage
dumping and encroachments has led to degradation of the water bodies and depletion
in the groundwater table.[286][287][288] The tanks are renovated by the city's environmental
groups with their own fund-raising and the corporation.[289][290] The corporation is
responsible and involved in clearing encroachment of the tanks.[291][292] Siruthuli, an
environmental organisation founded by the city's industrial houses, undertakes de-
silting of tanks and cleaning of the Noyyal river.[293] Environment Conservation
Group based out of the city is also involved in conservation of trees and wetlands,
monitoring wildlife crime and conducting awareness sessions for students