Coimbatore – General
Information
Coimbatore also
known as Kovai; is a major city in the Indian
state
of Tamil Nadu. It is the second largest city
and urban agglomeration in the state
after Chennai and
the sixteenth largest urban agglomeration
in India. It is administered by the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation and
is the administrative capital of Coimbatore district. It is one of the
fastest growing tier-II cities in India and a
major textile, industrial, commercial, educational, information technology,
healthcare and manufacturing hub of Tamil Nadu. It is often referred to as
the "Manchester of South India"
due to its cotton production and textile industries.
Coimbatore
is also referred to as "the Pump City" as it supplies two thirds of
India's requirements of motors and pumps. The city is one of the largest
exporters of jewellery, wet grinders, poultry and auto
components and the term "Coimbatore Wet Grinder" has been given
a Geographical indication. The
city is located on the banks of Noyyal River
& surrounded by the Western Ghats.
Coimbatore
was the capital city of the historical Kongu Nadu and
was ruled by the Cheras as
it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap,
the principal trade route between the west coast and Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore
was in the middle of the Roman trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikkamedu 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 Palaiyams.
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 industrialization.
Coimbatore
was ranked the best emerging city in India by India Today in
the 2014 annual Indian city survey. The city has been ranked 4th among
Indian cities in investment climate by CII and ranked
17th among the top global outsourcing cities by Tholons.
Etymology
There
are multiple theories regarding the origin of the name. According to one
theory, Coimbatore is a derivation of Covanputhur (literally 'new
town of Kovan'), after chieftain Kovan or Koyan, who ruled the
region around the city. Covanputhur evolved into Koyambatoor, which
was anglicized as Coimbatore. Another theory states that the name
could have been derived from Koniamman. Koyamma, the goddess worshiped by
Koyan evolved into Kovaiamma and later Koniamman.
History
The
region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during
Sangam period and it served
as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap,
the principal trade route between the west coast and Tamil Nadu. The Kossar tribe mentioned
in the second century CE Tamil epic Silappathikaram and
other poems in Sangam literature is
associated with the Coimbatore region (Kongu Nadu). The region was in the
middle of a Roman trade route that extended
from Muziris to Arikkamedu.
The medieval Cholas conquered
the Kongu Nadu in
the 10th century CE. A Chola highway called Rajakesari Peruvazhi ran
through the region. 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 Vijayanagara 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. The Nayaks introduced the Palayakkarar system under
which Kongu nadu region was divided into 24 Palayams.
In
the later 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. In 1804,
Coimbatore was established as the capital of the newly formed Coimbatore district and in 1866 it
was accorded municipality status. Sir Robert Stanes became
the first Chairman of the Coimbatore City Council. The
region was hard hit during the Great Famine of 1876–78 resulting
in nearly 200,000 famine related fatalities. The city experienced an earthquake
with a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter scale on February 8,
1900. The first three decades of the 20th century saw nearly 20,000 plague-related
deaths and an acute water shortage.
The
city experienced an economical boom in the 1920s and 1930s due to the decline
of the cotton industry in Mumbai. The
region played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. Post
independence, Coimbatore has seen rapid growth due to industrialization and
in 1981; Coimbatore was constituted as a corporation. On February 14,
1998, the radical Islamist
group Al Ummah bombed 11 places
across the city killing 58 people and injuring more than 200.
Geography
Coimbatore lies at 11°1′6″N 76°58′21″E in South India at 411metres (1349 ft) above sea level on the banks of the Noyyal river, in south-western Tamil Nadu. It covers an area
of 642.12 km2 (247.92 sq mi). 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. The Noyyal River forms
the southern boundary of the city. The city sits amidst Noyyal's basin
area and has an extensive tank system fed by the river and rainwater. The
eight major tanks and wetland areas
of Coimbatore are namely, Singanallur, Valankulam, Ukkadam Periyakulam,
Selvampathy, Narasampathi, Krishnampathi, Selvachinthamani, and Kumaraswami. Multiple
streams drain the waste water from the city.
The
city is divided into two distinctive 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 neighboring
state of Kerala to
Tamil Nadu lies to the west of the city. Because of its location in biodiversity hotspot of the
Western Ghats, it is rich in fauna and
flora.
The Coimbatore urban wetlands harbors around 116 species of birds of which, 66
are resident, 17 are migratory and 33 are local
migrants. The spot-billed pelican, painted stork, open
bill, ibis, spot-billed duck, teal and black-Winged
stilt visit the Coimbatore wetlands on their migration. 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.
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 a 6.0 Richter scale earthquake in 1900.
Climate
Coimbatore
has a pleasant, salubrious climate due to its proximity to thickly forested
mountain ranges and the cool breeze blowing through the Palghat gap which makes
the consistently hot temperatures pleasant. Under the Köppen climate classification,
the city has a tropical wet and dry climate,
with the wet season being from October to December due to the northeast monsoon.
Coimbatore is located at an elevation of about 411 meters. The mean
maximum and minimum temperature varies between 35 °C (95 °F) and
18 °C (64 °F). Highest temperature ever recorded is 41 °C
(106 °F) and lowest is 8 °C (46 °F).
Due
to the presence of the mountain pass, more elevated parts of the district
benefit from the south-west monsoon in
the months from June to August. After a warm, humid September, the main monsoon
starts from October lasting till early November. These monsoons are brought
about by the retreating monsoon.
The average annual rainfall is around 700 mm (27.6 in) with the North
East and the South West monsoons contributing to 47% and 28% respectively to
the total rainfall. This rainfall is not enough to sustain the needs of the
city for the entire year and the shortage is made up through water supply
schemes like Siruvani, Pilloor and Athikadavu.
Demographics
According
to 2011 census, 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. A total of 102,069 were under the
age of six, constituting 52,275 males and 49,794 females. The average literacy
of the city was 82.43%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. There
were a total of 425,115 workers, comprising 1,539 cultivators, 2,908 main
agricultural labourers, 11,789 in house hold industries, 385,802 other workers,
23,077 marginal workers, 531 marginal cultivators, 500 marginal agricultural
labourers, 1,169 marginal workers in household industries and 20,877 other
marginal workers.
As
per the 2001 census, Coimbatore
had a population of 1,565,797 within Municipal Corporation limits. The
population of the urban agglomeration as per 2011 census is 2,151,466. In
the urban agglomeration, males constitute 50.08% of the population and females
49.92%. 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 6 years of age. The Sex ratio was 964
females per 1000 males. 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 is ranked 21st among 35 major cities in India in the incidence of
crimes. In 2011, the population density in the city was 10,052 per
km2 (26,035 per mi2).
The
city's population is predominantly Hindu with
minor Muslim
population. Christians, Sikhs and Jains are
also present in small numbers. Tamil is
the official language and Kongu Tamil (also
called Kangee), a dialect is predominantly spoken. or
"Kongalam" Coimbatore also has a significant number of Kannadigas,
Telugus, Malayalis and North Indians,
mainly Gujaratis, who are
engaged in trade and commerce. During the 1970s the city witnessed a population
explosion as a result of migration fueled by increased economic growth and job
opportunities. Around 8% of the city's population lives in slums.
Administration & Politics
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. In 1981, Coimbatore was elevated as a municipal corporation. The city
is divided into five administrative zones – East, West, North, South and
Central, each further subdivided into 20 wards. Each ward is represented by a
councilor who is elected by direct election and the Mayor of Coimbatore is elected by Councilors.
The executive wing of the corporation is headed by a Corporation Commissioner
and maintains basic services like water supply, sewage and roads. 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 and there are
18 police stations in the city.
A
large part of the Coimbatore urban agglomeration falls outside the Municipal
corporation limits. These suburbs are governed by local bodies called
Village Panchayath and Town Panchayath. Besides
the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation, the Coimbatore UA comprises the town
panchayats of Vellalur, Irugur, Sulur,
Pallapalayam, Kannampalayam, Veerapandi, Periyanaickenpalayam,Narasimhanaickenpalayam, Idikarai, Vedapatti, Perur, Madukkarai, Ettimadai, Thondamuthur, Uliyampalayam, Thirumalayampalayam,Othakalmandapam, Chettipalayam, Alanthurai, Pooluvapatti, Thenkarai, Karumathampatti, Sarcarsamakulam, Mopperipalayam and Gudalurand census towns
of Ashokapuram, Kurudampalayam,
Malumichampatti, Selvapuram, Chettipalayam, Sulur,
Chinniampalayam, Somayampalayam,
Muthugoundan Pudur, Arasur, Kaniyur and
Neelambur. These local bodies are in turn split into wards each electing a
councilor through direct election. The head of the local body known as
president is elected by the councilors from among their number.
Coimbatore
elects ten members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and
one member to the Indian Parliament. The five legislative assembly
constituencies in the city are Coimbatore North, Coimbatore South, Kaundampalayam, Singanallur & Sulur.
All
five are part of the Coimbatore. Till 2009, there were only four assembly
constituencies in Coimbatore – Coimbatore East, Coimbatore West, Singanallur,
and Perur.
Also about 20% of the urban agglomeration came under the Nilgiris constituency
which runs into the northern part of the city and about 10% came under
the Pollachi
constituency. In the Indian general election held
in 2014, AIADMK candidate A.P. Nagarajan defeated C. P. Radha krishnan of
the BJP in the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency. In
the last legislative assembly election held in 2011,
the AIADMK led
front won in all five assembly constituencies.
Economy
Coimbatore
houses more than 25,000 small, medium and large industries with the city's
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. The city has two special economic zones (SEZ), the Coimbatore Hi-Tech
Infrastructure (CHIL) SEZ at Saravanampatti
and the TIDEL Park near Peelamedu,
and at least five more SEZs are in the pipeline. In 2010, Coimbatore
ranked 15th in the list of most competitive (by business environment) Indian cities.
Coimbatore
region experienced a textile boom in the 1920s and 1930s. 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
center. Coimbatore has trade associations such as CODISSIA, COINDIA, SITRA and
COJEWEL representing industries in the city. Coimbatore also has a 160,000
square feet (15,000 m2) trade fair ground, built in 1999. It was named
COINTEC due to its hosting of INTEC (Small Industries Exhibition). The Trade
Fair complex, one of the country's largest, was built in six months, and is
owned by CODISSIA (Coimbatore District Small Industries Association). It
is also the country's largest pillar-free hall, according to the Limca Book of
Records. Coimbatore houses a large number of medium and large textile
mills. It also has central textile research institutes like the Central
Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) and Sardar Vallabhai Patel International
School of Textiles and Management. The South Indian Textiles Research
Association (SITRA) is also based in Coimbatore.
The
city also houses two of the Centers of Excellences (COE) for technical textiles
proposed by Government of India, namely Meditech, a medical textile research
centre based at SITRA, and InduTech based in PSG College of Engineering and
Technology. The neighbouring city of Tirupur is
home to some of Asia’s largest garment manufacturing companies, exporting
hosiery clothes worth more than ₹ 50,000 million.
The
city is the second largest software producer in Tamil Nadu, next only to
Chennai. IT and BPO industry in the
city has grown greatly with the launch of TIDEL Park and other
planned IT parks in and around the city. It is ranked at 17th among the global
outsourcing cities. Companies
like Tata Consultancy Services, Cognizant Technology Solutions, IBM, Robert Bosch GmbH, Ford, Cameron International Corporation, Dell, Wipro, HCL are
having a presence in the city.
Coimbatore
is already the second largest hub in India for Cognizant Technology Solutions as
it employs around 5000 people in its Coimbatore centre and is planning to
double its capacity here. Software exports stood at ₹ 710.66
Crores (7.1 billion) for the financial year 2009–10 up 90% from the previous
year.[93] Apart
from this, there are also lots of healthcare BPOs (Medical Transcription,
Coding and Billing) in and around Coimbatore serving the US Healthcare
industry. Coimbatore has a large and a diversified manufacturing sector
facilitated by the presence of research institutes like Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University, SITRA and large number of engineering colleges producing about
50,000 engineers annually.
Coimbatore
is one of major manufacturers 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. India's first indigenously developed
diesel engines for cars were manufactured in the city in 1972. The city
also has a number of tier-I, II and III suppliers catering to the needs of the
entire gamut of the automobile industry, ranging from two-wheelers and
four-wheelers to commercial vehicles and tractors. Coimbatore has more
than 700 wet grinder manufacturers with a monthly
output 75,000 units as of March, 2005 and the term "Coimbatore
Wet Grinder" has been given a Geographical indication.
Coimbatore
is also referred to as "the Pump City" as it supplies two thirds of
India's requirements of motors and pumps. The city is one of the largest
exporters of jewellery renowned for making cast jewellery
and machine made jewellery. It is also a major diamond cutting center in South
India. The city is home to about 3000 jewellery manufacturing companies
and to over 40,000 goldsmiths.
Coimbatore
has a large number of poultry farms and is one of the major producers of
chicken eggs and processed meat amounting to nearly 95% of the chicken meat
exports from the country. Coimbatore has some of the oldest flour mills in
India. The large scale flour mills, which cater to all the southern states,
have a combined grinding capacity of more than 50,000 MT per month. In the
recent years, the city has seen growth in the hospitality industry with more
upscale hotels being set up. Coimbatore is the largest non-metro city for
e-commerce in South India.
Culture
Coimbatore
and its people have a reputation for entrepreneurship.
Though it is generally considered a traditional city, Coimbatore is more
diverse and cosmopolitan than other cities in Tamil Nadu. The city
conducts its own music festival every year. Art, dance and music concerts are
held annually during the months of September and December (Tamil calendar month
– Margazhi). The World Classical Tamil Conference 2010 was
held in Coimbatore. The heavy industrialization of the city has also
resulted in the growth of trade unions.
Religion
The
city's population is predominantly Hindu with
minor Muslim
population. Christians, Sikhs and Jains are
also present in small numbers. There are numerous Hindu temples in and around
the city including the Perur Patteeswarar
Temple, Naga Sai Mandir,
Koniamman temple, Thandu Mariamman temple, Vazhai Thottathu Ayyan temple,
ISKCON Temple, Eachanari Vinayagar Temple, Karamadai temple, Marudamalai Murugan temple, Loga Nayaga Shani Eswaran shrine, Ashtamsa Varadha Anjaneyar Temple,
Panchamuga Anjaneya temple, Anuvavi Subramaniar Temple and Dhyanalinga Yogic
Temple. The Mariamman festivals, at the city’s
numerous Amman temples,
are major events in summer.
The
mosques on Oppanakara Street and Big Bazaar Street date back to the period of
Hyder Ali. Christian missions date back to
1647 when permission was granted by the Nayak rulers
to set up a small church in Karumathampatti 12 km (7.5 mi). Sikh
Gurudwaras and Jain Temples
are also present in Coimbatore.
Media & communication
Four
major English newspapers The Hindu,
The Times of India, Deccan Chronicle and The New Indian Express bring
out editions from the city. Business Line,
a business newspaper also brings out a Coimbatore edition. Tamil newspapers
which have Coimbatore editions include Dina Malar, Dina Thanthi, Dina Mani, Dinakaran (all
morning newspapers) and Tamil Murasu and
Malai Malar (both
evening newspapers).
Two Malayalam newspapers–Malayala Manorama
& Mathrubhumi also have considerable circulation in
the city.
A
Medium wave radio station is operated by All India Radio,
with most programs in Tamil, English and Hindi. Five FM radio stations
operate from Coimbatore – Rainbow FM from All India Radio, Suryan FM from Sun Network,
Radio Mirchi, Radio City,
and Hello FM. All these private radio
stations air exclusively Tamil
based programs, including film music. The range of these stations cover
Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and Nilgiri districts
of Tamil Nadu and Palakkad and Wayanad districts
of Kerala.
Television
relay started in 1985 from Delhi Doordarshan.
In 1986, after inception of a repeater tower at Kodaikanal,
telecast from Madras Doordarshan commenced. The people of Coimbatore witnessed
the 1980 Olympics and 1983 Cricket World Cup on a
giant screen in VOC Park when
the city-based UMS developed a dish antenna for satellite signal reception.
Currently television reception is through DTH or
by cable, while Doordarshan reception is still available using an external
antenna. In 2005, Doordarshan opened its studio in Coimbatore.
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. Currently
besides BSNL, fixed line telephone services are offered by Reliance Communications and Bharti Airtel.
Dial up internet connections were first introduced (by HCL and BPL) in 1996 and
broadband internet (by BSNL) in 2005. As of 2010, BSNL, Reliance Communications,
Bharti Airtel, Tata Teleservices all
offer broadband service through fixed lines and mobiles; MTS offers mobile broadband
alone. Cellular telephony was first introduced in 1997. Coimbatore is
the headquarters of the Tamil Nadu circle of cellular service
providers. Mobile telephone services available in the city include both CDMA and GSM connections.
Coimbatore
is home to some of the oldest film studios in South India. Swamikannu Vincent,
a film exhibitor, set up the first movie studios in the city. Rangaswamy
Naidu established the Central Studios in
1935 while S. M. Sriramulu Naidu set up
the Pakshiraja Studios in 1945.
Cuisine
Coimbatore
cuisine is predominantly south Indian with rice as
its base. However, the population of Coimbatore is multi-cultural due to the
influx of migrant population from various regions of the country. Most locals
still retain their rural flavour, with many restaurants serving food over
a banana leaf.
North Indian, Chinese and continental cuisines are
also available. Mysore pak (a sweet made from lentil flour
and ghee), idly, dosa, Halwa (a
sweet made of different ingredients like milk, wheat, rice). A few hotels here
are known for their unique taste of Sambar.
Biryani is also popular among the locals. Apart from this Coimbatore has a very
active street food culture, thanks to the migratory North Indian population
that settled down here a few generations ago.
Kaalaan
is a dish that originated in Coimbatore and is prepared by simmering deep fried
mushrooms (usually chopped mushroom)
in a spicy broth, until it reaches porridge like consistency and served
sprinkled with chopped onions and coriander leaves.
Education
Coimbatore
is an educational hub of south India. As of 2010, the Coimbatore district is
home to 7 universities, 78 engineering colleges, 3 medical colleges, 2 dental
colleges, 35 polytechnics, 150 arts and science colleges and schools. The
city has reputed universities like Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (est.
1971), Bharathiyar University (1982), Anna
University Coimbatore (2007) and Avinashilingam university (1987). The
city also houses research institutes like Central Institute for Cotton
Research, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Institute of Forest
Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Indian Council of
Forestry Research and Education and Tamil Nadu
Institute of Urban Studies. There are also plans to establish a world
class university in the region and to convert the Government Arts College into
a unitary type university.
The
first college opened in Coimbatore was the Government Arts College (1875–76). The
forest college and research institute was opened in 1916. The first engineering
college in the city was started by G.D. Naidu as the Arthur
Hope College of Technology in 1945. Later it became the Government College of Technology,
Coimbatore. PSG College of Technology was
established later in 1951. The Air Force Administrative College was established
in 1949 to train Indian Air Force personnel. Coimbatore Institute of Technology (CIT)
was started in the 1950s. Coimbatore Medical College was
opened in 1966 and the Government law college started
functioning from 1978. The agricultural school established in 1868 was
converted into a full-fledged agricultural university (Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University) in 1971 and the Sálim Ali Centre for
Ornithology and Natural History was opened in
1990. Several private engineering and arts & science colleges were started
during the education boom in the 1990s.
In
1867, the first group of students appeared for the SSLC Examinations from
Coimbatore. Presently there are three types of schools in Coimbatore – 1)
government run schools (corporation schools) 2) schools funded by the
government but run by private trusts (aided schools) and 3) schools funded and
administered by private trusts. They are classified as Tamil Nadu Anglo Indian
School Board, Tamil Nadu State Board, Matriculation and CBSE
schools according to the syllabus taught in them. The Coimbatore Education
District (not the same as the revenue district) is the unit of administration
for education in the city. In 2010, the number of students who wrote the SSLC
(Standard 10) and Higher Secondary (Standard 12) examinations was both around
30,000. The literacy rate in the city is 80%.
Healthcare
The
size of the Coimbatore health care industry has been estimated as ₹1500 Crore
(150 million) in 2010. There are nearly 750 hospitals in and around
Coimbatore with a capacity of 5000 beds. The first health care centre in the
city was started in 1909. In 1969, it was upgraded to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital
(CMCH). It is a government run hospital with bed strength of 1020 and provides
free health care. Including the CMCH, corporation maintains 16
dispensaries and 2 maternity homes.
The
city also has many large multi-facility private hospitals like the PSG Hospitals,
Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH), KG Hospital, Coimbatore Kidney
Centre, G. Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital(GKNM), Sri Ramakrishna Hospital,
Sheela Hospital, Kongunadu Hospital, Gem Hospital, Ganga Hospital, Aravind Eye Hospital, Sankara
Netralaya, Sankara Eye Centre, Lotus Eye Hospital, Ashwin Hospital, Vikram ENT
Hospital, Sheela Hospital, Coimbatore Cancer Foundation, G. P. Hospital, Dr
Muthus Hospital, Diabetes Care and Research Centre. The city is also a major
centre for medical tourism. The city remains the preferred healthcare
destination for people from nearby districts and also from the neighboring
state of Kerala.
Sports
Motor sports plays
a large part in the city, with Coimbatore often referred to as the "Motor
sports Capital of India" and the "Backyard of Indian
Motorsports". S.Karivardhan spearheaded motor racing in
the city making Coimbatore the country's motor racing hub when he designed and
built entry level race cars. Kari Motor Speedway is a Formula 3
Category circuit where formula cars manufacturers and FIA member
motorsport associations conduct championship races and rallies.
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. Rallying is
another major event with all teams based in Coimbatore and rallies conducted in
closed roads around Coimbatore. Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula
One driver hails from the city. Other motorsport drivers from Coimbatore
include J. Anand and V. R. Naren Kumar. The
city also has an extensive choice of badminton academy's 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. Apart from the stadium, the city also has
several sports clubs including Coimbatore Golf Club, home to a
major 18-hole golf course and Coimbatore Cosmopolitan Club,
which is more than 100 years old, was founded for Indian members only, in
response to the English Coimbatore Club which did not admit Indians until the
1950s. Coimbatore Flying Club is located in the Coimbatore airport premises. The
city hosts its own annual marathon called Coimbatore Marathon as an event to
raise cancer awareness. 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, beating
Italy's Gloria Pizzichini in 1998 Australian Open
hails from Coimbatore.
Recreation
Swamikannu Vincent built the first
cinema of South India in Coimbatore and introduced the
concept of "Tent Cinema" in which a tent was erected on a stretch of
open land close to a town or village to screen the films. 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.
There
are several amusement parks in and around the city namely, Black Thunder water theme
park near Mettupalayam, Kovai Kondattam
amusement park at Perur and Maharaja Theme Park at
Nillambur. Since the 1980s, the city has had a few small shopping
complexes. Lately, malls have come up including Brookfield’s Mall and Fun Republic Mall. The
city also has a number of parks including VOC Park,
the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Park, Race Course children's park,
Bharathi Park in Saibaba Colony and many more parks.
Coimbatore
Zoo houses a number of animals and birds and is located near VOC Park. Singanallur Lake is
a popular tourist place and bird watcher destination. Though there are lot
of entertainment centres mushrooming in the city, visiting the cinema still
remains the city's most popular recreational activity.
Environmental Issues
Air
pollution, lack of proper waste management infrastructure and degradation of
water bodies are the major environmental issues in Coimbatore. Coimbatore has
no proper underground drainage or
sewage system.
There is a sewage treatment plant at Ukkadam in
operation with the capacity to process 70 MLD of sewage water of which 20 MLD
is the current treating level. Garbage is collected by the Corporation and
sometimes by systems developed by the local residents.
Sewage
is pumped into the water tanks and the Noyyal through streams. This along with
garbage dumping and encroachments has led to degradation of the water bodies
and depletion in the groundwater table. The tanks are renovated by the
city's environmental groups with their own fund-raising and the
corporation. Siruthuli, an environmental organisation
founded by the city's industrial houses, undertakes de-silting of
tanks and cleaning of the Noyyal River. The corporation is also taking efforts
to clear encroachment of the tanks.
International relations
Twin towns – Sister Cities:
