Thiruvananthapuram

This article is about the city. For the district, see Thiruvananthapuram district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thiruvananthapuram, see Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area.
Thiruvananthapuram
തിരുവനന്തപുരം:
Trivandrum / Ananthapuri
Metropolis


Seal
Thiruvananthapuram
Coordinates: 08°29′15″N 76°57′9″E / 8.48750°N 76.95250°E / 8.48750; 76.95250Coordinates: 08°29′15″N 76°57′9″E / 8.48750°N 76.95250°E / 8.48750; 76.95250
Country  India
State Kerala
District Thiruvananthapuram
Founded by Swathi Thirunal
Government
 • Body Thiruvananthapuram Corporation
 • Mayor VK Prasanth
 • Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar
 • City Police Commissioner G Sparjan Kumar IPS[1]
 • Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor
Arearank = 57
 • Metropolis 214.86 km2 (82.96 sq mi)
Elevation 10 m (30 ft)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Metropolis 957,730[3]
 • Rank 14
 • Density 4,454/km2 (11,540/sq mi)
 • Metro[4] 1,647,121
Languages
 • Official Malayalam · English  ·
 • Spoken languages Malayalam · English  · Hindi  · Tamil
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 695 XXX
Telephone code 0471
Vehicle registration KL-01, KL-16, KL-19, KL-20, KL-21, KL-22
Coastline 78 kilometres (48 mi)
Sex ratio 1064[2] ♂/♀
Literacy 97.72[2]%
Planning agency TRIDA
Civic agency Thiruvananthapuram Corporation
Distance from Mumbai 1,543 kilometres (959 mi) NW (land)
Distance from Delhi 2,814 kilometres (1,749 mi) N (land)
Climate Am/Aw (Köppen)
Precipitation 1,700 millimetres (67 in)
Avg. annual temperature 27.2 °C (81.0 °F)
Avg. summer temperature 35 °C (95 °F)
Avg. winter temperature 24.4 °C (75.9 °F)
Website www.corporationoftrivandrum.in

Thiruvananthapuram (Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvaṉantapuram, IPA: [t̪iruʋənən̪t̪əpurəm]), formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Kerala.[5] It is on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as the "evergreen city of India",[6][7] it is characterised by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills and busy commercial alleys.[8] With a population of 957,730 inhabitants[9] Thiruvananthapuram contributes nearly 80% of the state's software exports and is a major IT hub.[10][11][12]

The city is home to central and state government offices and organisations. Apart from being the political nerve centre of Kerala, it is an academic hub and is home to several educational institutions including the University of Kerala and the Trivandrum medical college and to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET), College of Architecture (C.A.T), Government Engineering College, Trivandrum (GECBH), Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering (SCTCE),the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI),[13] Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Technopark, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST),[14] the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala,[15] Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER),[16] the Centre for Development Studies, the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT), the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, the International Centre for Free and Open Source Software[17][18] (ICFOSS), the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology and the Sree Chitira Thirunal Institute for Medical Science and Technology.[19]

Considered one of the 10 greenest cities in India, Thiruvananthapuram is classified as a tier-II Indian city along with Kochi and was ranked as the best city in Kerala to live in a 2012 Times of India survey.[20] The city was also ranked as the best city in India for Housing and Transport by a survey conducted by India Today.[21][22]

Toponomy

The city gets its name from the Malayalam word thiru-anantha-puram IPA: [t̪iruʋənən̪t̪əpurəm], meaning the "City of Lord Ananta."[23] The name derives from the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple at the centre of the city. Anantha is the serpent Shesha on whom Padmanabha or Vishnu reclines. This temple of Vishnu reclining on Anantha remains the city's iconic landmark.

Thiruvananthapuram is also known in literature and popular reference as Ananthapuri, the Sanskrit version of Thiruvananthapuram, and as Syanandurapuri (meaning, the city of bliss),[24] in Carnatic kirtanas composed by Swathi Thirunal, a Maharaja of Travancore.

The city was officially referred to as Trivandrum until 1991, when the government decided to reinstate the city's original name Thiruvananthapuram.

History

Painting by Raja Ravi Varma depicting Richard Temple-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos being greeted by Visakham Thirunal, with Ayilyam Thirunal of Travancore looking on, during Buckingham's visit to Thiruvananthapuram, Travancore in early 1880.
Kowdiar Palace built in 1915 was the official residence of the Travancore Royal Family.[25]

Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient region with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE.[26][27] The city was the trading post of spices, sandalwood and ivory.[28] However, the ancient political and cultural history was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. The early rulers of the city were the Ays. With their fall in the 10th century, the city was taken over by the rulers of Venad.[29]

The rise of modern Thiruvananthapuram began with accession of Marthanda Varma in 1729 as the founding ruler of the princely state of Travancore (Thiruvithamkoor in the local vernacular). Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital of Travancore in 1745 after shifting the capital from Padmanabhapuram in Kanyakumari district.[30] The city developed into a major intellectual and artistic centre during this period. The city's golden age in history was during the mid-19th century under the reign of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal. This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834), the Observatory (1837), the General Hospital (1839), the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library and the University College (1873). The first mental hospital in the state was started during the same period. Sanskrit College, Ayurveda College, Law College and a second-grade college for women were started by Moolam Thirunal (1885–1924).[29]

The early 20th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. The Sree Moolam Assembly, established in 1904, was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state.[31] Despite not being under direct control of the British Empire at any time, the city featured prominently in India's freedom struggle. The Indian National Congress had a very active presence in Thiruvananthapuram. A meeting of the Indian National Congress presided by Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramaiah was held here in 1938.

The Thiruvananthapuram Municipality started in 1920. The municipality was converted into a Corporation on 30 October 1940, during the period of Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma, who took over in 1931.[32] The city witnessed many-sided progress during his period. The promulgation of "Temple Entry Proclamation" (1936) was an act that underlined social emancipation. This era also saw the establishment of the University of Travancore in 1937, which later became Kerala University.[33]

With the end of the British rule in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union, after toying with the idea of independence till as late as 1949. It had declared itself to be independent on 18 June 1947. An assassination attempt on the Dewan, Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer and his exit turned the tables on the votaries of an "American Model" Travancore. The first popular ministry headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai was installed in office on 24 March 1948. In 1949, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Thiru-Kochi, the state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour Kochi, which was the first princely state to accede to the Indian Union.[34] The king of Travancore, Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma, became the Rajpramukh of the Travancore-Cochin Union from 1 July 1949 until 31 October 1956. When the state of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became its capital.[35]

With the establishment of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1962, Thiruvananthapuram became the cradle of India's ambitious space programme. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in the outskirts of the city in 1963. Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram.[36]

A major milestone in the city's recent history was the establishment of Technopark—India's first IT park—in 1995.[37] Technopark has developed into the largest IT park in India in geographical area,[38] employing around 48,000 people in 300 companies.[39] This placed Thiruvananthapuram on the IT map of India.[40]

Geography and climate

Thiruvananthapuram is built on seven hills[41] by the sea shore and is at 8°30′N 76°54′E / 8.5°N 76.9°E / 8.5; 76.9 on the west coast, near the southern tip of mainland India.[5] The city is on the west coast of India and is bounded by Laccadive Sea to its west and the Western Ghats to its east. The city spans an area of 214.86 km2 (82.96 sq mi)[42] and the greater metropolitan area spans an area of 250 km2 (96.53 sq mi). The average elevation is 16 ft (4.9 m) above sea level.[43]

The Geological Survey of India has identified Thiruvananthapuram as a moderately earthquake-prone urban centre and categorised it in the Seismic III Zone.[44]

Thiruvananthapuram lies on the shores of Karamana and Killi rivers. Vellayani, Thiruvallam and Akkulam backwaters lies in the city.[45]

Climate

The city has a climate that borders between a tropical savanna climate and a tropical monsoon climate. As a result, it does not experience distinct seasons. The mean maximum temperature 34 °C and the mean minimum temperature is 21 °C. The humidity is high and rises to about 90% during the monsoon season.[46]

Thiruvananthapuram is the first city along the path of the south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The city gets heavy rainfall of around 1700 mm per year. It also gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the city by October. The dry season sets in by December. December, January and February are the coldest months while March, April and May are the hottest. The lowest temperature in the city core recorded during winter was 16.4 °C on, and the highest temperature recorded in summer is 38.0 °C.[47]

Climate data for Thiruvananthapuram City (1971–2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35.5
(95.9)		 36.3
(97.3)		 37.7
(99.9)		 38.0
(100.4)		 35.8
(96.4)		 35.8
(96.4)		 33.7
(92.7)		 34.0
(93.2)		 35.4
(95.7)		 35.0
(95)		 34.3
(93.7)		 35.5
(95.9)		 38.0
(100.4)
Average high °C (°F) 32.0
(89.6)		 32.3
(90.1)		 33.2
(91.8)		 33.1
(91.6)		 32.3
(90.1)		 30.1
(86.2)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.8
(85.6)		 30.6
(87.1)		 30.4
(86.7)		 30.6
(87.1)		 31.6
(88.9)		 31.3
(88.3)
Average low °C (°F) 22.1
(71.8)		 22.8
(73)		 24.1
(75.4)		 25.1
(77.2)		 25.0
(77)		 23.7
(74.7)		 23.2
(73.8)		 23.2
(73.8)		 23.5
(74.3)		 23.3
(73.9)		 23.2
(73.8)		 22.7
(72.9)		 23.5
(74.3)
Record low °C (°F) 16.4
(61.5)		 18.1
(64.6)		 20.2
(68.4)		 20.3
(68.5)		 20.1
(68.2)		 20.0
(68)		 20.2
(68.4)		 18.2
(64.8)		 20.8
(69.4)		 20.1
(68.2)		 18.9
(66)		 18.2
(64.8)		 16.4
(61.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 15.9
(0.626)		 22.7
(0.894)		 27.8
(1.094)		 118.8
(4.677)		 198.6
(7.819)		 330.4
(13.008)		 188.1
(7.406)		 152.3
(5.996)		 169.1
(6.657)		 254.5
(10.02)		 211.9
(8.343)		 64.0
(2.52)		 1,754.2
(69.063)
Average precipitation days 1.0 1.7 2.3 6.5 9.7 16.6 13.4 10.3 8.7 11.7 9.2 4.2 95.4
Average relative humidity (%) 69 70 72 77 79 85 84 83 82 83 82 74 78
Mean monthly sunshine hours 262.8 242.3 250.7 214.0 197.3 133.5 149.7 166.6 173.4 170.8 166.3 216.6 2,344
Source #1: India Meteorological Department (record high and low up to 2010)[47][48]
Source #2: NOAA (sun and humidity, 1971–1990)[49]

Economy

Professionals at work in the Technopark campus

The economy of Thiruvananthapuram city was earlier based on the tertiary sector with about 60% of the workforce being employed as government servants. Large-scale industrial establishments are low compared to other south Indian state capitals like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Thiruvananthapuram was listed as one of the top 10 cites in India on Vibrancy Index and Consumption Index by a study conducted by global financial services firm Morgan Stanley.[50] The opening of many private television channels in the state made Thiruvananthapuram the home of studios and related industries. India's first animation park, Kinfra Film and Video Park, is here.[51][52]

A building in the Infosys-Thiruvananthapuram campus

Technopark is home to several companies including Oracle Corporation, Infosys, TCS, Visual Graphics Computing Services, Ernst & Young Global Shared Services Center, Allianz Cornhill, RR Donnelley, UST Global, Tata Elxsi, IBS Software Services, NeST Software, SunTec Business Solutions etc.[53] The park has around 285 companies employing over 40,000 professionals.[39] This is the first CMMI Level 4 assessed Technology Park which spreads over 330 acres with about 4,000,000 sq ft (370,000 m2) of built-up space[54] As Phase IV expansion, Technopark is developing 450 acres of land in Pallippuram, 5 km north from the main campus as Technocity.[55]

Tourism has contributed heavily to the economy of Thiruvananthapuram.[56][57] A large number of foreign tourists visit every year.[58]

There are around 20 government owned and 60 privately owned medium and large-scale industrial units in Thiruvananthapuram. The major employers are the KSIDC, Milma, Keltron, VSSC, ISRO LPSC, Travancore Titanium and Hindustan Latex, all government owned. There are also about 30,000 small scale industrial units employing around 115,000 people. Traditional industries include handloom and coir.[59]

Commercial activity is low mainly due to the underdevelopment of ports. However, this is expected to change with the construction of the Deep Water Container Transshipment Port at Vizhinjam.[60] Situated close to the city, Vizhinjam is very close to international shipping routes and the east-west shipping axis and hardly require maintenance dredging.[61] Other major organisations of economic interest are the BrahMos Aerospace, Chithranjali Film Complex, Kinfra Apparel Park, Kinfra Film and Video Park, Kerala Hitech Industries (KELTECH), Kerala Automobiles Limited and the English Indian Clays Ltd.

Administration and law

Kerala Legislative Assembly Building
Secretariat of the Government of Kerala

The state legislative assembly and Secretariat are here as Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala. The city is the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram district. The foreign missions in the city are the Consulate of Maldives[62] and Honorary Consulate of Russia.[63]

There is a 2008 plea to reinstate a bench of the Kerala High Court in the city which was earlier cancelled in 1957 due to setting up of the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam.[64]

The city is administered by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation which headed by the mayor and is responsible for the overall supervision and control of the administrative functions of the Municipal Corporation.[65] The city council is democratically elected and comprises 100 members representing the wards. Several agencies work under or in partnership with the Corporation including the Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority (TRIDA) and Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL).[66]

The Corporation of Trivandrum ranked 2nd out of 21 cities for best governance and administrative practices in India in 2014. It scored 3.9 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3. It is the only city in India with a local ombudsman.[67]

Thiruvananthapuram City officials
Mayor
V. K. Prasanth[68]
Deputy Mayor
Rakhi Ravikumar[69]
Corporation Secretary
Biju K IAS[70]
Commissioner of Police
G. Sparjan Kumar IPS[1]

The city comes under the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. The city corporation area contributes to four legislative assembly seats: Kazhakuttam, Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram, and Nemom.[71] The police is headed by a Police Commissioner, an officer of Deputy Inspector General rank in the Indian Police Service.

The city is divided into three police sub-divisions headed by Assistant Commissioners. There are two traffic sub-divisions. A women's cell and a narcotics control cell operate in the city. The other units of Thiruvananthapuram City Police include Crime Detachment, City Special Branch, Dog Squad, Mounted Police, District Crime Records Bureau, Foreigners Registration Office (FRO), Tourist Police and District Armed Reserve.[72] There are two state Armed Police Battalions and a unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) based in Thiruvananthapuram. The CRPF has a Group Headquarters at Pallipuram. There is a large army cantonment in Pangode where some regiments of the Indian Army are based.

Infrastructure

The city is fully electrified by Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). The district is divided into three circles: Transmission circle, Thiruvananthapuram city and Kattakkada. Domestic consumers account for 43% of the total power consumption, or 90 million units per month. Thiruvananthapuram district has one 220 kV, nine 110 kV and six 66 kV electrical substations. A 400 kV substation has just been commissioned by the Power Grid Corporation and will ensure high-quality power supply to the city.[73]

The water supply schemes cover 100% in the city limits. It is 84% of the urban and 69% of the rural population, when the district is considered. Peppara and Aruvikkara dams are the main sources of water for distribution. The new project plan for improving the water supply with Japanese aid covers Thiruvananthapuram city and six suburban panchayats having urban characteristics.[73] Thiruvananthapuram is the only city in the state to have a scientific sewage treatment facility. The entire sewage is disposed off at the Muttathara Sewage Treatment Plant, which can handle 107 million litres a day (mld). However, only 32 mld of sewage is currently disposed of at the plant. This sewage plant is India’s largest and Kerala’s first modern sewage treatment plant.

The sewerage system in the city was implemented at the time of the Travancore Kingdom and modernised in 1938. This scheme for the disposal of sullage and sewage is an underground system. The whole system is controlled by Kerala Water Authority now. The city area is divided into seven blocks for the execution of the sewerage system, two commissioned in the 1990s and two after 2000. The sewerage was pumped to a stilling chamber at the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) at Valiyathura and was disposed through sewage farming. The Dairy Development Department maintains this sewage farm, and fodder cultivation is done here. There is no revenue generation from this scheme, and the sewerage system in the city is a service provided to the residents. Now the sewage is treated at the Muttathara STP.[74]

Tourism

Kovalam Beach with Kovalam lighthouse in the background

Thiruvananthapuram is a destination for domestic and international tourists. There are many tourist destinations in or near the city including Kovalam beach, Sanghumukham Beach, Napier museum and Zoo (Yann Martel wrote his book Life of Pi after studying a disabled lion, Simba, for months here), Agasthyarkoodam peak, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Neyyar Dam, Kuthira Malika palace, Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, Ponmudi, Poovar, Varkala Cliffs and beaches and many others.

Kanyakumari, Thiruvattar, Padmanabhapuram Palace and Tirpparappu waterfalls, are near the city, in the adjoining Kanyakumari District (Nagercoil), in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The eponymous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple circled by the East Fort is at the center of a busy shopping hub. The temple attracts millions of visitors every year. Visitors are required to adhere to special dress code before entering. Recent court battle challenges the custodianship of the Royal family over the temple. The controversy centres on the estimated properties of over $20 billion[75] housed in the vaults of the temple.

Transport

Road

Kowdiar road, also known as the royal road or "Raja Veedhi", as it leads to the Kowdiar Palace of the Royal family of Travancore
National Highway NH66 in Kesavadasapuram, Thiruvananthapuram

The NH-47, which runs from Salem to Kanyakumari, connects the city to Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur and Palakkad. The Main Central Road (MC Road) which is an arterial State Highway in Kerala and designated as SH 1 starts from Kesavadasapuram in the city.

The Thiruvananthpuram Road Development Company Limited is an SPV to develop the road network in Thiruvananthapuram city.[76] It is the first intra-city project in the country.[77]

The intra-city public transport is dominated by the state-owned KSRTC,[78] though there are significant numbers of private buses plying within the city limits.

Within the city, city buses, taxis and autorickshaws provide transportation. Scooters, motorcycles and cars are the favoured means of personal transportation.

There are bus services operated by private operators that provide access within city limits and beyond. The city services of KSRTC operate from seven depots: City depot, Vikas Bhavan, Peroorkada, Pappanamcode, Pothencode, Kaniyapuram and Vellanad.[79] These services were revamped in 2005 with the introduction of modern buses and electronic ticketing mechanisms. The central bus station is in Thampanoor, opposite Thiruvananthapuram Central Station. It connects Thiruvananthapuram with other parts of Kerala and other states. The central bus terminal is 1 km away at East Fort (Kizhakke kotta), near the Padmanabha Swamy temple.

Interstate buses: Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation of Tirunelveli Division ply buses between Nagercoil and Thiruvananthpuram and many other parts of Kanyakumari district. It has a depot of SETC which operates long distance services towards Chennai and Bangalore via Nagercoil, Madurai. Also, KSRTC, private bus operators and the Karnataka SRTC ply services to destinations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Hyderabad.

Rail

Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is one of the busiest railway stations in south India

Thiruvananthapuram comes under the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. Kollam-Thiruvananthapuram trunk line connects Trivandrum with other major cities in India. There are five railway stations in the city limits including the Thiruvananthapuram central station. Thiruvananthapuram Pettah, Kochuveli and Veli stations are towards north direction and Thiruvananthapuram Nemom is in south direction from the central station.[80] The Central railway station is at Thampanoor in the heart of the city and is about 5 km from the new international air terminal and nearly 8 km from the domestic air terminal.[81] Kochuveli railway station is developed to ease congestion on central station and it act as satellite station to Thiruvananthapuram Central.[82] Some of the long distance trains operate from this station. The Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express connects the city to New Delhi, the capital of India.

The city is well connected by rail to almost all major cities in India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Vellore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Kolkata, Bangalore, Tirunelveli and Hyderabad. Thiruvananthapuram is the first major South Indian city on the longest train route in India, Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh.[83]

Trivandrum Light Metro Rail

The Government of Kerala is considering a proposal to construct two light metro systems in the city of Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Earlier, the proposal was to construct monorail systems.[84] The monorail proposed was to start from Pallippuram and terminate at Neyyattinkara covering a distance of 41.8 kilometres (26.0 mi). Thirty-five stops were proposed with multi-storeyed parking lots at the stations.[84] However, the monorail projects have been dropped and the government is considering the possibility of light metros in these corporation areas. Construction of Trivandrum Light Metro Rail is still not yet started because of the project is awaiting an approval from The ministry of urban development.

Suburban rail

A new suburban corridor by Railways in Thiruvananthapuram – Kollam – Haripad/Chengannur routes for which MRVC is tasked to conduct study and submit report. Ten trains, each with 7 bogies will transport passengers between Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam-Chengannur-Harippad section. Suburban Corridor is modelled on the lines of the Mumbai Suburban Rail where around 3,000 suburban trains ply every day.[85] Funds have also been allocated for the project in the 2016 Rail budget.

Air

Terminal 3 at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport

Thiruvananthapuram is served by the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (IATA: TRV, ICAO: VOTV), the first international airport in India outside the four metropolitan cities then and third largest airport of kerala state. It has direct connectivity to the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka and is one of the gateways to the tourism-rich state of Kerala. The airport is qualified for all-weather and night operations. One of its major advantage is the prevailing weather that does not go to extremes, allowing flight operations without disruption year round.[86] The international terminal is approximately 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) due west and the domestic terminal is approximately 8.0 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the central business district.[87]

The importance of the airport is also because it is the southernmost airport in India and the closest option for neighbouring countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka; it is the only option to Maldives from India. Apart from the regular scheduled flights, charter flights, primarily carrying tourists, serve the airport.[88]

Sea

Thiruvananthapuram Vizhinjam

The work on infrastructure development for the Deep Water Container Trans-shipment Port at Vizhinjam has began in 2015.[89] It is being built by Adani Ports. It will be built in three phases and expected to be a key competitor in the ports business (especially for container transshipment), with the international shipping lanes between Europe and East Asia lying very close and with major ports like Colombo, Kochi and Tuticorin in close proximity.[90]

The exponential growth of the services and IT-based sectors coupled with its prominence as the state capital and tourist center has caused considerable strain on the transport infrastructure of the city. To ease the strain, projects such as TCRIP are underway (first phase is completed)[91] including the construction of flyovers[92] and under passes.[93] In the first phase, 42 km of six-lane and four-lane dual carriage ways are being built.[94]

Demographics

Gandhi Park in East Fort
Religions in Thiruvananthapuram
Religion Percentage
Hindu
  
 65%
Christians
  
 18%
Muslims
  
 14%
No Religion
  
 2.5%
Others
  
 0.5%

The city has a population of 752,490 according to the 2011 census,[2] and 1,687,406 in the Urban Agglomeration.[4] In the city, the density of population is about 5,284 people per square kilometre. There are more women in Thiruvananthapuram than men; the sex ratio is 2,064 females to every 2,000 males.[2]

In October 2010, the area of the city was increased from 86 wards to 100 wards[95] by adding Sreekaryam, Vattiyoorkavu, Kudappanakunnu, Vizhinjam and Kazhakuttam panchayats into the corporation.[96]

The city has now an area of 214.86 km² and a population of 2,957,730 inhabitants with 867,739 males and 889,991 females.[97]

Hindus comprise 65% of the population, Christians are about 18% of the population, and Muslims are about 12% , No Religion The remains 3%, others remaining 2% practise other religions.

The major language spoken is English, Malayalam & Tamil. Hindi is widely understood. As a result of the migration of people for government jobs, the population of the city is a heady mix of people from all parts of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram is home to a prominent minority of Tamil speakers, owing to their migration from the Southern Travancore region and adjoining districts of Tirunelveli and Rameshwaram in the past. The city also has a few Tulu, Konkani, Dhivehi, Hindi, Telugu, and Urdu speakers.There is also a minority of Maldevians in the city.

Unemployment is a serious issue in Thiruvananthapuram. The increase in the unemployment rate was from 8.8% in 1998 to 34.3% in 2003, thus registering a 25.5% absolute and a 289.7% relative increase in five years,but currently unemployment is decreased in at a high rate of 2.3% because of increased amount of IT companies in city.[98] Thiruvananthapuram taluk ranks third in Kerala with 36.3% of its population unemployed. The in-migration of the unemployed from other districts boosts this high unemployment rate.[98] Even with its unemployment rate, the city has its fair share of migrant labourers from other states. Thiruvananthapuram has a high suicide rate, which went up from 17.2 per lakh in 1995 to 38.5 per lakh in 2002.[99] In 2004, the rate came down slightly to 36.6 per lakh.[100]

As per 2001 census, the populace below the poverty line in the city was 11,667. A BPL survey indicated the urban poor population as 120,367. Majority of these populace lives in slums and coastal fishing areas.[101]

Culture and Food

Kovalam palm grove
Thiruvananthapuram is a unique Indian city, where greenery and modernity co-exist; Shown here is the aerial view of Kowdiar

The cultural background of Thiruvananthapuram originates from the efforts of the rulers of erstwhile Travancore, who took an active interest in the development of arts and culture. Thiruvananthapuram has produced several great artists, the most famous ones being Maharaja Swathi Thirunal,[102] Irayimman Thampi and Raja Ravi Varma.

Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was a great composer and played a vital role in the development of Carnatic music.[103] There is a music college in his name in the city – Swathi Thirunal College of Music.

Raja Ravi Varma was a famous painter of international renown. His contributions to Indian art are substantial. Most of his famous paintings are preserved at the Sree Chithra Art Gallery in the city. The Padmanabha Swamy Temple and the fort surrounding it, the Napier Museum and Zoo, the VJT hall are among the prominent heritage buildings in the city.

The Veli lake and Shankumugham beach are home to sculptures of the noted sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman. Many people, including Mahatma Gandhi have admired the city's greenery.[104]

Thiruvananthapuram appears as a laid back and quiet city to a casual observer. However, there are considerable cultural activities. They are more active during the festival season of Onam in August/September and during the tourist season later in the year. The state government organises the tourism week celebrations every year during the Onam with cultural events conducted at centres in the city. The other major events include the annual flower show, the Attukal Pongala, theAaraat of Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Urs at Beemapally,etc.[105]

The CVN Kalari at East Fort is a well-known centre for training in Kerala's indigenous martial art—the Kalaripayattu. The Margi centre offers training in many of Kerala's traditional arts including Kathakali.

The general cuisine is Keralite cuisine, which is characterised by an abundance of coconut and spices. This includes predominantly vegetarian Naadan (country) and non vegetarian Malabar and Kuttanad recipes. Other South Indian cuisines, as well as Chinese and North Indian cuisines are popular.Arabian, Thai cuisine and Branded fast food Domino's pizza, Pizza hut, KFC, SUBWAY joints are patronised. One of the popular eateries for vegetarian South Indian fare is Arya Nivas at Thampanoor.

Thiruvananthapuram has libraries, the prominent ones being the State Central Library (Thiruvananthapuram Public library, Est. 1829),[106] the University Library, Thiruvananthapuram Children's Library, Manuscripts Library and the Centre for Development Studies Library. The British Library (est. 1964)[107] was very near to the Government Secretariat adjacent to the YMCA Hostel.The British Council closed it down, citing financial constraints.

A shopping mall, Mall of Travancore (MOT), with an area of 600,000 plus sq. ft. is under construction on the Chaakka Bypass. Developed by the Malabar Group, it will be the second largest mall in Kerala on completion.Trivandrum is expected to be the growing megacity in India and world .

Education

Kerala University Administrative Building

Thiruvananthapuram is an academic hub. The University of Kerala campus is here. The regional headquarters of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is in Thiruvananthapuram. There are many professional education colleges including 15 engineering colleges, three medical colleges, three Ayurveda colleges, two homeopathy colleges, six other medical related colleges, and two law colleges in the city and its suburbs.[108] The College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, and Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering are the main engineering colleges in the city. The Trivandrum medical college is the first and most prestigious medical college in the state of Kerala. The Asian School of Business and IIITM-K are two of the management study institutions in the city, both situated inside Technopark. The College of Architecture, Trivandrum, V.C.A.T. provides architecture education in Trivandrum. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology is in the city. Centre for Development Studies and Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) are in city limits.

The schools in the city are classified as Aided, Unaided and Government schools.[109] The government schools are run directly by the state government and follow the syllabus prescribed by the state government. The aided schools also follow the state syllabus. In addition to this, there are five Kendriya Vidyalayas run directly by the Central government, which follow the CBSE syllabus, and private schools run by educational trusts or boards which follow CBSE and/or ICSE syllabus and/or NIOS syllabus and/or state syllabus. In 1961, the first ISC school, Loyola School, was started in the city. The school is in Sreekariyam and is affiliated to the CISCE, CBSE and SCERT and was the first in the city to introduce the ISC course with its Board in Delhi and affiliation to Cambridge University. The first international school in Kerala, the Trivandrum International School, was started in the outskirts of the city in August 2003.[110]

The literacy rate in Thiruvananthapuram, according to the 2001 census, is 89.36 percent; 92.68 percent among males and 86.26 percent among females.[111]

Science and technology

Thiruvananthapuram is a research and development hub in space science, information technology, bio-technology, and medicine. It is home to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), ER&DC – CDAC, CSIR – National Institute of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Free Software Foundation of India (FSFI), Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Kerala Science and Technology Museum, Priyadarsini Planetarium, The Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, Kerala Highway Research Institute and Kerala Fisheries Research Institute. A scientific institution named National centre for molecular materials, for the research and development of biomedical devices and space electronics is to be established in Thiruvananthapuram.[112] College of Architecture Thiruvananthapuram(CAT), which specialises only on the architecture course, is another institution proposed to set up in the suburbs of the city.[113]

Media

Daily newspapers are available in English, Malayalam and Tamil. The English newspapers with editions from Thiruvananthapuram are The New Indian Express, The Hindu, The Deccan Chronicle and The Times of India. The major Malayalam newspapers are Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, Kerala Kaumudi, Deshabhimani, Madhyamam, Janmabhumi, Chandrika, Thejas, Siraj, Kerala Kaumudi Flash, Deepika and Rashtra Deepika.

Most of the Malayalam TV channels are based in Thiruvananthapuram. The government-owned Doordarshan began broadcasting from here in 1981. Asianet, the first private Malayalam channel, began its telecasts in 1991. The other channels now based in Thiruvananthapuram are Amrita TV, Kairali TV, Kairali We (Youth channel of Kairali), Mathrubhumi News, Kaumudy TV, JaiHind TV, Asianet News, Asianet Movies, Asianet Plus (Youth channel of Asianet) and People (News and current affairs channel of Kairali TV). The local cable services are provided by Asianet Satellite Communications Limited, Connecttel Communications Pvt Ltd, Trivandrum Cable Network Pvt Ltd and Siti Cable and they provide a bouquet of local channels in addition to all the Indian channels. DTH services are available through Doordarshan Direct Plus, Tata Sky, Sun Direct, Big TV, Airtel digital TV, Videocon d2h and Dish TV.

All India Radio has an AM (1161 MHz) and an FM (Ananthapuri FM; 101.9 MHz) station for the city. It has a short wave transmitter relaying the AM programming over frequencies, intended for listeners in far-flung areas of Kerala and beyond. FM radio channels broadcast from Thiruvananthapuram are Ananthapuri FM (AIR) 101.9 MHz,[114] Gyanvani from IGNOU 105.6 MHz,[115] Big FM 92.7 MHz,[116] Club FM 94.3 MHz,[117] Radio Mirchi 98.3 MHz,[118] Red FM 93.5 MHz[119] and Radio DC(Low power CRS) 90.4 MHz.[120]

Thiruvananthapuram city contains the largest number of theatres in Kerala.[121] There are over 18 cinema halls which screen films in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi. There are two film studios in the city— Chithranjali and Merryland. The Kinfra Film and Video Park, near the Technopark, is one of the most advanced film and animation production centres in India. Leading firms like Prasad Labs have set up their facilities here. The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is held in November/December and is acknowledged as one of the leading events of its kind in India.

The wireline telephone services are provided by BSNL, Reliance, AirTel and Tata Indicom. The main GSM networks operating in the city are BSNL CellOne, Airtel, Tata Docomo, Idea Cellular, Vodafone, Reliance and Virgin Mobile. The main CDMA providers are Reliance, MTS and Tata Indicom. The number of mobile phone connections has increased exponentially since the late 1990s.

Major broadband internet services are provided by BSNL Broadband, Asianet Dataline and Siti Cable. Private providers like Reliance, Tata Communications (VSNL), Airtel and Satyam also have their presence in the city. The major dial-up internet providers are BSNL NetOne, Kerala Online and KelNet among others. Thiruvananthapuram also holds the distinction of having been the first 100% Digital SSA (Secondary Switching Area) in India.

Sports

Chandrashekaran Nair Football Stadium

The most popular games are Football and Cricket.[122] Basketball, Badminton and Volleyball are popular, mostly in schools. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram. The HQ complex of KCA, has advance facilities including two practice turfs with nets, bowling machines, gymnasium with multi-gym and equipment for aerobic training, lecture hall and library, an astro-turf indoor coaching facility, fully furnished accommodation for coaches and players, a physiotherapy clinic, functional office facilities and guest rooms.

Trivandrum has a multi-functional cricket cum football stadium at Kazhakkoottam and a shooting range at Vattiyoorkkavu.

The Trivandrum International Stadium is a multi-purpose (cricket/football) stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. It is the first stadium in the country coming up on DBOT (Design-Build-Operate and Transfer) basis. It is also the first stadium in the country to be developed on annuity mode. It is the proposed venue for the opening/closing ceremonies of the 35th National Games to be held in Kerala.[123] The playing arena in the stadium is constructed in line with FIFA regulations and ICC norms. It will have facilities for indoor sports like table tennis, basketball, badminton etc., a gymnasium and spa, a club house with five-star facilities, tennis court, Olympic size swimming pool, open convention cum trade cum exhibition centre, retail outlets, food courts, club facilities, car parking, etc.

The Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, in the heart of the city, is a prominent football stadium and has hosted both national and international level matches. The University Stadium has hosted two international cricket matches.[124] This stadium is under the University of Kerala and is equipped with synthetic tracks for athletics games.[124] The Central Stadium, which has facilities for athletics, football, basketball, volleyball and cricket practice nets, is situated on the eastern side of the Government Secretariat. The Jimmy George Indoor Stadium, the GV Raja Sports School and Lakshmi Bhai National College for Physical Education (LNCPE) are the other major sports establishments in the city.

The city has a golf course known as Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club. It is one of the oldest golf courses in India, more than 150 years old.[125]

The city has the Thiruvananthapuram Tennis Club (TTC) at Kowdiar. The city fields two football clubs—SBT-Thiruvananthapuram and Titanium—in the second division of the National Football League.

The city has a fully equipped modern swimming pool near the Jimmy George Sports Complex at Vellayambalam. Many state level and national level swimming competitions are held in this complex. It also holds coaching camps for those who are interested in learning swimming.

Strategic importance

[126]

Thiruvananthapuram is a strategically important city in Southern India. Being the largest city in India's deep south, it is important for military logistics and civil aviation in the southern part of the country. It is the headquarters of the Southern Air Command (SAC) of the Indian Air Force.[126]

Due to the strategic importance of the city, the Indian Air Force authorities have planned to establish an aerospace command in SAC.[127] The plan for setting up a new "Tri-Service Command", which will integrate all the three forces under a single command, is also in the pipeline.[128]

Being the Indian city with the closest air link to the small island nation of Maldives and Sri Lanka,[129] the city's medical and health infrastructure caters to the needs of the patients from both countries, especially Maldives.[130] Thiruvananthapuram provides a key link in the movement of goods and passengers to and from southern parts of Tamil Nadu into Kerala, the state border being just 30 km from the city centre.

Notable people

See List of people from Thiruvananthapuram

Picture gallery

See also

Notes

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  3. ↑ General Information, City Of Thiruvananthapuram.
  4. 1 2 "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011; Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 2 lakh and above" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Thiruvananthapuram one of the most beautiful cities of India". Agra News. 24 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
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  8. ↑ The Indian encyclopaedia: biographical, historical, religious, administrative, ethnological, commercial and scientific. Archery-Banog, Volume 2. Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd,. 2002. p. Page 7063.
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  12. ↑ "Exports from companies in Technopark: Chapter 21, page:220, section:21.66" (PDF). Information And Communication Technology. Planning Board, Government of Kerala. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  13. ↑ "JNTBGRI Thiruvananthapuram".
  14. ↑ "IIST Thiruvananthapuram". Department of Space, Government of India. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  15. ↑ "Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K)". About IIITM-K Section- Location. IIITM-K, Government of Kerala. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
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