SMART CITY COIMBATORE
Union
Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday announced the names of
the first 20 cities selected to be developed as smart cities under Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project, with Bhubaneswar topping the list
followed by Pune and Jaipur. Surat,
Kochi, Ahmedabad, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Visakhapatnam, Solapur
(Maharashtra), Davanagere (Karnataka), Indore, New Delhi Municipal Council
(Delhi), Coimbatore, Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), Belagavi (Karnataka), Udaipur,
Guwahati, Chennai, Ludhiana and Bhopal are also on the list.Smart
cities are projected to be equipped with basic infrastructure and will offer a
good quality of life through smart solutions. Assured water and power supply,
sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public
transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation along
with safety of its citizens are some of the likely attributes of these smart
cities.
Modi
had announced his vision to set up 100 smart cities across the country soon
after his government was sworn into power in 2014.Naidu
claimed the selection process was independent of government interference and
the shortlisting was done by three different panels of experts. The first 20
cities were shortlisted based on the feasibility of the proposal,
cost-effectiveness, result orientation, citizen participation, strategic plan,
vision and goals, among other things. The urban development ministry had
received proposals for 97 cities from state governments.Half
of the 20 selected cities are from the states — Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu,
Punjab, Gujarat and Karnataka — going to elections in the next two-and-half
years. Interestingly, no city or town from the poll-bound state of West Bengal
featured on the list. “The selection of cities had nothing to with elections,”
quipped Naidu when questioned about it.
Following
is the list of 20 smart cities:
1.
Bhubaneswar
2. Pune
3. Jaipur
4. Surat
5. Kochi
6. Ahmedabad
7. Jabalpur
8. Vishakapatnam
9. Sholapur
10. Davangere
11. Indore
12. New Delhi (New Delhi municipal council area)
13. Coimbatore
14. Kakinada
15. Belagavi
2. Pune
3. Jaipur
4. Surat
5. Kochi
6. Ahmedabad
7. Jabalpur
8. Vishakapatnam
9. Sholapur
10. Davangere
11. Indore
12. New Delhi (New Delhi municipal council area)
13. Coimbatore
14. Kakinada
15. Belagavi
16. Udaipur
17. Guwahati
18. Chennai
He
further said that Smart City plans will demonstrate how integrated planning and
smart technologies can deliver better a quality of life.The
Centre and states will equally split the overall cost of the project estimated
at Rs 96,000 crore. The central government will provide on an average Rs. 100
crore per chosen city per year. The project cost of each smart city will vary
depending upon the level of ambition, model, capacity to execute and repay.Raising
funds is the key challenge as also is developing older cities with limited
scope to overhaul. Heavily populated areas may need complete rebuilding which
will then involve temporarily rehabilitating people and, in some cases, acquiring
land.
COIMBATORE
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 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. 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 and ranked 17th among the top global outsourcing cities
by Tholons. Coimbatore has been selected as one of the hundred Indian
cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart
Cities Mission.
special about Coimbatore
1) Coimbatore is one of the few places where rural and urban cultures co-exist.
2) Climate:
Coimbatore enjoys pleasing climate due to its proximity to thickly forested mountain regions. The weather is usually pleasant throughout the year.
3) Education:
Some noteworthy colleges/universities like PSG Tech, GCT,CIT, TNAU, Amrita University are located in Coimbatore, making it a major educational hub of Tamil Nadu/South India.
4) Textile Industries:
Coimbatore has vast amount of Textile Industries owing to which it is called the "Manchester of South India".
5) Kongu Tamil :
This one is a unique feature of Coimbatore. The dialect itself is so sweet and you cannot find a respectful tamil other than kongu tamil!
6) People:
Though it is generally considered a traditional city, Coimbatore is more diverse and cosmopolitan than other cities in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatoreans have a reputation for entrepreneurship.
Point of Interest
Siruvani Waterfalls
Siruvani
Waterfalls and the dam named after them are located 35 km (22
mi) west of Coimbatore City in the Western Ghats. The reservoir at Siruvani was
built for Tamil Nadu by the Kerala Government with funds collected by the Tamil
Nadu government to meet the drinking water requirements of Coimbatore city. The
gateways on either side of the road across the dam are typical of the Kerala
and Tamil architectural styles. Siruvani is also home to certain tribals like
the Mudugars and Irulars.. Water from Siruvani River is renowned for its taste
and mineral properties, and the view from the falls and the dam is a great
tourist attraction.
Dhyanalinga
The Dhyanalinga is a Yogic temple located 30 km (19
mi) from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The temple was consecrated by Sadhguru Jaggi
Vasudev, a yogi and mystic. The temple is consecrated using prana prathistaand
is dedicated for meditation. Silence is maintained inside the temple. Dhyana in
the Sanskrit language, means meditation and linga means form. Dhyanalinga is
claimed by the owners of the temple to be a powerful and unique energy form
created from the distilled essence of yogic sciences and the first of its kind
to be completed in over 2,000 years. The Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple offers a
meditative space that does not ascribe to any particular faith or belief system.
Marudamalai
Marudamalai is a popular hill temple dedicated to
Hindu god Murugan, situated near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Like most
Murugan temples, the temple is situated upon a hillock, part of the Western
Ghats about 12 km west from the city of Coimbatore. Near the foothill, there is
a temple for Pillayar known as the "Thaan thondri Vinaayakar". There
is a cave referred to as "Paambaatti Sitthar Kugai" dedicated to a
Sitthar who lived here.
Black Thunder
Black
Thunder is a water theme park located in Tamil Nadu, India. It is situated at
the foot of Nilgiris near Mettupalayam, in Coimbatore 40 km north of the city
and occupies an area of about 75 acres (300,000 m2). The park offers about 49
rides, Surf Hill and the Wild River Ride notable among them. The park has a
hotel situated within its premises. It charges Rs. 500 for children under 10
and Rs. 600 for people above 10.
It
is owned by LA Group which also owns Jenney Residency on Avinashi Road,
Coimbatore
Kovai Kondattam is an amusement park located at
Perur, in Coimbatore Tamil Nadu, India. The park offers attractions such as
Aqua dance, Wave pool, dashing cars, Rock Climbing, Hara-kiri & video
parlour. The park also holds facilities to celebrate birthdays, wedding and
anniversary. It has an amphitheatre to hold live performances. This theme park
is opened By Tamil Actor Vijay.
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
(IGWLS&NP) is a protected area located in the AnaimalaiHills of Pollachi,
Valparai and Udumalpet taluks of Coimbatore District and Tirupur District,
Tamil Nadu state, South India. The park is named after former Indian prime
minister Indira Gandhi who visited the park on 7 October 1961.
"Topslip" located in the northeast corner of the park is derived from
the local 19th century practice of sliding timber logs down the hills from here.
Monkey Falls
Monkey Falls are natural waterfalls located near the
uphill ghat road Valparai on the Pollachi-Valparai road in the Anaimalai Hills
range, in Coimbatore district.
Monkey Falls is about 30 km from Pollachi.
Refreshing Natural Water Falls about 6 km from Azhiyar Dam. Monkey Falls is
located on road connecting Pollachi and Valparai.
Kodiveri Dam and Falls
Kodiveri
Dam, is located on the Bhavani River near Gobichettipalayam in Western Tamil
Nadu. The dam is situated along the State Highway 15 about 15 km (9.3 mi) from
Gobichettipalayam towards Sathyamangalam.It
was constructed by Kongalvan in the year 1125 AD. Creating the dam consisted of
carving a 20-foot wall of rock. The stones were then interlocked with iron bars
and lead was used as mortar. These features, however, are not visible except in
the dry season when the water level in the river drops considerably. Two
channels arise from the dam, one is on the northern side of Bhavani River and
the other on the southern side viz "Arakkan Kottai Channel" and
"Thadapalli Channel" respectively. Lands north of Gobichettipalayam
are fertile due to the flow of the Thadapalli channel. Cultivation of sugarcane
and paddy are predominant in this area. The lush green fields are also a
pleasure to watch.
Kovai Kutralam
Kovai Kutralam is a scenic spot with a gentle
waterfall originating on the Siruvani hill ranges. It is located on the western
ghat mountain range that lies to the west of this city at a distance of about
35 kms from Coimbatore. The siruvani dam is just above this water fall and this
place is under the control of forest department. Permission has to be sought
from them to visit this Kovai Kutralam Falls. Limited bus service is available
from the city and this area is out of bounds after 5 pm. This is the only place
near Coimbatore where you find a nice enchanting waterfall.
Singanallur Lake
Amaravathi Dam
The Amaravathi Dam is a dam at Amaravathinagar, 25
kilometres (16 mi) south of Udumalpet on SH 17 in the Indira Gandhi Wildlife
Sanctuary, Tirupur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The
associatedAmaravathi Reservoir is 9.31 square kilometres (3.59 sq mi) in area
and 33.53 metres (110.0 ft) deep. The
dam was built primarily for irrigation and flood control and now also has four
megawatts of electrical generating capacity installed. It is notable for the
significant population of Mugger Crocodiles living in its reservoir and
catchment basin.
Brookefields Mall
Brookefields is a shopping mall located on
Brookebond Road (Krishnasamy Road) in Coimbatore. It was opened in 2009. The
mall has outlets from major clothing and apparel brands and a six screen
multiplex cinema, along with a food court serving multi-cuisine dishes. The
Mall was constructed by Brookefields Estates Pvt. Ltd., an integrated real
estate developer. The Mall was opened in a phased way. When the first shop was
opened on one side in 2009, construction was going on the other side. Slowly as
the construction was completed, more shops were opened and today all of the
retail space is up and running.
Fun Republic Mall
Fun Republic Mall is a shopping mall in Peelamedu,
Coimbatore, India. This shopping mall was inaugurated on 19 August 2012 and
Managed by E-city Ventures which is part of the Essel Group. It is located on
the arterial Avinashi Road on a 3.5 acre site. The mall has 6 levels with a
total area of 5.25 lakh sq.ft. Shoppers Stop is its anchor store and occupies
over 79,000 sq. ft. The mall also features a five screen multiplex operated by
Fun Cinemas with a capacity of 1,119 seats, and a McDonaldsrestaurant spread
over 3,470 sq. ft on two floors in addition to its food court.
Codissia Trade Fair complex
Coimbatore District Small Industries Association
(CODISSIA) is an Indian trade organization based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.It
is affiliated to Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association
(TANSTIA). It is the largest district association of small industries in
India with more than two thousand members. The organization plays a major role
in the development of industries in the region and also helps industries with
government rules and norms. CODISSIA has pushed for the establishment of more
public sector units in Coimbatore.
Racecourse
Racecourse a garden and a park with play area for children on
the cards, FRESH LOOK: A stretch of the walkers' path on Race Course in the
city relaid with interlocking cement blocks.
Velliangiri Andavar Temple
The Velliangiri Mountains, a part of the Nilgiri
Biosphere Reserve, are situated at the Western Ghats border of Coimbatore
district, Tamil Nadu. Known as the "Thenkailayam - Kailash of the
South", these mountains are held and revered on par with spiritually most
powerful place on the planet - Mount Kailash, the legendary abode of Lord
Shiva. On the top of the Velliangiri Mountains, Shiva is worshipped as
Swayambhu, one who is self-created and in this form, he graces the devotees.
Besides, the Shiva Temple of Velliangiri, the presence of the Dhyanalinga is another
reason why people throng to the Velliangiri Hills.
Ooty
Udhagamandalam (sometimes Ootacamund sometimes abbreviated Udhagai and better
known as Ooty is a town, a
municipality, and the district capital of the Nilgiris district in the Indian
state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 80 km north of Coimbatore. It is a popular
hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills. Originally occupied by the Todas,
the area came under the rule of the East India Company at the end of the 18th
century. Today, the town's economy is based on tourism and agriculture, along
with manufacture of medicines and photographic film. The town is connected to
the rest of India by road and rail, and its historic sites and natural beauty
attract tourists. As of 2011, the town had a population of 88,430.
All in all,
Coimbatore is a serene city that will steal your heart every time you visit!
