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

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.

You can find both in coimbatore! 


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

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

Singanallur Lake is a lake in Singanallur, Coimbatore, South India. It is spread over an area of 1.153 km2 (0.445 sq mi) and has an average depth of 4.25 m (13.9 ft). It is one of the 9 large lakes in the city. The lake is fed by canals derived from Noyyal river. The lake also receives water from Sanganur drain and sewage water. The water can be released through two sluice gates on the lake. In 2010, pipes were laid to connecting the lake to Valankulam Lake to drain excess water during floods.  The lake possessed the high alkalinity levels of 386.61 mg/L. 

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!