Pearl City, Tuticorin
Thoothukudi, also known as Tuticorin, is a port city and a Municipal Corporation in Thoothukudi district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi is the headquarters of Thoothukudi District. It is located about 590 kilometres (367 mi) south of Chennai and 190 kilometres (118 mi) northeast of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum).It is one of the fastest growing industrial city of Tamil Nadu.
Thoothukudi is known as "Pearl City" due to the pearl fishing carried out in the town. It is a commercial seaport which serves the inland cities of Southern India and is one of the sea gateways of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the major seaports in India with a history dating back to the 6th century AD. The city is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, by the Early Pandyas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Ma'bar Sultanate, Tirunelveli Sultanate, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, Carnatic kingdom, Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Thoothukudi was settled by the Portuguese, Dutch and later by the British East India Company. The city is administered by a municipal corporation covering an area of 90.663 km2 (35.005 sq mi). As of 2011, the city had a population of 410,760.
Industries like Southern Petrochemical Industrial Corporation(SPIC), Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals(TAC),Darangadra Chemicals(DCW),Kilburn Chemicals, Heavy water plant(Dept of Atomic energy), Sterlite copper industry, Venus Home Appliances, Maris Associates, VVD Coconut oil, Ramesh flowers,Nila Sea Foods,Diamond Sea Foods and KSPS Salts have their manufacturing units in Thoothukudi. Majority of the people of the city are employed in salt pans,sea-borne trading,logistics,fishing and tourism. The major attraction in the city is Our Lady of Snows Basilica, a 16th century site. There are in total 117 schools, five arts and science colleges, three polytechnics, two engineering colleges, one medical college and a fisheries college in the city.According to CII,Tuticorin has second highest HDI of 0.791 next only to Chennai.
The 21 islands between Thoothukudi and Rameswaram shores in the Gulf of Mannar are notified as the first Marine Biosphere Reserve of India having around 36,000 species of flora and fauna. The church festival celebrated annually during August and the Shiva temple festivals like Adi Amavasai, Sasti and Chittirai chariot festivals are the major festivals of the land. Roadways is the major mode of transport to Thoothukudi, while the city also has rail, air and sea transport.
