Tambaram City Municipal Corporation

Tambaram is a medieval town referred to as Taamapuram in an inscription of the 13th century. The word was inscribed on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum at Marundeeswarar temple in Tirukachur village, near Chengalpattu.^[7]

The earliest mention of Tambaram dates back to the 13th century when the word 'Taamapuram' was inscribed on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum at Marundeeswarar temple in Tirukachur village, near Chengalpattu.^[7]

The oldest locality in the city is Pallavapuram which is considered one of the oldest inhabited places in South Asia.^[8] Pallavapuram is most commonly known today as Pallavaram.^[9]

On May 13, 1863, Robert Bruce Foote, a British geologist with the Geological Survey of India (GSI), discovered a hand axe belonging to the Lower Palaeolithic Age at Pallavaram (Pallavapuram).^[10][11] Since then, several Stone Age artefacts have been discovered.^[11] Most of these artefacts are currently lodged in the Egmore museum.^[11]

The oldest locality in the city, Pallavapuram, existed during the reign of Pallava king Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE). The Pallavas have left titles in early Pallava script at the cave temple in Pallavaram neighbourhood, which dates back to 600 CE. The remains of a cave shrine constructed by the Pallava ruler have been found at Asthana-E-Moula Ali Dargah.^[12]

During the reign of Later Cholas, from ninth to twelfth century CE, the region was called Churathur Nadu. Churathur Nadu was named after Thiruchuram, the present-day Trisulam. The Churathur Nadu extended from Tambaram in the south to Adambakkam and Alandur in the north. The region included the areas of Pammal, Pallavaram, and Thiruneermalai.^[13][14]

During the Carnatic wars in the late 17th century, the city was an entrenchment camp for the British East India Company. During the 17th century, Pallavaram neighborhood of the city remained dependent upon the Portuguese colony of San Thome. Later, the British established a cantonment at Pallavaram, supplementary to the one at St. Thomas Mount.

A wireless station was established in the early years of the 20th century. The Madras Aerodrome was opened at Pallavaram in 1929.

In the 1951 census, Tambaram was classified as a Town Panchayat for the first time.^[15] In 1964, Tambaram Town Panchayat was incorporated as a Grade III Municipality by annexing the Village Panchayats of Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur.^[16][17]

Due to rapid development and growth of the town commercially and residentially, the Municipality was classified as a 'Selection Grade Municipality'.^[16] The extent of the municipality was 20.72 km² (8.00 sq mi). The revenue villages under this municipality are Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur. The number of households is 26,333, the number of notified slums is 17 and the number of unnotified slums is 7.^[18] The Tambaram range comprises forest lands in Nanmangalam, Madurapakkam, Tambaram, Pulikoradu, Kumili, Vandalur, Onnamancherry, Erumaiyur, Vattampakkam and Vadakupattu.^[19]

In 2009, Tambaram taluk was trifurcated into Tambaram, Sholinganallur and Alandur taluks. Clubbing all the three taluks, a new revenue division with Tambaram as headquarters was formed.^[20]

The increasing population and rapid urbanisation increased the need for town planning, improved administration structure and human resource planning. These demands drove the creation of Tambaram City Municipal Corporation.^[21][22] The announcement to establish the Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was made by Minister for Municipal Administration K. N. Nehru in the state Assembly, on August 24, 2021^[23] by merging five municipalities, five town panchayats and fifteen village panchayats.^[24][25]

Following a supreme court ruling to conduct rural local body elections by October 2021, the village panchayats elections for Pozhichalur, Cowl Bazaar, Tirusulam, Moovarasampattu, Kovilambakkam, Nanmangalam, Medavakkam, Vengaivasal, Perumbakkam, Sithalapakkam, Ottiyambakkam, Madurambakkam, Agaramthen, Thiruvancheri, Mudichur of the St.Thomas Mount panchayat union were held. As a result, the 15 village panchayats were excluded from the Government order issued by the State Government of Tamil Nadu on September 11, 2021.^[26]

The five municipalities—Anakaputhur, Pallavaram, Pammal, Sembakkam and Tambaram, and five town panchayats—Chitlapakkam, Madambakkam, Perungaluthur, Peerkangaranai and Tiruneermalai, were incorporated as Tambaram City, with Tambaram City Municipal Corporation as governing body.^[27] After the tenure of existing village panchayats ends in 2024, the proposed village panchayats may get annexed into corporation limits, and may accordingly be converted into urban wards.^[28]

The executive authority in Tambaram City Municipal Corporation is vested in Corporation Commissioner. The Corporation Commissioner is appointed by the State Government of Tamil Nadu.^[29][30]

The Mayor, who is indirectly elected by the councillors, is the head of the municipal corporation, but the role is largely ceremonial as executive powers are vested in the Corporation Commissioner. The office of the Mayor combines a functional role of chairing the Corporation meeting as well as a ceremonial role associated with being the First Citizen of the city. Deputy Mayor is appointed by the Mayor for a five-year term.^[29][30]

The legislative branch of Tambaram City Municipal Corporation consists of a council of elected councillors from each ward.The Legislative body is presided over by the Mayor.^[29][30]

On 1st January 2021, the Tambaram Police Commissionerate was established as the city police administration of the City of Tambaram.^[31][32]

The Corporation Commissioner is R. Alagumeena, IAS.^[33] The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are K. Vasanthakumari and G. Kamaraj respectively.^[34][35] The Commissioner of Police is Amalraj, IPS.^[36]

When Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was established, it consisted of 70 wards under 5 zones.^[37]

Tambaram Corporation has 70 wards and each ward is divided into nine Area Sabhas with one member heading it. Totally, the Corporation has 630 Area Sabhas. Area Sabhas will be conducted once in three months. At least 200 residents from the ward are required to participate for conducting Area Sabha.^[38]

In September 2021, the government revealed its plans of reforming the Greater Chennai City Police and setting up two new commissionerates in Tambaram and Avadi. Subsequently, Director General of Police (DGP) M. Ravi was deputed as special officer to form the Commissionerate. The new Police Commissionerate in Tambaram was formally inaugurated by the Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on 1 January 2022. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Amalraj IPS took over charge as Commissioner of Police of Tambaram City Police.^[36]

The Tambaram police commissionerate functions with two police districts⁠—Tambaram and Pallikaranai, comprising 20 police stations. For ease of administration, Somangalam and Manimangalam police stations from Kancheepuram district along with Otteri, Guduvanchery, Maraimalai Nagar, Thalambur and Kelambakkam police stations from Chengalpattu district have been attached to the Tambaram Police Commissionerate.^[39]

The current members of the Municipal City Council were elected in urban body elections held on19 February 2022.

• List of municipal corporations in Tamil Nadu
• Tambaram
• Chennai Metropolitan Area
• Greater Chennai Corporation
• Avadi City Municipal Corporation
• Kancheepuram City Municipal Corporation