Chengalpattu district is an administrative district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was carved out of the erstwhile Kanchipuram district in 2019, with the town of Chengalpattu serving as its headquarters. The district lies along the Coromandel Coast immediately to the south of Chennai and forms part of the Chennai Metropolitan Region.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Region | Tondaimandalam / Coromandel Coast |
| Headquarters | Chengalpattu |
| Formed | 29 November 2019 |
| Parent district | Kanchipuram |
| Official language | Tamil |
Background
The area of present-day Chengalpattu district has long been part of the historic Tondaimandalam region. Under successive dynasties — including the Pallavas, Cholas and the Vijayanagara Empire — and later under the Nawabs of the Carnatic, the territory was administered as part of the larger Chingleput country. Under British rule it became the Chingleput district of the Madras Presidency, one of the earliest revenue districts in southern India. After Independence, the area was reorganised within Tamil Nadu and in 1997 the older Chingleput (Chengalpattu MGR) district was bifurcated to create Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts.
Formation
Chengalpattu district was constituted on 29 November 2019, when the Government of Tamil Nadu split Kanchipuram district into two. The eastern, coastal portion — including Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Tirukalukundram, Madurantakam, Cheyyur and Thiruporur taluks — was reorganised as the new district, while the western inland portion, centred on Kanchipuram town, was retained as the residual Kanchipuram district.
Geography
The district is bounded by Chennai and Tiruvallur districts to the north, Kanchipuram district to the west, Viluppuram district to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the east. Its terrain is largely a low coastal plain dotted with tanks (eris) and small reservoirs, traversed by the Palar and Cheyyar rivers in its southern reaches. The Buckingham Canal and the East Coast Road run through the district, and notable water bodies include Chembarambakkam Lake and Madurantakam Lake. Coastal features include the long sandy beaches of Mahabalipuram and Kovalam.
Administration
The district is divided into revenue divisions and taluks centred on Chengalpattu, Tambaram, Madurantakam and Cheyyur. It is administered by a District Collector and forms part of the Chengalpattu Police range. Several taluks of the district fall within the Chennai Metropolitan Area, making local governance closely linked with metropolitan planning bodies such as the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.
Economy
Chengalpattu district has a mixed economy combining traditional paddy cultivation in its tank-irrigated tracts with extensive industrial and services activity along its northern fringe. The area around Maraimalai Nagar, Singaperumal Koil, Oragadam and Sriperumbudur–Chengalpattu corridor hosts large automobile, electronics and engineering plants, including operations associated with companies such as Ford India, Renault–Nissan, Daimler and BMW in nearby industrial parks. Mahindra World City, a major SEZ, is located within the district. Tourism, fishing and salt production are also important along the coast.
Transport
The district is served by the Chennai–Tiruchirappalli section of National Highway 32 (formerly NH 45) and by the East Coast Road (NH 32 extension). The Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu suburban rail line of Southern Railway connects the district to the Chennai metropolitan rail network, and Chengalpattu Junction is an important station on the southern trunk route. Chennai International Airport at Meenambakkam lies just to the north of the district.
Notable places
- Mahabalipuram — UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pallava-era monuments.
- Tirukalukundram — temple town known for the Vedagiriswarar hill temple.
- Madurantakam — site of the Eri Katha Ramar temple and