Tambaram City Municipal Corporation

Old Stone Age

The oldest locality in the city is Pallavapuram which is considered one of the oldest inhabited places in South Asia.^[11] Pallavapuram is most commonly known today as Pallavaram.^[12]

On 13 May 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).^[13][14] Since then, several Stone Age artefacts have been discovered.^[14] Most of these artefacts are currently lodged in the Egmore museum.^[14]

Early Medieval Period

Colonial Period

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.

Post-Independence

In the 1951 census, Tambaram was classified as a Town Panchayat for the first time.^[18] In 1964, Tambaram Town Panchayat was incorporated as a Grade III Municipality by annexing the Village Panchayats of Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur.^[19][20]

Due to rapid development and growth of the town commercially and residentially, the Municipality was classified as a 'Selection Grade Municipality'.^[19] 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.^[21] The Tambaram range comprises forest lands in Nanmangalam, Madurapakkam, Tambaram, Pulikoradu, Kumili, Vandalur, Onnamancherry, Erumaiyur, Vattampakkam and Vadakupattu.^[22]

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.^[23]

City status

The Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was established to address administrative challenges stemming from rapid urbanization in the Tambaram region.^[24][25][26] On 24 August 2021, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Municipal Administration, K. N. Nehru, announced a proposal in the Legislative Assembly to create the corporation by merging five municipalities (Anakaputhur, Pallavaram, Pammal, Sembakkam and Tambaram), five town panchayats (Chitlapakkam, Madambakkam, Perungaluthur, Peerkangaranai and Tiruneermalai), and 15 villages from the St Thomas Mount Panchayat Union.^[27] However, the inclusion of the villages was halted after the Supreme Court of India mandated rural local body elections by October 2021.^[28] Consequently, these villages were excluded from the final plan. The Tambaram City Municipal Corporation Act of 2022 formally established Tambaram City under the municipal corporation’s governance, incorporating only the municipalities and town panchayats. The excluded villages are anticipated to merge with the city after their elected term concludes in 2026.^[29]

Council

The Council is the primary governing body responsible for administering urban civic services and ensuring participatory governance.^[31]

The council comprises elected councillors representing each ward, alongside non-voting members. These non-voting members: the Member of House of the People (Lok Sabha) for the Sriperumbudur constituency; Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing the Tambaram and Pallavaram constituencies; and any Members of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) registered to vote within the jurisdiction of Tambaram city.^[31]

Zones

When Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was established, it consisted of 70 wards under 5 zones.^[32]

Area Sabha

Area Sabha is a body of all the residents registered to vote in an area within a ward. Each of the 70 wards in Tambaram is divided into nine areas for conducting Area Sabha. The Area Sabha for all the areas within a ward is convened and chaired by their respective ward Councillor. 200 residents is the minimum number necessary to constitute Area Sabha.^[31][33]

City council

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

Corporation Commissioners

Mayors

Deputy mayors

City Councils

Commissioners of Police

Popular Vote

Seats