Tiruchirappalli[b] (Tamil pronunciation: [ˈt̪iɾɯtːʃiɾapːaɭːi] ⓘ, formerly called Trichinopoly in

English, also known as Tiruchi or Trichy), is a major tier II city in the Indian
state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The
city is credited with being the best livable[12] and the cleanest city of Tamil Nadu, as well
as the fifth safest city for women in India.[13] It is the fourth largest city as well as the
fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state.[citation needed] Located 322 kilometres (200 mi)
south of Chennai and 374 kilometres (232 mi) north of Kanyakumari, Tiruchirappalli sits
almost at the geographic centre of Tamil Nadu state. The Cauvery Delta begins 16
kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the city where the Kaveri river splits into two, forming the
island of Srirangam which is now incorporated into the Tiruchirappalli City Municipal
Corporation. The city occupies an area of 167.23 square kilometres (64.57 sq mi) and
had a population of 916,857 in 2011.[a]
Tiruchirappalli's recorded history begins in the 3rd century BC, when it was under the
rule of the Cholas. The city has also been ruled by the Pallavas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar
Empire, Nayak Dynasty, the Carnatic state and the British. The most prominent
historical monuments in Tiruchirappalli include the Rockfort at Teppakulam,
the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam dedicated to the reclining form of Hindu
God Vishnu, and is also the largest functioning temple in the world, and
the Jambukeswarar temple at Thiruvanaikaval, which is also the largest temple for the
Hindu God Shiva in the world. The archaeologically important town of Uraiyur, capital of
the Early Cholas, is now a neighbourhood in Tiruchirappalli. The city played a critical
role in the Carnatic Wars (1746–1763) between the British and the French East India
companies.

The city is an important educational centre in the state of Tamil Nadu, and houses
nationally recognized institutions such as National Institute of Technology - Tiruchirapalli
(NIT-T), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indian Institute of Information
Technology (IIIT), Tamil Nadu National Law University (NLU), Government Medical
College. Industrial units such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Golden Rock
Railway Workshop, Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli (OFT) and High Energy Projectile
Factory (HEPF) have their factories in the city. The presence of a large number of
energy equipment manufacturing units in and around the city has earned it the title of
"Energy Equipment and Fabrication Capital of India". It is one of the few towns and
cities in List of AMRUT Smart cities in Tamil Nadu selected for AMRUT
Schemes [16] from central government and the developmental activities are taken care by
government of Tamil Nadu.[17] Tiruchirappalli is internationally known for a brand
of cheroot known as the Trichinopoly cigar, which was exported in large quantities to the
United Kingdom during the 19th century.[18]

A major road and railway hub in the state, the city is served by the Tiruchirappalli
International Airport (TRZ) which operates direct flights to the Middle East (Dubai, Saudi
Arabia) and Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia).

Etymology
[edit]
Historically, Tiruchirappalli was commonly referred to in English as "Trichinopoly". [19] The
shortened forms "Trichy" or "Tiruchi" are used in everyday speech and the full name
Tiruchirapalli appears in official use by government and quasi-government offices but
seldom used by the general public.[20][21]

According to the late scholar C. P. Brown, Tiruchirappalli might be a derivative of the

word Chiruta-palli (lit. "little town").[22][23] Orientalists Henry Yule and Arthur Coke
Burnell have speculated that the name may derive from a rock inscription carved in the
16th century in which Tiruchirappalli is written as Tiru-ssila-palli, meaning "holy-rock-
town" in Tamil.[22][23] Other scholars have suggested that the name Tiruchirappalli is a
rewording of Tiru-chinna-palli, meaning "holy little town".[22][23] The Madras Glossary gives
the root as Tiruććināppalli or the "holy (tiru) village (palli) of the shina (Cissampelos
pareira) plant".[23]

According to Hindu mythology, Tiruchirappalli derives its name from the three-headed
demon Trishira, who meditated on the Hindu god Shiva near the present-day city to
obtain favours from the god.[22] An alternative derivation, albeit not universally accepted,
[22]
is that the source of the city's name is the Sanskrit word "Trishirapuram"—Trishira,
meaning "three-headed", and palli or puram meaning "city".[22][23]

History
[edit]
Main article: History of Tiruchirappalli
Early and medieval history
[edit]
Tiruchirappalli is one of the oldest inhabited cities in Tamil Nadu; its earliest settlements
date back to the Sangam period.[24] Uraiyur, the capital of the Early Cholas for 600 years
from the 3rd century BC onwards,[25] is a neighbourhood in the present-day
Tiruchirappalli.[26][27] The city is referred to as Orthoura by the historian Ptolemy in his
2nd-century work Geography.[28] The world's oldest surviving dam, the Kallanai (Lower
Anaicut) about 18 kilometres (11 mi) from Uraiyur,[29] was built across the Kaveri River
by Karikala Chola in the 2nd century AD.[30]

Tiruchirappalli Rock Fort, the rock is said to be one of the oldest formations in the world.
It is 3.8 billion years old, as it is older than Greenland and Himalayas.[citation needed]

The medieval history of Tiruchirappalli begins with the reign of the Pallava
king Mahendravarman I, who ruled over South India in the 6th century AD and
constructed the rock-cut cave-temples within the Rockfort.[31][32][33] Following the downfall
of the Pallavas in the 8th century, the city was conquered by the Medieval Cholas, who
ruled until the 13th century.[34]

After the decline of the Cholas, Tiruchirappalli was conquered by the Pandyas,[35] who
ruled from 1216 until their defeat in 1311 by Malik Kafur, the commander of Allauddin
Khilji.[36][37] The victorious armies of the Delhi Sultanate are believed to have plundered
and ravaged the region.[36][37][38] The statue of the Hindu god Ranganatha in the temple
of Srirangam vanished at about this time and was not recovered and reinstated for more
than fifty years.[37][38] Tiruchirappalli was ruled by the Delhi and Madurai sultanates from
1311 to 1378,[39] but by the middle of the 14th century the Madurai Sultanate had begun
to fall apart.[40] Gradually, the Vijayanagar Empire established supremacy over the
northern parts of the kingdom, and Tiruchirappalli was taken by the Vijayanagar
prince Kumara Kampanna Udaiyar in 1371.[41] The Vijayanagar Empire ruled the region
from 1378 until the 1530s, and played a prominent role in reviving Hinduism by
reconstructing temples and monuments destroyed by the previous Muslim rulers.
[42]
Following the collapse of the Vijayanagar Empire in the early part of the 16th century,
the Madurai Nayak kingdom began to assert its independence.[43][44][45] The city flourished
during the reign of Vishwanatha Nayak (c. 1529–1564), who is said to have protected
the area by constructing the Teppakulam and building walls around the Srirangam
temple.[46][47] His successor Kumara Krishnappa Nayaka made Tiruchirappalli his capital,
[47]
and it served as the capital of the Madurai Nayak kingdom from 1616 to 1634 and
from 1665 to 1736.[48][49][50]

In 1736 the last Madurai Nayak ruler, Meenakshi, committed suicide, and Tiruchirappalli
was conquered by Chanda Sahib.[45][51] He ruled the kingdom from 1736 to 1741, when
he was captured and imprisoned by the Marathas in the siege of Trichinopoly (1741) led
by general Raghuji Bhonsle under the orders of Chhattrapati Shahu.[51][52][53] Chanda
Sahib remained prisoner for about eight years before making his escape from the
Maratha Empire. Tiruchirappalli was administered by the Maratha general Murari
Rao from 1741 to 1743, when it was regain by the Nizam of Hyderabad after the six
months long siege of Trichinopoly (1743).[51][53] Nizam appointed Khwaja Abdullah as the
Governor and returned to Golkonda.[54] When the Nawab of the Carnatic Muhammed Ali
Khan Wallajah was dethroned by Chanda Sahib after the Battle of Ambur (1749), the
former fled to Tiruchirappalli, where he set up his base.[55][56][57] The subsequent siege of
Trichinopoly (1751-1752) by Chanda Sahib took place during the Second Carnatic
War between the British East India Company and Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah on one
side and Chanda Sahib and the French East India Company on the other.[58] The British
were victorious and Wallajah was restored to the throne. During his reign he proposed
renaming the city Natharnagar after the Sufi saint Nathar Vali, who is thought to have
lived there in the 12th century AD.[59][60] Tiruchirappalli was invaded by Nanjaraja
Wodeyar in 1753 and Hyder Ali of the Mysore kingdom in 1780, both attacks repulsed
by the troops of the British East India Company.[61] A third invasion attempt, by Tipu
Sultan—son of Hyder Ali—in 1793, was also unsuccessful;[62] he was pursued by British
forces led by William Medows, who thwarted the attack.[63]

British rule
[edit]
The Carnatic kingdom was annexed by the British in July 1801 as a consequence of the
discovery of collusion between Tipu Sultan—an enemy of the British—and Umdat Ul-
Umra, son of Wallajah and the Nawab at the time, during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.
[64][65]
Trichinopoly was incorporated into the Madras Presidency the same year, and the
district of Trichinopoly was formed, with the city of Trichinopoly (or Tiruchirappalli) as its
capital.[66]

During the Company Raj and later the British Raj, Tiruchirappalli emerged as one of the
most important cities in India. According to the 1871 Indian census—the first in British
India—Tiruchirappalli had a population of 76,530, making it the second largest city in
the presidency after the capital of Madras (now Chennai).[67] It was known throughout
the British Empire for its unique variety of cheroot, known as the Trichinopoly cigar.
[23]
Tiruchirappalli was the first headquarters for the newly formed South Indian Railway
Company in 1874 until its relocation to Madras in the early 20th century.[c][69]

 Trichinopoly during the British Raj



The town and fort of Trichinopoly c. 1840

Rockfort and Teppakulam, c. 1860

Contemporary and modern history
[edit]
 Map of Tiruchirappalli town in 1955
Tiruchirappalli played an active role during the pre-independence era; there were a
number of strikes and non-violent protests during the Quit India Movement,[70] notably
the South Indian Railway Strike that took place in 1928.[71] The city was the base for
the Vedaranyam salt march initiated by C. Rajagopalachari in parallel with the Dandi
March in 1930.[72] Tiruchirappalli was an epicentre of the anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil
Nadu when a team of Tamil language supporters gathered and organised a rally from
the city to Madras in 1938.[73] Later in 1965, Tiruchirappalli was made the base of the
"Madras state Anti-Hindi Conference" convened by C. Rajagopalachari.[74][75] The
population of Tiruchirappalli continued to grow rapidly, achieving a growth rate of 36.9%
during the period 1941–51.[76] After independence in 1947, Tiruchirappalli fell behind
other cities such as Salem and Coimbatore in terms of growth.[77][78][79] Tiruchirappalli
remained a part of Madras State, which was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969.[80] The city
underwent extensive economic development in the 1960s with the commissioning
of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.[81][82] In the early 1980s, M. G. Ramachandran,
then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu drafted a plan to move the state's administrative
headquarters to Tiruchirappalli.[83] A satellite town was developed near Navalpattu on the
outskirts of the city,[83] but the proposed move was shelved by successive governments.
[84]

Like much of Tamil Nadu, Tiruchirappalli remains prone to communal tensions based on
religion and ethnicity. There have been occasional outbreaks of violence against Sri
Lankans. In 2009, the offices of a Sri Lankan airline were attacked in the city. [85][86] In
September 2012, two groups of Sri Lankan pilgrims who had visited the Basilica of Our
Lady of Good Health in Velankanni and the Poondi Madha Basilica had their buses
attacked in Tiruchirappalli by a group of Tamil activists.[87][88][89] Owing to a series of
terrorist attacks in Indian cities since 2000, security has been increased at sites such
as Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.[90]

Geography and climate

[edit]
Main article: Geography of Tiruchirappalli
 Panorama of Tiruchirappalli showing Cauvery river and the Srirangam island.

Aerial photograph of Srirangam island, sandwiched between

the rivers Kaveri and Kollidam
Tiruchirappalli is situated in central south-eastern India, almost at the geographic centre
of the state of Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery Delta begins to form 16 kilometres (9.9 mi)
west of the city where the river divides into two streams—the Kaveri and the Kollidam—
to form the island of Srirangam.[76][91][92] By road it is 912 kilometres (567 mi) south
of Hyderabad, 322 kilometres (200 mi) south-west of Chennai and 331 kilometres
(206 mi) south-east of Bangalore.[93] The topology of Tiruchirappalli is almost flat with an
average elevation of 81 metres (266 ft). A few isolated hillocks rise above the surface,
[94]
the highest of which is the Rockfort;[95][96] its estimated age of 3,800 million years
makes it one of the oldest rocks in the world.[97][98] Other prominent hillocks include
the Golden Rock, Khajamalai,[99] and one each at Uyyakondan
Thirumalai and Thiruverumbur.[100]

Apart from Kaveri and its tributary Kollidam,[101] the city is also drained by the
Uyyakondan Channel, Koraiyar and Kudamurutti river channels.[102] The land
immediately surrounding the Kaveri River—which crosses Tiruchirappalli from west to
east—consists of deposits of fertile alluvial soil[103] on which crops such as finger
millet and maize are cultivated.[104] Further south, the surface is covered by poor-
quality black soil.[103] A belt of Cretaceous rock known as the Trichinopoly Group runs to
the north-east of the city,[105] and to the south-east there are layers
of archaean rocks, granite and gneiss covered by a thin bed of conglomeratic laterite.
[95]
The region falls under Seismic Zone III, which is moderately vulnerable to
earthquakes.[106]
Urban structure
[edit]

Panorama of Tiruchirappalli as seen from the top of the Rockfort.

Skyline of the cantonment area, south of the Central Bus

Station (ca. August 2022)
The city of Tiruchirappalli lies on the plains between the Shevaroy Hills to the north and
the Palani Hills to the south and south-west.[107] Tiruchirappalli is completely surrounded
by agricultural fields.[78] Densely populated industrial and residential areas have recently
been built in the northern part of the city, and the southern edge also has residential
areas.[78] The older part of Tiruchirappalli, within the Rockfort, is unplanned and
congested while the adjoining newer sections are better executed.[108] Many of the old
houses in Srirangam were constructed according to the shilpa sastras, the canonical
texts of Hindu temple architecture.[109]

Climate
[edit]
Tiruchirappalli experiences a dry-summer tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate
classification: As), with no major change in temperature between summer and winter.[110]
[111]
The climate is generally characterised by high temperature and low humidity.[112] With
an annual mean temperature of 28.9 °C (84.0 °F) and monthly average temperatures
ranging between 25 °C (77 °F) and 32 °C (90 °F),[110] the city is the hottest in the state.
[113]
The warmest months are from April to June,[114] when the city experiences frequent
dust storms.[114] As of November 2013, the highest temperature ever recorded in
Tiruchirappalli was 43.9 °C (111.0 °F), which occurred on 2 May 1896;[115] the lowest was
observed on 6 February 1884 at 13.9 °C (57.0 °F).[116][117] The high temperatures in the
city have been attributed to the presence of two rivers—Kaveri and Kollidam—[d]and the
absence of greenery around the city.[113] As Tiruchirappalli is on the Deccan Plateau the
days are extremely warm and dry; evenings are cooler because of cold winds that blow
from the south-east.[110] From June to September, the city experiences a moderate
climate tempered by heavy rain and thundershowers. Rainfall is heaviest between
October and December because of the north-east monsoon winds, and from December
to February the climate is cool and moist.[110] The average annual rainfall is 841.9 mm
(33.15 in),[118] slightly lower than the state's average of 945 mm (37.2 in).[119] Fog and dew
are rare and occur only during the winter season.[114]

hideClimate data for Tiruchirappalli Airport (1991–2020, extremes 1949–present)

Ma No De Yea
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
y v c r

35. 36. 35.

Record 40.0 42.2 42.8 43.3 43.9 41.1 40.6 40.6 38.9 43.9
6 7 6
high °C (104 (108 (109 (109 (111 (106 (105 (105 (102 (111
(96 (98. (96.
(°F) .0) .0) .0) .9) .0) .0) .1) .1) .0) .0)
.1) 1) 1)

Mean 30. 30. 29.

33.1 36.0 37.8 38.2 37.1 36.5 36.0 35.4 33.1 34.5
daily 7 6 7
(91. (96. (100 (100 (98. (97. (96. (95. (91. (94.
maximum (87 (87. (85.
6) 8) .0) .8) 8) 7) 8) 7) 6) 1)
°C (°F) .3) 1) 5)

25. 26. 25.

Daily 27.2 29.7 31.8 32.0 31.5 31.1 30.5 29.9 28.3 29.1
6 6 4
mean °C (81. (85. (89. (89. (88. (88. (86. (85. (82. (84.
(78 (79. (77.
(°F) 0) 5) 2) 6) 7) 0) 9) 8) 9) 4)
.1) 9) 7)

Mean 20. 23. 21.

21.6 23.5 26.2 26.8 26.7 26.4 25.8 25.2 24.4 24.3
daily 7 1 5
(70. (74. (79. (80. (80. (79. (78. (77. (75. (75.
minimum (69 (73. (70.
9) 3) 2) 2) 1) 5) 4) 4) 9) 7)
°C (°F) .3) 6) 7)

Record 14. 13.9 15.6 18.3 19.4 18.0 20.1 20.6 20.6 18.9 16. 14. 13.9
low °C 4 (57. (60. (64. (66. (64. (68. (69. (69. (66. 7 4 (57.
(°F) (57 (62. (57.
 .9) 0) 1) 9) 9) 4) 2) 1) 1) 0) 1) 9) 0)

Average 118. 154. 191 79. 860.

6.4 4.0 3.6 34.1 78.9 44.9 57.4 87.7
rainfall 2 9 .1 0 3
(0. (0.1 (0.1 (1.3 (3.1 (1.7 (2.2 (3.4
mm (4.6 (6.1 (7.5 (3.1 (33.
25) 6) 4) 4) 1) 7) 6) 5)
(inches) 5) 0) 2) 1) 87)

Average
0.6 0.5 0.6 1.9 4.2 2.8 2.1 4.6 6.2 9.3 8.9 5.0 46.7
rainy days

Average r
elative
humidity ( 53 42 37 42 44 45 45 48 52 64 71 66 51
%) (at
17:30 IST)

Source 1: India Meteorological Department[120][117][121]

Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[122]

Trichy has been ranked 11th best “National Clean Air City” (under Category 1 >10L
Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' [123]

Demographics
[edit]

Aerial view of Tiruchirapalli

Main article: Demographics of Tiruchirappalli

Historical populationshow
According to the 2011 Indian census, Tiruchirappalli had a population of 847,387,[a] 9.4%
of whom were under the age of six, living in 214,529 families within the municipal
corporation limits. The recorded population density was 5,768/km2 (14,940/sq mi) while
the sex ratio was 975 males for every 1,000 females.[15] The Tiruchirappalli urban
agglomeration had a population of 1,022,518, and was ranked the fourth largest in
Tamil Nadu and the 53rd in India as of 2011.[5] The city had an average literacy rate of
91.37%,[15] significantly higher than the national average of 73.00%.[127] Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 10.48% and 0.27% of the population respectively.
[15]
There were 228,518 people, roughly constituting about 26.96% of the total
population, who lived in slums in the city.[128] The daily floating population of the city was
estimated at around 250,000.[129]

The city's population is predominantly Hindu.[130] Muslims constitute about twenty

percent,[131] and there is also a considerable Christian population. Sikhs and Jains are
present in smaller numbers.[132][133] Roman Catholics in Tiruchirappalli are affiliated to
the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tiruchirapalli while Protestants are affiliated to
the Trichy–Tanjore Diocese of the Church of South India.[134][135]

The most widely spoken language is Tamil,[136] but there are significant numbers
of Telugu,[137] Gujarati,[138] Kannada,[139] Malayalam[140] and Hindi speakers.[141] Saurashtra is
also spoken by some significant minorities.[142] The standard dialect of Tamil spoken is
the Central Tamil dialect.[143][144] There is also a substantial population of Anglo-Indians,
[e]
and Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, most of whom are housed in refugee camps on the
outskirts of the city.[147][148]

Administration and politics

[edit]
See also: Tiruchirappalli Municipal Corporation
Administrative officials
pradeep kumar
Collector
IAS[149]
Municipality officials
Mayor Anbalagan [150]

Commission S.
er Sivasubramanian[
151]

Deputy
Vacant[152]
Mayor
Commission
A. Amalraj[153]
er of Police
Members of Legislative
 Assembly
Tiruchirapp
Inigo Irudayaraj
alli East
Tiruchirapp
K. N. Nehru
alli West
Srirangam M. Palaniyandi
Thiruverum Anbil Mahesh
bur Poyyamozhi[154]
Member of Parliament
Su.
Tiruchirapp
Thirunavukkarasa
alli
r[155]

Covering 18 square kilometres (6.9 sq mi), the municipality of Tiruchirappalli was

inaugurated under the Town Improvements Act 1865 on 1 November 1866;[156] it
originally consisted of two ex-officers and nine nominated members.[157] Council elections
were introduced in 1877 and the first chairman was elected in 1889.[157] The municipality
was upgraded to a municipal corporation as per the Tiruchirappalli City Municipal
Corporation Act 1994[158] by inclusion of the erstwhile Srirangam and Golden Rock
municipalities.[159] Covering 167.23 square kilometres (64.57 sq mi),[a][160] the municipal
corporation comprises 65 wards and four administrative zones; these are
Srirangam, Ariyamangalam, Golden Rock and Abhishekapuram.[161]

Headquarters of Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation

Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation Council, the legislative body, comprises 65
councillors elected from each of the 65 wards and is headed by a mayor assisted by
a Deputy Mayor.[162][163] The executive wing has seven departments—general
administration, revenue, town planning, engineering, public health, information
technology and personnel—and is headed by a City Commissioner. The Commissioner
is assisted by two executive engineers for the east and west sections, and Assistant
Commissioners for personnel, accounts and revenue departments, a public relations
officer, a city engineer, a city health officer and an Assistant Commissioner for each of
the four zones.[164] A Local Planning Authority for Tiruchirappalli was created on 5 April
1974 as per the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act of 1971 with the District
Collector of Tiruchirappalli as chairman and the assistant director of Town and Country
Planning as its member secretary.[165]

The city of Tiruchirappalli is represented in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by four
elected members, one each for the Tiruchirappalli East, Tiruchirappalli
West, Srirangam and Thiruverumbur constituencies.[166][167] J.Jayalalithaa, former chief
minister of Tamil Nadu, represented the Srirangam constituency between 2011 and
2015.[168] Tiruchirappalli is also part of the Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha constituency and
once every five years, elects a member to the Lok Sabha—the lower house of
the Parliament of India.[167][169] The Lok Sabha seat has been held by the Indian National
Congress for four terms (1957–62,[170] 1984–89,[171] 1989–91[172] and 1991–96[173]),
the Communist Party of India (1962–67,[174] 1971–77[175] and 1977–80[176]) and the All India
Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (2001–04, 2009–14 and 2014–present) for three
terms each[177]) and Bharatiya Janata Party (1998–99[178] and 1999–2001[179]) for two terms
each. Candidates from the Communist Party of India,[180] Tamil Maanila Congress and
the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam[181] have won once each. Indian
politician Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, who served as the Minister of Power in the
government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee,[182] was elected to the Lok Sabha from
Tiruchirappalli in the 1998 and 1999 elections.[178][179]

Law and order are enforced by the Tamil Nadu police, which for administrative
purposes, has constituted Tiruchirappalli city as a separate district, divided into 18 zonal
offices and units, with a total of 38 police stations.[183] The Tiruchirappalli city police force
is headed by a Commissioner of police assisted by Deputy Commissioners.[184] Law and
order in suburban areas is enforced by the Tiruchirappalli district police.[185] It has the
lowest proportion of rape and murder cases in the state.[186]

Utility services
[edit]
Electricity supply to the city is regulated and distributed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity
Board (TNEB).[187] Tiruchirappalli is the headquarters of the Trichy region of TNEB. The
city and its suburbs form the Trichy Metro Electricity Distribution Circle, which is
subdivided into six divisions.[187] A chief distribution engineer is stationed at the regional
headquarters at Tennur.[187] Water supply is provided by the Tiruchirappalli City
Corporation.[188] The city gets its drinking water supply from the Kaveri River and 1,470
bore wells linked to 60 service reservoirs in and around the city.[189] Four of the six head
works from which the city gets its water supply are maintained by the municipal
corporation and the rest by other agencies.[190]

Pollution has been a major concern in Tiruchirappalli. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control
Board has set up five stations in the city to check the quality of air.[191] As of 2012, about
432 tonnes (432,000 kg) of solid waste are produced in the city every day.[192] Solid
waste management in the city is handled by the corporation; places such as the Gandhi
Market, Central Bus terminus and the Chathram bus terminus are being monitored by
other agencies.[190] The principal landfill is at Ariyamangalam.[193] Waste water
management in the Trichy-Srirangam underground drainage (UGD) areas is handled by
the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) and in other areas by the
Tiruchirappalli Municipal Corporation.[190] As of 2013, there were a total of 40,580 UGD
connections maintained by the municipal corporation.[194] In 2020, it is estimated that
31% of the city is covered under a networked sewage system; however, As of
September 2020, the corporation has fast-tracked its project to cover the entire city,
funded jointly by urban local body, Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure
Development Corporation Ltd (Tufidco) and Asian Development Bank.[195] The high
toxicity of the waste water released by the Trichy Distilleries and Chemicals Limited
(TDCL) is a major cause of concern for the corporation.[196] The corporation's annual
expenditure for the year 2010–11 was estimated to be ₹1,559.4 million (equivalent
to ₹3.2 billion or US$37 million in 2023).[197] In 2013, researchers from Bharathidasan
University assessed water quality in the Tiruchirappalli area and concluded that
although the quality of the groundwater was suitable for human consumption, the quality
of the pond water in the city was "not fit for human usage, agricultural or industrial
purposes".[198]

Under the National Urban Sanitation Policy, Tiruchirappalli was ranked sixth in India and
first in Tamil Nadu on the basis of sanitation for the year 2009–10.[199] In January 2010,
Tiruchirappalli became the first city in India where open defecation was prevented in all
its slums.[200] In a 2016 survey conducted by the Ministry of Urban Development, as a
part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan campaign, Tiruchirappalli was ranked third in the list
of cleanest cities in India.[201]

Under the ease of living index 2018 published by the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs, Tiruchirappalli was ranked twelfth in India and first in Tamil Nadu among the 111
cities considered.[12] The ranking framework was categorised into four pillars, namely
Institutional, Social, Economic and Physical, which comprised 78 indicators such as
urban transport, waste water management, solid waste management and governance.

Tiruchirappalli comes under the Tiruchi Telecom District of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL), India's state-owned telecom and internet services provider.[202] There
are about 20,000 business telephone subscribers in the city.[203] Both Global System for
Mobile Communications (GSM) and Code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile
services are available.[204] BSNL also provides broadband internet services.[205] BSNL
began offering wireless internet services with the commencement of Evolution-Data
Optimized (EVDO) transmission in 2008.[204] Tiruchirappalli is one of the few cities in
India where BSNL's Caller Line Identification (CLI)-based internet service Netone is
available.[206] Softnet (STPI), Tata VSNL, Bharti and Reliance are other major broadband
internet service providers in the city.[207]

Tiruchirappalli has a regional passport office, the second in Tamil Nadu, which
commenced its operations on 23 March 1983 bifurcated from Chennai region.[208] After
Coimbatore and Madurai regional office were established in late 2000s by bifurcating
from Trichy region, currently the office caters to the needs of Trichy and seven adjacent
districts namely, Karur, Nagappattinam, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Ariyalur
and Tiruvarur.[209]
Economy
[edit]
Main article: Economy of Tiruchirappalli

A WDS6 locomotive manufactured at the Golden Rock

Railway Workshop
During British rule, Tiruchirappalli was known for its tanneries, cigar-manufacturing units
and oil presses.[210] At its peak, more than 12 million cigars were manufactured and
exported annually.[210] Tanned hides and skins from Tiruchirappalli were exported to the
United Kingdom.[210] The city has a number of retail and wholesale markets, the most
prominent among them being the Gandhi Market, which also serves people from other
parts of the district.[211][212][213] Other notable markets in the city are the flower bazaar in
Srirangam[213] and the mango market at Mambazha Salai.[214] The suburb
of Manachanallur is known for its rice mills, where polished Ponni rice is produced.[215]

Tiruchirappalli is a major engineering equipment manufacturing and fabrication hub in

India.[82] The Golden Rock Railway Workshop, which moved to Tiruchirappalli
from Nagapattinam in 1928, is one of the three railway workshop–cum–production units
in Tamil Nadu.[216] The workshops produced 650 conventional and low-container flat
wagons during 2007–2008.[217]

A high-pressure boiler manufacturing plant was set up by Bharat Heavy Electricals

Limited (BHEL), India's largest public sector engineering company, in May 1965.[218]
[219]
This was followed by a seamless steel plant and a boiler auxiliaries plant.[220] In 2010,
the Tiruchirappalli unit of the company contributed to nearly 30 per cent of its total sales,
making it the largest of all units.[221] As of 2011, the Tiruchirappalli division employed
about 10,000 people,[221] and is supported by a number of ancillary industries producing
almost 250,000 tonnes (250,000,000 kg) of fabricated materials.[82] These ancillary units
together with BHEL contribute nearly 60 per cent of India's steel fabrication, [82] earning
the city the title, "Energy equipment and fabrication capital of India".[222] Other important
industries in Tiruchirappalli include Trichy Distilleries and Chemicals Limited (TDCL),
which was established at Senthaneerpuram in the former Golden Rock municipality in
1966.[223] and the Trichy Steel Rolling Mills, which was started as a private limited
company on 27 June 1961.[224] The Trichy Distilleries and Chemicals Limited
manufactures rectified spirit,[223] acetaldehyde,[223] acetic acid,[223] acetic
anhydride[225] and ethyl acetate. It is one of the biggest private sector distilleries in Tamil
Nadu and produced 13.5 megalitres (3.0 million imperial gallons) of spirit
alcohol between December 2005 and November 2006.[226] The Ordnance Factories
Board runs a weapons manufacturing unit and a Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project (HAPP)
facility;[227] the latter was set up in the late 1980s and consists of a flexible manufacturing
system (FMS)—the first of its kind in India.[228][229][230]

From the late 1980s, a synthetic gem industry was developed in the city; the gemstones
are cut and polished in Tiruchirappalli district and in Pudukottai district.[231] In 1990, the
Indian government launched a scheme to increase employment by boosting the
production of American diamonds and training local artisans in semi-automated
machinery and technology. The local gem industry was reportedly generating annual
revenues of ₹100 million (equivalent to ₹600 million or US$6.8 million in 2023) by the
mid-1990s.[232] Concerns have been raised over the employment of children aged 9–14
in the gem cutting and polishing industry.[232][233] As a result, in 1996, Tiruchirappalli district
was selected to be involved in the National Child Labour Project and in the running of
special schools to educate working children.[234]

As of December 2010, the Tiruchirappalli region annually exports around ₹262.1

million (equivalent to ₹590 million or US$6.7 million in 2023) of software.[235]
[236]
The ELCOT IT Park Trichy—the city's first IT park—commissioned at a cost of ₹600
million (equivalent to ₹1.3 billion or US$15 million in 2023) was inaugurated in
December 2010.[237][238] Set up by the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, the park
occupies an area of 59.74 hectares (147.6 acres) and constitutes a Special Economic
Zone.[238][239]

Employing a workforce of over 1,500, more than six companies including Vuram, iLink
Systems Pvt. Ltd., Scientific Publishing Company, Vdart Technologies, GI Tech Gaming
Co. India Pvt. Ltd., VR Della IT Services Pvt. Ltd., and the Tamil Nadu Disaster
Recovery Centre function out of the existing building, occupying the entire built-up
space.[240] The ELCOT IT Park Trichy is in close proximity to the Tiruchi International
Airport. The facility was highlighted through the two editions of Global Investors Meet
and became a key factor for the demand for the built-up space.[241]

Culture
[edit]
See also: Tamil culture and Tamil cuisine

A Jallikattu match
A resident of Tiruchirappalli is generally referred to as a Tiruchiite.[242] Situated at the
edge of the Kaveri Delta, the culture of Tiruchirappalli is predominantly Brahminical,
prevalent elsewhere in the delta.[243] With a substantial population of students and
migrant industrial workers from different parts of India, Tiruchirappalli has a more
cosmopolitan outlook than the surrounding countryside.[244][245] The main festival
celebrated in Tiruchirappalli is Pongal, a regional harvest festival celebrated during
January. As part of the Pongal celebrations, Jallikattu, a bull-taming village sport played
on the last day of the festival,[246] is occasionally held on the outskirts of the city.[247] Aadi
Perukku,[248] Samayapuram flower festival,[249] Vaikunta Ekadasi,[250] Srirangam car festival,
[251]
and the Teppakulam float festival are some of the prominent festivals that are held
locally.[252] Bakrid and Eid al-Fitr are also widely celebrated, owing to the substantial
number of Muslims in the city.[253][254] Nationwide festivals such as the Gregorian New
Year,[255] Christmas, Deepavali[256] and Holi[257] are also celebrated in Tiruchirappalli.

The 12th century Tamil epic Kambaramayanam was first recited at

the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. In 1771, Rama Natakam, a musical drama
written Arunachala Kavi and based on the Ramayana, was also performed there.
[258]
Tiruchirappalli was home to some of the prominent Carnatic musicians—
including Lalgudi Jayaraman, Srirangam Kannan and A. K. C. Natarajan—and scholars
such as T. S. Murugesan Pillai, Kundalam Rangachariar and K. A. P. Viswanatham.
[259]
Composers, poets and vocalists such as G. Ramanathan, T. K. Ramamoorthy,
[260]
Vaali and P. Madhuri, who have made significant contributions to Tamil film
music hail from the city.[261][262]

Textile weaving, leather-work and gem cutting are some of the important crafts
practised in Tiruchirappalli.[263] Wooden idols of Hindu gods and goddesses are sold
at Poompuhar, the crafts emporium run by the Government of Tamil Nadu.[264] The Trichy
Travel Federation (TTF) was formed on 5 May 2009 to promote Tiruchirappalli as a
favourable tourist destination.[265] The federation organises an annual food festival
called Suvai.[266] Lack of infrastructure has been a major deterrent to the city's tourism
industry.[267][268]

Landmarks
[edit]

The "Vellai Gopuram" (white tower) on the eastern entrance of the

Srirangam temple named after a Devadasi[269]
Once a part of the Chola kingdom, Tiruchirappalli has a number of exquisitely sculpted
temples and fortresses.[270]

The Erumbeeswarar Temple has been designated a protected

monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Most of the temples, including the Rockfort temples, the Ranganathaswamy
Temple at Srirangam, the Jambukeswarar Temple at Thiruvanaikkaval,
the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, the Erumbeeswarar
Temple, Gneeliwaneswarar Temple at Thiruppaingneeli[271] and the temples in Urayur,
are built in the Dravidian style of architecture;[272] the Ranganathaswamy Temple and
Jambukeswarar Temple are often counted among the best examples of this style.[273][274]
[275]
The rock-cut cave temples of the Rockfort, along with the gateway and the
Erumbeeswarar Temple, are listed as monuments of national importance by
the Archaeological Survey of India.[276]

Night View of Trichy from the top of Rockfort, photographed

from the temple window.
Considered one of the symbols of Tiruchirappalli, the Rockfort is a fortress which stands
atop a 273-foot-high rock.[277] It consists of a set of monolithic rocks accommodating
many rock-cut cave temples. Originally built by the Pallavas, it was later reconstructed
by the Madurai Nayaks and Vijayanagara rulers. The temple complex has three shrines,
two of which are dedicated to Lord Ganesha, one at the foot and the Ucchi Pillayar
Temple at the top, and the Thayumanavar Temple between them. The Thayumanavar
temple, the largest of the three, houses a shrine for Pārvatī as well as the main deity. As
per a legend, Vayu Bhaghvan and Adiseshan had a dispute to find out who is superior,
to prove the superiority adiseshan encircled the Kailasam, Vayu tried to remove this
encircle by creating santamarutham (Twister). Because of the santamarutham, eight
kodumudigal (parts) fell from kailasam into eight different places which are
Thirugonamalai (Trincomalee, Sri Lanka), Thirukalahasti, Thiruchiramalai (Rock
fort), Thiruenkoimalai, Rajathagiri, Neerthagiri, Ratnagiri, and Swethagiri Thirupangeeli.
[278][279]

The Rockfort is visible from almost every part of the city's north.[97] The Teppakulam at
the foot of the Rockfort is surrounded by bazaars.[280] It has a mandapa at its centre.[281]

The Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, is located on the
island of Srirangam.[97] Often cited as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world,
[97]
it has a perimeter of 4,116 metres (13,504 ft) and occupies 156 acres (630,000 m2).
[282]
Considered to be among the 108 Divya Desams (Holy shrines of Lord Vishnu),[283] the
temple is believed to house the mortal remains of the Vaishnavite saint and
philosopher Ramanujacharya.[284] Originally built by the Cholas,[285] the temple was later
renovated by the Pandyas, the Hoysalas, the Madurai Nayaks and the Vijayanagar
empire between the 9th and 16th centuries AD.[286] There are 21 gopurams (towers),[287] of
which the Rajagopuram is 236 feet (72 m).[288] According to the Limca Book of Records,
it was the tallest temple tower in the world until 1999.[289]

St. Mary's Cathedral

The Jambukeswarar Temple at Thiruvanaikkaval and the Erumbeeswarar Temple at
Thiruverumbur were built in the rule of the Medieval Cholas.[290][291] The Jambukeswarar
Temple is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams dedicated to Lord Shiva; it is the fifth
largest temple complex in Tamil Nadu.[292] The city's best known mosque is the Nadir
Shah Mosque.[293] The Christ Church constructed by the German Protestant
missionary Christian Friedrich Schwarz in 1766 and the Our Lady of Lourdes
Church are noted examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the city.[294]

Tropical butterfly conservatory

The Chokkanatha Nayak Palace, which houses the Rani Mangammal Mahal, was built
by the Madurai Nayaks in the 17th century; it has now been converted into a museum.
[295]
The Nawab's palace,[296] the Railway Heritage Centre,[297] the Upper
Anaicut constructed by Sir Arthur Cotton, and the world's oldest functional dam,
the Grand Anaicut, are some of the other important structures in Tiruchirappalli.[298][299]

Education
[edit]
Main article: List of educational institutions in Trichy
Tiruchirappalli has been recognised in India as an important educational centre since
the time of British rule.[300][301][302] St. Joseph's College, which opened in Nagapattinam in
1846 and transferred to Tiruchirappalli in 1883, is one of the oldest educational
institutions in South India.[303] The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG)
college, established in 1883, is a premium missionary institution in the city.[300]

India's second Nobel laureate, C. V. Raman, was born in Tiruchirappalli.

As of 2013, Tiruchirappalli has 45 arts and science colleges, 40 polytechnic colleges
and 13 colleges that offer management education. National Institute of Technology,
Tiruchirappalli is located in a area of 800 acres. National Institutional Ranking
Framework ranked this NIT the first among other others in India.[304] The St. Joseph's
College, National College,[305] Bishop Heber College,[306] Jamal Mohamed College,
[307]
MIET Engineering College, and the Government Law College are prominent colleges
providing higher education in the arts and sciences.[308] There are approximately 35
engineering colleges in and around the city.[236] The National Institute of Technology,
Tiruchirappalli established by the government in 1964 as the Regional Engineering
College,[309] has a campus at Thuvakudi on the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli.[310] National
Institute of Technology-Trichy (NIT-T) released the enhanced version of e-commerce
mobile application, the institute Sponsored by the Department of Science and
Technology

The Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute was established as
a constituent college of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 1989, and the National
Research Centre for Banana offer higher education and research in agriculture.
[311]
The Tiruchirappalli branch of Anna University was established after the bifurcation of
Anna University in 2007.[312] 64 self-financing colleges which offer courses in
engineering, architecture, management and computer applications in the districts
of Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur and Tiruvaru
r are affiliated to Anna University.[313] The SRM Group of Colleges established the SRM
Institute of Science and Technology at Irungalur near Tiruchirappalli; this was followed
by Chennai Medical College and Hospital in 2007. A proposal by the group to include
the institutions in SRM University is under review by the Ministry of Human Resources
Development of the Government of India.[314]

The Bharathidasan University was established in Tiruchirappalli in 1982 and controls

104 colleges in Tiruchirappalli district and seven neighbouring districts.[315][316] The
university also runs a management school, the Bharathidasan Institute of
Management in the city in collaboration with BHEL.[317] The Indian Institute of
Management Tiruchirappalli was set up during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, along with
five other IIMs opened during the 2011–12 academic season.[318][319] In 2013, the Ministry
of Human Resource Development (MHRD) approved Indian Institute of Information
Technology (IIIT),[320] and the Tamil Nadu National Law School, modelled on the National
Law School of India University, both started their operations in the city.[321] The city is
also the regional headquarters of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha for the
state of Tamil Nadu.[322]

There are 200 higher secondary schools in Tiruchirappalli;[304] notable ones are the St.
Johns Vestry Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School,[323] Campion Anglo-Indian Higher
Secondary School,[324] St Joseph's Anglo Indian Girls Higher Secondary School,
[325]
Railway Mixed Higher Secondary School, Higher Secondary School for Boys,
Srirangam[326] and RSK Higher Secondary School.[327][328]

Notable people who were either born or educated at Tiruchirappalli include C. V.

Raman,[329] A. P. J. Abdul Kalam,[330] Sujatha, Vaali, G. N. Ramachandran, and former
President of India R. Venkataraman.[315]

Sports
[edit]

Synthetic turf hockey ground in the Anna Stadium

Hockey and cricket are the most popular sports in Tiruchirappalli.[331][332] Former Indian
hockey goalkeepers Charles Cornelius and Leslie Fernandez;[333] Rajagopal Sathish who
represents the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League;[334] and Dharmaraj
Ravanan who represents Chennai City F.C. in the I League;[335] all hail from the city.
The Anna Stadium complex is the main venue for sports in the city; it hosts an indoor
stadium and an astro turf hockey ground.[333] The stadium complex also includes a
football ground, an athletic track, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a badminton court
and a hostel for the athletes.[336] The Tiruchirappalli District Cricket Association (TDCA) is
one of the constituents of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association,[337] and regulates school,
college and club cricket in the district.[338] First class cricket matches were held at
the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium—formerly the Khajamalai Stadium.[339][340] At the
association's golden jubilee celebrations in 2008–09, plans for the establishment of
another cricket stadium and an academy in the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli city were
mooted.[341][342] The Mannarpuram Cricket Academy is one of the noted cricket coaching
academies in Tiruchirappalli.[343] Domestic association football, tennis and volleyball
tournaments are held in and around the city.[344][345][346] Tiruchirappalli hosted
the Federation Cup, a knockout-style club football tournament in 1984 and an open
chess tournament organised by FIDE in 2006.[347][348]

Media
[edit]
According to the Registrar of Newspapers in India, more than 100 newspapers have
been registered in Tiruchirappalli as of November 2013.[349] The weekly
newspaper Wednesday Review, founded in 1905, is the first prominent journal to be
published in Tiruchirappalli.[350] Among the major English-language newspapers being
published in Tiruchirappalli are The Hindu which launched a Tiruchirappalli edition in
2004,[351] and The New Indian Express, which was publishing in Tiruchirappalli
before The Hindu.[352] Some of the important Tamil-language newspapers that publish a
Tiruchirappalli edition are Dina Thanthi[353] Dina Mani,[354] Dina Malar, Malai
Malar, Dinakaran,[355] Tamil Murasu and Tamil Sudar.[349] The popular Tamil
weekly Ananda Vikatan launched a local supplement for Tiruchirappalli in 2011.[356]

The first radio transmission station in Tiruchirappalli was opened by All India
Radio (AIR) on 16 May 1939.[357][358] AIR started providing direct-to-home enabled radio
broadcasting service from 2006.[359] In 2007, the AIR launched Ragam, a separate
Carnatic music station, from the city.[360] Apart from the government-owned AIR, private
FM radio stations such as Hello and Suryan FM and Mirchi 95.0 from Tiruchirappalli.
[361]
Indira Gandhi National Open University's Gyan Vani started broadcasting from the
city in 2008.[362] Tiruchirappalli's first campus community radio station was started by
Holy Cross College on 22 December 2006.[363]

Television broadcasting from Chennai was started on 15 August 1975.[364] Satellite

television channels have been available since 1991.[365] Direct-to-home cable television
services are provided by DD Direct Plus[366][367][368] and various other operators.[369]

Transport
[edit]
Main article: Transport in Tiruchirappalli
 Check-in counters at the integrated terminal of Tiruchirappalli

International Airport. Madurai-Chennai Tejas Express at

Trichy Junction
The most commonly used modes of local transport in Tiruchirappalli are the state
government-owned Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses, and auto
rickshaws.[370][371] Tiruchirappalli forms a part of the Kumbakonam division of the TNSTC.
[372]
The city has two major bus termini; Chatram Bus Stand and Central Bus Stand, both
of which operate intercity services and local transport to suburban areas.[373] The
municipal administration and water supply department has accorded administrative
sanction to construct new bus stands in three central districts at a total cost of 31.8
crore. The state infrastructure amenities promotion committee has approved providing
50% of the estimated cost in 10 towns and cities across the state.

Tiruchirappalli sits at the junction of two major National Highways—NH 45 and NH 67.
[374]
NH 45 [375][376][377] is one of the most congested highways in south India and carries
almost 10,000 lorries on the Tiruchirappalli–Chennai stretch every night.[378] Other
National Highways originating in the city is NH336 [379] connecting Trichy-Pudukkottai-
Devakottai, this two lane route is going to be converted to four lane route
till Karaikudi as there is a massive increments in road PCU usages.[380] State highways
that start from the city include SH 25 and SH 62.[381] Tiruchirappalli has 715.85 km
(444.81 mi) of road maintained by the municipal corporation.[382] A semi-ring road
connecting all the National Highways is being constructed to ease traffic congestion in
the city.[383] As of 2013, approximately 328,000 two-wheelers, 93,500 cars and 10,000
public transport vehicles operate within the city limits,[191] apart from the 1,500 inter-city
buses that pass through Tiruchirappalli daily.[160] Tiruchirappalli suffers from traffic
congestion mainly because of its narrow roads and absence of an integrated bus
station.[160][384]

Passenger trains also carry a significant number of passengers from nearby towns.
[370]
The Great Southern of India Railway Company was established in 1853 with its
headquarters at England.[385] In 1859, the company constructed its first railway line
connecting Tiruchirappalli and Nagapattinam.[385] The company merged with the Carnatic
Railway Company in 1874 to form the South Indian Railway Company with
Tiruchirappalli as its headquarters.[386][387] The city retained the position until 1908 when
the company's headquarters was transferred to Madras.[388] Tiruchirappalli Junction is
one of the busiest in India.[389] It constitutes a separate division of the Southern Railway.
[390]
Tiruchirappalli has rail connectivity with most important cities and towns in India.
[376]
Other railway stations in the city include Tiruchirappalli Fort, Tiruchirappalli
Town, Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli Palakkarai and Golden Rock (Ponmalai).[391][392] Non-
stop flight time from Chennai to Trichy is between 1 hr to 1 hr 30 mins depending on
the aircraft's cruising speed, technical condition and weather/wind.

Tiruchirappalli is served by Tiruchirappalli International

Airport (IATA: TRZ, ICAO: VOTR),[393] 5 km (3.1 mi) from the city centre.[394][395] The airport
handles fivefold more international air traffic than domestic services, making it the only
airport in India with this huge variation. It serves as a gateway to immigrants
from South-east Asian countries[396] There are regular flights to Chennai,[397] Mumbai,
Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Colombo,[398] Dubai, Kuala Lumpur,[399] and Singapore.
[400]
The airport handled more than 1 million passengers and 2012 tonnes of cargo during
the fiscal year 2013–14.