# Tambaram City Municipal Corporation

Tambaram City Municipal Corporation (TCMC) is a local government of the City of Tambaram within the Chennai Metropolitan Area of Tamil Nadu, India. It covers an area of 87.64 sq. km in the Chengalpattu district, and has a population of 722,982.
It is one of the four municipal corporations located within the Chennai Metropolitan Area, the other three being the Greater Chennai Corporation, Avadi City Municipal Corporation and Kanchipuram Municipal Corporation. Tambaram is the 20th civic body to become a municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu.

## Etymology

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.

## History

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.

### Old Stone Age

The oldest locality in the city is Pallavapuram which is considered one of the oldest inhabited places in South Asia. Pallavapuram is most commonly known today as Pallavaram.
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). Since then, several Stone Age artefacts have been discovered. Most of these artefacts are currently lodged in the Egmore museum.

### Early Medieval Period
#### Pallava Dynasty

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.

#### Chola Dynasty

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.

### 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. In 1964, Tambaram Town Panchayat was incorporated as a Grade III Municipality by annexing the Village Panchayats of Pulikoradu, Kadapperi, Tambaram, Irumbliyur, and Selaiyur.
Due to rapid development and growth of the town commercially and residentially, the Municipality was classified as a 'Selection Grade Municipality'. The extent of the municipality was 20.72 km$^2$ (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. The Tambaram range comprises forest lands in Nanmangalam, Madurapakkam, Tambaram, Pulikoradu, Kumili, Vandalur, Onnamancherry, Erumaiyur, Vattampakkam and Vadakupattu.
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.

#### Incorporation as a city

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. The announcement to establish the Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was made by Minister for Municipal Administration K. N. Nehru in the state Assembly, on 24 August 2021 by merging five municipalities, five town panchayats and fifteen village panchayats.
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 11 September 2021.
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. After the tenure of existing village panchayats ends in 2024, the proposed village panchayats may get merged with Tambaram city.
In January 2025, Agaramthen, Medavakkam, Kovilambakkam, Cowl Bazaar, Mudichur, Urapakkam, Vandalur, Vengadamangalam, Perumbakkam, Nanmangalam, Pozhichalur, Tirusulam, Ottiyambakkam, Thiruvanchery, Vengaivasal, Madurapakkam, Moovarasampattu and Sithalapakkam village panchayats will be merged with Tambaram city.

## Structure

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.
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.
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.

## Administrative divisions
### Zones

When Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was established, it consisted of 70 wards under 5 zones.
| Zone | Zone Name | Total Wards | Ward No | Revenue villages |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 1 | Anakaputhur |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 2 | Anakaputhur |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 3 | Anakaputhur |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 4 | Anakaputhur |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 5 | Anakaputhur and Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 6 | Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 7 | Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 8 | Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 10 | Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 11 | Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 12 | Pammal |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 29 | Thiruneermalai |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 30 | Thiruneermalai |
| 1 | Pammal | 14 | 31 | Thiruneermalai |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 9 | Issa Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 13 | Issa Pallavaram and Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 14 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 15 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 16 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 17 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 18 | Keelkattalai |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 19 | Keelkattalai |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 20 | Keelkattalai |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 21 | Nemilicheri and Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 24 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 26 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 27 | Pallavaram |
| 2 | Pallavaram | 14 | 28 | Pallavaram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 22 | Hasthinapuram, Nemilicheri and Pallavaram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 23 | Hasthinapuram, Nemilicheri and Pallavaram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 25 | Hasthinapuram, Nemilicheri and Pallavaram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 34 | Chitlapakkam |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 35 | Hasthinapuram and Pallavaram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 36 | Hasthinapuram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 37 | Hasthinapuram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 38 | Hasthinapuram |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 39 | Sembakkam |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 40 | Gowrivakkam and Sembakkam |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 41 | Gowrivakkam and Rajakilpakkam |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 42 | Rajakilpakkam and Sembakkam |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 43 | Chitlapakkam |
| 3 | Sembakkam | 14 | 44 | Chitlapakkam |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 32 | Kadapperi, Pulikoradu and Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 33 | Chitlapakkam and Kadapperi |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 49 | Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 50 | Kadapperi and Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 51 | Pulikoradu and Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 52 | Pulikoradu and Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 53 | Irumbuliyur and Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 54 | Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 55 | Perungalathur |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 56 | Perungalathur |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 57 | Perungalathur |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 58 | Perungalathur |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 59 | Peerkankaranai |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 60 | Irumbuliyur and Tambaram |
| 4 | Perungalathur | 15 | 61 | Peerkankaranai |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 45 | Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 46 | Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 47 | Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 48 | Selaiyur and Tambaram |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 62 | Irumbuliyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 63 | Irumbuliyur and Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 64 | Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 65 | Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 66 | Rajakilpakkam |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 67 | Madambakkam |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 68 | Madambakkam and Selaiyur |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 69 | Madambakkam |
| 5 | East Tambaram | 13 | 70 | Madambakkam |

### 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.

## Current composition

The Corporation Commissioner is S. Balachander, IAS. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are K. Vasanthakumari and G. Kamaraj respectively. The Commissioner of Police is Abin Dinesh Modak, IPS.

### City council

The current members of the Tambaram City Council were elected in urban body elections held on19 February 2022.
Party strength in the Municipal City Council :
| Alliance & Parties | Alliance & Parties | Alliance & Parties | Alliance & Parties | Ideology | Leader(s) | 2022 result |
| Alliance & Parties | Alliance & Parties | Alliance & Parties | Alliance & Parties | Ideology | Leader(s) | Seats |
| | SPA | | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Social Democracy | M. K. Stalin | 50 / 70 |
| | SPA | | Indian National Congress | Social Liberalism | K. Selvaperunthagai | 2 / 70 |
| | SPA | | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | Communism | P. Mahalingam | 1 / 70 |
| | SPA | | Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Social Democracy | Vaiko | 1 / 70 |
| | AIADMK | | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | Social Democracy | Edappadi K. Palaniswami | 9 / 70 |
| | Independent | | Independent | Independent | N/A | 7 / 70 |

## List of officials
### Corporation Commissioners

| Council (Term) | No. | Name | Term | Term | Appointer |
| Council (Term) | No. | Name | Start | End | Appointer |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 1 | M. Elangovan | 3 November 2021 | 11 February 2023 | 21st Cabinet of State of Tamil Nadu |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 2 | R. Alagumeena, IAS | 12 February 2023 | 15 July 2024 | 21st Cabinet of State of Tamil Nadu |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 3 | S. Balachander, IAS | 16 July 2024 | Incumbent | 21st Cabinet of State of Tamil Nadu |

### Mayors

| Council (Term) | No. | Portrait | Name | Term | Term | Party | Party |
| Council (Term) | No. | Portrait | Name | Start | End | | |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 1 | | Vasanthakumari K | 4 March 2022 | Incumbent | | DMK |

### Deputy mayors

| Council (Term) | No. | Portrait | Name | Term | Term | Party | Party |
| Council (Term) | No. | Portrait | Name | Start | End | | |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 1 | | G Kamaraj | 4 March 2022 | Incumbent | | DMK |

### City Councils

| Council (Term) | Term | | Government | Government | Government | Opposition | Opposition | Opposition |
| Council (Term) | Start | End | Parties | Parties | Seats | Parties | Parties | Seats |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 4 March 2022 | Incumbent | | DMK+ | 54 / 70 | | AIADMK | 9 / 70 |

### Commissioners of Police

| Council (Term) | No. | Name | Term | Term | Appointer |
| Council (Term) | No. | Name | Start | End | Appointer |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 1 | M. Ravi | 1 January 2022 | 31 May 2022 | 21st Cabinet of State of Tamil Nadu |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 2 | A. Amalraj | 6 June 2022 | 9 July 2024 | 21st Cabinet of State of Tamil Nadu |
| 1st (2022 — 2027) | 3 | Abin Dinesh Modak | 10 July 2024 | Incumbent | 21st Cabinet of State of Tamil Nadu |

## Electoral history
### Popular Vote

| Council (Election) | Voter | Voter | AAP | AAP | AIADMK | AIADMK | BJP | BJP | CPI(M) | CPI(M) | DMDK | DMDK | DMK | DMK | INC | INC | MDMK | MDMK | NTK | NTK | PMK | PMK |
| Council (Election) | Turnout | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- | Votes | +/- |
| 1st (2022) | 51.38 | — | 1.05 | — | 24.65 | — | 5.98 | — | 0.79 | — | 2.62 | — | 39.92 | — | 2.26 | — | 0.69 | — | 2.02 | — | 1.63 | — |

### Seats

| Council (Election) | Voter | Voter | AAP | AAP | AIADMK | AIADMK | BJP | BJP | CPI(M) | CPI(M) | DMDK | DMDK | DMK | DMK | INC | INC | MDMK | MDMK | NTK | NTK | PMK | PMK |
| Council (Election) | Turnout | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- | Seats | +/- |
| 1st (2022) | 51.38 | — | 0 | — | 9 | — | 0 | — | 1 | — | 0 | — | 50 | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 0 | — | 0 | — |