Pudukkottai

Pudukkottai is a City and the administrative headquarters of Pudukkottai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest heritage cities located on the banks of the Vellar River. It has been ruled, at different times, by the Mutharaiyar dynasty, Cholas, Early Pandyas, and Thondaimans. It is situated about 372 kilometres (231 mi) southwest of the state capital Chennai, 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Tiruchirappalli, and 108 kilometres (67 mi) northeast of Madurai. Pudukkottai is sometimes called a cradle of archaeology. Being the district headquarters, Pudukkottai has district administrative offices, along with government educational institutes, colleges, and schools. Pudukkottai is a part of the Pudukkottai constituency and elects its member to the legislative assembly every five years. It is a part of the Lok Sabha constituency comprising Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tiruchirappalli and Karur. Pudukkottai is administered by a selection-grade municipality established in 1912 as per the Municipal Corporation Act. Pudukkottai covers an area of 21.25 km2 (8.20 sq mi) and had a population of 117,745 in 2011. Roadways are the major mode of transport to the city, along with rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, located at a distance of 45 km (28 miles) from the city. It is one of the few towns and cities in the List of AMRUT Smart cities in Tamil Nadu selected by the central government. Its developmental activities are taken care of by government of Tamil Nadu. On 15 March 2024, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced that the city along with the surrounding merged panchayats will be upgraded from municipality to corporation status (Tamil: மாநகராட்சி).