Population and Development in Chennai City of Tamil Nadu, India

The urban population in India has grown from 286.1 million in 2001 to 508.3 million in 2021. Tamilnadu has emerged as the third largest economy in India. Cities exist and grow because of economies of urban agglomeration associated with industrial and trade activities. In the recent past, liberalisation, rapidly growing IT sector, an educated, hardworking and disciplined work force etc, accelerating economic development also contributed to the growth of urban areas in Tamilnadu. The extent of the State is 130,058 sq.km. of which the urban area accounts for 12,525 sq.km. Tamilnadu is the most urbanised state in India. It is one of the few states in India with hierarchy of urban areas dispersed fairly uniformly through-out the State. The population of Tamil Nadu is 8,31 million as per 2022. Its urban population has grown from 27,48 million in 2001 to 34.91 million in 2022. The present study is descriptive in nature and tries to understand the nature of population and development in Chennai City and its social consequences.

Chennai (earlier called as Madras) was established in 1639, as one of the East India Company's earliest trading Ports and later became the centre of the company's control over Southern India. The study stated that Chennai has become the place of attraction among young graduates, masses those seeking for employment opportunities and better education, health facilities and urban services. The infrastructural development in Chennai city facilitate the people immigration to the city as floating population every day in approximately 85,000 migrants labourers per day. It also results in facing problems in access to basic facilities by the floating population, crowdedness, and environmental pollution etc. The study suggests to take measures by the state and union government to control the problems of population and development in the Chennai city.