EthanMarko2 at 17:41, 17 March 2026

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{{hatnote|Chennai metropolitan area includes the city of [[Chennai]] and its suburbs.}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Chennai metropolitan area
| settlement_type = [[Metropolitan area]]
| image_skyline = Chennai_skyline.JPG
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Chennai skyline
| etymology =
| nicknames =
| latd =
| longd =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| seat_type = [[Core city]]
| seat = [[Chennai]]
| parts_type = [[List of districts of Tamil Nadu|Districts]]
| parts = {{ubl|[[Chennai district|Chennai]], [[Kancheepuram district|Kancheepuram]], [[Chengalpattu district|Chengalpattu]], [[Tiruvallur district|Tiruvallur]], [[Ranipet district|Ranipet]]}}
| population_footnotes =
| area_metro_km2 = 5904
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = Chennai vasi, Chennaiite, Chennai karan
| population_as_of = 2023
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_metro = 14510000
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_rank = [[List of metropolitan areas in India|4]]
| population_density_blank1_km2 = auto
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Gross Domestic Product|GDP]]
| blank_info_sec1 = US$ 219 Billion<ref>{{cite web|title=At US$219 billion, the Chennai metropolitan area is the fourth largest city by GDP in India|url=https://urbanemissions.info/india-apna/chennai-india/|work=Urban emissions|access-date=1 December 2024}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|www.cmdachennai.gov.in}}
| official_name =
| other_name = Greater Chennai
| footnotes = Area note: Area of CMA was expanded from 1189 sq.km to 5904 sq.km in 2022.<ref name="cmda home">{{cite web|title=Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority|url=https://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/|publisher=[[Government of Tamilnadu]]|access-date=9 July 2017}}</ref>
Population note: As per the 2011 census, population corresponding to the pre-expansion limits was about 8.9 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cmavision.in/about-cma/|title=About CMA|work=[[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> The population estimate corresponding to the post-expansion limits was given as 11.76 million (based on census 2011) by [[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority|CMDA]].<ref name="Pop">{{cite tweet|author=[[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]]|title=Population of Chennai Metropolitan Area|user=CMDA_Official|number=1762023999947558914|date=26 February 2024}}</ref> The estimated population in 2023 was given as 14.51 million by CMDA.<ref>{cite report|url=https://cumta.tn.gov.in/upload/2025/11/14/1763097757-F8F1P.pdf|title=Comprehensive Mobility Plan 2023-2048|work=Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority|date=14 November 2025|access-date=18 November 2025}</ref>
| image_map = Cma-overview-map.png
| map_caption = CMA expanded boundary
}}
'''Chennai metropolitan area''' or '''Greater Chennai''' is the [[List of metropolitan areas in India|fourth-most populous]] [[metropolitan area]] in India and the 35th most populous in the world. It consists of the core city of [[Chennai]], which is coterminous with the [[Chennai district]], and its [[suburbs]] in [[Kanchipuram district|Kanchipuram]], [[Chengalpattu district|Chengalpattu]], [[Tiruvallur district|Thiruvallur]] and [[Ranipet district|Ranipet]] districts.

The [[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]] is the nodal agency that handles town planning and development within the metro area. In 1974, an area encompassing {{cvt|1189|km2}} around the city was designated as the metropolitan area which was subsequently expanded to {{cvt|5904|km2}} in 2022.

== History ==
In 1974, the Madras metropolitan area comprised a total extent of {{cvt|1189|km2}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/maps.html|title=CMDA map|publisher=Government of Tamil Nadu|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref> In 2011, first plans to expand the metropolitan area were proposed by [[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]] (CMDA) as several settlements on the outer vicinity had been undergoing rapid development and had to be incorporated under the CMDA planning strategy. While other metropolises in India had already redefined their respective metropolitan regions to include much larger areas, CMA had not been altered since it was first defined in 1974.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/final-call-on-greater-chennai-by-fiscal-year-end-395197.html |title = Final call on Greater Chennai by fiscal year-end|work=IBN Live|date=26 August 2011|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref> In July 2012, the CMDA suggested two options to the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] for expanding the area with the first option including the whole of the [[Chennai district|Chennai]], seven taluks each from [[Tiruvallur district|Tiruvallur]] and [[Kancheepuram district]]s extending up to {{cvt|4459|km2}} and the second option including the whole of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts and Arakkonam taluk extending to a total of {{cvt|8878|km2}}.<ref>{{cite news|author=C. Shivakumar |url=http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article586493.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024071103/http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article586493.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 October 2013 |title=Push to expand Chennai metropolitan area|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=10 August 2012|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref> In July 2017, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced its intention to expand the CMA to {{convert|8878|km2|abbr=on}} with the whole process expected to be completed by July 2018.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metropolitan Area set to expand|url=https://www.PressReader.com/India/the-Hindu/20170704/281492161339750|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|via=[[PressReader]]|date=4 July 2017|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Mariappan|first1=Julie|title=5-year wait ends, Chennai finally set for seven-fold expansion|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/5-year-wait-ends-chennai-finally-set-for-seven-fold-expansion/articleshow/59433941.cms|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=4 July 2017|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref>

On 22 January 2018, Government of Tamil Nadu issued a Government order to declare the intention to include additional areas in the Chennai Metropolitan Planning Area under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971.<ref>{{cite news|title=Your word matters in Chennai's expansion|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2018/feb/06/your-word-matters-in-chennais-expansion-1769069.html|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=6 February 2018|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Krishnan|first1=S |title=G.O. (Ms) No.13 |url=http://cms.tn.gov.in/sites/default/files/go/hud_e_13_2018_0.pdf|publisher=[[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|access-date=6 February 2018|date=22 January 2018}}</ref> As per the act, the government is required to allow reasonable opportunity (two months) for inhabitants, local authorities and institutions in the area to comment upon or object to such an expansion proposals and few objections were received including a [[Public interest litigation in India|public interest litigation]] filed at the [[Madras High Court]] in March 2018.<ref name="Act">{{cite act|url=http://www.tn.gov.in/tcp/acts_rules/Town_Country_Planning_Act_1971.pdf |title=The Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act, 1971 (Tamil Nadu Act 35 of 1972) | year=1971 |legislature=[[Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu]] |access-date=1 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Kabirdoss|first1=Yogesh|title=CMDA to seek public opinion on Chennai expansion, clear doubts|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/cmda-to-seek-public-opinion-on-city-expansion-clear-doubts/articleshow/63618616.cms|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=5 April 2018|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref> The plan was later modified and in October 2022, the metropolitan area was expanded to {{cvt|5904|km2}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/government-issues-order-for-expanding-chennai-metropolitan-planning-area-to-5904-sq-km/article66041750.ece|title=Order issued for expansion of Chennai to 5,904 sq. Km; over 1,200 villages set to be added|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 October 2022|access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref>

== Distribution and composition ==
The metropolitan area consists of four [[municipal corporation]]s ([[Greater Chennai Corporation|Greater Chennai]], [[Tambaram City Municipal Corporation|Tambaram]], [[Avadi Municipal Corporation|Avadi]], [[Kanchipuram Municipal Corporation|Kancheepuram]]), 12 municipalities ([[Arakkonam]], [[Mangadu]], [[Kundrathur]], [[Poonamallee]], [[Thiruverkadu]], [[Thiruninravur]], [[Tiruvallur]], [[Tiruttani]], [[Maraimalai Nagar]], [[Chengalpattu]], [[Ponneri]], [[Guduvancheri]]) and other smaller panchayats spread across the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, [[Chengalpattu district|Chengalpattu]] and [[Ranipet district|Ranipet]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/LocalbodyList.html|title=Local body list|publisher=[[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> The planning and development is overseen by the [[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]] (CMDA), a [[Tamil Nadu]] State Government organisation in charge of town in the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/aboutcmda.html|title=About CMDA|publisher=[[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> CMA is divided into three zones {{ndash}} north, central and south.<ref>{{cite news |title=Chennai Metropolitan Area to be trifurcated, will cover 5,904 sqkm |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/sep/28/chennai-metropolitan-area-to-be-trifurcated-will-cover-5904-sqkm-2502600.html|newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=25 December 2022 |date=28 September 2022}}</ref>
[[File:Chennai metropolitan area boundaries.jpg|right|303x303px]]

The State government had announced the formation of six satellite townships – [[Minjur]] covering 111 sq. kilometres, [[Thirumazhisai]] 34 sq. km., [[Chengalpattu]] 136 sq. km., [[Mamallapuram]] 123 sq. km., [[Kanchipuram|Kancheepuram]] 99 sq. km. and [[Tiruvallur]] 37 sq. km., through Government Orders (G.O.) issued in 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-05-08 |title=CMDA prepares blueprints for six satellite towns, consultants appointed to prepare DPR for four |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/cmda-prepares-blueprints-for-six-satellite-towns-consultants-appointed-to-prepare-dpr-for-four/article68153467.ece |access-date=2024-08-20 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%"
|+Constituents of Chennai Metropolitan Area<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/pdfs/masterplan.pdf|title=Master plan|publisher=[[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref>
! Zone
! Area (km2)
! style="width:15em;"|District
! Taluk
|-
|rowspan="4"|Central
|rowspan="4"|{{Formatnum:1189}}
|[[Chennai district]]
|[[Alandur taluk|Alandur]], [[Ambattur taluk|Ambattur]], [[Aminjikarai taluk|Aminjikarai]], [[Ayanavaram taluk|Ayanavaram]], [[Egmore taluk|Egmore]], [[Guindy taluk|Guindy]], [[Madhavaram taluk|Madhavaram]], [[Maduravoyal taluk|Maduravoyal]], [[Mambalam taluk|Mambalam]], [[Mylapore taluk|Mylapore]], [[Perambur taluk|Perambur]], [[Purasawalkam taluk|Purasawalkam]], [[Sholinganallur taluk|Sholinganallur]], [[Thiruvottiyur taluk|Thiruvottiyur]], [[Tondiarpet taluk|Tondiarpet]], [[Velachery taluk|Velachery]]
|-
|[[Chengalpattu district]]
|[[Pallavaram taluk|Pallavaram]], [[Tambaram taluk|Tambaram]], [[Vandalur taluk|Vandalur]]
|-
|[[Kanchipuram district]]
|[[Kundrathur taluk|Kundrathur]]
|-
|[[Tiruvallur district]]
|[[Avadi taluk|Avadi]], [[Poonamallee taluk|Poonamallee]], [[Ponneri taluk|Ponneri]]
|-
|rowspan="3"|North
|rowspan="3"|{{Formatnum:2908}}
|[[Tiruvallur district]]
|[[Gummidipoondi taluk|Gummidipoondi]], [[Poonamallee taluk|Poonamallee]], [[Ponneri taluk|Ponneri]], [[Tiruvallur taluk|Tiruvallur]], [[Tiruttani taluk|Tiruttani]], [[Uthukottai taluk|Uthukottai]]
|-
|[[Kanchipuram district]]
|[[Sriperumbudur taluk|Sriperumbudur]]
|-
|[[Ranipet district]]
|[[Arakkonam taluk|Arakkonam]], [[Nemili]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|South
|rowspan="2"|{{Formatnum:1809}}
|[[Chengalpattu district]]
|[[Chengalpattu taluk|Chengalpattu]], [[Tirukalukundram taluk|Tirukalukundram]], [[Thiruporur taluk|Thiruporur]], [[Vandalur taluk|Vandalur]]
|-
|[[Kanchipuram district]]
|[[Kundrathur taluk|Kundrathur]], [[Kanchipuram taluk|Kanchipuram]], [[Walajabad taluk|Walajabad]]
|}

== Administration ==
The [[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority|CMDA]] regulates developments in the Chennai metropolitan area through the issuance of planning permission under section 49 of the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act 1971.<ref name="Act"/><ref>{{cite news|author=Aloysius Xavier Lopez |title=Challenging times for building panel |newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=10 November 2012|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/challenging-times-for-building-panel/article4082211.ece}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"
|+Agencies responsible for public services<ref>{{cite web|url=https://citizenmatters.in/chennai-governance-corporation-mtc-railways-cmrl-tnpcb-tnhb/|title=Who administers and provides public services in Chennai?|date=21 August 2021|access-date=1 June 2024|work=Citizen matters}}</ref>
|-
!Agency
!Responsibility
|-
|[[Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority]]
|Urban planning and project implementation
|-
|Local bodies ([[Municipal Corporation]]s, [[Municipalities]] and [[Panchayati raj in India|Panchayat]]s)
|Civic management
|-
|[[Chennai MetroWater Supply and Sewage Board]]
|Water Supply and sewerage
|-
|[[Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority]]
|[[Transport in Chennai|Transport and transport infrastructure]]
|-
|[[Department of Highways and Minor Ports (Tamil Nadu)|Department of Highways]] Tamil Nadu Road Infrastructure Development Corporation Tamil Nadu Road Development Company
|Construction and maintenance of highways and roads
|-
|Chennai-Ennore Port Road Company
|Maintenance of road connecting ports
|-
|[[Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai)|Metropolitan Transport Corporation]] [[Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation]] [[State Express Transport Corporation]]
|Public bus transport
|-
|[[Chennai Metro Rail Limited]]
|[[Chennai Metro|Metro rail transport]]
|-
|[[Southern Railway (India)|Southern Railway]]
|Railway, [[Chennai suburban railway|Suburban railway]] and [[Chennai MRTS|MRTS]]
|-
|Regional Transport department
|Transport services (Vehicle registration and compliance, road taxes, driving license)
|-
|Commissionerate of Road Safety
|Road safety
|-
|[[Chennai Port Trust]]
|[[Chennai Port|Port]]
|-
|[[Airports Authority of India]]
|[[Chennai Airport|Airport]] and air transport
|-
|Chennai Smart City Limited
|Core infrastructure transformation and rejuvenation
|-
|[[Chennai City Traffic Police]] [[Avadi Traffic Police]] [[Tambaram Traffic Police]] Traffic police of Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Ranipet districts
|Traffic management
|-
|[[Greater Chennai Police]] District police of Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Ranipet districts
|Crime, cyber crime and law & order management
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu Electricity Board]] [[Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited]] [[Tamil Nadu Power Generation Corporation Limited]] [[Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation]]
|Electricity generation and supply
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board]]
|Pollution control
|-
|[[Department of Revenue (Tamil Nadu)|Department of Revenue]]
|Revenue administration
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu Public Works Department|Public Works Department]]
|Implementation and maintenance of macro drainage system
|-
|[[Department of Commercial Taxes and Registration (Tamil Nadu)|Department of Registration]]
|Land registration, stamp duties
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu Housing Board]]
|Provision of plots and houses, sites and services
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board]]
|Housing, infrastructure and livelihood in slums
|-
|[[Aavin]]
|Milk procurement and distribution
|-
|}

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of Chennai}}

{{As of|2017}}, the [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] of the metropolitan is estimated at US$219 billion, ranking it amongst the [[List of cities by GDP|most productive metro areas]] of India.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://urbanemissions.info/india-apna/chennai-india/|title=Chennai, India|work=Urban Emissions|access-date=23 July 2024}}</ref> Chennai has a broad industrial base in the automobile, computer, technology, hardware manufacturing and healthcare sectors. {{As of|2012}}, the city is India's second-largest exporter of information technology (IT) and [[business process outsourcing]] (BPO) services.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chennai activities |url=http://www.nasscom.org/chennai-activities |publisher=[[NASSCOM]] |access-date=28 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116141448/http://nasscom.org/chennai-activities |archive-date=16 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chennai emerging as India's Silicon Valley? |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Software/Chennai_emerging_as_Indias_Silicon_Valley/articleshow/3000410.cms |newspaper=[[The Economic Times]] |date=1 May 2008 |access-date=28 December 2012 |first=Rajesh |last=Chandramouli |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820000027/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Infotech/Software/Chennai_emerging_as_Indias_Silicon_Valley/articleshow/3000410.cms |archive-date=20 August 2020}}</ref> A major part of India's automobile industry is located in and around the city thus earning it the nickname "[[Detroit of Asia]]".<ref>{{cite book |title=Business America |date=1997 |publisher=[[U.S. Department of Commerce]] |page=14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Aa4AAAAIAAJ }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Chris Devonshire-Ellis |title=Doing Business in India |year=2012 |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] |isbn=978-3-642-27617-0 |page=218 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIx9E5I9LB8C&pg=PA218}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=U.S. International Trade Commission |title=Competitive Conditions for Foreign Direct Investment in India, Staff Research Study #30 |year=2007 |publisher=DIANE Publishing |isbn=978-1-457-81829-5 |pages=2–10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hMIo-FZXCYEC&pg=SA2-PA10}}</ref> According to [[Euromonitor]], Chennai is the third-most visited city in India by international tourists and is known as the "Gateway to South India".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/70874/things-to-do-in-chennai |title=Scorching hot during summer and unbelievably crowded, the modern city of Chennai dipped in traditions from its Madras days never fails to surprise a traveller |last=Mohan |first=Vishnu |date=5 October 2020 |work=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]] |access-date=31 December 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Vikas |first=S. V. |title=World Tourism Day 2018: Significance, theme and why it is observed |work=[[OneIndia]] |date=27 September 2018 |url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/world-tourism-day-2018-significance-theme-why-it-is-observed-2783487.html |access-date=27 September 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|India}}
* [[List of metropolitan areas in Asia by population]]
* [[List of metropolitan areas in India]]
* [[List of million-plus urban agglomerations in India]]
* [[List of urban agglomerations in Tamil Nadu]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.cmdachennai.gov.in/maps.html Chennai metropolitan area map]
*[https://portfolio.cept.ac.in/2018/M/fp/metropolitan-planning-studio-4656-monsoon-2018/planning-for-chennai-metropolitan-area-monsoon-2018-pp0006717 CDMA plan]

{{Chennai Topics}}
{{World's most populous urban areas}}
{{coord missing|Tamil Nadu}}

[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Geography of Chennai]]

Chennai metropolitan area - Revision history

EthanMarko2 at 17:41, 17 March 2026