Chennai, the Detroit of India & Other Facts – as featured in TIME

About Chennai
1. Second oldest corporation in the world.
2. Kathipara flyover in Guindy is the largest Clover leaf shaped flyover in Asia.
3. 31st Largest metropolitan city in the world.
4.”Higginbothams” book shop on Mount Road is first and oldest existing book shop in India.
5. Fourth most populous metropolitan city in India
6. Chennai is only city in South Asia and India to figure in the “52 places to go around the world” by The New York Times
7. St. Mary’s Church inside Fort St. George is the oldest Anglican church in India.
8. First printing press erected in 1711
9. Chennai is referred to as the Gateway of South India.
10. Chennai region has the oldest rocks in the country dating back to a billion years.
11. Chennai is the only oldest serving municipal corporation in India
12. Chennai central prison is one of the oldest prisons in India.
13. LIC building which was completed in 1959 was the tallest building in India at that time.
14. Madras High Court building is the second largest judicial complex in world after the one in London.
15. Royapuram railway station is the third oldest station in India.
16. Government college of fine arts and crafts is the oldest college in Asia.
17. In 1930, Madras University introduced Bachelor’s course in Music for the first time in India.
18. Chennai remains top in the most visited cities in India till 2008 by tourists.
19. Phoneix shopping mall at Velachery is one of the biggest malls in Asia.
20. Chennai contributes to 40 % of retail Gold sales in India.
21. Marina is the second longest beach in world
22. Chennai is the cultural capital of South India.
23.Second largest IT exporter in India.
24. According to Forbes magazine, Chennai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and the only Indian city to be rated in the “Forbes-Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities in the World”
25. A major part of India’s automobile industry is based in and around Chennai thus earning it the nickname “Detroit of India”
26. Tidel park in Chennai was Asia’s largest IT park when it was built.
27. Chennai is the largest electronic hardware exporter in India.
28. One of the four cities in India to be connected by under sea fiber optics cable.
29. First Indian city to have widespread Wifi facility.
30. World bank permanent back office in Chennai is the biggest building owned by World bank outside its headquarters in Washington D.C
31. Chennai is termed as health capital of India. Chennai Koyambedu CMBT is the biggest bus terminal in Asia.
32. Chennai is the biggest artificial port in India & biggest in Bay of Bengal
33. Chepauk M.A. Chidambaram stadium is the oldest cricket stadium in India
34. Only Indian city to be attacked during world war 1
35. Bus transportation was introduced by year 1925 in Chennai. Interestingly Flight service was introduced in 1917 itself.
36. Madras was renamed as Chennai in the year 1996.
37. Cancer institute established in 1920 is the oldest Cancer hospital in India.
38. Anna Centenary Library in Chennai is the biggest library in Asia.Vandalur zoo is the first public zoo and also largest in India.
39. Chennai has the highest two wheeler population in India.Chennai is the second largest employment producer in India with 35,000 jobs every year.
40. Chennai is the best place for post production work for all Indian cinema according to experts.
41. Chennai ranked first for its educational institutions by Outlook magazine.