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Chinnakada Clock Tower () is a landmark in
Chinnakkada is considered the heart of the Kollam and one of the major junctions in the city where National Highway – NH 66 (earlier NH 47) meets NH 744 (earlier NH 208). Because of the presence of a huge traffic circle, it became one of the busiest junctions in the state. To reduce the traffic congestion in Chinnakada,
Kollam
Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city ...
City in the Indian state of Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
. In Chinnakada
Chinnakada or Chinnakkada is considered as the heart of the city of Kollam in Kerala, India. Chinnakada is a busy junction where 5 city roads and one National highway interconnect at a traffic roundabout. The city's symbolic clock tower is loca ...
, the tower lies in the heart of the city, close to Kollam Junction Railway Station
Kollam Junction railway station (station code: QLN) is a junction station situated in the city of Kollam in Kerala, India. It is the second largest railway station in Kerala in terms of area and largest in terms of number of tracks and one of t ...
. As the first clock tower in the erstwhile Travancore
The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. A ...
state, it has become a non-official emblem of the city and the major landmark of Kollam.
History
The quadrangular clock tower was built in 1944 by the natives as a tribute to Unichakam Veedu K G Parameshwaran Pillai, the former chairman of Kollam Municipality (1932–48). Construction began in 1941 and was completed three years later in brick and white cement. The tower has four clocks facing the four directions of the city, which were brought fromKolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
.
Importance
Chinnakkada is considered the heart of the Kollam and one of the major junctions in the city where National Highway – NH 66 (earlier NH 47) meets NH 744 (earlier NH 208). Because of the presence of a huge traffic circle, it became one of the busiest junctions in the state. To reduce the traffic congestion in Chinnakada, Kollam Municipal Corporation
Kollam Municipal Corporation (KMC) is an ISO 9001:2015 certified civic body that governs the city of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the fourth-largest city corporation by population in the state, and the fifth-largest by area. Cons ...
is constructing an underpass near the clock tower. The complex junction is the meeting point of roads from Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
, Alappuzha
Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and interna ...
, Sengottai, Ashramam, Kollam Beach
Kollam Beach, also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach, is a beach at Kollam city in the Indian state of Kerala. Kollam Beach is the first 'Beach Wedding Destination' in Kerala.
The beach also features a park of international standard, the Mahat ...
and Kollam Port
Kollam Port is one of the historic ports situated away from Downtown Kollam (formerly Quilon),14 km north of Paravur and 24 km north of Varkala Town It is the second largest port in Kerala by volume of cargo handled and facilities. L ...
, Downtown Kollam
Downtown Kollam is the primary central business district in the city of Kollam, Kerala, India. Located entirely within the former municipality of old Quilon, it is approximately bounded by Chinnakada to the east, Thangassery to the West, Cutche ...
and the City Bus Stand.
The development of the Chinnakada
Chinnakada or Chinnakkada is considered as the heart of the city of Kollam in Kerala, India. Chinnakada is a busy junction where 5 city roads and one National highway interconnect at a traffic roundabout. The city's symbolic clock tower is loca ...
area including the clock tower is the most important junction development project by the municipal corporation. The works have been initiated by the shifting of city bus stand to Andamukkam
Andamukkam or Aandamukkam is a neighbourhood of Kollam city in Kerala, India. It is a part of Downtown Kollam. Andamukkam is one of the prime commercial centres of Kollam city, which was once the most important port city of India. The city bus s ...
. The former Left Democratic Front Government of Kerala decided to develop Kollam as an international city using Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
's Chandni Chowk
The Chandni Chowk, also known as Moonlight Square is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. It is located close to the Old Delhi Railway Station. The Red Fort monument is located at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk. It was b ...
as a model. The proposed complex was designed as a trade centre for products of the traditional industries in the district.
Renovation
Kollam Municipal Corporation has allocated Rs. 2 million to renovate the clock tower. Work on the project has finished.See also
*Kollam
Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city ...
* Chinnakada
Chinnakada or Chinnakkada is considered as the heart of the city of Kollam in Kerala, India. Chinnakada is a busy junction where 5 city roads and one National highway interconnect at a traffic roundabout. The city's symbolic clock tower is loca ...
* List of clock towers
This is a list of clock towers by location, including only clock towers based on the following definition:
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more (often four) clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of ...
* Kollam Port
Kollam Port is one of the historic ports situated away from Downtown Kollam (formerly Quilon),14 km north of Paravur and 24 km north of Varkala Town It is the second largest port in Kerala by volume of cargo handled and facilities. L ...
* Kollam Junction Railway Station
Kollam Junction railway station (station code: QLN) is a junction station situated in the city of Kollam in Kerala, India. It is the second largest railway station in Kerala in terms of area and largest in terms of number of tracks and one of t ...
References
External links
* {{Kollam , state=expanded Clock towers in India Tourist attractions in Kollam Buildings and structures in Kollam Towers completed in 1944 1944 establishments in India