Chennai

(Capital of Automobiles)
Chennai (Tamil: சென்னை ), formerly known as Madras. Chennai is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001 census within the area administered by the Corporation of Chennai and an extended Metropolitan Population of 6.5 million. The urban agglomeration of metropolitan Chennai has an estimated population over 8.2 million people. Chennai is most famous for beaches and its culture.
• Chennai's economy has a broad industrial base in the car, computer, technology, hardware manufacturing, and healthcare industries. The city is India's second largest exporter of software, information technology (IT) and information-technology-enabled services (ITES). A major chunk of India's car manufacturing industry is based in and around the city. Chennai Zone contributes 39 per cent of the State's GDP. Chennai accounts for 60 per cent of the country's automotive exports.
The name Madras, is derived from Madraspattinam and Chennai is a shortened form of Chennaipattinam, the name of the town that grew around Fort St. George, which was built by the British in 1640. a fishing village north of Fort St. George.
The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre since the 1st century.It has been ruled by various South Indian dynasties, notably the Pallava, the Chera Dynasty, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar The town of Mylapore, now part of Chennai, was once a major Pallavan port. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built a port called São Tomé after the Christian apostle, St Thomas, who is believed to have preached in the area between 52 and 70 AD. In 1612, the Dutch established themselves near Pulicat, just north of the city.
On 26 December 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing many and permanently altering the coastline.

Also pl visit
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chennai_suburbs
for areas of suburban localities
More area are being added as more Residential&Industrial constructions are in progress in the areas upto Thirupporoor in the south, Gummidipoondi in the North and SriPerumpudhoor/Kaancheepuram in the east; and suburban settlements are in progress The polygon of Greater will have to be redrawn consequent of the declaration of the areas covered by the State Government Authorities
Official Site of Chennai:www.chennai.tn.nic.in/