List of Localities in ooty

Often called the queen of hill stations, Ooty was first inhabited by a tribe called the Todas. The first railway line came when the British discovered it and the hill station was used as the summer capital of the Madras presidency. Temperatures rarely cross 25°C, even in summer and the Nilgiris is the first biosphere in India.

Conoor and Kothagiri are smaller hill stations nearby that add to Ooty’s charm. Ooty is the capital of the Nilgiris district, filled with tea estates spread across the Western Ghats. Nilgiris has also been declared as one among 14 hotspots in the world because of the distinctive biodiversity it offers.

A tourism magnet in the state of Tamil Nadu, Ooty lies at an elevation of 2,240 meters. Its economy is supported by agriculture and manufacturing industries. The name of the Nilgiris hill range translates to Blue Mountains and provides a beautiful backdrop to the ecologically diverse region. Ooty is an environment-friendly hill station and has banned the use of plastic bags for years now.

Stats and Facts

• Ooty is an urban agglomeration with a population of 2,33,374 according to the provisional reports of the 2011 census.
• As per the census 2011 reports, Ooty has an incredible sex ratio of 1024 per 1000 males. The child sex ratio is also a remarkable 998 per 1000 boys.
• The average literacy rate in the city is 90.2%, of which female literacy is 85.45% and male 95.07%. The sex ratio and average literacy rate are both higher than the national urban average.
• Ooty is also called Udhagamandalam, Ootacamund and Ottakkalmandu.
• Ooty has been a great weekend getaway from the days of the colonial rule. Smaller towns that are equally scenic are less than an hour away.
• There are still a few Toda settlements in the region. Other tribes that inhabited the region are the Badagas, Kotas, Kurumbas, Panias and Irulas.
• Kal Bangala or Stone House was the first bungalow to be built in Ooty. It was built by John Sullivan, who was the first collector of Ooty.
• Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Badaga and English are the languages commonly spoken here.
• There is an artificial lake here and a 22 acre botanical garden.
• Adventure sports like hang gliding and white water rafting are popular adventure sports in the town.

Agriculture and Service Sector

• Contrary to the popular belief that tourism dominates Ooty’s economy, it still mostly depends on its agricultural produce. Potato, carrot, cabbage and cauliflower are the main vegetables grown here. Peaches, plums, strawberries and pears are common fruits in the region.
• Apart from these, tea and coffee estates cover most of the hillside and, cheese and other dairy products are popular here. A few spices are also a grown in the region.
• Mushroom cultivation, sericulture and floriculture are also carried out in Ooty.
• The thriving agricultural industry has encouraged a few research institutes to crop up here. A potato research farm, livestock farm and soil conservation centre are a result of this.
• Photographic film is another large industry in Ooty since Hindustan Photo Films can be found on the borders of the town. Needles, cordite and the rabies vaccines are also manufactured here. The perfume industry, educational resources and cottage industries have also grown in Ooty.
• Tourist attractions like the Wax Museum, Tribal Museum, botanical gardens, Ooty Lake, Deer Park and Ooty Mountain Railway ensure that this destination is on any travelers ‘to-visit’ list.

Connectivity

• The nearest commercial airports are in Coimbatore, Kozhikode and Bangalore. Ooty has three helipads, mostly used for army personnel and VIPs.
• Udhagamandalam Railway Station is the station serving Ooty. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) is one of the oldest of its kind in India and the only rack railway in the country. It joins Ooty with Mettupalayam. The steam-powered miniature NMR was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005.
• Situated on National Highway 67 (NH-67), Ooty has good connectivity with its nearby regions. Cities in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka are easily accessible through the Nilgiri Ghat roads. Bus transport services are provided by Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu state road transport corporations.
• Local buses, shared taxis and auto-rickshaws are available for local transport.

Ooty Civic Administration

• The Udhagamandalam Municipality handles the civic administration of the hill station, headed by a manager and then by commissioner.
• The hill station is divided into 46 wards with an elected councilor for each ward. Municipal land in Ooty comprises only 20% of the total land while the government owns only 5% of the land in the region. The rest is privately owned.
• There are 35 village panchayats and 13 town panchayats in the district. The Ootacamund assembly constituency is a part of the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency.
• The Municipality enforces the Tamil Nadu District Municipal Building Rules and Tamil Nadu Hill Area Special Building Rules in order to ensure the growth of Ooty while protecting its nature. A special committee was also formed to advice the Municipality to preserve the architectural and aesthetic aspects of the town.
• The Nilgiris Police maintain law and order in both rural Ooty and Ooty town.

Ooty Infrastructure

Ooty is filled with tourist spots and a large forest cover and planned infrastructure are making it an important tourist destination. Leisure infrastructure is well-developed with parks, restaurants and shopping centers abundant in the town.

The town has been known for its educational infrastructure with prominent boarding schools situated here. The origins of the education system followed in India can be traced to Ooty. The syllabus under colonial rule was first planned in the Breeks Institutions here. Some prominent schools in the region are JSS Public School, Hebron, Lovedale, Good Shepherd International School and Lawrence School. The Good Shepherd International School occupies an area of more than 160 acres and attracts national and international students.

Infrastructure Projects

Name Of The Project	Impact Areas	Expected Completion Date	Remarks
Poverty Eradication Programme	Wards 2, 12, and 13	Under Development	A combination of government grants and contributions from the Municipality’s revenue are being used to improve certain wards living conditions.
Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme	Elkhill Colony Road, Granduff Road, North Lake Road, and other neglected areas	Completed	Basic amenities were improved in the 36 slums found in Ooty at an approximate cost of Rs. 1267.75 lakh.
Urban Integrated Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns	Ooty	Under Development	The project involves the construction of stormwater drainage systems and the improvement of solid waste management systems.
Elementary Education Fund	Elementary Schools in Ooty	Under Development	Public schools in Ooty are being equipped with better infrastructure.

Ooty Real Estate Market

• Before 2002, Ooty was the preferred real estate investment for the rich and elite of society. The real estate market was gradually improving here since then, and between 2005 and 2008, prices peaked with investors identifying it as an ideal second home destination.
• Plantations, colonial houses, bungalows and villa within gated communities started selling fast because of Ooty’s excellent connectivity compared to other hill stations.
• The low crime rate, vast education options and salubrious weather have attracted retired people, NRIs, defense personnel and working professionals to invest in this quaint hill station.
• Holiday homes and residential plots in Ooty are more in the flavor of Ooty when it comes to residential properties.

Key Localities in Ooty

Localities	Per Sq. Ft. Price – Q3 2013	Rent Per Month For A 2 BHK Apartment in Ooty(approx.) (Figures in 1000 rupees)
Coonoor	2,500-3,000	6	9
Kotagiri	5,500-7,500	7	10
Lovedale	3,800-4,750	8	13
Ramakrishna Mutt Road	5,500-6,500	7	13

Charges by Different Government Bodies

Property Registration

• • • The sale agreement should be made on Rs. 50 stamp paper.
    • Stamp Duty: varies from location to location within Ooty, it is a percentage of the market value of the property
    • Registration Fee: 2% of the property

Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Ltd. (TNEB)

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Ltd. is responsible for power generation, distribution, and transmission in the state of Tamil Nadu, including Ooty. Three separate bodies have been created within TNEB to carry out each of these functions.

Electricity Tariff

Consumption Slab Range in KWHr (Units) and Billing Period (Months)	Fixed Charges Per Service For 2 Months (Rs.)	Energy Charges (Paise/KWHr)	Monthly Minimum in Rupees
0–25 units/month or 0–50 units for 2 months	NIL	110	20/month or 40 for 2 months
26-50 units/month or 51-100 units for 2 months	NIL	130
51-100 units/month or 101–200 units for 2 months	10	260
101-300 units/month or 201–600 units for 2 months	10	350
301 units and above/month or 601 units and above for 2 months	10	575

Industry: Rs. 5.50/unit

Udhagamandalam Municipality - Water Supply

The Udhagamandalam Municipality is responsible for water supply to the residents of Ooty. The main sources of water are various local reservoirs in Parsons Valley, Tiger Hills, Gorishola and Old Ooty. The Marilamund Lake, Kodappamund Municipal Dam and Glen Rock Dam also contribute to the town’s water supply.

Online E-Governance Facilities

The Udhagamandalam Municipality and state bodies have computerized bill payments, birth and death certificate issuance, property tax collection and a host of other citizen services.