As one exits National Highway 544 and enters Tiruppur — widely known as the ‘Knitwear capital of India’ and ‘dollar city’ — the scale of its industrial success is unmistakable. The town manufactures garments worth nearly ₹70,000 crore annually, including exports of about ₹45,000 crore.
Yet, beneath this economic success lies growing unease. With a steady influx of international buyers, Tiruppur is struggling to meet basic infrastructure expectations, particularly in road quality and waste management. Company officials say the lack of civic development is becoming a major embarrassment. “It is very embarrassing to hear our foreign clients complain about the roads, garbage and filth,” said an industry representative, expressing frustration over what they see as inaction by the State government.
The problem is compounded by civic hygiene concerns. With a large migrant workforce, indiscriminate littering and public spitting have worsened sanitation challenges.
Persistent Problems
Tiruppur is divided into two Assembly constituencies — Tiruppur South and Tiruppur North. The South is represented by K Selvaraj of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, while the North is represented by KN Vijayakumar of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
In the current contest, N Dineshkumar of the DMK faces S Thangaraj of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tiruppur South. In Tiruppur North, MSM Anandan is pitted against M Ravi alias M Subramanian of the Communist Party of India, an ally of the DMK. It will be a tough contest this time due to switching of constituencies among the alliance partners.
Industry Growth
Nearly one million people are employed across around 2,500 textile units in Tiruppur. However, infrastructure development has not kept pace with industrial expansion, say entrepreneurs. “Good roads, a permanent solution to garbage issues, partial closure of liquor shops and, most importantly, rationalisation of property tax — which has increased manifold in recent times — are the urgent priorities,” said a textile entrepreneur.
Another industry player pointed to rising costs: “We are upset with the government over steep increases in electricity charges.”
The Tiruppur textile cluster, which employs about 35 per cent of Tamil Nadu’s textile workforce and contributes nearly 20 per cent of India’s apparel employment, is grappling with a labour shortage of around 20 per cent. Exporters say the industry’s heavy reliance on migrant workers makes it critical to address housing challenges. “Providing safe, affordable and decent accommodation for migrant labourers is essential for retention,” said an office-bearer of the Tiruppur Exporters’ Association.
Published on April 22, 2026