Wikipedia
Okkiyam Thoraipakkam, also spelt Thuraipakkam, is an area of Chennai, India. It is situated on what is called as the IT expressway, on Old Mahabalipuram Road, now known as Rajiv Gandhi Salai, the first six lane road in Chennai. Okkiyam Thoraipakkam is on the eastern banks of the Pallikaranai marsh which has been designated as a reserve forest area and is one of the few remaining significant natural ecosystems within Chennai . Thoraipakkam is 3 km in length, starting from Perungudi to its north.
The Thoraipakkam Pallavaram Radial road running east to west connects the IT corridor and the GST Road (Grand Southern Trunk Road) making Thoraipakkam well connected to the airport especially after the opening of the flyover (ROB) at the western end of the radial road in October 2010.This road plays a significant role,enabling quicker and easier movement of traffic between the major arterial roads to the south of Chennai including GST Road,Tambaram-Velachery main road and Old Mahabalipuram Road.
Okkiyam Thoraipakkam has experienced substantial growth over the past decade, and it serves as a residential and commercial hub for suburbs in the south of Chennai. A number of information technology companies are based in Thoraipakkam.
Okkiyam Thoraipakkam has pollution-related problems because a portion of the Pallikaranai marsh has been converted into a dump yard and garbage including medical waste, plastics, tires, are burnt. However, since beginning of 2009, burning has been officially banned and this has led to considerable improvement in the air quality and reduced the levels of pollution in the area. After the Tsunami of 2004, affected fishermen were relocated to Kannagi Nagar which is a part of Thoraipakkam.
Chennai city corporation boundaries were expanded in the latter half of 2011. Subsequently Thoraipakkam has ceased to be a village panchayat in Kanchipuram district and has become fully integrated within Chennai corporation limits.