There are around 20 government owned and 60 privately owned medium and large scale industrial units in Thiruvanathapuram. The major employers are the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), Keltron, Travancore Titanium and Hindustan Latex, all government owned. There are also about 30,000 small scale industrial units employing around 1,15,000 people. Traditional industries include handloom and coir.

Other major organizations of economic interest are the Chithranjali Film Complex, Kinfra Apparel Park, Kinfra Film and Video Park, Trivandrum Rubber Works, Kerala Automobiles and the English Indian Clays Ltd.

Commercial activity is quite low mainly due to the absence of natural harbours. However this might soon change with the construction of the proposed Vizhinjam Port.

Government and politics

The city is administered by the Trivandrum Corporation headed by the Mayor. The city council is democratically elected and comprises of 25 members representing the different city wards. Several agencies work under or in partnership with the Corporation including the Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA) and Trivandrum Road Development Corporation.

Most of the city comes under the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. Some northern wards of the city come under the Chirayinkeezhu constituency. The city contributes to 6 legislative assembly seats namely Kazhakkuttom, Thiruvananthapuram North, Thiruvananthapuram West, Thiruvananthapuram East, Nemom and Kovalam.

The city police is headed by a Police Commissioner an officer of IPS rank. The city is divided three police sub-divisions headed by Assistant Commissioners. There are also two traffic sub-divisions. A women’s cell and a narcotics control cell also operate in the city. There are two armed state police camps and a unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala and hence the state legislative assembly and Secretariat are located here at Cantonment and Statue Junction respectively. The city is also the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram district.

The only foreign mission in the city is the Consulate of Maldives.