Ambattur is a part of Chennai, located in the north west part of the city in the Ambattur taluk of the Chennai District, surrounded by Anna Nagar, Padi, Mogappair, kallikuppam and Avadi. It covers an area of 45 km². The neighbourhood is served by Ambattur railway station of the Chennai Suburban Railway. Ambattur has its origins in a village of the same name which can be located at present as areas opposite to Ambattur telephone exchange. Ambattur was a village with large extents of agricultural farm lands irrigated by the once-sprawling Ambattur Lake. In 2011, the neighbourhood had a population 466,205.