22-04-2014, 04:40 PM
DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR KOCH I CITY REGION 2031
Why this Plan?
The Urban Agglomeration of Kochi, comprising of the city of Kochi and the surrounding areas, is
the fast developing region in the State. It is necessary to guide these developments in an
orderly manner based on a Plan Document, so that sustainable development is possible and
land development and infrastructure development in a planned manner may support new
economic activities and facilitate public and private actions for better housing and amenities.
Moreover conservation and equity have to be considered.
Kochi city and the surrounding areas do not have a recently prepared Master Plan. When a
major intervention by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India happened in
2005 with the scheme for urban reforms backed infrastructure development, the Municipal
Corporation of Kochi City prepared a City Development Plan (CDP) to be used as a basic
document to prioritise the infrastructure developments in the city region. However, certain basic
issues like land use planning etc. were not part of this document since the intention was
different. CDP has been an input for this Master Plan, like the earlier Structure Plan for the
Central City, Kochi – 2001 which was used as a reference document for preparation of CDP.
The attempt through this Development Plan for Kochi City Region is to bring out a
comprehensive long range development guideline with Development Regulations to guide the
City Region through the plan period.
What the Plan aims at?
Any human settlement, urban or rural needs a Plan to guide its overall development and
judicious use of resources. The focus on such a Development Plan is on improving the
infrastructure and the orderly use of land and other natural resources on the belief that such a
planned approach for the physical improvements shall directly contribute to the economic and
social well being of the people living and working in the settlement area. Moreover such an
orderly forward looking plan and the ensuing development may contribute to the State as a
whole in its economic and social progress.
How will this Development Plan be implemented?
This Development Plan for Kochi City Region forms the basic guideline document for planned
development of the area and it is comprehensive in the sense that it tries to comprehend the
issues in various sectors/subjects. Implementation of proposals included in this Development
Plan would depend on the understanding of the proposals and translation of the proposals in
various sectors to action programs by the Government Departments, Quasi-Government
agencies and the private sector, who are concerned with development actions in the Kochi City
Region. Priorities and phasing of the various proposals are made part of this Plan, but these
would be further improved based on the sectoral action programs. Such action programs may
lead to Project Reports, whether by a Government Agency or by a private agency/individual.
Guiding development through Development Control Regulations is also part of the
implementation of the Development Plan. Such guidance provides individual safety and welfare
without adversely affecting their freedom of action.
LEGAL TOOLS
Town Planning Schemes are prepared in Kerala under the provisions of the Town
Planning Acts. Since the State of Kerala does not have a unified single Act for the purpose, the
existing Town Planning Act, 1108 M.E. (Malayalam Era) (1933 A.D.), Travancore Town and
Country Planning Act, 1120 M.E. (1945 A.D.) or the Madras Town Planning Act, 1920 are
consulted as applicable to the different areas of the State. These Acts have comparable
provisions with regard to contents and processing of a town planning scheme. These Acts
envisage preparation of two levels of Plans (i) General Town Planning Scheme and (ii) Detailed
Town Planning Scheme. The General Town Planning Scheme is referred to as the Master Plan
or Development Plan. This is prepared as an indicative plan for the development of a whole
town/city, and the immediate surrounding areas (recognized as the planning region/area) or for
the Urban Agglomeration area. The Detailed Town Planning Scheme (D.T.P.Scheme) is a Plan
in much detail (considering individual land parcels) on a cadastral survey map and is prepared
for a priority development area within a Development Plan area or for such an area not included
in a Development Plan. Such a detailed Plan is generally prepared for an area of about 50 to
150 hectares of land. The method of plan preparation, processing for notification & publishing,
public consultation, submission to Government for sanction (approval) and granting of
Government approval are as laid down in these Acts and Rules made there under.
HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF KOCHI
The development of Kochi as a prime city of Kerala is closely linked with the political and
administrative history of the Malabar Coast. Kerala was an important maritime country in the
dawn of the Christian era. Its early rulers had their capital at Tiruvanchikulam located about 18
km north of Kochi. The ancient port of Muziris (now Kodungallur on the southern part of Thrissur
district) served as an international centre of trade and the main emporium of transit of goods
between China and Rome. The trade links attracted settlers to Muziris from many maritime
commercial nations of ancient world.
The erstwhile rulers of Kochi established their headquarters at Thripunithura, the present
neighbouring town of Kochi, most probably since the present Ernakulam was a waterlogged
area then. Cochin Port was formed in 1341, when the heavy floods of that year silted up the
mouths of the Muziris harbour and the surging water forced a channel past the present inlet into
the sea. The old merchants of Muziris shifted to Kochi as soon as the new outlet became more
or less stable. As the harbour gained prominence, the then ruler of the region shifted his capital
also to Kochi, giving impetus to the growth of the town.
The early settlement of Kochi was at Mattancherry, facing the protected lagoons in the
east, which provided safe anchorage to country crafts in all seasons. Mattancherry was linked to
the entire coastal stretch of Kerala through these inland waters. Thus gradually it grew into a
busy settlement. Nicolo Conti recorded that, by 1440, Kochi was a city 5 miles in circumference
and that Chinese and Arabs carried on brisk trade with the natives of this town.
MATTANCHERRY MARKET TOWN
Mattancherry, meanwhile, had developed as a typical oriental market town, with
commercial activities distributed along the waterfronts. Agricultural produces from the vast
hinterland flowed to its markets to be sold or exchanged for textiles, metals and other products
of the European countries. Jews and Muslims had their settlements at Mattancherry. Trading
communities from Gujarat and the emigrants from Goa also established trading centres in
Mattancherry along with the native Hindus and the early settlers. The then rulers found this an
opportunity to strike balance of economic power with the European traders. Mattancherry grew
into a market town with cosmopolitan character attracting foreign traders. However
developments in the adjoining Fort Kochi were strengthened by the foreign traders.