COCHIN CORPORATION MASTER PLAN 2040: Suggestions based on EE&CC Theories
1. Projected population for the years 2021 2031 and 2041 are too inadequate in this climate changing World. Planning the City for more population through scientific densification, to have easy access to more facilities are the trend. Hence planning the Cochin Corporation area for a population increase of few thousands only are too unjustifiable and unsustainable when Kochi is identified as a beneficiary in Smart Cities and Amrut Mission.
2. Along with more population there has to be provisions in the Master Plan for high density dedicated infrastructure for Water Supply, Sewage and Electrical Distribution etc. A kind of organic infill development is happening throughout the city which is effective in the decongestion of the city with vertical development with increased residential density. Hence there has to be infill development policies to encourage and guide the trend which is contributing to the sustainability of the city.
3. Open spaces provided in the city are too inadequate to bring the city to global standards. Ways and Means of creating more open spaces should be identified. This is by identifying redevelopment projects with vertical development in areas having dilapidated infrastructure along with encouraging infill development. Necessary conditions can be included to create more public open spaces through surrender of land in lieu of increased Floor Area Ratio.
4. Transit oriented development is introduced in Metro Buffer Zone only. Another TOD zone can be identified on both sides of NH BYPASS ROAD which is turning as the arterial road of Kochi Metropolitan Area with immense commercial establishments mushroomed there after 2007 zoning variation of the Structure Plan. (NHAI is doing new bypass from Panangadu to Kariamparambu and hence bypass function of the said road is getting eliminated).
5. When zone 1 is in the Smart City identified area with lot of investment potential there is no logical reason to reduce the density there( FAR is brought down here ). The reduction in density policy in Zone 1 shall be dropped and instead redevelopment may be introduced while protecting the Heritage Zones and Structures.
6. It is to be checked whether all the metro future expansion plans are considered to decide the TOD ZONE II. Metro-expansion can be considered and TOD can be extended to the Naval Base-Wellington Island direction.
7. Zone IV can be provided with more public open spaces, parks, playgrounds and cycle tracks. Landowners should be allowed to transfer development rights from Zone IV to the TOD area/ZONE II. This is by reduction of default FAR in the Zone II area and receive the transferred FAR. This gives the city more resilience from environmental hazards and Coastal Zone Stipulations.
8. Improvement of the 16 road corridors for which DPR was prepared (for availing ADB Fund) should be fully considered/ incorporated in the Master Plan.
9. Managing the TOD in Kochi and for transferring of development rights shall be done most systematically and carefully.It shall be Fool proof and transparent. A blockchain enabled TDR management system is invariable before starting the TOD. Also there has to be a Planning Department in the Corporation of Kochi to manage the TDR. Such recommendations can be incorporated in the Master Plan.
10. Complete city should be made accessible by Non-Motorised Transport(NMT) Infrastructure connecting the major nodes. NMT network is invariable where ever possibilities are there.10 meter buffer zone along both sides of the canals can effectively be utilised for cycle network and footpath.
11. Providing dedicated cycle paths and footpaths on both sides of NH bypass can be considered by carving out space from the service road.
12. Financial calculations are too unrealistic and inadequate.
13. Some nature based measures have to be proposed to thwart the sea erosion tendencies in the West Kochi beach area.
14. Areas earmarked as green areas, green infrastructure should be permitted like cycle tracks, walkways, bio composting etc.
15. Polluted/degraded land is not good for urban agriculture. Areas are to be identified for safe urban agricultural practices
16. Some tax incentives and FAR concessions are to be given for old age care and for accommodating the workers from outside the State.
17. As far as possible heritage circuits shall be traffic free with pedestrian facilities. Such recommendations are to be incorporated to enable easy implementation at the project level.
18. While cancelling the ongoing Detailed Town Planning Schemes extreme care is to be taken to protect the public who invested in properties in the scheme area. Scheme provisions and stimulations should not go away till the DTP schemes are replaced with a new DTP Schemes to avoid chaos and court cases. Elamkulam West Scheme is almost a completed Scheme and hence could be considered for redevelopment, especially the MIG and LIG layouts, with public participation to utilise the land value appreciation there and to strengthen the tax base of the local body.
All the above points are evolved from EE&CC theories for which PhD is awarded by the Cochin University of Science and Technology.
The draft Master Plan can be accessed as per the following link
The above suggestions were sent to Secretary, Corporation of Kochi on 24th June 2023. I keep my fingers crossed to hear from the Corporation of Kochi regarding the suggestions.
Dr May Mathew,
Founder Trustee,
Centre for Environmental Efficiency