KOCHI: With the Kerala High Court ordering the formation of Kochi Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) within four months, the stage is set for drastic changes within the corporation limits and the way the city is governed, if things proceed as per the plan. KMDA will propel the city’s development in a much faster mode.
According to sources, if KMDA comes into existence, the corporation limits would be expanded, and nearby local bodies, including Maradu, Thrikkakara, and Kalamassery, will have to be merged with the Kochi Corporation.
Meanwhile, Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar said that the nearby local bodies and Kochi Corporation could work together for the development of the areas coming under them. “There will be no need for expanding the Kochi Corporation limits or dissolving existing agencies once KDMA is formed. We could integrate activities of nearby local bodies and various agencies for taking up development projects in the city. The GCDA is an example of this,” said Anilkumar.
On the other hand, the chairman of the GCDA, K Chandran Pillai, said, “I am positive about the formation of the KMDA because it is an opportunity for the government to implement projects without delay. I believe that the metropolitan authority will do more good for the GCDA in terms of extending more powers to implement developmental projects in a big way. KMDA will act as a catalyst for several projects in Kochi.”
He also said that fund shortage is a major stumbling block to the city’s development. “The state government is not in a position to allocate more funds to the GCDA. So we have to generate our own funds. But the means are very limited. Metropolitan authorities in other states adopt tools like land pooling, the bond system, and transfer land rights for the development of areas coming under them,” said Pillai.
The High Court directive to consider the formation of a metropolitan development authority for Kochi was issued on March 16 in response to a petition filed by Kochi residents. According to the Constitution, KMDA should be formed under a Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC), which will act as an umbrella organisation to implement, coordinate, and supervise the orderly development of Kochi city.
“The city has several local bodies that plan and implement projects within their respective jurisdictions. However there is a lack of uniformity and a pan-city development perspective owing to various reasons. One major issue is that the civic bodies that are ruled by various political parties will have different development perspectives,” said Arjun P Bhaskar, one of the petitioners.
The counter-affidavit submitted by the government in the court said that the district doesn’t need an MPC as it already has a District Planning Committee to plan, coordinate and implement development projects. “Kochi has agencies like the GCDA, the Goshree Island Development Authority (GIDA), and many local bodies. However, the District Planning Committee’s performance must be reviewed. It will reveal the need for establishing an MPC for Ernakulam,” said an expert in urban planning. “They do have an agency with no expertise to guide or implement a project,” he added.
Meanwhile, Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) chairman, Dr Dhanuraj, said that one of the problems being faced by Kerala is that the government forms hundreds of such committees but with limited powers to act. “If an MPC is formed, it may face the same fate. For example, the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) was formed to integrate the transport sector. But what is its status now? The authority has been inactive for so many years,” said Dhanuraj.
“We need a highly advanced body. Though the Constitution vests powers in these bodies, it also puts a condition that the state government may consider giving powers to the authority. So, such a committee will be effective only if it is vested with independent powers. Otherwise, it will end up being just another committee,” he added.
MPCs in other cities
Delhi Development Authority
Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority
Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority
Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority
Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority
Key functions
The DDA is responsible for planning, development and construction of housing projects, commercial lands, land management, and disposal, land pooling, land costing etc