KOCHI: After several discussions and studies, the Kochi corporation, for the first time in the state, is set to prepare a master plan — a blueprint for the city’s development over the next 20 years.
In the first phase, the corporation will prepare a local area plan for divisions 49, 51, 52, and 53 in Vyttila.
The plan will include development projects for the water metro, mobility hub, metro station, flyover, and other open spaces.
“The move aims to ensure that the development works in the city are planned and calculated based on a blueprint as the city is becoming densely populated. The local area plan will bring a design and criteria for the optimal use of land in the area,” said Mayor M Anilkumar. The local area plan will be based on the master plan for 2019-2040.
“Through the plan, we aim to implement Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), which can help promote public transportation in the city and improve the quality of urban life. The plan will be prepared as a pilot model, with an emphasis on public facilities, pedestrian spaces, playgrounds, parks, and other amenities,” the mayor added.
“We chose Vyttila for the first phase as it is the metro hub of the city. A few more areas have been identified by the expert team, and we will soon prepare the area plan for all 74 divisions. The goal is to ensure the maximum utilisation of space in the city for better and planned infrastructure development,” said J Sanilmon, the chairman of the town planning committee of the corporation.
As a first step, a special committee was constituted, and discussions were held on the preparation of the plan.
“The base map of the local area plan will be prepared with the help of a drone survey. The survey is expected to start from the second week of February. In the second phase of the project, a local area plan for Palluruthy will be prepared,” the mayor added.
The corporation had earmarked Rs 2.5 crore for the project in the 2024-2025 budget.
The local area plan will be prepared by the local self-government under the leadership of senior town planners and with the participation of experts from CEPT University, Ahmedabad.