KOCHI: As the new Kochi corporation office is set to be functional at Marine Drive in a few weeks, the council has decided to entrust the Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-hed) with the task of preparing a plan to convert the old building on Park Avenue into a museum showcasing the history of the city and the civic body as well as the contributions of past mayors.
Mayor M Anilkumar proposed to retain the old structure while removing later additions to the building and suggested allocating a portion of the building for C-hed’s office.
The next council, to be elected in the upcoming elections, will review and finalise the plan.
“The museum will introduce future generations to the mayors who led the Kochi corporation and their contributions. We can entrust C-hed with the preparation of a plan to convert the old building into a museum. We may have to make changes to the current structure,” the mayor said.
Speaking at the inaugural function of the new corporation office, on October 21, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden had urged the state government and the Kochi corporation to use the old office for the development and expansion of the Ernakulam General Hospital which is facing a space crunch.
“I request the officials and the mayor to use the existing facility, which carries a sense of nostalgia, for the development of the general hospital,” Hibi had said. On Monday, the mayor added: “The Cochin Shipyard has approached the corporation with a museum project, aiming to showcase the models of ships built there.”
A proposal to convert the old corporation office into a museum had been added to the agenda of an executive committee meeting of the C-hed. However, the move was halted as the UDF councillors opposed the proposal.
Old building features
Area : 69.14 cents
Building space : 31,885.50 square feet
Kochi to be declared waste-free city?
With only a few months left in the current council’s tenure, Mayor M Anilkumar said the city should also be declared waste-free by the end of November. “According to the Union government’s ranking, we are the best in the state. Kochi also secured the 50th rank nationally. At the event, we should also honour the contingent workers, Haritha Karma Sena, for their work in the city,” the mayor said.
