THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The proposed relocation of the historic Thiruvananthapuram Zoo and the plan to develop a public square on the lines of Madison Square in New York in its place could further erode the capital’s critically low green cover, with urban-planning experts warning that the move could undermine national urban development norms and provisions of the city’s master plan.
With organised green spaces in the capital estimated at just 2.23 sqm per person, experts argue that converting the Museum and Zoo premises into a commercial and urban hub would come at a significant ecological cost to a city already struggling to maintain open and recreational spaces.
Eugene Pandala, architect and urban planning expert, said the premises should not be viewed merely as real estate available for redevelopment, given their cultural, historical and ecological significance.
“It should not be treated like real estate. It has a lot of value, including tangible and intangible assets where cultural and natural heritage come together. In the new context, people are bringing back biodiversity — integrating biodiversity, geodiversity and cultural diversity together as a combined entity. These are things people all over the world are trying to recreate, and we should not destroy what we already have.”
The concerns centre on the Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) guidelines issued by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs, which prescribe benchmarks for built-up areas, green spaces and recreational facilities in urban settlements.
Eugene said the zoo and museum premises hold both natural and cultural heritage together. “Before even thinking of redeveloping, it has to be studied properly. This is a heritage area; many stories have originated right from here. There are a lot of intangible assets there — you can’t just pull it out immediately.”
According to the president of Environmental Protection and Research Council, Sanjeev S J, it is a green recreational space as per the master plan that should be protected.
As per figures cited in the Thiruvananthapuram Master Plan 2040, built-up areas in the city account for nearly 77% of the total area, against the URDPFI benchmark of 50-55% for cities with a population of 1 million. Similarly, green and recreational spaces, which should constitute around 12-14% of urban area, are estimated to account for only 0.01%.
The city’s documented green and open spaces cover approximately 2.2 sqkm, while per capita green space stands at 2.23 sqm — substantially below the recommended 10-12 sqm per person.
The Museum and Zoo complex, with its extensive tree cover and open landscape, is among the capital’s significant green lungs. Urban planners say that relocating it and repurposing the land could weaken the city’s ecological buffer, affecting air quality, urban temperatures and the availability of public recreational spaces.
Urban development expert Anil Kumar Pandala said the capital’s natural and cultural assets should be considered together while planning urban interventions. “In every major city in the world, the core city is always retained as it is.
Replacing a heritage green belt or building massive complexes with vending zones where there is zero infrastructure or parking for thousands of visitors destroys the very fabric of the city. Ideally the government should set up a proper second zoo and keep the existing one.”
Small area of green & recreational spaces
As per figures cited in the Thiruvananthapuram Master Plan 2040, green and recreational spaces in the city, which should constitute around 12-14% of urban area, are estimated to account for only 0.01%
