KOCHI: The GCDA will organise a National Urban Conclave on ‘Reinventing urban development through emerging tools and techniques’ in Kochi on September 1 and 2. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Niti Aayog CEO Parameswaran Aiyer, ministers, chief secretary, MPs, MLAs and representatives of various urban bodies will attend the conclave, said GCDA chairman K Chandran Pillai in Kochi on Thursday.
The GCDA will prepare a comprehensive development plan for Kochi based on the discussions at the Urban Development Conclave. The comprehensive plan will have a vision for the development of the region from Chalakudy to Cherthala. The GCDA will explore the possibility of implementing practices like land pooling and Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for the development of the city.
Land pooling is an activity where a group of land owners can hand over their land parcels collectively for public projects or infrastructure development. After the rearrangement of the plots and development of infrastructure, the remaining land will be handed over to the original owners.
Though the owner will get back only 60 per cent of the original land, the value of the land will be 3 to 4 times more than the original value. Considering the high compensation value in city GCDA would like to prepare a town planning scheme through land pooling, said Chandran Pillai.
The TDR will be implemented to protect land with conservation value. These spaces include farmlands, land near protected natural and cultural resources and sensitive areas. In return the government will issue a TDR certificate which gives the right to construction in some other areas. The rights can be sold to builders who can use it to get permits for construction above the restricted level in the receiving zone.
Projects in the pipeline
Rs 7,000-cr Marine Drive northern extension
The GCDA is conducting discussions on the ambitious project. The first phase of the 8-km project will need Rs 7,000 crore. Funding and implementation are the challenges. It will be implemented in coordination with various agencies and adhering to CRZ regulations.
Sewage treatment
Release of septage into water bodies is a serious issue and the level of e-coli in water samples is very high. We have to evolve a comprehensive plan for disposal of solid, hazardous, chemical and electronic waste also. The GCDA can be a major agency in waste management. The GCDA is operating two facilities at Marine Drive and Kaloor Stadium and will be taking up three more projects in city soon. Five projects are in the DPR stage.
100-acre film city
Kochi is home to many talented film-makers and technicians. A proposal to develop a 100-acre film city is under consideration. Space will be provided for the post-production facility at Gandhinagar.
Int’l cricket stadium
Kochi will get an international cricket stadium within three years. The I400-crore project will be announced by the BCCI by the end of August.
Parking facility
A I20-crore parking facility will be provided at Marine Drive. It will be a steel frame multilevel parking facility and the works will begin within one month.
The GCDA will adopt a transit-oriented development scheme where the urban development will be compact, mixed-use, pedestrian and bicycle friendly and closely integrated with mass transit by clustering jobs, housing services and amenities around public transportation stations.