Cochin Discussions

[Malayaali]

Please do not post such fancy shits here.

[JohnJoseph]

Houses converted into business enterprises at Panampilly Nagar.

Photo: Thulasi Kakkat

Kochi, in the last ten years or so, has evolved. As the city grew, gradually, it began integrating some of the old, well-planned settlements. These residential areas are now either stagnating or losing its population. Also seen is a change in its basic character; they are rapidly turning into commercial centres.

Business hub

Panampilly Nagar, in the heart of the city, is an example. What was envisaged and implemented as an inclusively developed, residential project, this colony is now almost gobbled up by business enterprises.

And if the project submitted by the District Tourism Promotion Council to the government gets clearance Panampilly Nagar will turn into an activity centre, with food joints, entertainment, during weekend nights.

“Panampilly Nagar is a very relevant project. It is a perfect example of inclusive development in a residential zone. The project was planned in such a way as to provide space for every strata of society. So you have the high, middle, low income and economically weak groups owning property here. I feel, that today, it is mostly the high income group that has either rented out or sold their properties here,” says K. J. Sohan, Chairman, Town Planning Standing Committee, Corporation of Cochin.

Conceived and implemented as a project of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) this residential area is now a much-sought after commercial centre. Proximity to the Central Business District, which is roughly the area across the two major over bridges, the spiralling rent in the CBD, traffic congestion, shrinking parking space here, have all resulted in expansion of business activities to new zones. And Panampilly Nagar has been a major casualty.

“A whole generation of residents has moved out from Panampilly Nagar. The new generation is not keen to stick on here. Since implementation GCDA has stayed out. The houses have their owners, the residents have their associations; the main road has been taken over by the Corporation. The road has not been developed and there has been widespread commercialisation,” feels N. Venugopal, Chairman, GCDA. “We now have plans to link the main road here to Thevara and Kadavanthra. If the purpose for which this place has been developed is violated further GCDA can even think of intervening, based on a Supreme Court judgment, despite the dislocation it could create,” he adds. Mariamma Mammen has been staying here for the past 35 years. She has been involved in the welfare activities of the colony and is a member of the Panampilly Nagar Welfare Association ever since it was set up in 1994. She has seen the place change from a quiet residential zone to a noisy, busy commercial hub.

Resisting residents

“We have been resisting these moves but not with much success. We were able to prevent people from building godowns here. I think we may not be able to prevent shops and offices from coming up. But, at least, the authorities can stop street vendors who have taken over certain areas, caution the eateries from dumping food waste into the drains and such things. Now we hear that a night market is to start functioning here. We are not for this,” she says.

Nitha Thampi, secretary of the Association, also voices a similar view. “We have seen the degeneration and will not allow it go further. We do not want night shopping here as we fear it will be a disturbance, a disruption of peaceful existence.”

The concept of an activity street has been thought of to add punch to tourism. “The whole place will be given a facelift. Open drains will be covered, landscaping done, properly marked parking slots, one of the side roads will be used for traffic and the other for kiosks etc. The street will become active on weekends between nine and 11 p.m. Traffic will be controlled, the main road will be used only by pedestrians and noise decibels of the entertainment area will be contained. The project has been submitted to the Tourism Department,” says T. N. Jayashankar, secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council.

The main road is now owned and maintained by the Corporation. But strangely they have not been informed about the project so far. “As a statutory body the Corporation should have been the first to know about it. The Mayor informed the Council that he did not know anything about it. This is not the proper way to initiate a project,” states Sohan, while Venugopal was not sure how DTPC was planning to do about waste disposal.

Take a call

The crux of the issue is best summed up by Sohan. He feels that the city administration needs to ‘take a call’ on the issue. There is going to be tax reforms and a rigorous inspection in such areas. But more than all this it is time that administrators realise that “replacement levels of population in the city has turned very low. The latest population statistics show that there has been an increase of only 5,000 in the 10 years, while it has shot up in neighbouring areas like Maradu, Tripunithura, Thrikkakara and Kalamassery. So when we sit down to discuss the city’s problems and new projects like public transportation, we need to address not just the demographic growth but also the depopulation. Panampilly Nagar has seen a sort of migration and is a pointer to this reality,” he wraps up.

thehindu.com

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by psanthosh

Emerging 440 City by McKinsey&Company

Kochi also in the above list

http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/mgi...global_economy

Here's the report on Rediff;

List of 25 cities from India which will turn into economic powerhouses

Top 12 ranking based on 2025 GDP

New Delhi - 211 bn $
Mumbai - 193 bn $
Bengaluru - 129 bn $
Kolkata - 113 bn $
Pune - 94 bn $
Surat - 84 bn $
Chennai - 77 bn $
Hyderabad - 74 bn $
Ahmedabad - 67 bn $
Kochi - 46 bn $
Nasik - 37 bn $
Vizag - 35 bn $

[KMC]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

Here's the report on Rediff;

List of 25 cities from India which will turn into economic powerhouses

Top 12 ranking based on 2025 GDP

New Delhi - 211 bn $
Mumbai - 193 bn $
Bengaluru - 129 bn $
Kolkata - 113 bn $
Pune - 94 bn $
Surat - 84 bn $
Chennai - 77 bn $
Hyderabad - 74 bn $
Ahmedabad - 67 bn $
Kochi - 46 bn $
Nasik - 37 bn $
Vizag - 35 bn $

good to see Kochi ranked among Top 10 Indian cities

[DileepKS]

Like any rediff report, this one is also completely pulled out from some dark place. I wouldn't give much value for it, until the data points are published.

[Malayaali]

I think, they have reported the Mckinsey study.

[Aslesh]

Yes http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Cit...al_growth_2758

[DileepKS]

OK. That does make a difference. McKinsey is pretty reliable.

I always keep a bag of salt handy when reading rediff reports. Experience dictates so. This one is different, given the credibility of McKinsey.

[Malayaali]

Surprising is that Thrissur & Kozhikode will surpass Kochi in population by 2025.

[DileepKS]

How come the per capita GDP is not total GDP/population?

Something ain't right. What am I missing?

[Malayaali]

GDP is calculated on the basis of Purchasing Power Parity rates.

[Malayaali]

The 45th Cocotech, international conference on coconut begins in Kochi

KOCHI: The 45th Cocotech, the international conference on coconut, jointly organized by the Asian and Pacific Cococnut Community (APCC) and the Coconut Development Board (CDB) began here on Monday with over 200 delegates attending the five day meet.

Inaugurating the meet Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution K V Thomas said the emphasis given by CDB on evolving technologies for the development of new value added products with those of leading countries like Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia has yielded results.

He called upon the coconut producing countries to try to bring in structural changes in the planting pattern giving more importance to dwarf and hybrid varieties and to go for integrated management practices. He felt that it was necessary to keep abreast of the latest technological developments taking place in the agriculture sector.

Romulo N Ar4ancon, executive director of APCC called for concerted efforts to increase coconut production and find new technologies for the farmers.

The conference with the theme inclusive growth and sustained development of the coconut industry' will cover a comprehensive range of technical sessions and topics on the success stories of coconut farmers and small to medium scale coconut processors. Experts from scientific field and the corporate sector are also attending the conference.

[psanthosh]

Kochi does not require metro: Kuldip Singh

KOCHI: Kuldip Singh, the original architect of the Marine Drive development project, may hail from New Delhi, which has set the benchmark for metro rail projects in the country.

But he sure does not share Kochi's enthusiasm for the metro, which he feels the city can do without and claims would increase congestion!

Coming from someone who is into urban planning, it may come as a surprise, but Singh is also not impressed by the Delhi metro, which caught the country's imagination and is being replicated in major cities. "I have personally opposed elevated metros in Delhi, Bangalore and the proposed ones in Hyderabad and Pune.

The metro project as conceived in Kochi will degrade the central area of the city and the M G Road stretch. It can turn destructive for the city," he said in an interview with TOI, instead calling for an underground metro system for Kochi.

For someone, who can't stand elevated metros, Singh gave a surprise again and proved to be a man of contradictions by claiming that he had provided consultancy for the Delhi and Bangalore metros! "I provided consultancy service for the Delhi and Bangalore metro rail projects in design and architecture," he said.

But then Singh is very hard to please. He is not happy with the first phase of development of the 1.5 km Marine Drive stretch which he conceived, and feels it could have been carried out in a better way if Greater Cochin Development Authority ( GCDA) had full control over the project.

"When the project was executed 35 years ago, there were several constraints including financial, environmental and administrative, before the executing agency. And due to all these constraints it was not possible to enforce detailed control over the execution of the project," said Singh, claiming that all environmental issues were addressed during the execution of the project.

Expressing his displeasure over the maintenance of the waterfront, which is a popular hangout for city residents, he said that greater attention needs to be paid for the walkway. "The maintenance of open space, which is an important asset for the city, in Marine Drive should be given utmost importance. Despite the availability of open space, it has not been used much," he said. Singh has to his credit New Delhi-based projects such as City Centre and Saket District Centre.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/14621559.cms

[DileepKS]

That guy is the "elegance first, function be damned" type architect. I would let him shove his opinion where it belong!

[mohammedirshad06]

CC:- Dileepks

Woww... Kochi Police is really doing kudos, to ensure to break the wrong campagin done by one media and social networks.....

Already I have posted the original report published by City Police Commissioner in last Oct itself. Just to make a quick translation for those who can't read Malayalam

Kochi Police slashes Media Campaign, which picturizes as most crime prone city. The Police Department, armed with stats and figures, proved the city has least number of crimes and far less than many other cities even state.

Kochi stands only 56th in position, out of 72 cities taken by NCRB to compile the crime statistics. The first city in the list is DELHI, followed by Mumbai. Even Kerala's state capital- Trivandrum stands in 29th position, while Kozhikode at 50th position, which once again proves, Kochi is the least crime prone city even in the state.

The commissioner slams the media company, for putting wrong facts and picturizing the city in a wrong way.

The Commissioner maintains, only 1488 Major crimes have reported in the city. The City Police has registered 25715 cases in 2010, out of which 24277 are minor/Other IPC Offences (petty cases).

The correct figures in various heads

1. Murder Cases

Delhi - 453
Mumbai- 228
Bangalore - 266
Chennai - 103
Trivandrum - 15
Kozhikode - 7
Kochi - 4

2. Rape Cases

Delhi - 414
Mumbai- 194
Bangalore - 65
Chennai - 47
Trivandrum -27
Kozhikode -16
Kochi -20

3. Kidnapping

Delhi - 2629
Mumbai- 194
Bangalore - 513
Chennai - 47
Trivandrum -22
Kozhikode -11
Kochi -8

4. Theft/Dacoity

Delhi - 1355
Mumbai- 3059
Bangalore - 1335
Chennai - 383
Trivandrum -221
Kozhikode -175
Kochi -79

5. Assault on Women/crimes against women

Delhi - 550
Mumbai- 474
Bangalore - 308
Chennai - 45
Trivandrum - 194
Kozhikode -70
Kochi -67

6. Arson/Riots/Damage to Public Property

Delhi - 46
Mumbai- 391
Bangalore - 349
Chennai - 60
Trivandrum -477
Kozhikode -265
Kochi -244

[e_arunsid]

Kochi is without doubt one of the safest places in the country..Wonder why media and certain agencies come out in public without any home work.

[Prasanth_KCV]

AADINE PATTIYAKKUKA this is what happened. Media have to clarify the things at the earliest, because they are punishing the best city and admiring the worst cities.

[manukarukail]

Originally Posted by e_arunsid

Kochi is without doubt one of the safest places in the country..Wonder why media and certain agencies come out in public without any home work.

They have done their homework well. There seems to be some hidden agenda

[maheshponneth]

I think media is against Kochi. They want to tarnish Kochi's image to safeguards some interests.Here is another one from DC.http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chann...s-internet-331

[Malayaali]

These kind of reports can be ignored as it doesn't affect much on the growth of the city. But the one reported ToI from NCRB records stating Kochi as the 'dangerous city', is utter bullshit completely denying real facts.