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With a new council set to assume charge in the Kochi Corporation in Kerala on the cusp of a new year, people from various walks of life shared the challenges before it and the potential it could build on to develop the city.
Opinions ranged from outright criticism to cautious optimism, and concerns about the lack of clarity on the direction Kochi city should adopt for future development.
Former Mayor K. J. Sohan said Kochi lacked the “fundamentals” essential for any city’s survival. Despite being a “city on water,” he observed that people are still deprived of drinking water, while only 5% of the city is covered by a sewage network.
“As per the Corporation’s own report, 80% of the city’s groundwater remains contaminated. Despite being ideally placed to set a global model in integrated public transport, Kochi lacks one. This city was built by cargo and people who arrived by waterways and has access to three national waterways. The Water Metro, meant to be a public transport system, has become a luxury unaffordable to common commuters, while the State Water Transport department remains overlooked,” he said.
Stress on transport
He added that transport is access to opportunity and a way out of poverty. The national policy for a comprehensive mobility plan, complete with guidelines and a toolkit, remains outsourced to Kochi Metro Rail Limited, though it should have been the Corporation’s responsibility.
Aneesh Panthalani, State president of Progressive Techies, a collective of IT employees, said it was time to expand Kochi Corporation limits to Thrikkakara municipality, the city’s IT hub, to ensure integrated development. Transportation and connectivity, he said, should be top priorities for both the Corporation and the State government.
“An elevated highway from Infopark to Vyttila along the Water Metro alignment, as recommended in a NATPAC study, has become imperative. Existing roads should also be widened. Waste transportation should be modernised and the archaic system of moving waste in lorries, which often inconveniences road users, must replaced,” he said.
The Kochi-based think-tank Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) said the city must develop clarity on what it wants to focus on, instead of investing in multiple ideas and frequently shifting priorities. This lack of clarity confuses potential investors. The Corporation leadership should evolve a consensus for long-term development and build talent, infrastructure, support systems, and research facilities to support that vision.
“No city has developed without clarity about its core strength. Switching between ideas will not help, especially since Kochi lacks the land to accommodate all projects. Being historically a port city, Kochi should ideally focus on port-based development and related services,” said D. Dhanuraj, founder-chairman, CPPR.
Regular maintenance
Manoj Panakkal, vice president, Kerala Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, said that despite the rollout of K-Smart, services such as trade licences and professional tax have not been freed from bureaucratic delays due to incomplete automation. He called for regular maintenance of city infrastructure and continuity of primary services such as waste management, cleaning of drains and canals, and road development.
“Trade hubs like Broadway and Jew Street are suffering from poor maintenance and accessibility. The new Ernakulam market building should also be made more accessible,” he said. service delivery issues
Rangadasa Prabhu, president of the Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council, called for a meeting with the new Corporation leadership to discuss immediate, short-term, and long-term requirements of the city. Immediate priorities include solutions related to transportation, roads, waste management, and the mosquito menace.
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