The New Indian Express 25.08.2009
Kochi eyes a metro stamp
KOCHI: Keeping hopes afloat of a metro status for Kochi in the future, the State Government has taken the initiative to get approval from the Union Government for building a metropolitan area on the basis of the Kochi rural agglomeration plan under the JNNURM and the city development plan, official sources said.A metropolitan area usually combines an agglomeration (the neighboring municipal or suburban areas) with peripheral zones not necessarily urban in character but closely bound to the centre by employment or commerce. These zones are sometimes known as a commuter belt and may extend well beyond the urban margin.
“The population in a metropolitan area is crucial in determining many things. For example, the JNNURM scheme chooses areas to fund based on metropolitan population,’’ said an official in charge of the JNNURM project.
The Kochi urban agglomeration constituted on the basis of census data 2001 consists of the Corporation of Kochi, five municipalities, 15 panchayats and parts of three panchayats. The five municipalities are Tripunithura, Kalamassery, North Paravur, Aluva and Angamaly.
The 15 panchayats are Thrikkakkara, Cheranelloor, Eloor, Varapuzha, Chennamangalam, Kadamakkudy, Mulavukad, Thiruvankulam, Maradu, Kadungalloor, Alangad, Chengamanad, Choornikkara, Edathala and Kottuvally.
The official said that the Kochi Urban Agglomeration for the JNNURM project comprises the Kochi Corporation, Tripunithura and Kalamassery municipalities and 13 panchayats.
“The Census Commission recognises cities with a population of above 40 lakh as metropolitan cities. Once the agglomeration is completed and the rest of the municipalities and urban centres are merged with the proposed metropolitan area, Kochi can raise its claim for metro status on the basis of population,” the official added.
“Another criteria for claiming metro status is the capital status. Since Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital, Kochi is left with the choice of claiming it on the basis of population,” he added.
Apart from this Kochi has a floating population. “This will also be counted while considering the metro status,” the official said.
Urban centres under the existing Greater Cochin Development Area (GCDA) too would merge with the proposed metropolitan area.
Hopes are high to see Kochi being listed in the rank of cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.
