A view of Edappally Junction in Kochi (file)
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
The master plan special committee chaired by Mayor V.K. Minimol has written to the Kerala government seeking approval to amend anomalies in the Kochi city master plan, following petitions from the public.
The master plan, framed under the Kerala Town and Country Planning Act, came into effect within Kochi Corporation limits on July 1, 2024. At its latest meeting on June 9, 2026, the special committee, which is entrusted with reviewing the plan based on public suggestions and petitions, resolved to forward a series of decisions to the State government for approval.
Among the recommendations were modifications to the master plan and matters regarding the development of the Konthuruthy canal and reducing the width of Church Landing Road.
“The public cannot be subjected to hardships due to provisions in the master plan. Certain spaces have been demarcated as recreation zones without the knowledge of property owners. The Corporation cannot afford to acquire such land merely because it has been included in the plan,” said Ms. Minimol.
Ecologically sensitive areas
Some areas have been marked as ecologically sensitive, prohibiting construction. For instance, a complaint was received regarding the ban on building along Stadium Link Road. The owner concerned learnt about the restriction only when he applied for a building permit. In another case, 1.5 acres belonging to a major private hospital were earmarked as a recreation zone, despite the hospital having already surrendered 3.5 acres for the Corporation’s sewage treatment project.
Similarly, some land along Edappally was designated as an IT Special Zone, even though it is already an established commercial hub. The anomaly came to light when a property owner’s building permit application was rejected. The committee has now sought permission to shift the IT Special Zone designation to Kakkanad, which is an already established IT hub.
“Many affected property owners appear unaware of the master plan provisions, as they are often employed outside the city, while their aged parents alone remain settled here. They discover the restrictions only when they approach the Corporation with applications such as building permits,” Ms. Minimol observed.
Though residents’ associations and merchant bodies were consulted during the drafting of the plan, she stated that they seemed to have been “more concerned with individual grievances than with larger collective issues.”
Ex-Mayor calls for caution
However, former Mayor M. Anilkumar called for utmost caution in effecting any corrections in the master plan. “If not done properly, it can open doors to allegations of corruption,” he said.
“The master plan was finalised after a detailed process. Any change should be done after taking the council into confidence and discussing the matter in detail with the councillors by providing them with detailed notes,” he said.
Published – August 04, 2026 04:55 pm IST
