Greater Cochin Development Authority
Encyclopedia
Greater Cochin Development Authority (ഗ്രീറെര് കൊച്ചിന് ടെവേലോപ്മെന്റ്റ് ഓതോരിടി; GCDA) is the statutory body overseeing the development of the City of Kochi
in the state of Kerala
, India. Technically, GCDA oversees the development of the major part of Greater Cochin
area which consists of the Cochin Corporation, 9 surrounding municipalities
(Thrippunithura
, Thrikkakara
, Aluva
, Kalamassery
, Maradu
, Eloor
, North Paravur
, Angamaly
, and Perumbavoor
) and 25 intervening panchayats (Cheranelloor, Varappuzha
, Chennamangalam, Kadamakkudy
, Kadungalloor
, Alengad
, Chengamanad
, Nedumbassery
, Chottanikkara
, Choornikkara
, Edathala
, Kumbalam, Kottuvally
and others) covering an area of 632 km2. This has a population of 2,589,038 (2001 census). GCDA is one of the two development authorities in Kochi
, the other being GIDA
which oversees development in the islands towards west of the Kochi mainland, and north of the harbour, covering a total area of 100 km2.
GCDA was the first exclusive agency formed for the development of any urban area in the state of Kerala. The success of the GCDA later led to the formation of development authorities for other cities in the state. The first of these were TRIDA - the Trivandrum Development Authority. Later development authorities were formed for Kozhikode and Trissur as well. But none of these turned to be successful. Later LDF governments progressively weakened these agencies and eventually liquidated them.
This is one of the most significant projects that GCDA has ever undertaken. The whole of the present Kochi Marine Drive (part of the Kochi Lake, west of the Shanmugham Road to the present Walkway) was claimed from the Kochi Lake in the 1980s. This land later became home for a line of high-rises namely, the GateWay Residency Hotel, the Bay Pride Mall, Kerala Trade Centre etc. A common code for construction is enforced in this streatch of land which includes that the building could be of a maximum 13 storeys, the eastern and western boundaries of the buildings should coincide etc. The sub projects of the Kochi Marine Drive include:
The largest stadium in Kerala
with a seating capacity of 75000, and costed 75 Crore. The stadium was constructed in 515 days.
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India. Technically, GCDA oversees the development of the major part of Greater Cochin
Greater Cochin
Greater Cochin is the area defined by Greater Cochin Development Authority for townplanning. This area consists of the Kochi UA region and its suburbs...
area which consists of the Cochin Corporation, 9 surrounding municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
(Thrippunithura
Thrippunithura
Thrippunithura or Tripunithura is a suburb of the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India and an integral part of the Kochi metropolitan area. In local administration it is a municipality...
, Thrikkakara
Thrikkakara
Thrikkakkara is a suburb of the city of Kochi, as well as a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of state of Kerala. It is especially notable for its significance in the festival of Onam, and in the tale associated with it. Thrikkakkara is home for the esteemed centre of...
, Aluva
Aluva
Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state....
, Kalamassery
Kalamassery
Kalamassery is a suburban region of the city of Kochi and a Municipality in the District of Ernakulam of Kerala state, India. It is a concentrated region of industrialization with several factories manufacturing chemicals and fertilizers, as well as IT companies...
, Maradu
Maradu
Maradu is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. In local governance, it is a municipality, and in the state governance structure it is part of the Ernakulam district.- Demographics :...
, Eloor
Eloor
Eloor is a suburb of Kochi and a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala, India. It is an industrial area north of Cochin. It is an island of 14.21 km² formed between two distributaries of river Periyar and is the largest industrial belt in Kerala...
, North Paravur
North Paravur
North Paravur formerly known as Parur is a town, municipality in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is an old and growing municipality. Paravur is the capital of Paravur Taluk in Ernakulam district...
, Angamaly
Angamaly
Angamaly is a satellite town of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is one of the entry points or gateways to Ernakulam district from northern Kerala...
, and Perumbavoor
Perumbavoor
Perumbavoor is a suburban region of Kochi city and a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of Kerala. It lies in the North Eastern tip of the Greater Cochin area and is also the headquarters of Kunnathunad Taluk. It is a Main Satellite Centres of Kochi City. Perumbavoor is famed...
) and 25 intervening panchayats (Cheranelloor, Varappuzha
Varappuzha
Varappuzha is a Northern Suburb of Cochin city. It is a census town in Paravur taluk, Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The nearest town is North Paravur 8 km away. The village is situated in the NH 17 connecting Edapally with North Paravur...
, Chennamangalam, Kadamakkudy
Kadamakkudy
Kadamakkudy is a census town in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala.-Demographics: India census, Kadamakkudy had a population of 15,823. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Kadamakkudy has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national average of 59.5%:...
, Kadungalloor
Kadungalloor
Kadungalloor is a census town, situated 2 km from Aluva in Paravur Taluk, Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala.-Demographics:...
, Alengad
Alengad
Alangad is a census town and panchayat in Paravur Taluk of Ernakulam District, Kerala, India.-Location:Alangadu is located just 7 km away from North Paravur and 8 km away from Aluva. The State Highway connecting North Paravur with Aluva passess through this village. It contains...
, Chengamanad
Chengamanad
Chengamanad is also called as [MIC CITY]] in Greater Cochin Area in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala, India. It is situated on the banks of the river Periyar.- Demographics :...
, Nedumbassery
Nedumbassery
Nedumbassery is a suburb of the city of Kochi situated north of the city and from Thrissur in Kerala, India. The town lies between the two municipalities of Aluva and Angamaly in the Greater Cochin region. It has a population of 28,607 as on 2001, with a sex-ratio of 1012 females to 1000 males...
, Chottanikkara
Chottanikkara
Chottanikkara is a town panchayat situated in Ernakulam District, Kerala, India. Chottanikkara panchayat consists of Chottanikkara town, Kanayannur, Eruvely, Kureekkad, Vattukkunnu, Palace Square and Kottayathupara. Chottanikkara is also a part of urban agglomeration of City of Cochin.The famous...
, Choornikkara
Choornikkara
Choornikkara is a census town in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala, India. It is also a part of Greater Cochin Area.-Demographics: India census, Choornikkara had a population of 36,998. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%...
, Edathala
Edathala
Edathala is a census town near to Aluva. It is in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Edathala had a population of 67,137. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Edathala has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average...
, Kumbalam, Kottuvally
Kottuvally
Kottuvally is a census town in Paravur taluk, Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The village is situated in the Paravur Kottuvally south kodavakad road of 9 km and in the eastern side of this village the NH 17 connecting Edapally with North Paravur is passing...
and others) covering an area of 632 km2. This has a population of 2,589,038 (2001 census). GCDA is one of the two development authorities in Kochi
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
, the other being GIDA
Goshree Islands Development Authority
Goshree Islands Development Authority is one of the two government agencies for the development of Kochi City Region, Kerala along with GCDA which serves entire Cochin Corporation and surrounding municipalities around the region. GIDA's main purpose, as the name suggests to develop the...
which oversees development in the islands towards west of the Kochi mainland, and north of the harbour, covering a total area of 100 km2.
GCDA was the first exclusive agency formed for the development of any urban area in the state of Kerala. The success of the GCDA later led to the formation of development authorities for other cities in the state. The first of these were TRIDA - the Trivandrum Development Authority. Later development authorities were formed for Kozhikode and Trissur as well. But none of these turned to be successful. Later LDF governments progressively weakened these agencies and eventually liquidated them.
Kochi Marine Drive
-
- The Marine Walkway streatching from Subash Chandra Bose Park in the south, to KSINC Boat Jetty in the north.
- The Rainbow Bridge which is part of the Marine Walkway
- The China Net Bridge which is part of the Marine Walkway
- GCDA Shopping Complex in Marine Drive.
- The Asoka-Tharangini Apartments
Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
with a seating capacity of 75000, and costed 75 Crore. The stadium was constructed in 515 days.
Other projects
- Maharaja's College GroundMaharaja College StadiumMaharaja College Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Ernakulam, Kochi, India. It is the home ground of the Maharajas College. The stadium held 30,000 spectators. It hosted the some of the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualifying matches as well as the 2009 National Schools Athletics Championship....
- Rajendra maidan near Subash Chandra Bose Park.
- Eastern Terminal of the Ernakulam Junction Railway StationErnakulam JunctionErnakulam Junction is the largest railway station in the city of Kochi. The station has six platforms and two terminals...
- Ambedkar Stadium near K.S.R.T.CKerala State Road Transport CorporationKerala State Road Transport Corporation is the state-run bus company in Kerala, India. It is one of the oldest state run public bus transport services in India.-History:...
bus station. - Panampilly NagarPanampilly NagarPanampilly Nagar is a residential zone in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is in south Cochin and one of the fastest developing parts of the city. Panampilly Nagar was a purely residential locality of Kochi occupied predominantly by Central Government quarters, but now it is...
. The first ever planned urban housing colony in Kerala. - Gandhi Nagar. Another planned housing colony developed by GCDA.
- Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road (KK Road)Kaloor-Kadavanthra RoadKaloor-Kadavanthara Road also known as KK Road is one of the three north-south arteries in the city of Kochi. Most of the long distance buses that connect the city to the regions to the south and southeast use this road to reach their main terminal at Kaloor. This 3.2 km long, 22 m wide,...
connecting KadavanthraKadavanthraKadavanthra is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Kadavanthra is also the name of a major intersection in the city of Kochi, intersecting the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road with the Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road and the K.P.Vallon Road .Kadavanthra is especially notable as home for...
and KaloorKaloorKaloor is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Kaloor is also the name of a major intersection in this region of the city, intersecting the two major arteries of downtown Kochi namely, the Banerji Road and the K. K. Road - Perandoor Road...
. - Subhash Chandra Bose Road
- Changampuzha ParkChangampuzha ParkThe Changampuzha Park is a popular location for various cultural activities in the coastal city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is situated at Edappally, the birth place of the great poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, on the side of the National Highway leading to Aluva. The beautifully laid-out...
, the cultural centre in memory of late poet Sri. Changampuzha, at EdappallyEdappallyEdappally is one of Kochi's well known neighbourhoods. Its name in English literally translates as 'The City with a Church in the Centre' . The famous church in the centre is St. George's Church which is quite old and is a pilgrimage centre. It is said to be one of the fastest growing areas in...
.
Controversies
The Indian railways was hesitatn to run and use the GCDA owned Building at Platform 6 at Ernakulam junction railway station. it is believed to be the reason behind the delay of employing the platform 6 for services. Also the parking area was run by GCDA and the fare differed with the parking area at platform 1.See also
- KochiKochi (India)Kochi , formerly Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the western part of the mainland Kochi...
- Kochi UAKochi UAThe urban agglomeration of Kochi ; formerly known as Cochin) is a part of the Greater Cochin region and the largest urban agglomeration in the Indian state of Kerala....
- Corporation of Cochin
- Kingdom of CochinKingdom of CochinKingdom of Cochin was a late medieval Hindu kingdom and later Princely State on the Malabar Coast, South India...