Choking Panampilly Nagar losing its pristine glory

Panampilly Nagar is now chock-a-block with most of the residential units converted into commercial establishments.

Lack of parking space is a major problem in Panampilly Nagar, a designated residential area, which is now growing into a commercial centre. Photo: H. Vibhu

Panampilly Nagar, prestigious residential agglomerate in the city and nearly 50 years old, is now chock-a-block with most of the residential units converted into commercial establishments and flanks of even thoroughfares turning into parking lots.

More than 50 per cent of what used to be residential units are commercial establishments now, says member of Corporation of Cochin Council from Panampilly Nagar M.N. Bhama Padmanabhan.

The most visible result of the development is the lack of parking space, says K.V.N. Sharma, Kadavanthra zonal president of Ernakulam District Residents’ Apex Council. He says that sometimes cars or other vehicles are parked right in front of houses, making it nearly impossible for residents to get their vehicles on to the roads at night.

Along with retail outlets for various goods, there are also food courts and hotels that actually need substantial parking space.

Chairman of Greater Cochin Development Authority N. Venugopal blamed the Corporation of Cochin for the parking woes in the area. He said that the Corporation authorities should have ensured that sufficient parking space was provided by hotels, which were licensed by the urban body.

He said that even flanks of thoroughfares were becoming parking lots in Panampilly Nagar, while some free spaces have been encroached upon.

Constant disturbances apart, there are also questions of security as the residents keep meeting strangers everywhere, says K.A. Francis of EDRAC’s Kadavanthra zone. Ms. Padmanabhan said that she had not received any complaints so far from the residents about the conversion of residential units into commercial complexes.

A senior official of the Corporation of Cochin alleged that it was lack of oversight by the Corporation’s department concerned that resulted in large-scale conversion of residential units into commercial establishments.

A senior Town Planning Department official said that the department was not aware of any complaints having been received about the conversion of residential units in the area.

Town Planning Standing Committee Chairman K.J. Sohan admitted that there was large-scale conversion of residential units into commercial units in Panampilly Nagar.