The Marine Drive extension and development project will witness an area of 210 hectares being developed and 8.71 lakh square metres of built-up area up for sale.
The State Government has proposed the extension of Marine Drive up to Vaduthala, covering Mulavukad and Pachalam areas.
It has been estimated that an approximate area of 329 hectares will be available as land mass in the project area, including islands. Incidentally, islands account for around 119 hectares, which could be developed into an ecological conservation zone, according to the Kochi Waterfront Development Project, as proposed by the consultancy service unit of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
The area set apart for the projects will see an environmentally sensitive, sustainable and energy-efficient development model, which will take into consideration the “existing communities who would be the major stakeholders,” according to the project document.
A high-rise development will be adopted as the main mode of infrastructure creation in the project area. Development activities will be confined to a buffer of 250 metres from the water line. The construction of roads, common services, and utilities will require 10.6 hectares, whereas 30.19 hectares will be available for construction, it is estimated.
Transit spine
The planners have proposed a ‘transit spine of 50 metres’ along the shore, which will act as its “lifeline consisting of walkways, cycle paths, carriageway, and service roads forming an almost circular loop connecting into the existing roads.”
The land, according to the proposal, which will be available beyond the development area will see “incremental development in terms of better infrastructure, amenities, and public spaces.”
According to the project, which was presented at a meeting convened by the Chief Minister in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, areas starting from Pachalam, Vaduthala, and Mulavukad will be developed at a length of 9.1 km. A bridge connecting Mulavukad and Vaduthala has also been suggested.
The special purpose vehicle (SPV), which will be the nodal agency for spearheading the project, will have representatives of the Kochi Corporation, Greater Cochin Development Authority, Goshree Islands Development Authority, and the local bodies concerned as its members. The State Government will be the main advisor for the SPV, which will be entrusted with the task of preparing the master plan and obtaining all statutory clearances. Once the master plan is finalised, a notification will be released designating the area of development, and survey will be initiated, it is suggested.
