Even as work on the Water Metro jetty on the Fort Kochi beachfront is progressing after three heritage buildings were demolished, office-bearers of INTACH and urban designers are up in arms against what they say is even the ‘revised’ design focuses on a massive structure that pays little regard to heritage norms.
That the around 20,000 sq.ft. structure is tucked in between the row of the iconic Chinese fishing nets, regarded as the ‘Taj Mahal of Kochi’, is in itself unpalatable, said Biley Menon, national vice president of the Institute of Urban Designers and co-convenor of INTACH, Kochi Chapter.
“The size, aesthetics, and location of the jetty will hamper the operation and existence of the nets, whose pictures adorn the cover of any tourism brochure on Kochi or even a power-point presentation. The nets that were first set up 500 years ago and gave a brand identity to Kochi as among the top 10 international must-visit places in the world, should be protected at any cost. The massive structure that would protrude on the beachfront, its shallow sloped roof, covered terrace, and elements like openings, columns, arches, and gables are inconsistent with the rich Portuguese and Dutch colonial heritage of Fort Kochi,” he said.
Above all, it blocks the view of the sea mouth, a historical feature of Fort Kochi, where people have for centuries watched ships passing in and out of the harbour. In addition, the proposal for a restaurant at the first-floor level, right at the sea mouth, is in violation of CRZ norms.
On the safety front, the proposed jetty falls within the sea mouth and ship channel of the harbour. The hydrodynamics at this point is quite tricky to berth vessels at the jetty. All these aspects could have been averted had a more compact jetty complex been built at Kamalakadavu, located 200 metres away, where the dilapidated and ill-maintained corporation and tourism jetties share space, Mr. Menon said.
The project makes a ridicule of heritage conservation and the Kerala Art and Heritage Commission, said Jose Dominic, who owns popular heritage hotels. Especially so since Fort Kochi is a notified heritage zone where alterations and demolition of buildings need its permission, he added.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited officials did not comment on the merits of the issue, citing an ongoing litigation regarding the demolition of three heritage buildings to make way for the jetty.
They hastened to add that a few crores had already been spent on piling and related matters for the structure. “We tried our best to retain the aesthetic elements of heritage buildings that abound in the locale,” they said.
