Of. With Chandran Pillai taking over as the chairman of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), there has been a growing demand that the agency, which has faced much criticism during the past two decades for a long list of non-starter or unfinished projects, be redirected . To become a powerful and effective body which will make optimum use of its skilled workforce for sustainable development of the city and its suburbs.
GCDA and Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA) were far more involved in town planning. As a result of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution, most of these powers were vested with the respective municipal corporations.
The role of such authorities was redefined in the Kerala Town and Country Planning Act, 2016. The change has not taken place as of now, though the GCDA has many professionally qualified staff unlike Kochi Corporation, which has a full-fledged engineering and mechanical wing, the authority sources said.
In addition, the chairman of the GCDA should ideally head the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC), which is mentioned in the Municipalities Act of 1994, so that it can effectively coordinate projects and earmark funds outside the city. Can you This will help dispel the perception that the GCDA has been largely ineffective, except for the Marine Drive walkway, the introduction of a planned township at Panampilly Nagar and the construction of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, he said.
Former mayor KJ Sohan, who has been demanding that the GCDA play an active role in implementing the masterplan for the city, said that the government departments, despite all the talk of decentralisation, continue to delegate powers such as engineers and health officials and trained manpower to the civic bodies. were reluctant to.
“All other authorities in Kerala, except the GCDA and TRIDA, were attached to their respective municipal bodies, after retrenchment of their powers. Ultimately, the planning and execution of projects requires a professional and holistic approach and effective coordination between municipal bodies and such authorities. Otherwise, huge funds under the Jan Yojana program will be wasted,” he said.
He expressed dismay at the GCDA investing huge sums of money a decade ago in non-sustainable projects like the laser show at Rajendra Maidan, the windmill at Marine Drive, and the cage-fishing project at Mundamveli, all of which had to be shut down.