Kozhikode has become the first city in the State to have a comprehensive master plan with the State government approving the draft of the Joint Town Planning Committee (JTPC).
Official sources said here on Tuesday that the Local Self-Government Department Principal Secretary T.K. Jose had approved the Master Plan for Kozhikode Urban Area 2035. It will be notified in the next issue of State Gazette.
Expressing happiness over the development, JTPC chaired by Mayor Thottathil Raveendran said that the civic body could now get ready for obtaining the Smart City tag of the Union Ministry of Urban Development. “Of course, we may have to do some homework for that as Kozhikode will have to compete for the next 10 slots. Both Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram have been selected to the Smart Cities Mission,” he told The Hindu.
Regional Town Planner K.V. Abdul Malik, who is also the member-secretary of the JTPC, said the master plan prepared for the period from 2015 to 2035 covers a geographical area of 177.08 sq km in Kozhikode Corporation, Feroke and Ramanattukara municipalities, and Olavanna and Kadalundi grama panchayats.
75 amendments
Hitherto an outdated master plan prepared by the Calicut Development Authority in 1980 was being used. The preparation of the new master plan went through several ups and downs before its draft was finally endorsed by the JTPC led by former Mayor A.K. Premajam and sent for the government’s approval for its notification in September 2015. Then former Mayor V.K.C. Mammed Koya had also taken up with the issue when the new council assumed charge two years ago.
About 75 amendments have been made to the original master plan that had identified special economic zones at Beypore, Kozhikode landward side beach and Olavanna industrial area. The master plan has been designed taking into consideration the rocketing land values and unavailability of land for public purposes, unplanned development of urban fringe areas and sprawling residential development.
Mr. Malik said the master plan had been modified in accordance with the amendments. Besides, a two-month statutory procedure had been given for the citizens to make their suggestions.