Kochi, also known as Cochin, is a major port city in Kerala, India located on the southwest coast. It developed due to flooding of the Periyar River, with early settlements in Mattanchery facing protected lagoons. Kochi was an important trading center for spices and maintained trade networks with Arab merchants. It was occupied by European powers like the Portuguese, Dutch, and British from the 16th century onwards. Over time, Kochi has expanded from its original settlements through urbanization and industrialization. Major developments include the construction of the Kochi port in 1916 and the expansion of residential and commercial areas.

1. URBAN FORM OF KOCHI
PRAJNA SHETTY

2. ABOUT KOCHI
o Kochi, also known as Cochin, is a major port city on the south-west coast of India and is part of
the district of Ernakulum in the state of Kerala.
o It is often called Ernakulum, which refers to the mainland part of the city.
o It is the second largest city in Kerala after Thiruvananthapuram .
o The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation, which was constituted in
the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin
Development Authority (GCDA).
o Kochi also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, was an important spice trading centre on the
west coast of India from the 14th century onward, and maintained a trade network with Arab
merchants from the pre-Islamic era.
o Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies
in colonial India. It remained the main seat of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was
chosen instead. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British.
KOCHI
CITY
SOURCE: City
Development Plan,
KOCHI
SOURCE: KOCHI tourist map information
KOCHI CITY
around 1630

3. KOCHI CITY – natural features
KOCHI IS A COASTAL SETTLEMENT
INTERSPERSED WITH BACKWATER SYSTEM
AND FRINGED ON THE EASTERN SIDE BY
LATERITE CAPPED LOW HILLS FROM WHICH A
NUMBER OF STREAMS ORIGINATE AND DRAIN
INTO THE BACKWATER SYSTEM.
o THE AREA ABOUNDS IN PLAINS, RIVERS,
SEA COAST, ISLANDS AND OTHER TYPES
OF NATURAL FEATURES.
o KOCHI HAS A COASTLINE THAT
STRETCHES UP TO A LENGTH OF ABOUT 48
KILOMETERS.
o THE CHARACTERISTIC PHYSICAL
FEATURE OF KOCHI IS THE EXPANSE OF
BACKWATERS AND LOW LYING WET
LANDS.
o A NO. OF MAIN AND SECONDARY CANALS
CRISS CROSS THE AREA. SOME ARE USED
FOR TRANSPORTATION WHILE OTHERS
ARE SUBJECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION DUE TO WASTE DUMPING
THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS OF
KOCHI CITY REGION INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
COMPONENTS:-
o BACKWATERS
o MANGROVE AREAS
o LOW LANDS AND PADDY FIELDS
o CANAL SYSTEM
SOURCE: CDP, KOCHI

4. KOCHI CITY – natural features
o THE BACKWATERS ARE RICH IN THEIR MARINE
FOODS AND HENCE FORM THE MEANS OF
LIVELIHOOD FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE
POPULATION.
o IN SUMMER THE WETLANDS PARTIALLY DRY UP
AND BECOME SUITABLE FOR PADDY
CULTIVATION.
o INDISCRIMINATE FILLING OF SUCH AREA IN
RECENT TIMES IS OFTEN CREATING
POSSIBILITIES OF FLOODING AND WATER
LOGGING IN THE ADJOINING AREAS.
o INDISCRIMINATE DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTES
INTO THE CANALS AND THE DIRECT DISCHARGE
OF UNTREATED WASTE WATER POSE THE
BIGGEST THREAT TO COMMUNITY HEALTH AND
SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF THE CANAL SYSTEM.
o MOST OF THE LOWLANDS ARE GETTING FILLED
UP AND CONVERTED FOR RESIDENTIAL AND
COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
o AT PRESENT, THE KOCHI BACKWATER IS
SUBJECTED THREAT DUE TO DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES IN THE MAINLAND LIKE
URBANIZATION (MAINLY BY DUMPING OF URBAN
WASTES AND EFFLUENTS INTO THE SYSTEM
THROUGH THE CANALS), INDUSTRIALIZATION
(BOTH IN THE CORPORATION AND ADJOINING SOURCE: CDP, KOCHI

5. Kochi was formed due to
flooding in the periyar river.
The early inhabitants of
Cochin was at Mattanchery,
facing the protected lagoons in
the east, which provided safe
anchorage to country crafts in
all seasons. Thus gradually it
grew into a busy settlement.
Kochi was house to most of the
exotic spices. The Arabs had
kept the spice route a secret.
When the Turkish Empire rose
to power, they controlled the
overland trade routes between
the East and the Europeans.
As the goods changed hands
many times, the prices were
exorbitant by the time it
reached Europe. Further, the
Turks who controlled
Constantinople had absurd
conditions for letting cargoes
from the East pass through
their city. This enraged the
Western European merchants
and they decided to set sail to
find their own sea route. This
decision made Columbus
and Vasco Da Gama
legendary. They found a new
sea route to the land of spices,
Kerala and broke the Arab
monopoly.
KOCHI IN
1500 - 1600

6. KOCHI IN
1870
SOURCE: CDP, KOCHI
Initiation of the idea of
making a great harbour,
out of the unique lagoons in
kochi.
From 16th Century, Cochin
witnessed the rapid
changes through the
trading and colonizing
attempts of European
powers.
FORT
COCHIN

7. KOCHI IN
1920
o Wellingdon
island formed.
o The Island was
created during
construction of
modern Kochi
Port in 1916 with
the soil dredged
out while
deepening the
Vembanad Lake
to accommodate
the new Kochi
Port.
FORT
COCHIN
WELLINGDON
ISLAND
SOURCE: CDP, KOCHI

8. KOCHI IN
1940
Road-rail
Connection to the
east from the island
completed
Kochi originated as
a market harbour
town, and gradually
urban expansion out
grew the boundaries
of the city.
The developments
were mainly along
the traffic corridors
leaving small
pockets of
undeveloped areas
in between.
The railway line
divides the city into
two parts.
FORT
COCHIN
SOURCE: CDP, KOCHI

9. KOCHI IN
POST
INDEPENDENC
E
1947 onwards
Post independence
development in
economic activities
and urbanisation
FORT
COCHIN
SOURCE: CDP, KOCHI

10. 1950-2000
FORT
COCHIN

11. SOURCE: www.corporationofcochin.net
o Industrial Area Is Distributed Over Various
Pockets Of The City.
o Very Few Patches Of Open Space Left Amidst
The Residential Areas
o A Major Portion Of The Land Occupied By
Water Features Such As Canals, Waterways
Etc.
o Commercial Activities Are Concentrated Near
The Marine Drive Area.
EXISITING LAND USE
PATTERN IN 2000

12. o Industrial Zone Is Being Pushed Towards
The Peripheral Areas Of The City On The
East.
o Industrial Belt Bear Marine Drive Has
Been Removed. The Area Will Be
Developed As A City Center.
o Heritage Area Has Been Introduced As A
Separate Category In Fort Kochi
o Kalamassery And Thrikkakara Will
Become High Density Residential Areas.
It Hub Is Located In This Part Of The City.
Highrise Apartments Are Rapidly Coming
Up To Cater To The Working Population.
Need For Common Public Facilities.
o Govt. Policy To Fill Up Paddy Field And
Use For Development.
SOURCE: www.corporationofcochin.net
PROPOSED LAND
USE PATTERN 2011-
2031

13. o ORGANIC DEVELOPMENT.
o ALL DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS FORT COCHIN LEADING TO
CONCENTRIC URBAN FORM
o ANOTHER CITY SIMILAR TO COCHIN IN TERMS OF CITY GROWTH
FORM IS MUMBAI.
o DECENTRALIZATION OF IMPORTANT FOCUS POINT OUTSIDE THE
MAIN ISALND
CONCLUSION
THANK YOU…