Post by stoever on Mar 26, 2011 4:50:28 GMT -5
The city of Cochin has been expanding since its inception and its position as a major trading center has helped to gain a special place in the investors map. In recent times, it has earned a name for itself as the ‘commercial capital of Kerala’. Recognizable change has been visualized in all parts of the city and is much evident in the increase in the area and number of wards, increase in population as well as morphological changes.
The city of Cochin is a center for education, religion, commerce, record keeping, faster communication and political power. The push and pull factors have affected the urban growth in a greater way. The total area covered by the city was around 50 sq km in 1981. Presently (2001), the city covers double that area. The total number of wards was 37 in 1981. The number of wards has swelled to more than 60 in 2001.
The city of Cochin had to cater to the housing and transport needs of the migrant population and also develop more infrastructures. Even then, new areas are being encroached upon which were primarily agricultural lands. The low lying lands prone to water-logging existing in southern Cochin and agricultural lands in western Cochin up to the border of certain rivers has been included in the corporation wards.
Many of the Apartments in Cochin built in the outskirts of the city limits in earlier times are now part of the city, mainly due to the continuing expansion of the borders of urban Cochin. These apartments enjoyed some concessions and tax rebates. Due to the changed circumstances, all that has changed now. Being part of the city limits, taxes are high and it is practically difficult to own an apartment, without access to consistent monthly incomes. All luxury apartments had to pay higher taxes to the Cochin Corporation. However, such taxes were absent or were lower in the outskirts of the city. When the city limits expanded, these rules became applicable in all the areas within the city limits.
The city of Cochin is a center for education, religion, commerce, record keeping, faster communication and political power. The push and pull factors have affected the urban growth in a greater way. The total area covered by the city was around 50 sq km in 1981. Presently (2001), the city covers double that area. The total number of wards was 37 in 1981. The number of wards has swelled to more than 60 in 2001.
The city of Cochin had to cater to the housing and transport needs of the migrant population and also develop more infrastructures. Even then, new areas are being encroached upon which were primarily agricultural lands. The low lying lands prone to water-logging existing in southern Cochin and agricultural lands in western Cochin up to the border of certain rivers has been included in the corporation wards.
Many of the Apartments in Cochin built in the outskirts of the city limits in earlier times are now part of the city, mainly due to the continuing expansion of the borders of urban Cochin. These apartments enjoyed some concessions and tax rebates. Due to the changed circumstances, all that has changed now. Being part of the city limits, taxes are high and it is practically difficult to own an apartment, without access to consistent monthly incomes. All luxury apartments had to pay higher taxes to the Cochin Corporation. However, such taxes were absent or were lower in the outskirts of the city. When the city limits expanded, these rules became applicable in all the areas within the city limits.
