Home to more people in a given area of land
The Indian urban planners have set a particular standard for development of the urban centers. They have recommended 10,000 to 20,000 persons per sq km as the ideal standard. The plan draft has made certain recommendations for desirable population density as well as density of buildings possible in a given area.
The Desirable Population Density Planning approach recommends the following:
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Sl. No. Description Persons per hectare
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1 Average gross density 100
2 Core of the city residential area 500
3 Inner ring around the core area 250 – 375
4 Outer ring density 50 – 100
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The reality is that these recommendations remain mostly on paper and nothing important has been implemented. In most cases, the recommendations of the urban planners and city developers are followed neither by the development agencies nor by the common public. This is one reason for the complications seen in almost all the cities in Kerala and especially in the city of Kochi.
When considering the developments in Real Estate Kochi is witnessing a major boom in real estate development and building construction. While the average gross density recommended for a hectare is about 100 people, Kochi has several times this number crammed into the available land area.
Consider the situation in Marine Drive, the costliest strip of land not only in Kochi but also in the entire state of Kerala. You can see more than 500 to 1000 people residing in an area earmarked for just 100 people. It has happened due to continuing demand and limited supply. Such is the demand and the continuing scarcity of open lands in the urban areas of Kochi. Due this increasing demand, property values are likely to increase further in the coming years.
