The Greater Cochin Development Authority came into existence on 24.1.1976 under the Madras Town Planning Act of 1920 and Travancore Town Planning Act IV of 1108 read with G.O. (MS) No.19/76/LA & SWD dated 23.1.1976. Whereas in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 51 of the Kerala Town and Country Planning Act, 2016 (9 of 2016), the Greater Cochin Development Authority has been constituted as per notification issued under G.O(P) No. 47/2016/LSGD dated 16th December 2016 and published as SRO No. 756/2016 in the Kerala Gazette Extraordinary No. 2180 dated 16th December 2016. This is a body coming under the Local Self Government Department of the Kerala and now guided by clause 51-60 of Kerala Town and Country Planning Act 2016 vide notification 19904/Leg C1/2013/Law dated 17th March 2016.The jurisdiction of GCDA covers an area of 632 sq.kms consisting of Kochi Corporation 9 Municipalities and 21 Panchayaths.
As a first step towards the formalised development planning of the Cochin region, an advisory committee was set up in 1965. In the same year itself a Joint Town Planning Committee was constituted for the Greater Cochin region and this committee has been elevated in to a trust viz. Cochin Town Planning Trust under the Chairmanship of the District Collector. In the course of time the authorities wereconvinced of the fact that a larger set up is required to control the growth of the Cochin City and its environs in a planned manner which resulted in the formation of GCDAas noted as first.
The jurisdiction of GCDA covers an area of 732 km2 consisting of KochiCorporation, 9Municipalities and 21 Panchayaths. Subsequently Goshree Islands DevelopmentAuthority(GIDA) was constituted vide G.O.(MS) No.114/94/LAD dated 18-05-1994 comprising 8 Island Panchayaths and two wards of Cochin Corporation viz. Thanthonnithuruthu and Fort Vyppin having an area of 100 km2 and thus delimiting the jurisdictional area of GCDAto 632 km2.
Corporation: Kochi except Fort Vypeen, Gundu Island and Thanthonnithuruthu
Municipalities: Aluva, North Parur, Angamali, Perumbavoor, Tripunithura Kalamassery, Maradu, Thrikkakara and Eloor.
Panchayaths: Chellanam, Kumbalanghi, Mulanthuruthi, Cheranelloor, Kumbalam,Udayamperoor, Vadavucode-Puthencruz, Vazhakulam, Choornikara, Edathala, Keezhmadu, Chengamanad, Sreemoolanagaram, Alangad, Kadungalloor, Ezhikkara, Kottuvally, Nedumbassery, Kanjoor, Varapuzha and Chottanikkara.
To promote sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban development that enhances the quality of life for all citizens by creating well-planned, environmentally balanced, and economically vibrant urban areas across the Kochi metropolitan region.
