Area Based Planning for the Station Area Development of Kochi Metro Rail-Case of Companypady Station

Abstract

This research focuses on deeply analyzing an area transformation with respect to the introduction of a mass transit system such as the case of Kochi Metro rail project. The transitions and developments connected with changes of an area are typically characterized as Transit Oriented development. This phenomenon in urban planning has been studied for many years and has paved way to the development of a set of principles and guidelines and regulations to be taken in such an urban scenario. In this study the focus is to understand how a large scale transformation affects a Suburban Metro station area. A Suburban area, being different in features, demands a different thought and approach of planning. This project is an effort to understand the characteristics of the suburban metro station area of Companypady with Area based planning processes; understanding and analyzing its unique features, problems and opportunities. The approach taken into the study area and its feature analysis has been two-fold with an inference and understanding taken from theories of Transit Adjacent Development and planning methodologies of Area based planning. The increasing urbanization has caused loss of suburban character, agriculture and environmental degradation which were identified through initial surveys and were the main concerns of the project. The study focuses on three processes, defining the character and purpose of the station area within the city, analyzing the functional needs of the station area and development of strategies for the accessibility and TOD based criteria of the area.