Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 1 NEED FOR THE PLAN Ponnani town is a known trade centre in the history of Malabar and is situated in the Malappuram District. Ponnani, the taluk headquarters is enriched with rivers, lakes, canals and sea shore. With large facilities for eco tourism options, rich tradition, trade and service, the city is blooming as one of the major urban centre in Malappuram District. The chapter gives an insight into the town and specifies the need for a Master Plan in the area. For this the Master Plan area/ Ponnani town is delineated as the Ponnani Municipal area. 1.1 The Town Ponnani is an ancient coastal town and an important fishing center in Malappuram District. Spread over an area of 24.82 km2, the town is situated at the mouth of Bharathapuzha, the second longest river of the State, and is bounded by the Lakshadweep Sea on the west. Thus the town was prominent as a scenic, coastal town since ancient times. Being a major coastal town, the place has much historical significance too. It is often regarded as one of the oldest ports in South India and has contributed to the trade and economy of Malabar from very early times. Ponnani formerly known as Ponani and Paniyani is sometimes roughly identified with the port Tyndis of the Roman accounts. Ponnani taluk is the smallest taluk in Malappuram District. Panvel-Cochin national highway NH 66 (formerly NH 17) passes through the heart of the town. Ponnani has found a renowned place in the history related to Islamic history. The town, Ponnani today emerged as a focal commercial point in Malappuram district as a coastal town with fishing as one of its main commercial activities. The construction work already started in one of India’s biggest fishing harbour at Ponnani by the Government of Kerala in 2011. The harbour was constructed by reclaiming 18 hectares from the estuary where the Bharathapuzha falls into the Lakshadweep Sea. This is one of the rare places in the world, where peculiar marine phenomenon, called ‘Chakara’ in which a large number of fishes and prawns throng together during a particular season, as a result of mud bank formations, where it has proved to be a boon for the local fisher folk. 1.2 Need for a Master Plan Every growing urban area needs a Master Plan. A Master Plan spells out development strategies and policies in the physical, social and economic aspects suitable for the planning area for Ponnani Municipality Dept. of Town & Country Planning 1 Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 the next 15- 20 years. The need for a Master Plan for Ponnani town arose due to the four major factors. They are 1. Ponnani is an emerging centre in Malappuram district next to Tirur and Chavakkad Municipalities. As a growing urban centre, Ponnani will have to face many of the urban problems like growth of slums, migration, solid waste disposal, traffic congestions, environmental degradation etc. Only a strategic Master Plan will help to attend to these problems. 2. Ponnani is the taluk headquarters of Ponnani Taluk in Malappuram district. As a taluk headquarters, the population to be served is 379798, as per 2011 census, out of which 161956 is rural population. Ponnani municipal area should provide the urban amenities and facilities to this service population and at the same time should maintain a give and take relationship with them for self existence. For this, the land use of Ponnani should be designed scientifically which can be ensured by an efficient Master Plan. 3. Based on urbanization studies in Malappuram District, Ponnani should be a facilitator which acts as a tertiary activity centre for a service population of 412148 by 2021. Surrounding 5 local bodies will depend on Ponnani for the urban facilities. 4. The sanctioned cargo port and existing fishing harbour in Ponnani will really change the face and growth pace of the present Town. Once the cargo port starts functioning, the changes in and around the Town will be drastic with increased goods movements, high commercial developments, congested traffic, growth of slums, social and economic changes. Since the National Highway passes through the core area of the town, there will be overcrowded built spaces within the town area. A Master Plan with proper studies, proposals and development controls can solve this problem very effectively. Apart from these major factors, long term perspectives for development have to be formulated as an urban local body having Municipal status. Also the database of the Municipality should be improved using modern scientific techniques. Therefore a Master Plan should be prepared with an integrated development vision which specifies development suggestions for the comprehensive development of the planning area. Ponnani Municipality Dept. of Town & Country Planning 2 Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 1.3 Planning area Delineation Ponnani is the only coastal town and an important fishing centre in Malappuram District. It is a tidal port and one of the oldest ports in Southern India. Inland water way (Connolly Canal) adds to the importance of town. It is an important centre for education in the Philosophy of Islam. The town is bounded by Lakshdweep sea on the west, Bharathapuzha river on the North, Kanhiramukku River on the South, Kalady and Edappal Panchayats on the east and it bears a natural boundary. Hence the administrative boundary of the municipality is considered as the planning area. 1.4 Inference As an emerging urban centre which acts as a service provider and a facilitator to the nearby local bodies and which look forward to the sanctioned cargo port and existing fishing harbour, Ponnani surely needs an integrated Master Plan for a dynamic planned development which conserves the rich heritage, vast area of water bodies and other natural resources. Ponnani Municipality Dept. of Town & Country Planning 3 Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 Ponnani Municipality Dept. of Town & Country Planning 4 Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 2 EARLIER PLANNING EFFORTS AND STUDIES A good urban planning product can help to promote development in an area as well as solve some of the problems that face urban areas such as high population and sanitation problems. Ponnani Master Plan 2035 is the first Master Plan attempt in the area. 2.1 CBD Level Plans On 15th November 1977, Ponnani became a third grade municipality having an area of 9.32 sq. km. On 2nd October 2000 the area of the Municipality was increased to 24.82 sq.km by adding Ezhuvathiruthi Grama Panchayath comprising of Ponnani Nagaram and Ezhuvathiruthi villages. The town centre is concentrated on the west side of municipal area in between the Lakshdweep sea and Connolly Canal. NH 66 bisects the town and new town is being developed at Chamravattom Junction. Government offices, trade and commercial establishments, religious centres, burial grounds, schools and hospitals, bus stands etc are scattered in the town. The sanctioned cargo port and existing fishing harbour will really change the face and growth of the town. There is no existing sanctioned master plan for the town. The area on the western side of the canal is heavily built up and the area on the eastern side is not so. The road system in the central area is far below satisfactory. There are no organised shopping centres and most of the taluk level offices are accomodated in rental buildings. There are hardly any recreational or other facilities worth mentioning. In order to balance the development on both sides of the Connolly canal and to provide adequate facilities in the town a detailed town planning scheme for the central area of Ponnani Municipality was sanctioned as per G.O (MS) 165/87/LAD dated 24-07-1987. The scheme covers an area of about 75.39 hecatres. The scheme variation programme 1 is sanctioned as per G.O (MS) 97/2010/LSGD dated 18-05-2010. The developments in the scheme area are controlled by the zoning regulations of the said scheme. No other detailed town planning scheme exists for the Town. Hence rest of the town is growing in an uncontrolled manner. The major factors which hinder the development of Ponnani are the traffic congestion and associated problems in the town due to narrow roads and lack of parking facilities. The town also lacks good quality spacious commercial buildings like shopping malls, markets and also spacious industrial buildings. Due to the increase in nuclear families demand for residential plots increased and Ponnani Municipality Dept. of Town & Country Planning 5 Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 much of the waterlogged swampy lands and ponds are filled up and leveled for constructing households. Figure 2.1 Detailed Town Planning Scheme Location Figure 2.2 DTP Scheme for Ponnani Central Area in Ponnani Town Taking into consideration the development needs of the town and provision of sufficient infrastructure facilities catering to the needs of the people and to ensure sustained development promoting the growth of the town with optimum utilization of available resources as per the request of the local body under Resolution number E2-15958/11 on 19.12.2011, this Master Plan prepation was initiated by the Department of Town and Country Planning in 2012. An integrated master plan with adequate political decisions can surely change and control the growth of the town and provide the basic amenities to the public. Ponnani Municipality Dept. of Town & Country Planning 6 Master plan for Ponnani Town -2035 2.2 Plan for and by the people One of the major paradigm shift brought about by the 73rd & 74th constitutional amendments and the subsequent state legislations is the participation of common people in the planning process.