Early to policy drawing board, Kerala readies plans for rapid urban growth

The decennial population census in India, which will provide an accurate count of people living in rural and urban areas, has been delayed by three years now.

- Shivani Singh

NEW DELHI: But that has not stopped Kerala from preparing for the level of urbanisation, the final figures will eventually reveal, particularly since the distinction between rural and urban areas has long been blurred in the state, giving Kerala the appearance of one continuous city.

On December 18 last year, the Kerala Urban Policy Commission (KUPC) submitted its interim report to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, with final recommendations expected by March. In 2023, Kerala became the first Indian state to set up the commission through a state cabinet decision, with financial support from the Centre's Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

"In the past, the only comprehensive policy we had was the National Urbanisation Policy of 1988, developed under architect Charles Correa. However, there hasn't been a similar policy for the states," said M Satish Kumar, professor at Queen's University, Belfast, and KUPC chairperson. Kerala's policy will be focused on boosting the economy, creating quality jobs, and reforming urban planning and governance.

According to the 2011 census, 47.7% of Kerala's population lived in urban areas, making it one of India's most urbanised states after Goa, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. By 2035, more than 90% of the population is projected to be urban. Intended to provide a road map for the next 25 years, Kerala's urban policy is also meant to serve as a lighthouse for other Indian states.

Traditionally, rural (desa) and urban (kota) areas have blended well in Kerala, said Kumar, resulting in an urban-rural continuum characterised by dispersed settlements rather than concentrated in a town or a city.