What's Up, Kochi?

TNIE scribe Krishna Kumar K E and lensman T P Sooraj present a roundup of Kerala Urban Conclave and the exhibition on its sidelines

- TNIE scribe Krishna Kumar K E and lensman T P Sooraj

Given the density of its population and the limitedness of land, Kerala cities now stand at a critical juncture from where all roads now face a not-so-distant inevitability: rapid urbanization.

The Kerala Urban Conclave, currently under way at the Lulu Bolgatty International Conventional Centre in Kochi, then is both a timely and necessary intervention to ensure that this need for development does not go unchecked or is dismissive of the region's ecological sensibilities.

Steered by the Kerala government — more specifically its Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) — the two-day event is the first such initiative of its kind in the state, according to LSGD Minister M B Rajesh. Speaking after inaugurating the conclave, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, citing experts said, "Our urban growth is significantly higher than the national average. By 2035, it is estimated that over 90% of Kerala's population will be urban. All this means that Kerala is becoming a state that needs to address urbanization with the utmost seriousness."