The Kerala Urban Policy Commission (KUPC), a first of its kind panel in the country, in a report said that 80 per cent of the state’s population will be urban by 2050.
The commission, headed by Dr M Satish Kumar, on Sunday submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the presence of Minister for Local Self Government and Excise M B Rajesh.
“Kerala is the only state with an urban policy. This is an important milestone in the development history of Kerala as this report will provide insights for formulating development strategies for the state for the coming 25 years, especially in the context of rapid urbanisation along with climate change,” said Rajesh.
Some of the recommendations of the commission are: Kerala should develop a risk-informed master plan at the local level to integrate climate resilience into urban planning. All spatial plans should be aligned with this framework to ensure cohesive and risk-sensitive development, particularly in ecologically fragile and hazard-prone areas, enhancing the state’s long-term resilience.
The commission suggested introducing a targeted green fee on urban development projects to fund disaster risk reduction initiatives, including resilient infrastructure and emergency response systems. It also called for expanding disaster-specific insurance schemes to protect vulnerable communities and critical assets.
The commission said a state-level climate finance advisory cell should be established to assist local governments in accessing green funds, carbon financing, and international climate adaptation resources, ensuring efficient allocation for mitigation and resilience-building efforts.
The commission called for city-specific recommendations based on regional strengths: Thrissur- Kochi should be developed as fintech hub; Palakkad and Kasaragod as industrial smart cities; Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam as knowledge corridor to foster research and innovation; Kannur as fashion city; Kannur-Kasaragod and Thrissur-Ernakulam as Edu Health Hubs; and Kozhikode as the ‘city of literature’, drawing on its rich literary heritage.
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It said the state should move towards industrial revolution 4.0 by strengthening MSMEs, leveraging high technology, collaborating between educational institutions, and private investors and reducing licensing approval window to 7-15 days (fast-track single window mechanism).
It suggested for ground penetrating radar (GPR) mapping in cities to obtain the subsurface infrastructure of utilities, systematic geo-physical survey for capturing subsurface strata in the midlands and plains, for effective planning and execution of infrastructure projects.
Other highlights include establishing health committees to develop age-friendly neighbourhood plans and assess elderly needs. The report called for steps to improve healthcare access for migrants by offering language support and extended public health facility hours.
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