The efforts of the Greater Cochin Development Authority to constitute a metropolitan development authority got a push with the CM and Urban Affairs Minister holding a meeting with the Authority’s representatives on Wednesday.
The proposal was discussed in detail during the meeting between Chief Minister Oomen Chandy, and Manjalamkuzhi Ali, with representatives of GCDA, including its chairman, N. Venugopal.
The CM responded favourably to the proposal and further discussions would be held after the GCDA executive committee approved it, said N. Venugopal.
Once the proposal gets the approval, it would be placed before the cabinet after discussions with the department concerned. It will then be forwarded to the Union Urban Development Ministry.
In a meeting held in Kochi recently to discuss the dev-elopment of the city in which all the major stakeholders participated, Sudhir Krishna, secretary, Urban Development Ministry, asked the GCDA chairman to submit the proposal to the union ministry as well as to the state government.
The authority proposes to expand its ambit o a wider area including towns in neighbouring districts by constituting the new metropolitan authority.
Five more municipalities from other districts like Cherthala in Alappuzha, Thodupuzha in Idukki, Vaikkom in Kottayam., Kodungallur and Chalakkudy in Thrissur will be added to its ambit.
There will be 16 municipalities, one city corporation and 112 grama panchayats under the new body.