Ente Kochi - Urban Renewal Design Sync Collaborative

#Ernakulam #KSRTC Redevelopment #Ernakulam Flooding # Kit of parts

ENTE MILE

Kochi is the focal point of Vembanad wetland system. Over the last three decades this ubiquitous suburban landscape has seen complex urban growth indiscriminately turning the large permeable wetland into an impermeable mass facing shocks of unprecedented rainfall and sudden cloudbursts. In the past the canals flowing through the city provided the lifeline of transport and agriculture. Today they provide the much-needed storm water exits. Mullassery canal, was one such tidal canal connecting the backwaters in the west and the Perandoor canal on the east. This proposal understands the interdependency of maintaining the health of the canal, ecologically sensitive urban interventions and broad policy changes enhancing behavioral patterns of the people leading to the envisaged sustainable integrated urban development in the zone.

The vision is to tap the essence of the inner-city public space through active community engagement and re-establish Mullassery canal environment as experiential urban realm ushering a sense of ownership, safety and culture in the community.

The design proposes to connect the Urban district from KSRTC bus station to the tourist precinct at Marine drive by a cultural dynamic precinct addressing the issues of resilience, sustainability, culture, health, safety, demographic inclusiveness, economy and viability. The design tool kit revolves various “hard” and “soft” interventions of various scales around the three focus zones - the canal itself, urban fabric abutting the canal and the policy level changes for socio economic impact.

Delay in discharge and improved flow is the need of the canal. By expanding width of canals and increased holding capacity at KSRTC bus station, MG road fashion street plaza and KMC site near Law college, Mala Jalkunds, sunken plazas, wider streamlined canal junctions are integrated all along the stretch making the local infrastructure climate resilient. Filter strips1, and Floating wetland system[2] have been proposed to maintain the ecosystem and secondary salinity [3] along the open stretch of the canal. Secondary interventions like Bubble barriers [4] inspired by the Dutch Innovation [1] proposes collection of plastic by pumping air through a tube with holes, which is laid diagonally on the bottom of the canal. The rising bubbles result in an upward current that brings plastic waste to the surface. Small punctures are proposed on closed parts of the canal to eliminate accumulation of gases.

Ecological elements have been proposed for Natural Storm Water filtration through NEERI-CSIR technology by placing filtration barriers at apt locations to prevent water logging. Natural absorption of storm water into street design has been proposed through permeable paving, bio-filtration bed, swales and detention ponds. Rainwater harvesting and use at source through policy changes with help reduce discharge.

Nature trails, paddle cycles and plastic fishing as a recreation and tourist activity is proposed at Perandoor canal wetland and at the proposed widened stretch near St Therasa’s college at old KMC collection site. Waste recycling demonstration centres and recycled art and sculpture at key public spaces like Priyadarshini park, will help bringing model waste segregation and management at the centre of public pride. Multiple decentralized collection points with smartly designed green and blue garbage bins at frequent intervals and collection centres for e-waste and PET bottles have been proposed as urban furniture elements along the entire stretch. Special surface paving options unifying neighbourhood through colour patterns, street lights and regulated signages reinforce the concept of the precinct. Tall blue Led poles of light proposed along the closed parts of the canal and a story line gallery wall will serve as a conscious reminder of the canal’s presence. The fashion street shopping hub has been envisaged as meandering walkway below the mature tree avenue making the user experience the leisure and beauty of the canopy above. The Cannon street connecting the metro station and the water jetty will be developed on similar lines

The KSRTC bus station has been reimagined as a beacon of transit, urban culture and sustainable development. Serving as catalyst to this envisaged change this bus-port site supports mixed-use functions including sports, entertainment, convention center and shopping making it a human centric transit hub. With car and auto drop offs at the first level and continuous barrier free pedestrian concourse the movement of the buses has been used as a generator of form. The south side of the site has a shallow water pond below interconnected with canal providing extra space for water flow and retention. The pond side can be used by vendors and pool can have paddling scooters for entertainment for kids. Functionally designed KSRTC workshop with a multistory car and bike park above, and cab and auto stand in the front will cater to the incoming passengers and visitors. An elevated e mobility bridge from the station to the KSRTC bus station with an off shoot towards water jetty station at Perandoor Canal juncture with integrated the multimodal transit hub. Acknowledging the multi stakeholder participatory process funding can brought in from various government schemes, improved saleable space, CSR initiatives by corporates, crowd funding and credit incentives to the public.

Thus, using design as a reflection of context and contingency each site along the neglected canal edge has been envisioned to transform as a low cost, high impact urban environment that improves daily lives of the community. Through ENTE MILE we intend to link urban infrastructure to social development; encourage community organization and participation; augment citizen safety, reinforcing the sense of belonging and cohesion putting equitable relationships, equality and sustainability at the very top of public consciousness.

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Bibliography:

1 USDA natural resources and Conservation Service https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/null/?cid=nrcseprd414900

2 Journal of Hydrology, 2015 Palanisamy, B. and Chui, T.F.M., 2015. Rehabilitation of concrete canals in urban catchments using low impact development techniques. Journal of Hydrology, 523, pp.309-319.

3 Manjunatha, M.V., Hebbara, M., Patil, S.G., Kuligod, V.B. and Minhas, P.S., 2005. Effect of trees alone or with grasses on halting canal seepage and shallow water table control in saline vertisols. Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science, 53(2), pp.254-257.

4https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/bubble-barrier-launched-to-keep-plastics-out-of-oceans

Wetland System –

https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/2625/10/10_chapter%202.pdf-Chapter 10

Water logging data-

http://cms.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2019/oct/30/old-de-watering-system-fails-to-prevent-waterlogging-2054371.html

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/crores-spent-but-citys-canal-system-still-in-tatters/article31752643.ece

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/corp-canal-works-cause waterlogging/articleshow/76589010.cms