2 months ago
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The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) has contested the bid issued towards the fag extremity of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, allotting 88 cents of onshore adjoining the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium astatine Kaloor to St. Albert’s College.
Addressing a property league present connected Wednesday (May 13, 2026), GCDA chairperson K. Chandran Pillai asserted that the Revenue section lacked the authorization to allot onshore belonging to the GCDA, and that excessively without consulting the agency. He said the authorities bid dated March 15, 2026, had besides weakened the ongoing lawsuit being fought by the GCDA successful a munsif tribunal against an injunction secured by the assemblage to forestall operation of a compound partition connected the said 88 cents.
The assemblage was primitively allocated 1.89 hectares successful 1983 to beryllium utilized arsenic a playground without a lease. Later, erstwhile the GCDA acquired 32 acres astir that parcel for the operation of the stadium successful the 1990s, the assemblage authorities reportedly sought an alternate parcel of land, reasoning that the existing leased crippled was shapeless and unsuitable arsenic a playground. The GCDA conceded the petition and allotted 135 cents connected the information that it would besides beryllium made disposable for stadium needs.
In 2014, 88 cents of that onshore were acquired for the Kochi metro. The UDF authorities astatine the clip issued an bid compensating the assemblage with an adjacent parcel of onshore adjoining the stadium and, successful exchange, allotting the GCDA 60 cents of Revenue section onshore adjacent the High Court. Mr. Pillai maintained that the GCDA ne'er transferred the 88 cents to St. Albert’s College and retained ownership, neither was it allotted alternate crippled successful exchange.
Former GCDA chairperson K. Balachandran had written to the Local Self-Government Minister contesting the authorities order, citing the norm that onshore acquired for nationalist intent could not legally beryllium transferred to backstage individuals oregon institutions, and that the determination violated the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency successful Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Subsequently, a societal activistic approached the Kerala High Court, which disposed of the lawsuit directing reconsideration. The LDF authorities that came to powerfulness successful 2016 kept the bid successful abeyance, citing the authorities argumentation that nary authorities onshore wrong metropolis limits should beryllium allotted escaped of outgo to acquisition institutions. The GCDA refrained from further action, expecting an due determination from the government.
The quality resurfaced erstwhile the GCDA undertook operation of a compound partition arsenic portion of strengthening stadium security, which the assemblage challenged successful court. Further, the GCDA onshore adjoining the stadium was acquired for the Kochi metro phases I and II but has not been compensated either done alternate onshore oregon monetary settlement. Consequently, the stadium is facing a shortage of unfastened occurrence evacuation spaces and parking areas required for an planetary stadium, Mr. Pillai said.
