Kochi metropolitan area

Kochi metropolitan area or Kochi urban agglomeration is a metropolitan area in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India, comprising the Kochi Municipal Corporation, nine adjacent municipal councils, 15 gram panchayats and parts of four gram panchayats. With a population of more than 2.1 million within an area of 440 km², it is the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala.

Constituents of the urban agglomeration

A census town is a village that meets certain urban criteria: it has a population of at least 5,000, a population density of 400 persons per sq. km or more, and at least 75% of its male working population is engaged in non-agricultural activities. Unlike statutory towns, census towns are administered by gram panchayats rather than municipalities/statutory bodies.

History

The concept of "urban agglomeration" in India was introduced by the Census of India in 1981. At that time, nine urban agglomerations were identified in Kerala, which increased to 19 in 2011 census. As per the 2001 census, Kochi urban agglomeration is the only urban agglomeration with a population exceeding one million.
The Kochi urban agglomeration constituted based on the 2001 census comprised Kochi Municipal Corporation, five municipal councils, 15 gram panchayats and parts of three gram panchayats. The five municipal councils were Tripunithura, Kalamassery, North Paravur, Aluva and Angamaly. The 15 panchayats were Thrikkakkara, Cheranelloor, Eloor, Varapuzha, Chennamangalam, Kadamakkudy, Mulavukad, Thiruvankulam, Maradu, Kadungalloor, Alangad, Chengamanad, Choornikkara, Edathala and Kottuvally. The population increased to 2,117,990 per 2011 census. As per the 2011 census, Ernakulam district had two urban agglomerations—Kochi urban agglomeration and Kothamangalam urban agglomeration.

Economy

Kochi is known as the financial and economic capital of Kerala.
The economic growth gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the mid-1990s. Since 2000, the service sector has energized the economy. Over the years, the city has witnessed rapid commercialisation, and has today grown into the commercial capital of Kerala.