Kochi, also known by its former name Cochin, is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernakulam. As of 2011, the Kochi Municipal Corporation had a population of 677,381 within an area of 94.88 km2, and the larger Kochi urban agglomeration had a total population of more than of 2.1 million within an area of 440 km2, making it the largest and the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala. Kochi city is also part of the Greater Cochin development region and is classified as a Tier-II city by the Government of India. The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation, which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA).
Vembanad is the longest lake in India, as well as the largest lake in the state of Kerala. The lake has an area of 230 square kilometers and a maximum length of 96.5 km. Spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Vembanadu Lake in Kottayam, Vaikom, Changanassery, Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, Punnappra, Kuttanadu and Kochi Lake in Kochi. Several groups of small islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Maradu, Udayamperoor, Vallarpadam, and Willingdon Island are located in the Kochi Lake portion. Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island and the Vallarpadam island.
Willingdon Island is the largest artificial island in India, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling in dredged soil around a previously existing, but tiny, natural island. Willingdon Island is significant as the home for the Port of Kochi as well as the Kochi Naval Base, the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, Plant Quarantine station, Custom House Cochin and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, a constituent unit of Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Marine Drive, also known as APJ Abdul Kalam Marg, is a picturesque promenade in Kochi, India. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Despite its name, no vehicles are allowed on the walkway. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. Major fast food joints, including Marrybrown, DiMark, Coffee Bar are present along the walkway.
Sir Robert Bristow was a British harbour engineer best known for his contributions to the development of the port of Kochi (Cochin) in Kerala, India and is regarded as the architect of modern Kochi port. Bristow recounted his experiences in his book Cochin Saga, which is considered an important source of historiography of Kerala. He is also noted for his initiatives in founding the Lotus Club, the first inter-racial club in Kochi. He was also a member of the Royal Society of Arts.
Kochi is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. Kochi is located in the district of Ernakulam. Old Kochi loosely refers to a group of islands including Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Mundamveli. Today, Kochi includes Ernakulam, old parts of Kochi, Kumbalangi, and outlying islands. For many centuries up to and during the British Raj, the city of Kochi was the seat of the eponymous princely state — the Kingdom of Cochin, which lay between 9.48° and 10.50° latitude and 76.5° and 76.58° E longitude.
Kochi is a major port city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is widely known as the commercial or economic capital of the state of Kerala.
Vallarpadam is one among the group of islands, that form part of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is situated in the Vembanad Lake, locally known as The Kochi Lake and has a population of over 10,000. Vallarpadam is one of the two islands, the other being Willingdon Island, around which the Port of Kochi is situated. The International Container Transshipment Terminal of the port is situated entirely in Vallarpadam island. Vypin island lies on its west side and Mulavukad island lies to its east.
Mulavukad, also known locally as Bolgatty Island, is one of the islands that forms part of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is situated in the Mulavukad Grama Panchayat. Vypin island and Vallarpadam island lie on its west side and Vaduthala lie to its east. Mulavukad is connected to mainland Ernakulam & Vallarpadam by the Goshree bridges and to Container terminal road at north side to connect to Kalamassery and Aluva side. Easy connection to the CBD, Northern and Southern side of Cochin city make the Island unique among other Goshree Islands.
The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) is a public sector undertaking that conducts and regulates the tourism activities in the Indian state of Kerala. The KTDC is headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram and has offices across all the districts of Kerala. The agency also operates hotels, resorts, and tourist rest houses in key locations in the state. Its official slogan is "Official host to God's own country." It is one of the most profitable ventures of the Kerala government.
The National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom aka Vallarpadam Basilica located in Vallarpadam, a suburb in Ernakulam, in the city of Kochi, is a minor basilica and a major Christian pilgrimage centre in India. Around 5 million people visit the basilica every year. It is the most important Marian shrine in India. People from all parts of the world irrespective of caste or creed go to the church to seek the blessings of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, popularly known as "Vallarpadathamma".
Ochanthuruth is one of the villages in Vypin, an island in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is on the southern part of Vypin.
Mattancherry BOT Bridge, also known as Thoppumpady Bridge is a bridge in Kochi, Kerala, India. It connects the Kochi's western mainland to Willingdon Island. The new bridge was constructed in 1998; succeeding the old bridge of the same name, which is now known as the Old Cochin Harbour Bridge, built in 1940. The old bridge, which is a landmark of Kochi is now preserved as a heritage monument and carries only two and three wheelers.
The West Coast Canal or National Waterway No 3 is a 205 km (127 mi) long inland navigational route located in Kerala, India, which runs from Kollam to Kottapuram. It was declared a National Waterway in 1993. In addition to the main stretch, Champakara and Udyogmandal canals are navigable and connect the industrial centers of Kochi to Kochi port Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Shipping is coordinating the task for developing, monitoring and administering national waterways. It is the first National Waterway in the country with 24-hour navigation facilities along the entire stretch. It has been extended to Kozhikode by the National Waterways Act, 2016. The National Waterway 3 mainly passes through the previous Thiruvananthapuram–Shoranur canal.
Vembanad Rail Bridge is a rail connecting Edappally and Vallarpadam in Kochi, Kerala. With a total length of 4,620 metres, it is the second longest railway bridge in India. After a period of disuse, freight service was relaunched in January 2020.
Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA) was established in 1994. It is one of the two government agencies for the development of Kochi City Region, Kerala along with GCDA which serves entire Cochin Corporation and surrounding municipalities around the region. GIDA's main purpose, as the name suggests to develop the infrastructure facilities of scattered islands in and around the Kochi city. Its area consists of entire Vypin Island, Vallarpadam, Bolgatty-Mulavukad Island, Thanthonnithuruthu, Kadamakkudy and a group of small islands in Vembanad Lake covering an area of 100 km2. with a population of 3.5 Lakhs.
National Highway 966A or NH 966A starts at Kalamassery and ends at Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal in Kochi, Kerala, India. The total length of the highway is 17 km (11 mi) and runs only inside Kochi.
Mulavukad Grama Panchayat is grama panchayat in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. It is situated in Vypin block panchayat. The major portion of this panchayat is an island with same name. It is situated some kilometres from Vypin island. The boundaries of the Mulvukad Panchayath are Kadamakkudy, Njarakkal Panchayaths in the North, Kochi Corporation in the East and South and Elangunnappuzha Panchayath in the West. This island is situated very near to Kochi city. Bolgatty Palace is a popular tourist attraction in the southern part of the island. This palace was built by Dutch in 1774. Now it is under the control of Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.
