Kochi: After nearly two decades of delay, the Kochi Corporation’s long-awaited new office complex at Marine Drive was finally inaugurated on Tuesday evening by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The six-storey building, located along Chathiyath Road near the Goshree Bridge, marks the end of a 20-year wait for a modern civic hub in the heart of the city. 

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Vijayan said the Kochi Corporation’s development vision aligns with the state government’s broader focus on inclusive growth and welfare. “One only needs to look at the projects implemented in Kochi to understand this,” he said, citing several ongoing and completed initiatives that have reshaped the city. 

Mayor M Anilkumar, who presided over the function, said the new office complex was completed after overcoming several legal and technical challenges that had stalled construction for years. He also acknowledged the efforts of former mayors CM Dinesh Mani, Mercy Williams, Tony Chammany and Soumini Jain in keeping the project alive over successive terms. 

The new building, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹61 cr, spans 1.75 lakh sq ft on 1.5 acres of land along Abdul Kalam Marg. Designed by noted architect Kuldeep Singh, it features a basement and six upper floors. The Council Hall, located on the first floor, can seat 82 members, with dedicated spaces for the public and media. Offices for the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee chairpersons are also on this floor, while the higher floors house various corporation departments.

The ground floor includes an artistic installation depicting Kochi’s rich cultural and historical legacy, featuring figures such as Edappally Raghavan Pillai, Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, Vailoppilli Sreedhara Menon, G Sankara Kurup, Pandit Karuppan, Dakshayani Velayudhan, Robert Bristow, Lord Wellington, and Prof MK Sanoo. Miniature models of the Cochin Shipyard, Water Metro, Bolgatty Palace, High Court of Kerala, and Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary are also displayed.

At the entrance stands a striking sculpture symbolising Kochi as the ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’. The building has been designed to be both people- and environment-friendly, featuring a mini-conference hall, nursing room, and modern public service centre. Accessibility for people with disabilities and waterlogging prevention measures have also been incorporated.

The project’s journey began in 2005, when then-mayor Dinesh Mani initiated land acquisition from the state government. Construction began in April 2006, but multiple legal and technical complications delayed completion. The original cost estimate of ₹18.75 cr in 2015 was revised to ₹24.7 cr in 2018, and later, in December 2020, a revised estimate of ₹43 cr was added to cover essential works such as plumbing, electrification, interiors, lifts, and fire safety systems.

“By December 2020, only ₹15.44 crore had been spent. After this council took charge, we settled the contractor’s dues and restarted construction in full swing. That determination has brought us here today,” said Mayor Anilkumar.

The inauguration ceremony, held near the new building, was attended by Industries Minister P Rajeev, who was the chief guest, as well as MP Hibi Eden, MLAs TJ Vinod, KJ Maxi, Uma Thomas, K Babu, KN Unnikrishnan, GCDA Chairman K Chandran Pillai, former mayors Dinesh Mani, Tony Chammany, Soumini Jain, and KJ Sohan, standing committee chairpersons, councillors, and several dignitaries from political, social, and cultural spheres.