Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) is the statutory body overseeing the development of the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. Headquartered at Kadavanthra, GCDA oversees the development of the major part of Greater Cochin area which consists of the Kochi Municipal Corporation, surrounding municipalities (Thrippunithura, Thrikkakara, Aluva, Kalamassery, Maradu, Eloor, North Paravur, Angamaly and Perumbavoor) and 21 intervening panchayats (Chellanam, Kumbalangi, Cheranelloor, Varappuzha, Chennamangalam, Kadamakkudy, Kadungalloor, Alengad, Chengamanad, Nedumbassery, ezhikkara, Chottanikkara, Choornikkara, Edathala, Kumbalam, Kottuvally and others) covering an area of 632 km2. As of 2001, the area has a population of more than 2.5 million. GCDA is one of the two development authorities in Kochi, the other being GIDA which oversees development in the islands towards west of the Kochi mainland, and north of the harbour, covering a total area of 100 km2. The state government and the GCDA have plans to include Angamaly , Perumbavoor , Piravom and Kolenchery in Ernakulam district; Mala and Kodungallur in Thrissur district; Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom in Kottayam ; and Cherthala in Alappuzha district within the Kochi metropolitan limits. The newly formed metropolis would be put under the charge of a new authority called Kochi Metropolitan Regional Development Authority . GCDA was the first exclusive agency formed for the development of any urban area in the state of Kerala. This led to the formation of development authorities for other cities in the state. The first of these were TRIDA – the Trivandrum Development Authority. Later development authorities were formed for Kozhikode and Thrissur as well. Projects Kochi Marine Drive The Marine Drive is one of the most significant projects that GCDA has ever undertaken. The whole of the present Kochi Marine Drive (part of the Kochi Lake, west of the Shanmugham Road to the present Walkway) was claimed from the Kochi Lake in the 1980s. This land underwent several beautification initiatives, especially with the construction of the iconic Rainbow Bridge in 1992. This land later became home for a line of high-rises namely, the GateWay Residency Hotel, the Bay Pride Mall, Kerala Trade Centre etc. A common code for construction is enforced in this stretch of land which includes that the building could be of a maximum 13 storeys, the eastern and western boundaries of the buildings should coincide etc. The sub projects of the Kochi Marine Drive include: The Marine Walkway stretching from Subhas Chandra Bose Park in the