A meeting of the Kozhikode Corporation Council on Friday (March 13) approved the publishing of the Local Area Plan (LAP) for the development of the Palayam sector in the government Gazette, despite opposition from the Congress-Indian Union Muslim League combine of the United Democratic Front (UDF).

The UDF submitted a note of dissent, arguing that the proceedings cannot be approved without first hearing the public’s concerns, warning that it could lead to future legal complications. At the same time, BJP councillors supported the gazetting of the LAP.

UDF councillors, including S.V. Mohammed Shamil Thangal, K.C. Shobitha, S.K. Aboobacker, and C.P. Salim, pointed out that they did not oppose the development of Palayam itself but insisted that it must follow established legal procedures. They highlighted that when planning a region’s development, seeking the opinion of residents is a natural and necessary step.

The members warned that if the public is ignored, individuals may approach the court, potentially stalling development indefinitely. The council must avoid entering into legal tangles by bypassing proper protocols, they argued.

Mayor O. Sadasivan, who chaired the session in the afternoon, told the council that this was not the final plan. Publishing it in the Gazette is precisely what allows the public to examine the proposal and submit their feedback.

Corporation secretary N.K. Hareesh added a financial dimension to the urgency, noting that under the Central government scheme, ₹2 crore will be granted if the LAP is published in the Gazette by March 31. Failure to do so would result in the loss of these funds, he said.

The meeting saw sharp exchanges when Deputy Mayor S. Jayasree criticised IUML member Fatima Tehlia, suggesting there was no point in quoting the law by referring to Google. This sparked a backlash from UDF members, who questioned whether it was wrong for those advocating for digitalisation to look at a phone.

The Deputy Mayor maintained that she did not intend to insult anyone and clarified that the LAP was prepared by the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT-C)‘s Department of Architecture.

She also reassured the council that there is ample time for detailed discussion and to record public opinions in the future. The plan includes several blueprints, such as facilities for 500 traders in Palayam and a flat complex in Chinthavalappu, Ms. Jayasree said.

Chairman of the standing committee for development, V.P. Manoj, said that once the plan is notified, discussions with the public will take place, and the detailed project report (DPR) for West Hill Kottaparambha and Valiyangadi (Big Bazaar) will only be prepared after that stage.