An average of 16 new buildings were constructed per square kilometer in Kerala in 2022-23; the highest density recorded in the past eight years, according to the latest building statistics report released by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES). In 2021-22, the average density per square kilometer was 14. For the first time, no houses with thatched roofs were built in Thiruvananthapuram in 2022-23. In the previous years, Thiruvananthapuram has recorded 100-200 buildings with thatched roofs.

Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest building density at 34 buildings per square kilometer, indicating concentrated construction activity likely driven by urbanisation and economic growth, the report notes. Malappuram recorded a density of 25 buildings per square kilometer, highlighting strong construction, possibly due to population growth, economic expansion or infrastructure development. Idukki, with its hilly terrain, has the lowest building density at 4 per square kilometer, which may be due to low population and the challenges with respect to construction in such regions.

Five districts have building densities above the state average, while the remaining nine districts are at or below this level. Kozhikode, Thrissur and Ernakulam also show relatively high building densities pointing to active development and ongoing urbanization in these areas, the report shows.

The Capital district showed a significant increase in the density of new buildings from the previous year. The density of new buildings per square kilometer in Thiruvananthapuram in 2021-22 was 29. The low construction rate in 2021-22 is mainly attributed to the slump in the construction sector due to the spread of the pandemic.

The density of newly constructed buildings in districts like Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Malppuram, Kozhikode, and Ernakulam highlight the need for meticulous urban planning and addressing issues such as traffic management, waste disposal and green spaces becomes imperative to maintain a sustainable living environment, according to the report.

Among the buildings in Thiruvananthapuram, the majority were residential constructions; 49,741 followed by Malappuram with 39,037. The high number of residential buildings in Thiruvananthapuram highlights the ongoing urbanisation trend and the growing demand for housing in these areas. As this district forms part of Kerala’s administrative center, there is a surge in housing demand due to migration induced by increased job opportunities, the DES officials point out in the report.

Notably, Thiruvananthapuram recorded the lowest rise in the Building Construction Cost Index (BCCI) between 2011-12 and 2022-23. BCCI reflects changes in the cost of construction materials, labour and other factors affecting construction costs. Till March 2023, Thiruvananthapuram corporation has the highest number of habitable houses among the municipal corporations in Kerala, 2,78,948. In the urban areas in the capital, Thiruvananthapuram corporation accounted for 83 per cent of new buildings in 2022-23. The capital also recorded the highest number of constructions in the urban areas among all the districts in 2022-23.