Smart City Phase-I to be completed by Oct, 2012

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 23 :The Phase-I of the proposed Smart City-Kochi Project, promoted by Dubai-based Tecom, will be completed by October, 31, 2012, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said today.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting with Tecom officials here, he said the construction of the Phase-I and buildings for the Tecom headquarters would be started on August 31.

Stating that no changes in agreement between the Tecom and the previous LDF Government, he said additional four acres of land would also be given to Tecom from KINFRA Land.

This would help the Tecom to come under 'Services SEZ' having a total land of 250 acres, for which a discussion would be held between the KINFRA and the Tecom officials on June 25 in Kochi.

Kerala Industry Minister P K Kunhalikutty was appointed as the Chairman of the Smart City Director Board and Additional Chief Secretary (IT and Industries) T Balakrishnan the Borad Member.

Abdullatif Al Mulla, Group CEO of TECOM Investments, Ismail Al Naki, Managing Director, TECOM Business Parks Operations, Anirudha Damkey, Tecom Chief Investment Officer, and Baju George, MD, Smart City Project, were part of the discussions with the Chief Minister, the Industry Minister and Excise Minister K Babu.

Stating that a Master Plan for the project would be completed in September next, he said the Kerala Government would strictly follow the norms of National SEZ policy in the case of Smart City and other future Technopark projects in the State.

Against the previous LDF Government's condition to follow 70:30 ratio on land utilisation, both the parties came to an agreement to follow 50:50 on all IT and non-IT purposes, he added.

--UNI

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