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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First phase of Smart City Kochi project to be commissioned soon

The Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government, which had first finalised the project during its previous term, held its first meeting Thursday with the builder of the project, Smart City Dubai.

Addressing reporters here along with the Dubai officials, Chandy said all the issues have been cleared and an action plan for the project has been drawn up.

"Before August 31 this year, their office that was closed down last year at Kochi would be reopened. On Oct 31, the foundation stone of the headquarter building of the project would be laid and the same day the construction work for the first phase (3.5 lakh square feet) would begin and it would be finished latest by Oct 31, 2012," said Chandy.

The Dubai team was represented by their CEO Abdul Lateef Al-Mullah, managing director Business Park Operations, Ismail Al-Nakhi and Kochi Smart City managing director, Baju George.

Keralite businessman M.A. Yousuf Ali, who is settled in the Middle-East and was largely instrumental in reviving the project after the previous chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan asked for his services to remove the deadlock, was also present.

"Even though we would have liked to go ahead with our agreement which was done in 2006, since a delay would occur, we decided not to make any change to the MoU that was inked between the Achuthanandan government and the Dubai partner this February," added Chandy.

It was nearly more than four years back that the foundation stone for the project was laid. It was held up till February this year over the issue of granting 12 percent freehold rights to the builders, outside the 246 acres of the proposed project site.

"Currently, of the 246 acres of land, only 136 acres have got the special economic zone (SEZ) status. The next meeting to grant SEZ status is taking place in Delhi July 15 and we will get the clearance for the remaining land also. Our Dubai partner has asked for another four acres of land so as to make the project come up in an area of 250 acres and this would enable this project to get the status of 'Services SEZ'," added Chandy.

"We are committed to this project and our government has already made the necessary fund allocation for this. At this moment, we are unable to come out with the entire project cost because the cost of everything has gone up many times since we first started the discussion on this project," Mullah said.

The Dubai team has been asked to submit within 10 days the application to get the project to be developed as an industrial township.

Chandy also clarified that the SEZ policy of the Centre would be applicable for this project.

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UDF Govt is trying to scuttle Smart City porject: S Sharma

Kochi, Jun 25 : Former Kerala Fisheries Minister S Sharma today alleged Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government was trying to scuttle basic nature of Kerala's dream project Smart City by making drastic changes on the agreement approved during his tenure.

Talking to reporters here, he said though the Tecom Authorities had agreed to the terms and conditions of the then LDF government and according to their letter they were to start the construction in May, the newly formed UDF government was trying to make changes in the norms and it had decided to change the proposed areas to multipurpose SEZ, which according to him was to protect somebody?s interest.

Mr Sharma said the UDF government should come up with a clarification as to what prompted them to do so or whom they want to safeguard in this matter.

Claiming that the previous LDF government had brought a new Sez safeguarding the interest of the state, he said with the changes new SEZ would pave way for starting other business in the area.

The CPI(M) leader hinted that if the government would go on with the new decision, the LDF would take issue seriously, as there was no need for any changes as the TECOM had already informed the then Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan that they would begin the work in May after signing the agreement.

--UNI

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