[KMC]

A dream in the making ... Vallarpadam

It will be revolution going to happen in these islands...

http://www.cochinport.com/artists_view_ICTT.jpg

[roshan]

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8455/muthootbankik3.jpg

http://www.mdkarchitects.com/projects.htm#b

[thunderboltz]

Kochi most "livable" city in India

According to Indicus's 'reside-in' index, eight out of ten top cities are from South India, with Kochi emerging as the most livable place.

The index ranks cities on the basis several indicators, including health, education, environment and safety among others. They indicate how good the city is in terms of living conditions.

The ten most livable cities in the country include Kozhikode, Shimla, Thiruvanthapuram, Mysore, Goa, Thrissur and Pondicherry.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711232032.htm

[kunjumon123]

Kochi most "livable" city in India



http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200711232032.htm

hw fantastic is this- 4 kerala( kochi, kozhikode, thiruvananthapuram nd thrissur) cities in the top ten most livable cities in the whole of india nd kochi being no1- absolutely gr8 news- very proud bcoz im a son of kochi

[thunderboltz]

Builders are going for high-tech customisations for their projects in Kochi. This shows the amount of optimism they have in Kochi's future. A market for such homes were earlier unimaginable beyond the metros.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/LiveITUP/Automate_your_homes_to_suit_your_tastes/articleshow/2563564.cms


.....
Despite all these odds, a realty giant has already started on this venture in a series of flats in Kochi which is due to be ready for occupancy by next March. “This block of flats will have installed within its walls a highly sophisticated system to give the flats a mind of their own,” say sources related to the project
......

[AbrahamVCherry]

Hi All

It is a humble request from a Kerala lover, not to differentiate between Trivandrum, Kochi, calicut etc. Please conside it as an overall development of Kerala and try to promote all places in Kerala equally.

It will be good if TVM, Kochi and calicut became like Bangalore

If that is to happen the Kerala Expressway projet needs to be revived

[Subin]

Pramod

Actually we are waiting for the launch. You seem to
have been away from this forum for a while.

The Cochin pages in skyscrapercity forum seems to be edited and
manipulated by one of the moderators, so it is not trustworthy.
Already there is a big fight there due to this, that one moderator
hopes that he can make Cochin look like a dull city just by manipulating
Cochin pages in some obscure forum :)

Nik, why dont you just say this is your new ID. People visiting these sites are not fools. Using a new font and pretending as i if you have no knowledge as to how to post an image doesnt make you a newbie ;) Why dont you continue with your tirade in your own obscure Jconserv sites? :tup:

[KMC]

http://www.mdkarchitects.com/projects.htm#b

Good find roshan , But where exactly at panapilly nagar any idea..

[pramodusnair]

Subin!!
Why don't you just buzz off.Feed you drivel elsewhere...hmmmmmmmm ,may be in the forum of some obscure overgrown village (I'll give you a clue, it starts with "T")
We are here to showcase Cochin .
Hope you got the idea.

[kunjumon123]

If that is to happen the Kerala Expressway projet needs to be revived

absolutely 100% agreed- expressway 4 kerala is an essential for development

[Sathyalal]

Admin,
Please take care. Banned user, Banned link etc are reappearing. Also the language level is changing again

Subin!!
Why don't you just buzz off.Feed you drivel elsewhere...hmmmmmmmm ,may be in the forum of some obscure overgrown village (I'll give you a clue, it starts with "T")
We are here to showcase Cochin .
Hope you got the idea.

[ani07]

Admin,
Please take care. Banned user, Banned link etc are reappearing. Also the language level is changing again

What did you mean by level of language?
Is it something like this...

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=3000306&postcount=270

It is interesting to see technopark's growth. Past 2 years it has added around 10000 people.



Every year; we see claims from one of the most unclean cities about overtaking it(TP). But each time they are getting dissapointed. How many years will it take? 1, 2, 3, 4...
It is funny to see their frustruation to wrong target and the foul mouth resulted due to this.They must have used this against their corrupt local administration (also to their ministers) which is dumping money to black holes. Any way we have this fun treat occassionally.

We are all here to see the realities in IT, the facts(in numbers) happening in Kerala. Not going to run away. People can judge the credibilities by comparing the claims and real numbers


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=3024304&postcount=296

Source :http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/m...cle/33154.html

Trivandrum city currently has close to 17 releasing theaters, which is much higher than 3-4 releasing theaters present in the marshy city of Kerala :D

[viperpaul22]

we're back to square one, aren't we?..thanks Subin..ReNik has contributed the most to this thread..if u've a reason to talk crap abt Cochin we sure have ours too..let's stop further defacement of this thread..

[Subin]

we're back to square one, aren't we?..thanks Subin..ReNik has contributed the most to this thread..if u've a reason to talk crap abt Cochin we sure have ours too..let's stop further defacement of this thread..

So you agree Ncore is Renik? :D

The best way to go about is to have relevant posts rather than putting links to hate blogs and going about bashing Tvm in each and every post. :)

[viperpaul22]

So you agree Ncore is Renik? :D

The best way to go about is to have relevant posts rather than putting links to hate blogs and going about bashing Tvm in each and every post. :)

Of course, I've no clue who Ncore is..if it was ReNik I'd be the happiest..now leave this thread alone..there is this method of private messaging you can use, please do not derail the thread..

Regrads,
Paul

[AbrahamVCherry]

absolutely 100% agreed- expressway 4 kerala is an essential for development

http://www.rbdck.com/desk.htm

Need for North-south Expressway
Road network in Kerala carry fast and slow vehicles and pass through built-up area. There is large-scale ribbon development along these roads, which makes any proposition of development of existing road, a costly and difficult task. Most of these roads have poor geometry, as they were developed by transforming and improving village roads.


Further the growing mismatch between vehicle population and availability of road infrastructure has resulted in heavy traffic densities and reduced level of service. Entire Kerala can be considered as a metropolis consisting of a large number of closely situated townships, which obstruct the free flow of traffic. The deficiencies in the road network cause delay in movement of freight and passengers and entail enormous loss by way of high vehicle operating costs. The overloading of commercial vehicles causes rapid deterioration of pavements. The transport infrastructure deficiency is one of the major obstacles in the development of Tourism, and other Industries including Information Technology.



In this context the Government of Kerala (GoK) has embarked on an ambitious program to expand and modernise the road network in the State. As part of this program, GoK commissioned various studies by domestic and international Consultants to identify a core network of roads to be developed. One of the key elements of the program is the development of an Access-Controlled High-Speed Corridor in the State. The first such facility has been identified as a 544 km North South Corridor connecting Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram, the northern and southern boundary districts of Kerala, along the mid land region. The facility has to be connected with link roads to existing activity centers on the west and east.

The project is proposed to be developed in a commercial format with private participation. Attempts have to be made to integrate this corridor with Projects in Tourism, Information Technology, Industries, Special Economic Zones, Education, Housing, Wayside amenities etc., so that project could be an attractive investment proposition for any investor in India and Abroad.

Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd, has put forward the first step by commissioning a feasibility study for the commercial development of The Access-Controlled High-Speed Corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod.

Managing Director
http://www.keralapwd.gov.in/pwd/public/express.jsp

Kerala High Speed Corridor Project
Introduction
Rationale for the Project
Transportation Imperative
Linkage imperatives
The Socio Economic Impact of the Project on the State
Proposed Project
Previous Studies
Critical Review of Previous Studies
Road Safety on the HSC
Environment Assessment
Social Assessment
Present Status

• Introduction

A good road network constitutes the basic infrastructure that propels the development process through connectivity and the opening up the regions to trade and investment. Roads play a key role in inter-modal transport development, establishing links with airports, railway stations and ports.

The State of Kerala is experiencing what is common in most parts of the country-poor network of roads leading to inefficiencies in the provision and manufacture of goods and services thus making the state a less attractive destination. A good road network provides every individual, firm or service provider an opportunity to function more efficiently thus enabling;

• citizens with an opportunity to access services speedily

• industry with an opportunity to reduce costs of production and,

• services with an opportunity to operate efficiently and thus enabling them to compete with other providers outside the state and the country

The Kerala State Highways Project, funded by the World Bank has removed most of the critical bottlenecks and improved the riding quality of the second order road system. This program resulted in the improvement many roads and provided a strengthening of the east west connectors all across the State.

However, the existing road system, particularly the arterial National Highway road network connecting the northern and southern tips of Kerala is experiencing severe constraints due to the urban sprawl/ribbon development and the limited Right of Way impeding smooth traffic flow. Infact the present road network is experiencing traffic levels higher than the road capacity, resulting in low levels of speed. With the present analysis it is evident that the traffic volume, particularly on the National Highways 17 & 47 are likely to exceed capacity levels by nearly three times in a 10 year period and about 6 times in another 20 years. This is leading to an acute need for capacity augmentation.

2. Rationale for the Project

The planning and development of the HSC is significant for the State and will result in the completion of a process of provision of roads enabling the creation of a road network that permits all citizens and businesses to be location indifferent within the State. Thus the State would be seen to be providing similar benefits to all paving the way for a Kerala which provides an economic potential which is almost equal in most of its parts.

3. Economic Imperative

The State has slowly developed a niche developmental profile for itself unlike all other states of the country. These are mainly in the areas of :

• Facilities offering traditional health care have become a large tourist attraction thus increasing the economic profile of the State.

• Likewise, the State has been able to develop a large number of educational institutions which has been supplying trained manpower in numerous trades all across the country and the world

To further bolster the development of these niche and other potential non polluting industries all across the State a corridor running across the state would significantly benefit the economics and reduce any locational disadvantages that may be perceived in the setting up of a business anywhere in Kerala

4. Transportation Imperative

The urban sprawl and extensive ribbon development on the current National Highway corridors has resulted in :

• Limited capacity to expand the current alignment

• A significant drop in travel speeds

• Poor safety standards

• Increased cost of travel

• High levels of pollution

• Increased average trip lengths

• Significant increase in Vehicle Operating Costs

• Increased travel time per passenger unit


5. Linkage imperatives


The State has been fortunate to have a number of supporting and ancilliary transport facilities within and adjacent to it. Primary among these are :

i) The International airports at Trivandrum , Kochi and Kozhikode

ii) The Proposed and existing ports at Vizhinjam, Kochi , Beypore and Mangalore

Having completed the improvement programme of second order roads in the State, it is now prudent and imperative on the part of the Government of Kerala to undertake a arterial road development program for the state.

Thus the development of a high speed, access controlled, North-South Expressway would provide the fulcrum of such a programme.

The creation of the North South Corridor does not imply that there is a significant movement and thus a need for movement from one end of Kerala to the other but only signifies that the dispersal of activities all across the state will require quick movement of traffic on shorter links all along the corridor

Dovetailed with the proposed road improvement projects under the Central Government sponsored National Highway development programmes,, the North South Corridor would result in the State being able to position itself as a prime competitor for investments in specialised health, education and IT facilities unlike any in the entire country and the World

Such thinking is not new-Infact The GoK initiated preliminary studies way back in 1997 towards addressing this issue and has considered the development of an Access-controlled High Speed Corridor (HSC) traversing through the state in the North – South direction as a prime requisite for its continued and balanced development.

In view of the possibility of implementing the programme in a Public Private Partnership framework, the GoK have asked Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) has been asked to provide project development support and partner GoK in the development and implementation of the project.

6. The Socio Economic Impact of the Project on the State

Infrastructure projects have linkages to the economy- multiple and complex which affects production and consumption directly, creates positive and negative spill over effects (externalities) and involves large flows of expenditure. In the context of the HSC a preliminary estimate of the benefits flowing to the State due to its implementation is as given below:

The development of the HSC is likely have the following impacts on the state of Kerala:

• Impact on Direct Employment: 25 crore man-days

• Impact on Indirect Employment: 200 crore man-days

• Impact on State GDP: Incremental growth of 1% - 2%

• Impact on Below Poverty/ Marginal Income Earners: Incremental 30%

• Savings in Vehicle Operating Costs: Rs. 3,000 crores p.a.

It would take less than 6 hours to traverse from the Southern tip to the Northern tip of Kerala on the HSC as against a current journey time of about 12 to 15 hours

7. The Proposed Project

a) The project, as currently proposed, will vet and modify the preliminary alignment made by the earlier consultants through ground truthing and assessment of impacts covering technical, environmental and social

b) The proposed project links the Northern and Southern parts of Kerala and will traverse through the state ensuring a broad based regional parity in terms of connectivity and social development.

c) As per the previous assessments, the 600 km long alignment comprises 17 intermediate interchanges/nodes and 18 links. The links to be taken up are based on a preliminary viability assessment and have been aggregated into 3 packages

d) It has been proposed that Activity Nodes be developed on 12 of the 17 interchanges on the HSC. The total commercial area to be developed has been assessed at 26.3 lac sq.mtr. spread over 730 hectares along the 12 nodes.

8. Previous Studies

a) In 1997, the Public Works Department, Government of Kerala (PWD) had appointed M/s RITES to conduct a Pre – feasibility Study(The 1997 study) to identify the HSC alignment. The principal objectives of the study were as follows:

b) Selection of tentative alignment for the entire length including cost estimation and economic viability

c) Detailed feasibility study for prioritised segments

d) The 1997 study proposed an alignment (544 km) that was divided into two segments:

e) Northern Segment: Kasargod to Thrissur

f) Southern Segment: Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram

g) In 2002, M/s LEA Associate South Asia Limited (LASA) was selected for undertaking a Techno Economic Feasibility Study(The 2002 study) for the Access Controlled High Speed Corridor. The 2002 study recommended the construction of the proposed High Speed Corridor and proposed an alignment demarcated on the topo-sheets after considering the terrain, design, environmental and social factors. The 2002 alignment coincided with the 1998 alignment for Link 1- Link 13 whereas for the southern part of the state a new alignment that lies east of the 1998 alignment has been proposed so as to achieve fluency in the alignment and minimize the resettlement impacts.

h) The 506.5 km alignment proposed by the 2002 study comprises 17 intermediate interchanges/ nodes and 18 links that have been divided into three phases. The LASA report has prioritized the implementation of the phases as follows:

i) Phase I : Pulikkal to Athani

ii) Phase II : Athani to Pallippuram

iii) Phase III : Chalinkal to Pulikkal

9. Critical Review of Previous Studies

a) GoK apprised three leading infrastructure developing and financing agencies-Infrastructure Development Finance Company(IDFC), SBI Capital Markets and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd(IL&FS) for their proposals to partner it in the development of this project . Based on detailed discussions with each of them and based on their past experiences, GoK selected IL&FS

b) Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) were requested by GoK to assess the viability of implementing the proposed HSC on a commercial format. IL&FS reviewed all the information available on the proposed project and placed its views and recommendations for consideration by the GoK. The GoK, recognizing the need for additional work has set up a Joint Venture company with IL&FS to undertake further work and accepted these recommendations. Some of the prime recommendations made included:

i. Traffic: The tollable traffic on the HSC needs to be reassessed based on a phase wise implementation plan.

ii. Toll Rates: The business plan should assume the Toll rate schedule of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways(MoRTH) as the maximum

iii. Viability: The economics of the HSC should be assessed independently – and the viability gap determined. The surplus to the government from the Activity Node development should be used to partly meet the viability gap of the HSC.

iv. Environmental and Social impact : A detailed environmental and social impact assessment needs to be undertaken including public consultations to finalise the contours of the project

v. Phased Development: The project should be implemented in phases beginning with the most viable section.

vi. Right of Way: A Right of Way (RoW) of 100 meters may not be required for the final configuration of the HSC. Reduction in the ROW to about 60 metres would reduce resettlement and rehabilitation requirements, Government support and improve project economics

10. Road Safety on the HSC

The HSC will be a demonstration project that is committed to develop and implement the project to international standards in quality and service. Some of the innovative features that will be incorporated in the project scope are briefly described herein:

Road User Safety : Safety to the users of the HSC shall be the main focus in developing the present model for the Project. This shall be ensured through the provision of road furniture including signage on the road being designed and maintained in order to minimise occurrence of accidents. This shall include centre line marking with reflective thermoplastic paints, chevron markings, road studs, reflective cats eyes and installation of superior class signage all along the Project. Additionally through geometric arrangements the junctions would be designed with proper turning radii, proper lighting for all arms at the intersections, Lane marking, Make provision for adequate signboards, Install traffic guide posts with reflectors and not providing bus-stops at intersections. It is also proposed to locate/allow others to locate way side amenities including rest areas, petrol bunks and other amenities along the HSC.

Other measures : In addition to safety measures for ensuring safety to users, provision would be made to provide access to both sides of the HSC through underpasses for pedestrians, vehicles and cattle. Also there would be grade separated interchanges on all important junctions

11. Environment Assessment

a) The requirement of an alternative road has already been justified by the past studies undertaken by RITES and LASA.

b) LASA undertook a Rapid Assessment and Site Appreciation Survey for the same. The major conclusions of the LASA studies are as follows:

i) The new alignment would require twice the agricultural land than required for the widening and the improvement of the existing NH.

ii) The widening and improvement of the existing NH would require three times acquisition of the built up areas as required for the new alignment suggested by LASA.

iii) The impact of acquisition of built up area would be relatively low for the new alignment proposed by the LASA.

iv) Mostly the NH passes close to several environmentally sensitive areas such as backwaters apart from other water bodies. There are also stretches that are adjacent to the reserved forests and protected areas. The widening of the NH will have adverse impact on these sensitive areas. There are schools, hospitals, houses and other basic infrastructure facilities are located along the NH. Any widening will cause removal and resettlement of all these structures. The pollution levels will increase in these areas.

c) In the present study field studies will be conducted to determine the existing conditions of various environmental attributes viz., air quality, meteorology, surface and ground water quality, ecology, prevailing land use and industrial activities along the project road and noise levels. Meteorological data will be generated at selected locations.

Other studies such as land use pattern, socio-economic profile will be based on secondary data collected from various Government agencies supplemented by field surveys carried out by the Consultants. Comprehensive field observations would be utilised to evaluate alternative alignments wherever there were problems of sensitive, social and technical issues such as existing topography, surface water bodies and villages or sensitive areas.

d) The current study will develop a detailed environmental impact statement and address mitigation measures to offset any negative impacts. All costs incurred on such mitigation will form a part of the project cost and a part of the legally implementable contractual framework devised for the project

12. Social Assessment

A detailed social analysis study will be carried out to provide a socio-economic profile of the project area and address in particular, indigenous people, poverty alleviation, gender, local population, industry, agriculture, employment, education, health, child labor, land acquisition and resettlement. Studies and analysis shall be carried out to include :

a) A Base line socio-economic and census survey to assess the impacts on the people, properties and loss of livelihood will be conducted. The socio-economic survey will establish the benchmark for monitoring of R & R activities.

b) A Resettlement and Rehabilitation Plan including assessing of feasibility and effectiveness of income restoration strategies, suitability and availability to relocation sites will be prepared. The resettlement plan shall provide the fullest possible assessment of the number of affected households and persons, including common property resources. All occupants are recorded at the initial stages and identity cards are issued to ensure there is no further influx of people into the project area. All consultations with affected persons (to include list of participants) should be fully documented and records made available to SPV

c) A matrix of scheduled activities linked to land acquisition procedures to indicate clearly what steps and actions shall be taken at different stages and the time frame.

d) The resettlement and rehabilitation plan would be finalised based on a series of public consultation process conducted with the beneficiaries and various stakeholders of the project

e) The payment of compensation and resettlement during the acquisition process including an itemized budget (replacement value for all assets) and unit costs for different assets. All such costs will be included as apart of the project cost

13. Present Status

A company ‘Kerala High Speed Corridor Company Limited' has been incorporated on 24 th June 2004 under the Companies Act 1956 to undertake the development of the project.

[kunjumon123]

http://www.rbdck.com/desk.htm

Need for North-south Expressway
Road network in Kerala carry fast and slow vehicles and pass through built-up area. There is large-scale ribbon development along these roads, which makes any proposition of development of existing road, a costly and difficult task. Most of these roads have poor geometry, as they were developed by transforming and improving village roads.


Further the growing mismatch between vehicle population and availability of road infrastructure has resulted in heavy traffic densities and reduced level of service. Entire Kerala can be considered as a metropolis consisting of a large number of closely situated townships, which obstruct the free flow of traffic. The deficiencies in the road network cause delay in movement of freight and passengers and entail enormous loss by way of high vehicle operating costs. The overloading of commercial vehicles causes rapid deterioration of pavements. The transport infrastructure deficiency is one of the major obstacles in the development of Tourism, and other Industries including Information Technology.



In this context the Government of Kerala (GoK) has embarked on an ambitious program to expand and modernise the road network in the State. As part of this program, GoK commissioned various studies by domestic and international Consultants to identify a core network of roads to be developed. One of the key elements of the program is the development of an Access-Controlled High-Speed Corridor in the State. The first such facility has been identified as a 544 km North South Corridor connecting Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram, the northern and southern boundary districts of Kerala, along the mid land region. The facility has to be connected with link roads to existing activity centers on the west and east.

The project is proposed to be developed in a commercial format with private participation. Attempts have to be made to integrate this corridor with Projects in Tourism, Information Technology, Industries, Special Economic Zones, Education, Housing, Wayside amenities etc., so that project could be an attractive investment proposition for any investor in India and Abroad.

Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd, has put forward the first step by commissioning a feasibility study for the commercial development of The Access-Controlled High-Speed Corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod.

Managing Director
http://www.keralapwd.gov.in/pwd/public/express.jsp

Kerala High Speed Corridor Project
Introduction
Rationale for the Project
Transportation Imperative
Linkage imperatives
The Socio Economic Impact of the Project on the State
Proposed Project
Previous Studies
Critical Review of Previous Studies
Road Safety on the HSC
Environment Assessment
Social Assessment
Present Status

• Introduction

A good road network constitutes the basic infrastructure that propels the development process through connectivity and the opening up the regions to trade and investment. Roads play a key role in inter-modal transport development, establishing links with airports, railway stations and ports.

The State of Kerala is experiencing what is common in most parts of the country-poor network of roads leading to inefficiencies in the provision and manufacture of goods and services thus making the state a less attractive destination. A good road network provides every individual, firm or service provider an opportunity to function more efficiently thus enabling;

• citizens with an opportunity to access services speedily

• industry with an opportunity to reduce costs of production and,

• services with an opportunity to operate efficiently and thus enabling them to compete with other providers outside the state and the country

The Kerala State Highways Project, funded by the World Bank has removed most of the critical bottlenecks and improved the riding quality of the second order road system. This program resulted in the improvement many roads and provided a strengthening of the east west connectors all across the State.

However, the existing road system, particularly the arterial National Highway road network connecting the northern and southern tips of Kerala is experiencing severe constraints due to the urban sprawl/ribbon development and the limited Right of Way impeding smooth traffic flow. Infact the present road network is experiencing traffic levels higher than the road capacity, resulting in low levels of speed. With the present analysis it is evident that the traffic volume, particularly on the National Highways 17 & 47 are likely to exceed capacity levels by nearly three times in a 10 year period and about 6 times in another 20 years. This is leading to an acute need for capacity augmentation.

2. Rationale for the Project

The planning and development of the HSC is significant for the State and will result in the completion of a process of provision of roads enabling the creation of a road network that permits all citizens and businesses to be location indifferent within the State. Thus the State would be seen to be providing similar benefits to all paving the way for a Kerala which provides an economic potential which is almost equal in most of its parts.

3. Economic Imperative

The State has slowly developed a niche developmental profile for itself unlike all other states of the country. These are mainly in the areas of :

• Facilities offering traditional health care have become a large tourist attraction thus increasing the economic profile of the State.

• Likewise, the State has been able to develop a large number of educational institutions which has been supplying trained manpower in numerous trades all across the country and the world

To further bolster the development of these niche and other potential non polluting industries all across the State a corridor running across the state would significantly benefit the economics and reduce any locational disadvantages that may be perceived in the setting up of a business anywhere in Kerala

4. Transportation Imperative

The urban sprawl and extensive ribbon development on the current National Highway corridors has resulted in :

• Limited capacity to expand the current alignment

• A significant drop in travel speeds

• Poor safety standards

• Increased cost of travel

• High levels of pollution

• Increased average trip lengths

• Significant increase in Vehicle Operating Costs

• Increased travel time per passenger unit


5. Linkage imperatives


The State has been fortunate to have a number of supporting and ancilliary transport facilities within and adjacent to it. Primary among these are :

i) The International airports at Trivandrum , Kochi and Kozhikode

ii) The Proposed and existing ports at Vizhinjam, Kochi , Beypore and Mangalore

Having completed the improvement programme of second order roads in the State, it is now prudent and imperative on the part of the Government of Kerala to undertake a arterial road development program for the state.

Thus the development of a high speed, access controlled, North-South Expressway would provide the fulcrum of such a programme.

The creation of the North South Corridor does not imply that there is a significant movement and thus a need for movement from one end of Kerala to the other but only signifies that the dispersal of activities all across the state will require quick movement of traffic on shorter links all along the corridor

Dovetailed with the proposed road improvement projects under the Central Government sponsored National Highway development programmes,, the North South Corridor would result in the State being able to position itself as a prime competitor for investments in specialised health, education and IT facilities unlike any in the entire country and the World

Such thinking is not new-Infact The GoK initiated preliminary studies way back in 1997 towards addressing this issue and has considered the development of an Access-controlled High Speed Corridor (HSC) traversing through the state in the North – South direction as a prime requisite for its continued and balanced development.

In view of the possibility of implementing the programme in a Public Private Partnership framework, the GoK have asked Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) has been asked to provide project development support and partner GoK in the development and implementation of the project.

6. The Socio Economic Impact of the Project on the State

Infrastructure projects have linkages to the economy- multiple and complex which affects production and consumption directly, creates positive and negative spill over effects (externalities) and involves large flows of expenditure. In the context of the HSC a preliminary estimate of the benefits flowing to the State due to its implementation is as given below:

The development of the HSC is likely have the following impacts on the state of Kerala:

• Impact on Direct Employment: 25 crore man-days

• Impact on Indirect Employment: 200 crore man-days

• Impact on State GDP: Incremental growth of 1% - 2%

• Impact on Below Poverty/ Marginal Income Earners: Incremental 30%

• Savings in Vehicle Operating Costs: Rs. 3,000 crores p.a.

It would take less than 6 hours to traverse from the Southern tip to the Northern tip of Kerala on the HSC as against a current journey time of about 12 to 15 hours

7. The Proposed Project

a) The project, as currently proposed, will vet and modify the preliminary alignment made by the earlier consultants through ground truthing and assessment of impacts covering technical, environmental and social

b) The proposed project links the Northern and Southern parts of Kerala and will traverse through the state ensuring a broad based regional parity in terms of connectivity and social development.

c) As per the previous assessments, the 600 km long alignment comprises 17 intermediate interchanges/nodes and 18 links. The links to be taken up are based on a preliminary viability assessment and have been aggregated into 3 packages

d) It has been proposed that Activity Nodes be developed on 12 of the 17 interchanges on the HSC. The total commercial area to be developed has been assessed at 26.3 lac sq.mtr. spread over 730 hectares along the 12 nodes.

8. Previous Studies

a) In 1997, the Public Works Department, Government of Kerala (PWD) had appointed M/s RITES to conduct a Pre – feasibility Study(The 1997 study) to identify the HSC alignment. The principal objectives of the study were as follows:

b) Selection of tentative alignment for the entire length including cost estimation and economic viability

c) Detailed feasibility study for prioritised segments

d) The 1997 study proposed an alignment (544 km) that was divided into two segments:

e) Northern Segment: Kasargod to Thrissur

f) Southern Segment: Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram

g) In 2002, M/s LEA Associate South Asia Limited (LASA) was selected for undertaking a Techno Economic Feasibility Study(The 2002 study) for the Access Controlled High Speed Corridor. The 2002 study recommended the construction of the proposed High Speed Corridor and proposed an alignment demarcated on the topo-sheets after considering the terrain, design, environmental and social factors. The 2002 alignment coincided with the 1998 alignment for Link 1- Link 13 whereas for the southern part of the state a new alignment that lies east of the 1998 alignment has been proposed so as to achieve fluency in the alignment and minimize the resettlement impacts.

h) The 506.5 km alignment proposed by the 2002 study comprises 17 intermediate interchanges/ nodes and 18 links that have been divided into three phases. The LASA report has prioritized the implementation of the phases as follows:

i) Phase I : Pulikkal to Athani

ii) Phase II : Athani to Pallippuram

iii) Phase III : Chalinkal to Pulikkal

9. Critical Review of Previous Studies

a) GoK apprised three leading infrastructure developing and financing agencies-Infrastructure Development Finance Company(IDFC), SBI Capital Markets and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd(IL&FS) for their proposals to partner it in the development of this project . Based on detailed discussions with each of them and based on their past experiences, GoK selected IL&FS

b) Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) were requested by GoK to assess the viability of implementing the proposed HSC on a commercial format. IL&FS reviewed all the information available on the proposed project and placed its views and recommendations for consideration by the GoK. The GoK, recognizing the need for additional work has set up a Joint Venture company with IL&FS to undertake further work and accepted these recommendations. Some of the prime recommendations made included:

i. Traffic: The tollable traffic on the HSC needs to be reassessed based on a phase wise implementation plan.

ii. Toll Rates: The business plan should assume the Toll rate schedule of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways(MoRTH) as the maximum

iii. Viability: The economics of the HSC should be assessed independently – and the viability gap determined. The surplus to the government from the Activity Node development should be used to partly meet the viability gap of the HSC.

iv. Environmental and Social impact : A detailed environmental and social impact assessment needs to be undertaken including public consultations to finalise the contours of the project

v. Phased Development: The project should be implemented in phases beginning with the most viable section.

vi. Right of Way: A Right of Way (RoW) of 100 meters may not be required for the final configuration of the HSC. Reduction in the ROW to about 60 metres would reduce resettlement and rehabilitation requirements, Government support and improve project economics

10. Road Safety on the HSC

The HSC will be a demonstration project that is committed to develop and implement the project to international standards in quality and service. Some of the innovative features that will be incorporated in the project scope are briefly described herein:

Road User Safety : Safety to the users of the HSC shall be the main focus in developing the present model for the Project. This shall be ensured through the provision of road furniture including signage on the road being designed and maintained in order to minimise occurrence of accidents. This shall include centre line marking with reflective thermoplastic paints, chevron markings, road studs, reflective cats eyes and installation of superior class signage all along the Project. Additionally through geometric arrangements the junctions would be designed with proper turning radii, proper lighting for all arms at the intersections, Lane marking, Make provision for adequate signboards, Install traffic guide posts with reflectors and not providing bus-stops at intersections. It is also proposed to locate/allow others to locate way side amenities including rest areas, petrol bunks and other amenities along the HSC.

Other measures : In addition to safety measures for ensuring safety to users, provision would be made to provide access to both sides of the HSC through underpasses for pedestrians, vehicles and cattle. Also there would be grade separated interchanges on all important junctions

11. Environment Assessment

a) The requirement of an alternative road has already been justified by the past studies undertaken by RITES and LASA.

b) LASA undertook a Rapid Assessment and Site Appreciation Survey for the same. The major conclusions of the LASA studies are as follows:

i) The new alignment would require twice the agricultural land than required for the widening and the improvement of the existing NH.

ii) The widening and improvement of the existing NH would require three times acquisition of the built up areas as required for the new alignment suggested by LASA.

iii) The impact of acquisition of built up area would be relatively low for the new alignment proposed by the LASA.

iv) Mostly the NH passes close to several environmentally sensitive areas such as backwaters apart from other water bodies. There are also stretches that are adjacent to the reserved forests and protected areas. The widening of the NH will have adverse impact on these sensitive areas. There are schools, hospitals, houses and other basic infrastructure facilities are located along the NH. Any widening will cause removal and resettlement of all these structures. The pollution levels will increase in these areas.

c) In the present study field studies will be conducted to determine the existing conditions of various environmental attributes viz., air quality, meteorology, surface and ground water quality, ecology, prevailing land use and industrial activities along the project road and noise levels. Meteorological data will be generated at selected locations.

Other studies such as land use pattern, socio-economic profile will be based on secondary data collected from various Government agencies supplemented by field surveys carried out by the Consultants. Comprehensive field observations would be utilised to evaluate alternative alignments wherever there were problems of sensitive, social and technical issues such as existing topography, surface water bodies and villages or sensitive areas.

d) The current study will develop a detailed environmental impact statement and address mitigation measures to offset any negative impacts. All costs incurred on such mitigation will form a part of the project cost and a part of the legally implementable contractual framework devised for the project

12. Social Assessment

A detailed social analysis study will be carried out to provide a socio-economic profile of the project area and address in particular, indigenous people, poverty alleviation, gender, local population, industry, agriculture, employment, education, health, child labor, land acquisition and resettlement. Studies and analysis shall be carried out to include :

a) A Base line socio-economic and census survey to assess the impacts on the people, properties and loss of livelihood will be conducted. The socio-economic survey will establish the benchmark for monitoring of R & R activities.

b) A Resettlement and Rehabilitation Plan including assessing of feasibility and effectiveness of income restoration strategies, suitability and availability to relocation sites will be prepared. The resettlement plan shall provide the fullest possible assessment of the number of affected households and persons, including common property resources. All occupants are recorded at the initial stages and identity cards are issued to ensure there is no further influx of people into the project area. All consultations with affected persons (to include list of participants) should be fully documented and records made available to SPV

c) A matrix of scheduled activities linked to land acquisition procedures to indicate clearly what steps and actions shall be taken at different stages and the time frame.

d) The resettlement and rehabilitation plan would be finalised based on a series of public consultation process conducted with the beneficiaries and various stakeholders of the project

e) The payment of compensation and resettlement during the acquisition process including an itemized budget (replacement value for all assets) and unit costs for different assets. All such costs will be included as apart of the project cost

13. Present Status

A company ‘Kerala High Speed Corridor Company Limited' has been incorporated on 24 th June 2004 under the Companies Act 1956 to undertake the development of the project.

isnt this the old expressway project- hasn't this been completely stopped??? wud hav gr8 if it did com thru

[AbrahamVCherry]

isnt this the old expressway project- hasn't this been completely stopped??? wud hav gr8 if it did com thru

I think it succumbed to politics like Smart City did. But I dont know if its dead. This will solve alot of traffic problems in the state and be a boon for commerce.

[AbrahamVCherry]

City to get more overbridges, feeder waterways

VS flags off KSINC barge


----------------------------http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/21/stories/2007112160850300.htm----------------------------------------------------



KOCHI: The government will soon come out with a comprehensive plan to tide over acute traffic congestion in Kochi, using a combination of metro-rail and suburban-train services, Chief Minister V.S. Achutanandan has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the National Waterway III at Maradu here on Tuesday.

The metro-rail project for Kochi had lost momentum after the special officer appointed for the project refused to assume office for fear that he would not be given a free hand in taking decisions. “New overbridges too have been planned,” Mr. Achutanandan said.

“Faced with phenomenal increase in vehicular traffic, Kochi was fast running out of options to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Traffic snarls in Kochi would become worse, once the Smart City and the Vallarpadam container transhipment terminal were commissioned,” he said.

Development of waterways would come in handy for businessmen and others to transport bulk cargo, taking the strain off congested roads. Tour operators played a vital role in promoting waterways. The proposed linkage of the international airport and the seaport in Kochi through waterways would be the first of its kind in the country. Central funds were awaited for the project, which would also become a tourist attraction, Mr. Achutanandan said.

The government had set apart Rs.7.20 crore for the renovation of feeder canals in Malabar, Kochi, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram, which were once used to transport goods and people. These canals, 11 of which are in Kochi, would be linked to NW III.

Later, the Chief Minister flagged off a barge owned by the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation. He also went on a tour of the backwaters, from Maradu to the High Court boat jetty. He discussed the prospects of furthering the development of waterways in the State for promoting tourism and other activities, with Ministers and officials who accompanied him. The issues included the possibilities to develop the waterways in Kodungalloor, Kalady and Nedumbassery.

Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran; Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran; and Fisheries Minister S. Sarma spoke.

Among those present were Director of Inland Waterways Authority of India S Dandapat; Advisor to the State government for development of inland waterways and ports and the chairman of KSINC B.R. Menon; MD of the Corporation K.V. R. Varier; and Vice-Admiral S K Damle, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command.

[Sathyalal]

Dear Ani,
You are taliking about the pre-admin interference when people were forced to reply to Nik's hate imaginations. He was using this forumn and indirect way of using his hate links here. You are defending a person who has gone to a level of starting a dedicated hate blog. Also I got many threatening PMs filled with foul language(not from Niks own Id) which I have forwarded to the mods. You have to understand one thing. Without severe provocation I did not post any such reply. Now we are back to square one after his re-entry. At least we were expecting him to maintain a good language. But he is showing his own way.

What did you mean by level of language?
Is it something like this...

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=3000306&postcount=270




http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=3024304&postcount=296

[AbrahamVCherry]

KOCHI: Kochi is poised to become a booming city in South India coming
closely behind Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.

The upcoming mega projects in the port sector, a booming airline segment
besides its ever-increasing prospects in IT and ITES, the city has made rapid
strides in the past few years and its economy has been growing resulting in
large gains in real estate.

In fact, Kochi is rated as one of the better spots for real estate investment in
the country. No wonder the city and its suburbs are expanding only to witness
multiplication of real estate values.

Kochi will be the first and, perhaps, the only city in Kerala, if at all, to be
considered by the authorities concerned to confer a Metro title in future.

But Kochi has to equip and reposition itself to make things go in its favour.
Kochi lacks a few things of serious nature without which it would be
near-impossible for the city to cope with the changing economic and social
scenario.

They include proper and wider roads, drainage and sewage, footpaths,
inter-linking lanes, parking facilities, drinking water and public utility stations
and, of course, dwellings for the mid and lower income category.

These may collectively be termed civil infrastructure, municipal infrastructure,
or simply public works. The concept is that infrastructure provides structure and
support for system and city.

But, opposition by public, for political and social reasons, against acquisition
for paving way for development, is something unique of Kerala, vis-a-vis Kochi.

But, this has to change and it is the Government, like its counterparts in Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, to ensure that things move and move fast as to
chase the pace of development.

The current growth momentum of the Kochi economy can not be sustained unless
and until the bottlenecks created by the infrastructure sectors are swiftly and
adequately addressed.

The immediate requirement of Kochi is to create a professional and transparent
environment which helps establish real estate as a sound investment option.

With smart living becoming the norm, emerging cities like Kochi will also
aggressively pitch for better infrastructure from local governments for better
roads, adequate electricity and water supply.

While traditionally it was the public sector facilitating infrastructure, the
focus in recent years has been shifting to private sector with the government
taking the role of a facilitator.

Kerala has grown dramatically in the telecom sector. However, the state lagged
much behind in the power sector, especially in developing alternate energy
resources like wind and solar power.

In transportation too, the growth has been confined to aviation, leaving much
to be desired in road, rail and water transport - the low-cost carrier.

Though Railways continued to gain from the robust growth of the economy, the
state was denied its due share.

The approach should be through a professional assessment of drinking water,
sewage and drainage requirements of Kochi city with a futuristic view.

Roads, the backbone of any city, give the first impression to any investor. The
traffic congestions on the city’s main arterial roads will come down if
inter-connections are provided to reach different parts of the city without touching
the arterial roads.

Sewage and drainage are other two areas which require immediate attention.

City and district councils can provide information on sewerage and waste water
systems, including septic tanks.

Councils are responsible for managing local sewerage and waste water systems to
ensure that they meet the needs of the existing and future population and are well
maintained.

They must also ensure that interested parties have access to accurate information
and advice to make things better.

Only if proper and timely infrastructural development coincides with housing and
other facilities will development give the real impetus to Kochi to attract investment
and, thereby, sustain the ongoing economic prosperity and boom witnessed in the
city agglomeration.

[sowmya]

There is definitely gud news such as Vallarpadam project contract being awarded and construction activities starting in December 1st week. L&G terminal starting next month. Smart city foundation being laid and highway works to Seaport Airport road commencing. Also Infopark is developing like campuses of Wipro being operational and L&T building commencing operation.

But the sad fact is that our govt is interested more in destructive activities like reducing FAR in place of creating adequate infrastructure. And what happened to M.G Road? Has anybody done anything on that?Also Vallarpadam terminal is starting its construction activities based on assurance given by the government that there wont be anymore strikes. But the labour problem in the port still persists.I also hope Smart City works go on uninterrupted. Also why is our govt not giving notifications to Special Economic Zones like Parsvnath? Our industries minister had declared this one month ago.

It is interesting to note that Kochi is developing in spite of our politicians(not because of politicians)

KOCHI: Kochi is poised to become a booming city in South India coming
closely behind Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.

The upcoming mega projects in the port sector, a booming airline segment
besides its ever-increasing prospects in IT and ITES, the city has made rapid
strides in the past few years and its economy has been growing resulting in
large gains in real estate.

In fact, Kochi is rated as one of the better spots for real estate investment in
the country. No wonder the city and its suburbs are expanding only to witness
multiplication of real estate values.

Kochi will be the first and, perhaps, the only city in Kerala, if at all, to be
considered by the authorities concerned to confer a Metro title in future.

But Kochi has to equip and reposition itself to make things go in its favour.
Kochi lacks a few things of serious nature without which it would be
near-impossible for the city to cope with the changing economic and social
scenario.

They include proper and wider roads, drainage and sewage, footpaths,
inter-linking lanes, parking facilities, drinking water and public utility stations
and, of course, dwellings for the mid and lower income category.

These may collectively be termed civil infrastructure, municipal infrastructure,
or simply public works. The concept is that infrastructure provides structure and
support for system and city.

But, opposition by public, for political and social reasons, against acquisition
for paving way for development, is something unique of Kerala, vis-a-vis Kochi.

But, this has to change and it is the Government, like its counterparts in Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, to ensure that things move and move fast as to
chase the pace of development.

The current growth momentum of the Kochi economy can not be sustained unless
and until the bottlenecks created by the infrastructure sectors are swiftly and
adequately addressed.

The immediate requirement of Kochi is to create a professional and transparent
environment which helps establish real estate as a sound investment option.

With smart living becoming the norm, emerging cities like Kochi will also
aggressively pitch for better infrastructure from local governments for better
roads, adequate electricity and water supply.

While traditionally it was the public sector facilitating infrastructure, the
focus in recent years has been shifting to private sector with the government
taking the role of a facilitator.

Kerala has grown dramatically in the telecom sector. However, the state lagged
much behind in the power sector, especially in developing alternate energy
resources like wind and solar power.

In transportation too, the growth has been confined to aviation, leaving much
to be desired in road, rail and water transport - the low-cost carrier.

Though Railways continued to gain from the robust growth of the economy, the
state was denied its due share.

The approach should be through a professional assessment of drinking water,
sewage and drainage requirements of Kochi city with a futuristic view.

Roads, the backbone of any city, give the first impression to any investor. The
traffic congestions on the city’s main arterial roads will come down if
inter-connections are provided to reach different parts of the city without touching
the arterial roads.

Sewage and drainage are other two areas which require immediate attention.

City and district councils can provide information on sewerage and waste water
systems, including septic tanks.

Councils are responsible for managing local sewerage and waste water systems to
ensure that they meet the needs of the existing and future population and are well
maintained.

They must also ensure that interested parties have access to accurate information
and advice to make things better.

Only if proper and timely infrastructural development coincides with housing and
other facilities will development give the real impetus to Kochi to attract investment
and, thereby, sustain the ongoing economic prosperity and boom witnessed in the
city agglomeration.

[kunjumon123]

I think it succumbed to politics like Smart City did. But I dont know if its dead. This will solve alot of traffic problems in the state and be a boon for commerce.


yes i think it has been completely dropped- bt wot do u mean by smart city succumbing to politics- hasnt the foundation stone been laid last week or something???

[KMC]

Best Hotels in Kerala

Best Five-Star Deluxe Hotel Le Meridien, Kochi
Best Five-Star Hotel Taj Residency, Marine Drive, Kochi
http://www.keralatourism.org/index.p...ews=1178&cat=0

http://www.keralatourism.org/index.php

[KMC]

One more info , there is a project launched today by Kent Constructions at Kakkanad – Kent Mahal – 6 Towers of 20 Floor buildings. I searched their website , but didn’t get details ..

here are the details , just received mail from my friend.
MAHAL:

Location : Kakkanad, (Near Smart City.)

Total Floors : G+19 (Six Tower Apartment.)
Type : 1,2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments.

Rate/Sq ft : Rs. 2300 +Rs. 10/ floor rise


The project is coming up in 3 acres of land which includes 6 Towers and it offers one Bedroom Apartments with 642 sqft area, two Bedroom Apartments with 1055 sqft area and three bedroom Apartments with four types, ie: 1348sqft area, 1354 sqft area,1349 sqftarea, 1343 sqft area. These trendy 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments are designed for those accustomed to luxury, with maximum air flow and natural light. . The Launch offer is Rs 2300/sqft with a floor hike of Rs 10/-. As an investment it is advisable since its coming up in the prime location of Kochi

[KMC]

Need for Infrastrcuture

KOCHI: Kochi is poised to grow in a manner no other city in the country can dream of.
Smart City will indeed put this city onto the global orbit of Information Technology.
But unfortunately, it can be considered the most backward in terms of infrastructure and other basic amenities.

A contradiction in terms indeed; but the authorities are yet to address this serious anomaly.

Even while the city is being projected as an emerging IT hub in the country, no earnest efforts are being taken to improve its pathetic infrastructure facilities.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20071124224713&Page=X&Headline=Growth+sans+basic+amenities&Title=Kochi&Topic=0&

[JMen]

One more info , there is a project launched today by Kent Constructions at Kakkanad – Kent Mahal – 6 Towers of 20 Floor buildings. I searched their website , but didn’t get details ..


Here u go.....

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/2371/mahalelevationqr9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

www.kentcoindia.com

[KMC]

Here u go.....

www.kentcoindia.com


Oops you digged it out :) .

[AbrahamVCherry]

Need for Infrastrcuture

KOCHI: Kochi is poised to grow in a manner no other city in the country can dream of.
Smart City will indeed put this city onto the global orbit of Information Technology.
But unfortunately, it can be considered the most backward in terms of infrastructure and other basic amenities.

A contradiction in terms indeed; but the authorities are yet to address this serious anomaly.

Even while the city is being projected as an emerging IT hub in the country, no earnest efforts are being taken to improve its pathetic infrastructure facilities.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20071124224713&Page=X&Headline=Growth+sans+basic+amenities&Title=Kochi&Topic=0&

My sentiments exactly. There is a blogspot devoted just for Cochin's Infrastructure needs. All who are interested are welcome to join and contribute.
http://cochinoverseasfundsociety.blogspot.com/

[bhasidali]

Another into Kochi realty...read news room...

Check out http://www.qvcrealty.com/ :banana:

[sowmya]

There is a good news in todays manorama. The workers and the trade union leaders have collectively agreed that a single day will not be wasted because of strikes in the completion of Vallarpadam rail and roadworks. I cannot get the link for it

[Santhosh]

http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&programId=1073753760&articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=3247049&BV_ID=@@@

[sowmya]

But I believe that Vallarpadam works will not be affected. Only the container movement will be affected
http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&programId=1073753760&articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=3247049&BV_ID=@@@

[Santhosh]

whatever it may be, it is bad for kochi..

[AbrahamVCherry]

S. Achuthanandan says Smart City project is an initiative with private-public participation.

KOCHI: Ever since the State government signed the agreement with TECOM for the Smart City Kochi, several such proposals have been pouring in from across the globe, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said.

He was talking at the foundation stone-laying function of the Smart City, a self-sustained industry township for knowledge-based industry, held at Kakkanad near here on Friday.

“Discussions are on with several investors who have approached the State with similar projects in various districts,” he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan said that after the public sector IT projects like the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram and Infopark in Kochi, Smart City Kochi was a new initiative with private-public participation.

He said that with the project set to bring in several thousands people in the next few years, the traffic congestion, which is already a bane of Ernakulam district, would become more serious.

Amenities planned


“We will have to think of trains and overbridges over water bodies to get over this problem at the earliest. Several suggestions are before the government. A decision will be reached after studying them and holding discussions with the authorities concerned,” he said.

He urged the Smart City authorities and the government officials to work sincerely for completing the project in a time-bound manner. Earlier, he inaugurated the function by lighting a traditional lamp. Mr. Achuthanandan unveiled the foundation plaque along with Farid Abdul Rahman, Executive Director of Smart City.

Smart City, a joint venture company promoted by TECOM Investments and Sama Dubai, will develop Smart City Kochi in association with the State government.

Ahmad Bin Byat, Executive Chairman of TECOM, who was to attend the function did not turned up, as his flight could not take off from Dubai owing to technical reasons.

Hub of excellence


Reading out the speech of Mr. Byat in his absence, Mr. Rahman said that Smart City envisaged making Kochi a hub of excellence for knowledge-based industries. “The exponential growth enjoyed by India’s IT and IT-enabled service sectors, and the continued foreign investment interest, adds to the promise that Smart City Kochi holds,” he said. Smart City Kochi will be a significant part in the network of knowledge-based industry townships we are seeking to develop across the world, he said. In his presidential address,

Minister for Fisheries S. Sarma, who is also the Chairman of Smart City Kochi, said that the project would provide the Malayalis who had proved their skills in the global IT arena to work in their home State.


The project will be set up with an investment of $ 350 million and will have a built up space of 8.8 million sq.ft.

Ministers C. Divakaran, N.K. Premachandran and Mons Joseph and MLA K. Babu offered felicitations. Jazia Mohammed, Marketing Director, TECOM, was present. MLAs, MPs and local-self government heads and officials also participated.

Chief Secretary P.J. Thomas welcomed the gathering and District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish proposed a vote of thanks.


http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/17/stories/2007111757570400.htm



http://cibercitycochinindia.blogspot.com/

[AbrahamVCherry]

Need for multi-pronged steps to tackle traffic woes



John L. Paul



City mobility plan to be drawn up: Minister





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Paucity of funds delays road development’

Concern over narrow railway overbridges


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



KOCHI: Defective planning and lack of foresight in building roads and bridges are likely to hinder the city’s growth.

Many more vehicles will ply the traffic choked roads once the Smart City project and Vallarpadam container terminal project are commissioned.

Inland waterways


The development plans for Kochi require a multi-pronged approach comprising urgent widening of roads, bridges and junctions, building new roads and bridges, development of a suburban rail network and people-friendly public-transport system, and making optimal use of inland waterways for transporting goods and people. Pay-and-park bays at street corners too are needed to help check the chaos on the busy roads.

Lack of coordination between the government departments has held up projects aimed at streamlining traffic. One such example is the Pullepady overbridge project, the work on which has been delayed by over three years.

Though the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala built the approach spans of the bridge, the Railways are yet to construct its 25-metre portion over the rail track.

Bridge


The bridge, when completed, will help reduce traffic congestion on the Ernakulam North overbridge. However, the Kochi Corporation is yet to acquire all land needed to connect the road with the arterial M.G. Road.

The bottlenecks posed by the narrow railway overbridges at Ernakulam North and South highlight the city’s failure to set in motion any serious infrastructure development work.

The District Collector, who is also the chairman of the District Road Safety Council and the District Road Transport Authority, had promised to widen the overbridges two years ago, but many encroachments along the sides of the bridges are yet to be removed.

The proposal to connect the Thammanam-Pullepady Road with the Airport-Seaport Road has been in limbo due to the problems involved in the acquisition of land.

The road will connect the city to the proposed Smart City at Kakkanad. Shopkeepers have encroached upon the stretch from Palarivattom to Kakkanad, creating traffic snarls throughout the day. Haphazard parking has added to the woes of road users.

The Corporation has been unable to shift power, telephone and water lines in some areas of the Sahodaran Aiyyappan Road in spite of road widening works that began over a decade ago.

The proposal to build Bund Road, which runs parallel to S.A. Road, has been hanging fire reportedly owing to paucity of funds for land acquisition. Traffic snarls have become routine on S.A. Road.

Mobility plan


Mayor Mercy Williams said huge conglomerates setting up shop in the city should pool funds for road development and land acquisition.

“We will soon come up with a city mobility plan. But, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, on which the Corporation is heavily dependant for funds, has accorded lowest priority to road development and maintenance.”
http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/19/stories/2007111957940300.htm
http://cochinoverseasfundsociety.blogspot.com/

[KMC]

THE 2000 CRORE HDIL CYBER CITY IS UP FOR EAC CLEARANCE...

Looks like these guys are going much faster than expected,

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_en...pending1994.do

[sowmya]

KMC, Iam not able to read this.

QUOTE=KMC;3197083]THE 2000 CRORE HDIL CYBER CITY IS UP FOR EAC CLEARANCE...

Looks like these guys are going much faster than expected,

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_en...pending1994.do[/QUOTE]

[KMC]

KMC, Iam not able to read this.

QUOTE=KMC;3197083]THE 2000 CRORE HDIL CYBER CITY IS UP FOR EAC CLEARANCE...

Looks like these guys are going much faster than expected,

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_en...pending1994.do[/QUOTE]

pls visit EAC website , and take pending approval list you can see....

[sowmya]

What is the web address?



pls visit EAC website , and take pending approval list you can see....[/QUOTE]

[sowmya]

Kochi Metro Rail to begin in April
http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&programId=1073753765&articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=3260283&BV_ID=@@@

[bhasidali]

The terminal will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore during the third phase of the airport upgradation project that will commence before end of 2009, S Bharath, Managing Director, CIAL told TravelBiz Monitor on the sidelines of the Airport Expansion India Congress (AEIC) 2007 held recently at Hyatt Regency, Mumbai.

Currently, LCCs such as Air India Express, SpiceJet, Deccan, GoAir and IndiGo daily flights from the Kochi International Airport. "In the next five years, many more LCCs will fly in the Indian skies. We need to gear-up and be prepared to make the most of the booming aviation industry, especially the no-frills segment. With this in consideration, we are building a 300-acre fully-dedicated LCC terminal at the Kochi International Airport," said Bharath.

Apart from that, the CIAL is also planning to start an aviation training academy within the airport complex by 2009. It is looking at offering graduate and post-graduate programmes in collaboration with the University of Kochi and an international aviation training institute, according to Bharath. The subjects offered will include aircraft maintenance, aeronautical engineering, aviation management and pilot and cabin crew training.

http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/articleDetails.aspx?id=1602&sectionid=36&name=Top%20Stories

[thunderboltz]

Infopark and near by areas from an old issue of the New indian express. Lots of frenetic construction work going on.
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4994/image000uf0.th.jpg (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=image000uf0.jpg)

[KMC]

What is the web address?



pls visit EAC website , and take pending approval list you can see....[/QUOTE]

here you go...

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_envclr/home.do

[sowmya]

Thanks a lot for that , KMC. But there is a small doubt. Aerens Gold Souk which is already under construction is shown as 'Pending approval' in the site. Is it possible to start construction without getting approval



here you go...

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_envclr/home.do[/QUOTE]

[KMC]

Thanks a lot for that , KMC. But there is a small doubt. Aerens Gold Souk which is already under construction is shown as 'Pending approval' in the site. Is it possible to start construction without getting approval



here you go...

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_envclr/home.do[/QUOTE]

Same doubt I had , may be the list is not updated or they might have received approval for construction but there might still be some technical issues to be resolved which may not be directly connected to construction ..
Eg : Waste disposal measures or something similar .. which i guess...not sure

[sowmya]

Big projects reach crucial stage today.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/03/stories/2007120359771200.htm

[bhasidali]

He said like the Skywings, the group’s forthcoming projects in Cyber Heights and Silicon Beach in Thiruvananthapuram, Meghadoot in Thrissur (Ayyanthol) and King’s Court in Tripunithura too have received what he termed as “overwhelming” response.


http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=183770&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

[ashwinjoseph23]

News on the upcoming Marina.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/05/stories/2007120550320200.html

News on the SPM Facility that was recently put to use.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/05/stories/2007120562490300.html

[thunderboltz]

Mall O changes its name to Oberon Mall?
http://www.oberonmall.com/

[KMC]

10 towers of 27 Storied buildings at Aluva!!!!

Credit goes to some one else , since he is not posting , I copy this and posting here

Aqua City
http://www.shwashomes.com/images/acua_main_small.jpg

http://www.shwashomes.com/acuacity_project.html

sorry , I could not devote more time to this forum as I am on a New Project which eats away all my time...
Please continue the good work... and show case our great city..

[KMC]

Longest railway bridge to link Vallarpadom

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20071205211930&Page=X&Headline=Longest+railway+bridge+to+link+Vallarpadom&Title=Kochi&Topic=0&

If a place like Aluva can witness such a boom , Just think about whats gonna happen around Vallarpadam!!

[nisanth]

Kochi to have global trade centre

The Board of Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) has appointed Mumbai-based Zoom Developers to provide full design consultancy services for the proposed International Exhibition and Trade Centre at Kalamasserry near Kochi. The trade centre is planned in the prestigious Kinfra Hi-tech Park cluster and is expected to be operational in three years.
"The hi-tech park, spread over 240 acres, includes a cluster of biotechnology, electronics, ITES, gem and jewellery parks in addition to the trade centre," said A.S. Suresh Babu, Managing Director, Kinfra.
Singapore-based CPG Consultants India has been chosen by Zoom to provide full design consultancy services. The centre, being envisaged as one of international class, will be a permanent venue for trade fairs, exhibitions, conferences and other business activities.
"The project is coming up on BOOT basis: 90 years lease which is renewable for another 90 years. The construction work will start by the end of January 2008," said Kshitija Mandvilkar, Finance Executive, Zoom Developers.
The project is coming up on 40 acres of Kinfra land at Kalamasserry, 25 km from Cochin International Airport and 26 km from the seaport. The site, proposed for the centre, is 3 km off NH-47. Cochin SEZ is within 10 km of the proposed site.
The trade centre is to have world-class facilities and will be built in Kerala style of architecture, according to Kinfra officials.:slob: The exhibition hall and the convention centre are expected to have an area of 5.6 million sq. ft. The convention centre will be designed to be used as a theatre, if required.
The project will also include a 5-star hotel of 31 floors providing 400 rooms, a 100-storey office tower which will be one of its kind in India, and a shopping mall spread on six floors. The trade centre is coming up in a five-storey building. Other amenities include a club house, service apartments, restaurants, ATM centres, a post office, Internet café and multilevel car parking.
The project will be completed in three phases. The first will comprise the exhibition and trade centre and the food court which will be completed by October 2008. The second includes 5-star hotel and shopping mall, and the third will consist of the office tower.
Kinfra, which facilitates the development of industrial infrastructure in Kerala, has made remarkable achievements in just 13 years and has catered to industry-specific infrastructure requirements by setting up a number of industrial parks, townships and zones across the state.

Contact: Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra), TC 31/2312, Kinfra House, Sasthamangalam P.O., Thiruvananthapuram 695010. Tel: 0471-2726585; Fax: 0471-2724773; E-mail: kinfra@vsnl.com

courtesy : projectsmonitor.com

[viperpaul22]

Kochi to have global trade centre

The Board of Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) has appointed Mumbai-based Zoom Developers to provide full design consultancy services for the proposed International Exhibition and Trade Centre at Kalamasserry near Kochi. The trade centre is planned in the prestigious Kinfra Hi-tech Park cluster and is expected to be operational in three years.
"The hi-tech park, spread over 240 acres, includes a cluster of biotechnology, electronics, ITES, gem and jewellery parks in addition to the trade centre," said A.S. Suresh Babu, Managing Director, Kinfra.
Singapore-based CPG Consultants India has been chosen by Zoom to provide full design consultancy services. The centre, being envisaged as one of international class, will be a permanent venue for trade fairs, exhibitions, conferences and other business activities.
"The project is coming up on BOOT basis: 90 years lease which is renewable for another 90 years. The construction work will start by the end of January 2008," said Kshitija Mandvilkar, Finance Executive, Zoom Developers.
The project is coming up on 40 acres of Kinfra land at Kalamasserry, 25 km from Cochin International Airport and 26 km from the seaport. The site, proposed for the centre, is 3 km off NH-47. Cochin SEZ is within 10 km of the proposed site.
The trade centre is to have world-class facilities and will be built in Kerala style of architecture, according to Kinfra officials.:slob: The exhibition hall and the convention centre are expected to have an area of 5.6 million sq. ft. The convention centre will be designed to be used as a theatre, if required.
The project will also include a 5-star hotel of 31 floors providing 400 rooms, a 100-storey office tower which will be one of its kind in India, and a shopping mall spread on six floors. The trade centre is coming up in a five-storey building. Other amenities include a club house, service apartments, restaurants, ATM centres, a post office, Internet café and multilevel car parking.
The project will be completed in three phases. The first will comprise the exhibition and trade centre and the food court which will be completed by October 2008. The second includes 5-star hotel and shopping mall, and the third will consist of the office tower.
Kinfra, which facilitates the development of industrial infrastructure in Kerala, has made remarkable achievements in just 13 years and has catered to industry-specific infrastructure requirements by setting up a number of industrial parks, townships and zones across the state.

Contact: Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra), TC 31/2312, Kinfra House, Sasthamangalam P.O., Thiruvananthapuram 695010. Tel: 0471-2726585; Fax: 0471-2724773; E-mail: kinfra@vsnl.com

courtesy : projectsmonitor.com

International Trade & Convention Centre, Kochi : Zoom Developers has already purchased 40 acres of land from KINFRA, developing one of the most comprehensive commercial hub involving one 3 star and one five star hotel and commercial space in phased manner involving 4.4m sq.ft of development with an investment of over Rs.1200 crores.The project is in Various stages of planning and implementation.

http://www.zoomdevelopers.com/srv_infraReal_compnies.htm

[KMC]

Nishaanth & Viper

Great finds friends.....

[viperpaul22]

Cochin to host National Sailing Championship

KOCHI: The port city will be the venue of the National Ocean Sailing Championship in January 2008.

The race will witness the participation of India’s prominent sailors. Prominent amongst them would be Cdr. Dilip Donde of the Mumbai Sailing Club, who would be India’s first sailor to undertake a solo voyage around the world in a sail boat in 2010. The Race is being conducted by Offshore Sailing Association of India OSA (I), the parent organisation under the Yachting Association of India, dedicated to promote and broad base ocean-yachting in the country. The Indian Navy too has extended a helping hand in organising the event.

The race will be flagged off on January 13 by Vice-Admiral S.K. Damle, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command. The yachts will sail to the Lakshadweep group of islands, where the sailors will be hosted by the Indian Navy. They would then race back across the ocean to arrive in Kochi, the finishing point, on January 23.

The race is being promoted by Ocean Blue, a leisure-boating company specialising in organising sailing events, apart from manufacturing and servicing yachts.

Source: The Hindu

Another example of Cochin gaining importance as a harbour city..

[AbrahamVCherry]

Protests mar Minister’s visit to Edapally bridge

Traffic through Menaka parallel bridge from January


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



KOCHI: Minister for Public Works Mons Joseph on Saturday set the deadline for completing three crucial bridges in the city.

He was attending a meeting convened to review road and bridge development projects.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Joseph encountered protests during his visit to the construction site of the Edapally bridge. Angered over the 10-year delay in completing the bridge, people shouted slogans and demanded that a couple of people’s representatives from the district who were present ‘go back.’

Following the meeting held at the Ernakulam guest house, Mr. Joseph said Public Works Department (PWD) contractors had promised to complete work on the Edapally bridge by March 2009.

The District Collector has been asked to monitor the progress of the work and file a monthly report to the government. Any delay will result in the contract with the builders being cancelled. Delay by the Union government in sanctioning funds has been attributed for the non-completion of the bridge. The bottlenecks have been removed now, Mr. Joseph said. Twenty-four more spans have to be completed.

Taking stock of the progress of work on the Seaport-Airport road, he said Rs.200 crore more was needed for the completion of the road. A new project report was required to complete the pending 22-km stretch in four phases. Mr. Joseph directed officials to finalise a new alignment for the development of the Kochi-Madurai national highway.

He said the bridge being built parallel to the Menaka bridge would be thrown open to traffic on January 1. Potholes on bridges and roads maintained by the PWD and other agencies would be filled. The bridge parallel to the Venduruthy bridge would be ready by June 2009. Earlier, Mr. Joseph inaugurated the second phase of works on the bridge.

He issued directions to the PWD and the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala to ensure that all potholes near road and bridge toll booths were filled. The city police handed over the project report for building a model road to Mr. Joseph.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/02/stories/2007120259490300.htm

http://cochinoverseasfundsociety.blogspot.com/2007/12/rs200-crore-needed-for-seaport-airport.html

[KMC]

Is there No End to Kakkanad Phenomenon!!!
Out of the 40,000 Flats which are coming up in Kerala , 18000 is coming at Kakkand alone. Nearly 50% is contributed just by one place in Kochi....called Kakkanad ...

http://www.mathrubhumi.com/2007_customimages/news/PF121983_18bis1.pdf

[KMC]

.

[KMC]

delete

[pramodusnair]

WHYTEFORT HOTEL,Cochin
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2207/2102852054_1fc6ed1c16_o.jpg
copyrights BEEGEEVEE

MAJESTIC APARTMENTS, Marine Drive, Cochin
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2124/2102072235_547dae79cc_o.jpg
copyrights BEEGEEVEE


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2033/2102850816_0fb622a77d_o.jpg
copyrights BEEGEEVEE

[pramodusnair]

Kochi metro rail getting off the ground

T’PURAM: The government on Monday gave its nod for land acquisition for the Kochi metro rail project.

The acquisition process will begin as soon as the Cabinet takes a formal decision approving it.

Sources said that the Chief Minister had directed the Cochin Corporation to give a requisition regarding the land acquisition to the Ernakulam District Collector on Tuesday.

It’s learnt that the Cabinet will take a formal decision regarding the issue within two days.

With the current development it’s estimated that the Rs 2000-crore project will take off within months.

The project, which it is hoped will put an end to the traffic woes of Kochiites, is expected to be complete within the stipulated three years.

The Kochi Metro Rail Project is being implemented by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

The final draft for the project has already been finalised. The 25-km long metro rail has been on the cards for the past 10 years.

It’s projected to start from Aluva and go through Kalamassery, Edappally and Palarivattom to Kaloor, and from MG Road via Madhava Pharmacy Junction, Kadavanthra and Pettah to Tripunithura.

There will 22 metro rail stations and around 25 acres of land will be taken over for the project, including 10 acres of private land.

A high level meeting convened by Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan on Monday also decided to file an appeal against a recent High Court order that proved a hurdle in the path of the realisation of the project.

[pramodusnair]

IIEST to pave way for tech varsity

KOCHI: Prospects of new technical university coming up in the state have brightened with the State Government moving in the direction of converting Cusat into an IIEST.

The idea which was conceived a few years ago has been gathering dust in the absence of any concrete initiative from the State Government.

But once Cusat is made an IIEST, the 29 private and self-financing engineering colleges under it are expected to be delinked from the university and affiliated to new technical university.

In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, all engineering colleges are already affiliated to one technical varsity.

In Tamil Nadu it’s the Anna University, while in Karnataka it’s Visvesvaraya Technological University and in Andhra Pradesh the colleges are affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University.

This has been done following the norms of the AICTE.

Former Director of Cusat School of Engineering Babu T.Jose was appointed special officer of the technical university and he had submitted a report two years ago to the then government.

According to sources, the new university doesn’t need much infrastructure to function and the government need not spend much money for establishing it.

The existing universities like Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi and Calicut are already burdened with a lot of affiliated colleges and hence delinking engineering colleges from Cusat and adding them to the existing universities will only complicate matters.

Babu Jose in his report had stressed the need for bringing all engineering colleges in the state in three phases under the technical university.

“If we decide to bring them at one go, it can be counterproductive. First we need to focus on the self-financing engineering colleges. The aided and government engineering colleges which are already faring well can wait,” Babu Jose said.

He said that the Cusat syllabus, which is one of the best in the country, can be followed by the new university.

But the quality of teaching needs to focused in the coming days.

“Today the toppers in old branches like civil choose teaching as a career while the best talents in IT, Computer Science and Electronics opt for other jobs with high salaries.

For a civil engineering post-graduate, teaching is a good profession earning-wise, but that’s not the case with the hot branches. This has not been noticed by many and it’s affecting the quality of teaching in a big way in the top branches,” said Babu Jose.

Hence, the technical university has a great challenge ahead so as to give the right direction to the technical education in the state

[nisanth]

Prestige Group, PVR ties-up to operate 60 screens

PVR has tied up with Bangalore-based Prestige Group, to open and operate 60 screens in South India.

The company is partnering with Prestige's Forum Malls in South Indian cities of Mangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad in addition to few new projects in Bangalore. It will spend about Rs.80-85 crore within a period of two to three years in operational of these multiplex screens.

Prestige Group is planning to build ten malls with a budget of Rs.3,000 crore and these malls with shopping, entertainment, multiplex, and parking components are to be fully functional by 2010.

courtesy: www.projectstoday.com

[viperpaul22]

Alappat to open new showroom in Kochi

Company Chairman and Managing Director Babu Antony Alappat, talking to reporters here last night said the 6,000 sq ft showroom was set up after extensive market research on purchasing habits of the present day customers.

The Rs 30-crore showroom would have a bridal collection counter, Sumangali, 'ETC' section for teenagers, '9 to 5' for working women and 'Cuties Pie' section for newborn and infants.


Source: NewKerala.com

[bhasidali]

Prestige Group, PVR ties-up to operate 60 screens

PVR has tied up with Bangalore-based Prestige Group, to open and operate 60 screens in South India.

The company is partnering with Prestige's Forum Malls in South Indian cities of Mangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad in addition to few new projects in Bangalore. It will spend about Rs.80-85 crore within a period of two to three years in operational of these multiplex screens.

Prestige Group is planning to build ten malls with a budget of Rs.3,000 crore and these malls with shopping, entertainment, multiplex, and parking components are to be fully functional by 2010.

courtesy: www.projectstoday.com

“The Forum takes pleasure in announcing that PVR will be operating the cineplexes for all the Forum malls at Bangalore including Whitefield and Shantiniketan. They also include malls coming up at Cochin, Hyderabad, and Mangalore,” said Prestige group chairman and managing director Irfan Razack.

As per the current approvals, Prestige has planned 10 malls till 2011 ranging from 600,000 to 1,000,000 square feet. The mall in Cochin will have an area of 1,000,000 square feet, with 700,000 square feet accounting for retail and the balance split over hospitality, office space and screens.

http://www.indiantelevision.com/aac/y2k7/aac187.php

[KMC]

copyrights BEEGEEVEE

awesomme , full marks to the photographer ,
The most Posh area in kerala looks so astounding...

[AbrahamVCherry]

IT’s glorious opportunities and daunting challenges STATE TRENDS



T. Ramavarman P. Venugopal



There are jobs aplenty and lots to ponder as the State rides the information technology boom





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With IT companies beginning to look at Kerala as a potential investment destination, the State is in for major investment and employment generation and this is likely to bring in its wake major challenges for the government.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------







THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “Bangalore is out. Kochi is in,” writes Stephanie Overby, Senior Editor of CIO Magazine, in an article on business process outsourcing (BPO) trends in India in a recent issue of the widely read IT journal.

As real estate prices and cost of living skyrocket in big cities and high cost of talent and infrastructure squeeze chop off chunks from profit margins, BPO companies are turning to smaller cities and towns and Kochi, Kerala’s emerging IT hub, figures at the very top of their priority destinations.

“The Smart City issue might have helped a bit,” says Joseph C. Mathew, IT Adviser to the Chief Minister of Kerala. “Why should an international infrastructure provider such as the Dubai-based TECOM come to Kochi despite some hard conditions set by the State government if not for the several pluses we have,” asks Mr. Mathew.

Talent on offer


The industry sees very good talent on offer here at a cost much lower than that in the big metros, good communication connectivity, a society quite cosmopolitan in attitude, the best of living conditions and, of course, sparkling environs. And it will not be just Kochi, or the capital city Thiruvananthapuram. The State is more of a sprawling town homogeneous all over in attributes attractive to the IT industry, unlike most other States with disconnected urban pockets in rambling landscapes of backward villages.

Experts believe that there are at least a dozen towns in the State ideal for IT companies. The Government’s IT Policy aims at developing all such towns for the industry along with Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi in a hub-and-spoke model so that the trickle down effect of prosperity too will be distributed evenly across the State. New IT parks at Palakkad, Kozhikode, Alappuzha and Kollam are already in the sprouting stage.

The IT industry employs over 30,000 professionals in the State at the moment, 17,000 of them at the Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, and 5,000 at the Infopark in Kochi.

The State’s software exports were in the region of Rs.800 crore last year, according to the estimates of Software Technology Parks of India. “This is a gross underestimation, probably because many companies report their turnovers from their headquarters outside the State. The turnover per IT professional cannot be lower than Rs.20 lakh a year. The Technopark and the Infopark, employing more than 22,000 professionals, should by themselves be having more than Rs.4,000 crore of annual export business,” says N. Radhakrishnan Nair, Technopark Chief Executive Officer.

“We are looking at something like one lakh new IT jobs in the State in the next two years. Leading firms such as Infosys, Wipro, TCS, L&T and the Leela Group are working on building facilities here. Some of them want to set up parks as Special Economic Zones,” says IT Secretary Ajayakumar.

Sajan Pillai, Chief Operating Officer of the UST Global, which employs the largest number of IT professionals in the State, and the company’s Technopark unit chief Alexander Verghese say that the present trend will take the number of IT jobs in the State to nearly one million in the next four or five years. They base their forecast on a surmise that at least 10 per cent of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) projection of IT job generation in the country during this period will be in Kerala.

Soft skills


The opportunities also throw up big challenges. The first concerns training the youth in skills beyond the ones they imbibe in the colleges to make them ‘employable’ with the necessary communication and computer skills, aptitude for IT and a ‘global attitude’ to the profession because IT is a global business.

“Finishing schools have to come up in a big way across the State to help us make the best of the opportunity. The times to come will see not just engineering graduates, but also a large number of graduates in other disciplines getting jobs in the IT sector,” says Mr. Sajan Pillai.

The curriculum will have to be revised and constantly put through fresh revisions in tune with the job market needs, he feels.

The Chief Minister’s IT Adviser feels that the government and the industry will have to show the way with right models of finishing schools and he is confident that private entrepreneurship will do the rest.

Entrepreneurship is waking up in Kerala, one can see it happening all over the State, he says. Ashokan Njarackal, a free software campaigner, is of the view that entrepreneurial skills too require nurturing.

Private players


Then there is the challenge of infrastructure and finding the resources to build it. Industry leaders suggest a string of self-contained ‘techno-cities’ in the State with good road and air connectivity.

Should it be the government’s own responsibility or should the private sector also be asked to chip in?

Ideological confusions, if any, may have to be sorted out fast. At the same time, the State has to guard against the danger of throwing the field totally open to real estate exploitation.

“The government knows the danger,” says the Chief Minister’s political secretary K.N. Balagopal.

“A joint sector company, with majority stake for the government, is being set up to facilitate investment and build IT parks all over the State. In Smart City’s case, we insisted that 70 per cent of the built-up space should be exclusively for the IT industry. Such safeguards may become necessary for other private parks too.”

On road to changes


The State is on the threshold of a change, the nature and scale of which have no precedents. The change that happened when the Gulf job market opened up in the 1970s was of a different nature altogether because a bulk of its beneficiaries belonged to the rural working class. Ultimately, it was more of a levelling process that happened in society through the Gulf boom.

In the present case, the so-called digital divide will take quite some time to vanish, notwithstanding the ‘Akshaya’ computer literacy programme of the government. Also, income divide will be a stark reality.

The emerging new section will also pressurise the system for a higher and higher share of the resources, from the government and society.

The State is entering uncharted seas. Somewhere out on the unfolding expanse, glorious promises await it; as also unknown dangers. This is the time when those who steer the ship will have to keep a very tight vigil.
http://cibercitycochinindia.blogspot.com/2007/12/bangalore-is-out-kochi-is-in-writes.html

[thunderboltz]

It’s beyond doubt that the Queen of Arabian Sea is on the fast track to development. But the big question is how will the city handle the fall-outs of such a huge and massive development.

VIDEO:
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/53999/kochi-on-fast-track-side-effects-kick-in.html

ARTICLE:
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/kochi-on-fast-track-side-effects-kick-in/53999-3.html

[viperpaul22]

Ring Road

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/12/stories/2007121259870300.htm


Land acquisition for the rail link to commence soon (Vallarpadam Container Terminal)..

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/12/stories/2007121260340300.htm

[tonapz]

The Government of Kerala is planning to set up a Mega Oceanarium in Puthuvype, kochi. The government has already given 50 acres of land for the same. Once complete this would be the biggest Oceanarium in Asia. The central government has given approval for the project. The total estimated cost for the project is Rs.300 crore. This Oceanarium will be bigger and better (in terms of technology), than that in Singapore. The government wants to make kochi as the biggest tourist destination in the state. The Oceanarium will be built under Private partnership, in the model of CIAL. The entry cost is also decide, based on the increasing tourist arrival. Rs. 300, per head is the entrance fee. With this entrance fee, the officials belive they can run the Oceanarium in Profit.

Source: Metro Manorama - 13/12/2007.
:banana:

[JMen]

2 new projects at kakkanad:

HOYASALA - NESTOR

HOYASALA - eHOME

Source:http://hoysalaprojects.com

[pramodusnair]

The link to the webpage of DEWA PROJECTS- The company which won the bid for the prime land in Marine drive, kochi, trumping biggies like purvnkara, dlf etc

http://www.dewaprojects.com/Location.asp

[viperpaul22]

Cochin Metro Rail

To be finished in 3 years, it will cost Rs. 3,000 crore.
VS to hold talks with Union Ministers next week

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/15/stories/2007121552860300.htm


UAE picks areas for investment in State

Kochi will be the location for the financial centre.


http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/15/stories/2007121555580800.htm

[ani07]

Emaar-MGF has submitted proposals for starting a IT based township at Aluva involving an investment of 1700 crores.Out of this over 1000 crores will be used for apartments,villas and hotels.They have assured 30,000 job opportunities.
There are disputes involving use of 200 acres of paddy land.


Reported by Mathrubhumi 'Nagaram'.

[ani07]

A Taiwaneese company is seeking land near Kochi for building an IT Park with an initial investment of 1000 crores in the first phase

-Mathrubhumi Nagaram

[bijugp]

Urban India, take green lessons from Pune

Urban India could take a leaf from Pune on how a city can help reduce emission of greenhouse gases. The cultural capital of Maharastra has taken a few initiatives that can help the city adopt a more sustainable development model.

The trigger: Like many Indian cities, Pune is bursting at its seams. A boom in IT and services has increased incomes, fuelling a real estate boom that is adding 27 million square foot of space every year. With new automobile units coming up around Pune, the city is exploding and traffic is at its worst.

Decongesting Roads:With an inefficient public transport system, people rely on private vehicles. The city has 1.4 million vehicles (3.3 vehicles per family) and adds 600 vehicles a day which emit 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per day. While Pune plans to go for a metro and monorail, it needed some short-term solutions that are sustainable.

That's when it came up with the bus rapid transit system, which aims to move people away from private vehicles to public transport. It's already running a pilot on 13 km with its share of problems -- it still doesn't have dedicated lanes at a stretch, roads are narrow in many places as they run into military lands.

Pune plans to develop parking lots, cycle lanes and feeder routes to support the BRT. When implemented across 117 km in 5 years, it hopes to move 30 per cent of two-wheeler traffic and 20 per cent of auto-rickshaw traffic to public transport. ''It's a good idea. But buses run on the right hand lane, which end up choking the roads,'' said Sanjay Bonagiri, a lawyer who's also a green activist.

He feels Pune should go for a metro system even if it means inconvenience in the interim. People working in the industrial suburb of Pimpri-Chinchwad commute by company buses, and where companies don't provide for buses, people commute by two-wheelers, often spending 40 minutes for a distance of 15-20 km. ''Having more buses is not going to decongest the roads,'' said Bonagiri.

Restoring the rivers: If roads are turning chaotic today, the city's rivers had turned into sewers years ago as they take the burnt of untreated sewage and pollution from streams. The city is lucky to have two rivers (Mula and Mutha) that originate from dams around Pune.

The rivers are clean when they enter city but get highly polluted when they pass through the city. That's because like many Indian cities, Pune is able to treat only 60 per cent of the 567 million litres of sewage it generates every day. That may change soon for the better.

By June 2008, the city will have three more sewage treatment plants. But that may not be enough to treat all the sewage. There are several streams that flow from squatter colonies, which are not captured by sewage pipelines. ''We have now mapped these streams and the water discharge, and enforced the building norms. No construction can take place on those streams,'' says Praveensinh Pardeshi, commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

Sewage treatment consumes a lot of electricity, a key reason why many Indian cities are not able to treat their sewage besides lack of

infrastructure. Pune pays more than Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) annually in electricity charges for treating sewage. It is already generating methane/bio-gas, which it plans to use to generate power. So, it will generate a third its power requirement at its largest treatment plants.

Bio-Diversity Parks
Pune is surrounded by barren hills, which were no-development zones for years. Earlier this year, when authorities tried to allow four per cent construction in the hills, the citizens opposed by forming a human chain and submitting 90,000 signatures. 'If we need a carbon sink, you to provide the green belts. This is non-negotiable; the city can't think of losing its open spaces,'' said Vandana Chavan, an ex-Mayor, who has been trying to raise awareness against climate change.

This forced the PMC to reserve 780 hectares of hills as bio-diversity parks, but the same is yet to be notified by the state. The PMC plans to develop them, but 40 per cent of this land is privately-owned which has to be acquired by the corporation. The PMC has started developing 220 hectares with native species and water bodies. The PMC is also funding the forest department to erect boundary walls around these parks.

PMC's efforts are best exemplified by the landscaping of land adjoining nallahs (streams) running through the city. Trees and vegetation have been grown along the nullah that takes care of the foul smell that emanates from such streams and helps in beautifying the area As a result, these stretches with nicely-laid walkways, are being used by citizens for their morning or evening walks.

Behavioural Change

The PMC is also trying to influence the behaviour of people by incentivising them to go green. Builders have to adopt new eco-housing norms (eco-friendly, energy efficient buildings that use minimum lighting, recycles waste). Housing societies that take care of their solid waste (by doing vermi composting, bio-methanation), will get a 50 per cent rebate on the premium and development charges.

This can be a big benefit for a builder (PMC collected Rs 216 crore or Rs 2.16 billion in premium charges last year) and progressive builders are taking to it. Magarpatta City, a model township create by farmers-turned-entrepreneurs, has adopted many of the practices the PMC is trying to champion. It segregates solid waste at source into bio-degradable (vegetable waste) and recyclable waste.

The bio-degradable waste is used for vermi-culture and bio-compost while non-biodegradable waste is recycled or disposed off safely. A biogas plant uses the biodegradable waste to produce methane, which is used to generate power that is used for pumping water to its gardens.

''This saves us power requirements to the tune of 118 commercial gas cylinders per month or 270 units of electricity per day,'' says Umesh Nagar, director, Magarpatta City.

Similarly, 7,000 solar water heating panels installed on the terraces of township are designed to save over 1.75 crore units of electricity, which translates to more than 13,000 tonnes of carbon emissions saved every year. Magarpatta's success has caught the fascination of other progressive builders like Vascon Engineers in the city, who are adopting these eco-housing norms.

The PMC is keen to emulate this and segregate solid waste at source. For this, it plans to roped in 6,000 rag pickers, so that whatever is recyclable does not go to the dump yard. ''This would help in saving fuel as thousand tonnes of garbage is transported over 25 km to the garbage dump,'' Ajay Ojha, manager, Air Quality Management Cell, an initiative of the US Asia Environment Partnership and PMC.

While these initiatives are good, Pune's citizens are losing patience with the slow pace of infrastructure projects and the increasing chaos on the city's roads. ''It's tokenism. They are not addressing the real issues,'' said Bonagiri. ''They need to be more sensitised and sensitive about the environment. The commissioner is but unfortunately down the line, awareness and sensitivity is not there among the elected representatives,'' said Chavan. Perhaps its leaders will take a cue.

- Taken from Rediff.com dated 17 Dec 2007

[ani07]

A Taiwaneese firm has demanded 2000 acres to build the largest Electronic city in India.They want land in Kochi itself.

-Metro manorama.

[viperpaul22]

A Taiwaneese firm has demanded 2000 acres to build the largest Electronic city in India.They want land in Kochi itself.

-Metro manorama.

link to the news..
http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/18/stories/2007121859580300.htm

[viperpaul22]

Union Bank to start library in Kochi

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/18/stories/2007121860260500.htm

GCDA to spruce up Marine Drive grounds

Ground to be fenced and toilets built

Commercial complex on Marine Drive to receive priority


http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/18/stories/2007121859750300.htm

[thunderboltz]

http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/articleDetails.aspx?id=1755&sectionid=12&name=Trade%20News
The Government of Kerala is planning to develop an Oceanarium spread over 44 acres at New Vypeen in Kochi on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with an investment of Rs 300 crore. The proposed Oceanarium which will be launched by 2010 is expected to be the largest in South East Asia. According to sources the Government of Kerala, Ministry of Earth Science and Government of India will hold 49 per cent stake and the remaining 51 per cent will be allocated to private parties.

The Oceanarium will have a 250 meters glass tunnel passing through the sea ass its highlight. Apart from this the project plans include an amphitheatre for sound and light shows, a micro-world museum, which will display small creatures and a marine museum to display marine animals and plants. A Dolphinarium and a general aquarium will showcase dolphins and different variety of fish from all over the world. It will also have separate ponds for tortoises, sharks and special zones for coral reefs. An International Marine Biological Research Centre and Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology Centre and a convention centre will also be part of the project along with space for events and cafeteria. According to sources entry fee will be in the range of Rs 250-400 per person.

"The government of Kerala has decided to allot 50 acres of land to Kerala State Fisheries Department (KSFD) for this project, of which ten acres will be allocated to the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology Centre. KSFD has appointed a nodal agency Fisheries Resource Management Society to look after this project, which is yet to appoint a developer for the project. It has received queries from a few investors. At the moment, the Department of Tourism has not been involved in this initiative," informed A K Gopala Krishnan, Executive Director, Fisheries Resources Management Society.

[KMC]

what is this project

Project No:21-1154/2007-IA.III
Project Name: EC for riverside housing project , poomithura village, cochin corporation , ernakulam district
District:xx
Village:xx
Company:Addie Builders and Developers Pvt. Ltd.

This is the new addition to the EAC pending clearance list ..

http://164.100.194.13:8080/allied_envclr/indrustrywisedetails.do?indCode=ncp

[KMC]

A step forward for Kochi metro rail

finally things started rolling for the much needed project for cochin
http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/21/stories/2007122150060100.htm

[roshan]

http://rdsproject.com/rhythm.html

[pramodusnair]

TIKNAR OLINA, Kochi. (G+15 stories)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/2128444050_78036f63b0_o.jpg

[pramodusnair]

Dewa's land in Marine Drive, kochi.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/2128451902_4b5d64e304_o.jpg

[pramodusnair]

ABAD BUILDERS

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2100/2128127217_c20d2e18da_o.png


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2374/2128903022_468abf2e3b_o.jpg

[KMC]

Dewa's land in Marine Drive, kochi.

[/IMG]

What a shot pramod , this place is going to change the face of Marine Drive .

[viperpaul22]

Enable CIAL to handle more flights

The project would boost the airport’s income generation by 20 per cent

Source: The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/23/stories/2007122361480300.htm

[kunjumon123]

What a shot pramod , this place is going to change the face of Marine Drive .

absolutely- this piece of land is just eye-candy, bt i jus hope dewa builds somthin spectacular there. ny ideas wot it is???

[viperpaul22]

absolutely- this piece of land is just eye-candy, bt i jus hope dewa builds somthin spectacular there. ny ideas wot it is???

A 5 star hotel, a 4 star biz hotel, a mall and luxury apartments..how much does the total land area read?

[tonapz]

A 5 star hotel, a 4 star biz hotel, a mall and luxury apartments..how much does the total land area read?



The total area is nearly 18 acres on the right of the road (the big plot), and nearly 7.5 acres on the left (adjacent small plot).

i think the site of dewa projects was given earlier.

[KMC]

see the news on 500 acre Airport City .
This will be one of its kind in India .

Investments to the tune of 3500 Crore ...

http://www.mathrubhumi.com/2007_customimages/news/PF122074_20Bis3.pdf

[viperpaul22]

don't know if these have been posted earlier..



Oxford Towers

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/4992/oxfordtowersep4.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oxfordtowersep4.jpg)

Modayil Towers

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8431/modayiltowersad9.th.jpg (http://img264.imageshack.us/my.php?image=modayiltowersad9.jpg)

Indian Overseas Bank

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1386/indianoverseasbankfs6.th.jpg (http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?image=indianoverseasbankfs6.jpg)

Indian Medical Association House

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5917/indianmedicalassociatiowi0.th.jpg (http://img172.imageshack.us/my.php?image=indianmedicalassociatiowi0.jpg)

[kunjumon123]

see the news on 500 acre Airport City .
This will be one of its kind in India .

Investments to the tune of 3500 Crore ...

http://www.mathrubhumi.com/2007_customimages/news/PF122074_20Bis3.pdf

cn som1 plz plz post the summary of this in english

[pramodusnair]

HomTok builders (Please tell me if this is a repeat post!)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/2135591534_be117667fd_o.jpg

courtesy Kumar design

http://www.kumargroup.org/projects.html

[ani07]

IIT to come up in Kochi,says minister.

http://deepika.com/CAT2_sub.asp?ccode=CAT2&newscode=26364

[KMC]

IIT to come up in Kochi,says minister.

http://deepika.com/CAT2_sub.asp?ccode=CAT2&newscode=26364

Now thats a News ...

[thunderboltz]

Dont remember this being posted either...

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/9780/itparkdr5.jpg

[KMC]

Kinfra Hitech Park....

A host of projects are at various stages of execution at the Kinfra Hitech Park, Kalamasserry. These include a biotech park, an international exhibition and trade centre, a gem and jewellery park and an electronics (hardware) industries unit.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/26/stories/2007122654171700.htm