[pramodusnair]

Pramod

The Summit has a total area of 650,000 sqft. I suspect Kshitij is the investor while Peevees is the developer. But I'm not sure, may be they are separate malls.

I wish some one could hunt down Abad Mall renderings. Bhasid ?

M

ReNik,
I fell they are different projects or else Kshitij would had put the renderings of "summit" on their website.Also Kshitij(sometime in nov06) and Peevees (much earlier) announced their plans separately.
Abad mall- i had requested them for the renderings but havent got any response so far(i am yet to see any ads of the mall,dont know why they are so hushed up on the project)

[ReNik]

That may be the only 25 storey building in the state.
Mather Green Hills, Kakkanad after the structural work is over

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/7733/11761192121062587027353ke3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

ReNik,
I fell they are different projects or else Kshitij would had put the renderings of "summit" on their website.Also Kshitij(sometime in nov06) and Peevees (much earlier) announced their plans separately.
Abad mall- i had requested them for the renderings but havent got any response so far(i am yet to see any ads of the mall,dont know why they are so hushed up on the project)

Thats a point. I was confused because both the names appeared in the list of pending
projects in the list by Enviro ministry.

On Abad, people here testify that project is into structural work. So we must be able to
gather some photos. Unfortunately my visits home are short. Let me see next time.

Same is the case with Holiday Inn project. Work is in full swing. I drove past the site.
We must dig up the renderings of this building.

ReNik, havin xams now..requesting all forumers to give me some extra time to post it..as i've to get it scanned..really sorry..

Cool buddy. Best of luck on your exams. Post it during your vacation :tup:

[elm07]

That may be the only 25 storey building in the state.
Mather Green Hills, Kakkanad after the structural work is over




Thanks for posting this renik! That looks beautiful :tup:

Most of it is already sold ....
http://www.builderskerala.com/mather/greenhills-availability.htm

[Deepak]

from the end of walkway...

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/3269/walkway2af8.jpg

[Deepak]

View of port from there...

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/4230/port1jb1.jpg

[viperpaul22]

Kochi private flying academy kicks off

Kochi, Apr 20: Cochin Flight Academy (CFA), the first-ever private flying academy in Kerala imparting state-of-the-art training to groom commercial pilots, has become operational here.

http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=20336

-A must for any global city..y'all would probably find me there in a few years..

How far has the CIAL Golf Course and the flying academy reached?

[pramodusnair]

http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=20336

-A must for any global city..y'all would probably find me there in a few years..

How far has the CIAL Golf Course and the flying academy reached?

Paul,
CIAL has invited tenders for MRO and the golf course(18 hole). Cochin university and CIAL are collaborating by providing Btech courses in MRO and aeronautical engineering.They are also starting a 6 months PGDip -MRO with an intake of 30 (btech )students.The flying school will start soon(in 07 itself).

[sowmya]

Another article from Hindu Property Plus
Soaring on the back of an airport-led boom

Nedumbassery is now enjoying, more than ever before, an airport-fuelled development boom, which has sent land prices soaring and attracted more and more building projects, writes PRAVEEN M.P.

http://www.hindu.com/pp/2007/04/21/stories/2007042100400100.htm






— Photo: H. Vibhu

GROWTH TRACK: The new international arrival terminal at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbasserry. The airport's expansion and diversification projects are transforming Nedumbassery into a hub of urban growth.

Is Nedumbassery, riding on the crest of an unprecedented development wave fuelled by the growth of the Cochin International Airport, set to emerge as a city of sorts in the coming years?

Nothing reflects the change of face of this previously remote village as the steep rise in land price and the increasing number of building projects planned here.

From being just a remote place about 15 years ago, or to be precise, before the airport was mooted here, land has literally become hot property in this region. Not only Nedumbassery but the adjoining areas such as Nayathodu, Vapalassery, Akaparambu, Avanamkodu, Thuruthussery, Athani and Chengamanad are also witnessing a phenomenal rise in the price of land.

Land with road frontage on the 5-km VIP road stretching from Athani to the airport will fetch a minimum of Rs. 5 lakh a cent and upwards, says a real-estate broker. Price in this particular area hit an all-time high when an eight-cent plot was sold at Rs. 12 lakh a cent last week, he says. Even land in the adjacent interior areas will fetch up to Rs. 1 lakh a cent, while land with National Highway frontage can earn anything between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 3 lakh, a document writer says. Compare this with the early 1990's when anything between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 3,000 a cent was considered a bonanza. There were instances when paddy fields near the area where the airport now exists were sold out for a paltry Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 a cent, says the broker, who had actually sold his paddy fields precisely for that rate.

A document writer says that between 30 and 40 land transactions are registered daily in the Chengamanad Sub-Registrar's office. Of this, at least 75 per cent is by way of sale-deed registration, while will registrations, settlements, partitions, gifts and so on make up the rest.

About 75 per cent of the land transacted comes within the Nedumbassery panchayat limits. According to him, the number of land transactions had registered a marginal fall a couple of months ago after rumours of hawala money being used in such transactions set the alarm bells ringing, making those involved in land deals jittery. However, an upward trend is being witnessed again.

Airport city


Shriram Bharat, Managing Director, Cochin International Airport Ltd., predicts that the airport will fuel the formation of a full-fledged airport city in Nedumbassery 10 years from now.

It will have all the trappings of a city in the immediate vicinity of the airport, while agriculture will be promoted in a big way in the adjoining areas, for which the airport itself will take the initiative, he says.

The proposed centre for perishable cargo being set up by the airport, in association with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), will be a path-breaking venture, changing the destiny of agriculture and farmers in the State.

"We will educate farmers on good farming practices, water conservation, etc., and help them find a market for their produce by avoiding middlemen," Mr. Bharat says. The 1,800-sq.m centre being set up at a total investment of Rs. 15.02 crore is expected to be commissioned in June.

Development projects


The airport has also drawn up ambitious development projects estimated at Rs. 3,500 crore on 440 acres of its land, which are to be completed by 2015. The first phase of Rs. 1,000 crore, including an information technology park, a golf course, two hangars and a convention centre, is expected to be completed by 2008-end.

A consultant has been appointed for drawing up a master plan for the Rs. 640-crore information technology park. Coming up on 35 acres with a built-up area of about 3.81 million sq.ft, the park is expected to create 15,000 job opportunities, both directly and indirectly.

The construction of the airport's new state-of-the-art departure block, with a built-up area of 3 lakh sq.ft, is fast approaching completion and is expected to be ready for commissioning by the end of the year. The new block will be able to handle 1,200 passengers during peak time.

When completed, it will take the total built-up area of the international terminal to 4.8-lakh sq.ft. and will have the capacity to handle about 24-lakh passengers a year.

A new arrival block with a built-up area 1,78,000 sq.ft was commissioned in 2005 at a cost of around Rs.19 crore.

The airport has also among its plans a hospital at an estimated cost of Rs. 250 crore to tap the State's potential for medical tourism.

Residency projects


Nedumbassery has also become the preferred destination for builders as various residential and commercial projects are being conceived here.

Pen Group has already sold 60 acres of land, in plots of 10 cents, right next to the airport. The initial price of Rs. 40,000 a cent had to be hiked to Rs. 1.3 lakhs owing to better demand. The group did not want to take the plunge into construction straightaway and, therefore, served as a facilitator for those who were looking for land adjacent to the airport, says Poly K. Ayyampilli, its managing director.

Shwas Homes Private Ltd. has launched its project "The Loungue," which promotes the concept of transit villas focussing mainly on the frequent air travellers. The advantage is that they need not rely on hotels for short stays, as these villas are coming up at a stone's throw away from the airport, says Shaji Ayyappan, director, Shwas Homes.

Three and four bedroom villas will have a price tag of Rs. 30 lakh each. The first phase is expected to be completed in 18 months. In the first phase, launched in March, 50 villas on 3.85 acres of land were planned at an expected cost of around Rs. 20 crore.

However, the promoters had to plan a second phase of 34 villas on 2.6 acres at an estimated cost Rs. 15 crore and Rs. 20 crore after all the villas in the first phase were sold out under two days among non-resident Keralites from Dubai, Muscat and Doha.

Ten villas were even overbooked.

With traffic through the Kochi airport on the ascendancy, Mr. Ayyappan expects the number of transit passengers to go up further.

Saj Group has set up a resort named "Earth," comprising 36 cottages half a km from the airport. Two cottages will be of the exclusive kind with facilities such as separate swimming pools. Then, there are 18 "pool cottages" with a step-in-pool facility, providing the residents direct access to the pool from their cottages. The remaining 16 are conceived as "island cottages," covered on three sides with water.

The resort is set to be launched on August 11 and targets mainly businessmen, says K.K. Anand Kishore, regional director, Saj Group. Bookings will be open from the day of launch by when the price will also be fixed, he said.

Catering unit


Increased traffic through the airport has led to the setting up of aviation related ancillary projects in the area. Casino Air Caterers, which caters to 28 to 30 flights daily, is all set to launch a state-of-the-art catering unit on 2 acres of land opposite the airport. The unit has the capacity to serve 10,000 meals a day and will be formally launched within a month, V.B. Rajan, general manager, Casino Air Caterers, says.

With the flow of domestic and foreign tourists through the Kochi airport on the rise, the hospitality industry has also taken deep root in the area. A place where roadside tea stalls and ordinary hotels were the norm now boasts of a slew of star and budget hotels.

If that was not enough, the airport company itself is planning a string of hotels on its land. "To start off with we are planning a seven-star, a five-star and a three-star hotel, thus catering to all categories of tourists, Mr. Bharat said.

Rental accommodation


With the airport becoming a source of employment, thousands are reaching Nedumbassery daily, opening up a new avenue of income for the local people who are renting out portions of their homes. Small-time lodges are also making a decent income.

As a local resident puts it, the airport is the single-most important promoter of Nedumbassery, and as long as it keeps doing well, everyone will have his or her share of benefits.

[ReNik]

GCDA projects to move faster now

Development authority reconstituted

KOCHI: The Greater Kochi Development Authority has been reconstituted with M.C. Josephine as chairperson.

The following are members of the General Council: Fisheries Minister S. Sarma; Sebastian Paul, MP; Jose Thetayil; V.D. Satheesan; V.K. Ibrahim Kunhu; C.M. Dinesh Mani; K.V. Thomas; K. Babu; A.M. Yousuf; Saju Paul; M.M. Monayi and M.J. Jacob, all MLAs; Kochi Corporation Mayor; Ernakulam district panchayat president; District Collector; KSEB Chief Engineer; Ernakulam Senior Town Planner; Water Authority Chief Engineer; Kochi Port Trust Chief Engineer and Kochi Corporation secretary.

[roshan]

Greens Apartments , Aluva
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7420/mainpiceq9.jpg

RB Greenleaves,Aluva
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/3304/projects1em0.jpg

Greens luxary apartments ,Perumbavoor
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5407/mainpic111cl2.jpg

[ReNik]

Bullet Trains in Kochi-Bangalore route

Will bullets hit Kochi?
Monday April 23 2007 13:10 IST

KOCHI: Ever thought of travelling to Bangalore in a bullet train from Kochi? If everything goes well, bullet train service between Kochi and Bangalore will be realised in the near future. Considering the travel requirement in this sector, the Indian Railways has proposed to start bullet train service between Kochi and Bangalore.

The Railway Board has asked the Southern Railway and South Western Railway to conduct a feasibility study on running high-speed rail corridor between Kochi and Bangalore.

“This is a futuristic project, which should be welcomed. The main advantage of bullet train is nothing but its speed. Kochi-Bangalore journey time will be reduced by half. We have to develop infrastructure to meet the traffic challenges in future, at least for the next 20 years.

“Kochi-Bangalore sector is one of the busiest routes. If the bullet train project is realised, it will be of great help to the people of Kochi and the neighbouring districts,” said CMC Nair, area manager, Southern Railway. Full Story New Ind XPress (http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20070423020529&Page=X&Title=Kochi&Topic=0&)

With Cochin booming to be the 4th IT Metro of South, the Kochi-Bangalore traffic is all set
for a jump in order of magnitude

[ReNik]

MarineDrive
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2597/4695572823321a2d025bth8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The reconstruction of basin bridge is still going on. When will they finish it !

[ReNik]

Land ready for Smart City
Smart City compensation package announced

Govt today announced the compensation package for for acquiring
the last strip of land. Already 233 acres are in possession of the govt.
Only 13 acres need to be acquired for the phase I of the project.
With the announcement of package this will be over within a week.

[sowmya]

Land ready for Smart City

But Renik, I also read that people are getting ready for an intense strike since the house owners are not ready to give away land and house since it is not according to SEZ rules. iam worried whether the project will get delayed even after signing the contract.

[sowmya]

Smart city contract may get sanction today.After this i think the only factor which needs to be decided is the date of signing the contract.


http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&programId=1073753765&articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=2338072&BV_ID=@@@

[KMC]

Prestige has an Hospitality project in Cochin ,

http://www.prestigeconstructions.com/news/FalconNews_JanMar2007.pdf
I guess this will be along with the Forum Mall, thats why such huge area they are developing. Designs are on very advanced stages on the drawing board.
Which one will be bigger Lulu or Forum ?

[KMC]

Smart City Cleared

news from deepika

[ashwinjoseph23]

FINALLY!!!!! Smart city project was cleared during todays cabinet meeting!!! sourced from all the malayalam news channels!!! building of the first main block to begin in 5 months time from day of signing the deal..the deal is to be signed before the 30th of theis month.. this delay is due to the Malta smart city project as the officials are busy over there!! the TECOM officials are also looking forward to sign the deal as soon as possible!!!
kudos to our CM!!!!!
MAy u live long enuf!!!!
:cheers: time to celebrate ppl!!:notacrook:

[KMC]

http://www.manjooran.com/news.asp
another water front project expected at maradu.

[KMC]

http://www.expresshospitality.com/20070430/management02.shtml

See the relevance of Kochi in Hospitality sector .

[ReNik]

Smart City Cleared

news from deepika

Yes

As expected todays news bulletins are full of Smart City. Govt has cleared the deal.

Meanwhile Asianet reports that district administration has completed land acquisition
procedures. Only a small strip of 13 acres remain and it will be taken over in 2 days.

[ReNik]

Prestige has an Hospitality project in Cochin ,

http://www.prestigeconstructions.com/news/FalconNews_JanMar2007.pdf
I guess this will be along with the Forum Mall, thats why such huge area they are developing. Designs are on very advanced stages on the drawing board.
Which one will be bigger Lulu or Forum ?

I guess LuLu will have retails space of one million sqft. So it should be bigger.

I hope by now these guys have obtained clearance from Union govt

[sowmya]

So you mean to say the deal will be signed before this Monday? There is only very few days left?


FINALLY!!!!! Smart city project was cleared during todays cabinet meeting!!! sourced from all the malayalam news channels!!! building of the first main block to begin in 5 months time from day of signing the deal..the deal is to be signed before the 30th of theis month.. this delay is due to the Malta smart city project as the officials are busy over there!! the TECOM officials are also looking forward to sign the deal as soon as possible!!!
kudos to our CM!!!!!
MAy u live long enuf!!!!
:cheers: time to celebrate ppl!!:notacrook:

[pramodusnair]

Smart city will be signed this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great news , the credit for making this a reality goes to Achumama.
Confident group is launching twin projects on April 25 th.
L&T tech park guy told me that the designs of signature tower has not been finalised yet , the renderings of signature tower that he send me is just a "rough" design

[elm07]

Smart city will be signed this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great news , the credit for making this a reality goes to Achumama.


Yeah, good job all around by Achumama after all the will-he-will-he-not suspense :banana:

Hopefully this transforms Kochi !!!

[elm07]

Italian CEOs to look at investments in Kerala

http://www.indiaprwire.com/businessnews/20070425/22123.htm


A group of 33 young entrepreneurs from Italy will arrive in Kerala Friday to discuss possible investment options in various sectors.

'They are arriving Friday to meet Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and others. They will also visit Kochi and will be in Kerala till April 30,' M.R. Karmachandran, a Kerala State Industrial Development Corp (KSIDC) official, told IANS.

The visit by the CEOs is the first business delegation of this size arriving to scout for investment in Kerala after a Left government took over in May last year.

'The highlight is that the team is young and from diverse sectors. They would meet the Kerala Tourism Development Corp and see the options available in the tourism sector,' said Karmachandran.

The visit has been organised by the KSIDC with help from Kerala's private sector.

[JMen]

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5628/11774766535007392372675za4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Source:www.skylinebuilders.com

[KMC]

Land Price near Smart City are reach a whopping 10 Lacs/ cent, amazing price
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20070426022551&Page=X&Title=Kochi&Topic=0

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20070426014227&Page=X&Title=Kochi&Topic=0&

I Guess Parsvnath 76 Acre IT sez is also coming near this . Places like Puthencruz , Kunnathunadu , all these are going to become home for Big techies , Have anyone in those places ever imagined that their land will get this value !!!!

http://www.parsvnathsez.com/KochiSOA.asp
http://www.parsvnathsez.com/locations.asp

[pramodusnair]

Parsvnath is planning two 5 star hotels in cochin and a 3 screen multiplex.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/473600510_a5c7cb340c_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/473600508_2aaf6c4632_o.jpg

[elm07]

Land Price near Smart City are reach a whopping 10 Lacs/ cent, amazing price
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20070426022551&Page=X&Title=Kochi&Topic=0

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20070426014227&Page=X&Title=Kochi&Topic=0&

I Guess Parsvnath 76 Acre IT sez is also coming near this . Places like Puthencruz , Kunnathunadu , all these are going to become home for Big techies , Have anyone in those places ever imagined that their land will get this value !!!!

http://www.parsvnathsez.com/KochiSOA.asp
http://www.parsvnathsez.com/locations.asp

KMC, I think its the Unitech sez that will come up somewhere there and not Parsvnath - Parsvnath is coming up close to Nedumbassery, if I am correct.

[ani07]

Volvo Ocean Race to be held in kochi.
Manorama (http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?articleType=Malayalam%20Home&contentId=2349653&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@)

[ani07]

Malabar Gold to open their largest showroom in kochi.

[KMC]

any one know the details of the DD IT park in Kochi

http://www.ideadesign.org/portfolio.htm

I have seen this posted previously , But is this still an active project.

[pramodusnair]

One thing is for sure,Wipro and L&t tech park are not the only buildings under construction in Infopark.Last November when i drove by infopark i counted more than 5 buildings under construction and my friends working there confirmed it.I wonder why the newspapers are not running a cover story on the expansion of infopark(A biz mag called The Realtor did run a story but it carried extremely poor quality photos).Infopark's website sucks ,it has not been updated since it went online and they wont even respond to our queries.I heard 3i infotech(prev icici infotech) is in an expansion mode at infopark.

[pramodusnair]

India. Volvo Ocean Race signs LOI with Kochi for stopover port

Race organisers signed a Letter of Intent with Kochi on 26 April as a major first step in ongoing negotiations towards a full port agreement to host the world’s premier offshore ocean marathon which starts in Alicante, Spain, in mid-October 2008.

Kochi was among a number of Indian ports in recent discussions with organisers.

The Kochi Port Trust, which will be responsible for organising the stopover, with the full backing of the Kerala Tourism Department, welcomed the signing of the Letter of Intent and were confident that the stopover would give the port great exposure.

“India has never hosted such a prestigious sailing event and we are very excited that the Volvo Ocean Race is considering Kochi as a serious candidate for the competition,” said the Chairman of the Kochi Port Trust, Mr N. Ramachandran.

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=7310

[roshan]

A leading Indian economist cautions that outsourcing-fueled inflation in tech hubs like Bangalore could cause social disruptions in the country. It's also not good news for companies looking to boost profits through offshoring. So here's a look at what some lesser-known Indian cities have to offer.

Bangalore … Mumbai … Hyderabad … Chennai … Pune. These are among the cities one thinks of first when considering an offshore location in India. But rapid expansion by indigenous and Western tech-services companies in these locations is driving up local tech wages at a rate of about 15% per year.

Because of the compounding effect, at that rate it won't be long before labor costs approach U.S. levels.

So outsourcers and companies looking to build captive offshore operations need to start thinking beyond Bangalore and the other big Indian tech hubs if they want to enjoy significant savings. With that in mind, the outsourcing experts at Dallas-based Alsbridge have compiled a list of India's top five up-and-coming cities for business.

Alsbridge ranks Ahmedabad as India's most attractive upstart. It's home to Gujarat University, and the local government is supporting widespread infrastructure improvements. Hewlett-Packard and Oracle are among the Western companies that have already discovered the place.

Next on the list is Nagpur, which boasts numerous colleges and universities, including Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology. Its large and relatively cheap labor pool has already caught the attention of Satyam and Oracle.

Ranking third is Kochi. Mahatma Ghandi University is nearby, and it's building a so-called "Smart City" in cooperation with the government of Dubai. Wipro, ACS, and HP are present.



http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/03/beyond_bangalor.html

[elm07]

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20070427012336&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0

:koko:


Infopark in debt trap
Friday April 27 2007 11:45 IST
T’PURAM: Close on the heels of the preparations to sign up the Smart City agreement, the Kerala State Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIDC) has rejected Infopark’s request to waive the interest on Rs 50 crore loan taken by the park from the corporation for land acquisition for the Smart City project.

The KSIDC, after initial hesitation, had given a loan of Rs 50 crore on 9 percent interest rate to the Infopark in Kochi several months ago. The accumulated interest over the loan has now crossed Rs 3.5 crore.

The default by the Infopark has landed both the KSIDC and the Infopark in trouble as the Park has not that much fiscal strength to pay the interest and the Corporation cannot survive long without getting the loan interest back.

The loan amount was collected citing highest urgency by the Infopark as the district administration in Ernakulam wanted the money at the earliest. The land acquisition process would hit a roadblock, if there would be any delay in getting the loan amount, it argued.

However, the same was not used by the district administration and the money was not even withdrawn from the government treasury for several months together. Infact, Infopark, which remain headless for some time, is not even responding to the repeated reminders of the KSIDC over the loan interest, sources said.

According to Infopark CEO in-charge Radhakrishnan, the Rs 50 crore loan had been fully utilised by the district administration for land acquisition process for Smart City project, on behalf of the Infopark.

[elm07]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Transportation/Shipping__Transport/Port_trusts_likely_to_be_shipped_out_of_excess_land/articleshow/1962523.cms



The government is likely to soon ask port trusts to part with the excess land owned by them for development of housing and other amenities such as shopping arcades and recreational centres.

According to estimates, the properties, spread over 2,800 acres of land, are worth Rs 7,000 crore. The Centre and the respective state governments are holding discussions with Mumbai and Cochin Port Trust for vacating the excess land owned by them in a time-bound manner. The land is proposed to be developed on a public-private-partnership model with real estate developers.

The Maharashtra as well as the Kerala governments are in talks with private real estate developers for converting the trust owned lands into mini-townships. A competitive bidding process would be followed for the purpose.

[pramodusnair]

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20070427012336&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0

:koko:

Dont worry elm07,if infopark is under debt its cos of the Kerala govt and its their responsibility to bail them out .

[pramodusnair]

Economic Times.(28/4/07)

HI-TECH PARKS POWER KOCHI'S METROMORPHOSIS
P K Krishnakumar &
S Sanandakumar,Kochi

Hitech parks may trigger the next real estate construction boom in Kochi considering the job opportunities they are going to generate.Starting from the Rs 2,400 crore Smart City project,the city would see the launch of more than half a dozen industrial infrastructure parks in the coming months.
The Smart City project of the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority will facilitate the growth of IT industries which would create close to 90,000 jobs in the next ten years.The Rs 5,000 crore Hi-tech City planned by Sobha group spread across 400 acres is another major venture with facilities for knowledge based industries.
The govt owned Infopark is witnessing the final stages of its development,with almost 11 lakh square feet under construction that is co-developed by L&T and Leela group,says sources in Infopark.Besides Wipro,TCS and IBS are developing their own campuses in Infopark.With all these activities the attention is focussed on Kakkanad area where the Infopark is located and Smart City is proposed.
Most of the leading builders ,including those from outside the state,have projects around the area."We expect Infopark to generate 65,000 job opportunities in the next three years.The Smart City may add another 20,000 to it.all the ongoing and planned projects can put together 11,000 apartments in kochi during the period,which will be inadequate,"says George E George,managing director of Infra Housing.considering that this will lead to a hike in rentals,Mr George feels that anyone who invests now in apartments stand to benefit in future as the demand will outstrip the supply in the short term."The BPO firm Outsource Partners International has booked 100 flats in my 250 apartment complex coming up in Kakkanad to take care of its future expansion,"he said.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1971785.cms

[sowmya]

Smart city agreement to be signed next week as per Mr.Achutanandan
http://www.indiavisiontv.com/news/20070428/kerala-vs1.html

[roshan]

Kochi, Apr 27: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp. will set up 20 'Rail Ratna' brand budget hotels in the southern states and major hoteliers have already been awarded sites at several places for the venture, IRCTC Southern Region Manager K P Damodaran said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Damodaran said sites had already been awarded for the hotels at Ooty, Kanniyakumari, Madurai and Rameshwaram.

Land would be handed over at Chennai Central, Trivandrum Central, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Calicut, Coimbatore and Mangalore for more hotles, he said.

Mr Damodaran said that since taking over the catering in Southern Railway in November, 2005, the IRCTC had set up 13 modern food plazas at major stations including Trivandrum, Ernakulam, Chennai and Bangalore.


http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=23126

[sowmya]

Does anyone have an idea of Pantaloon Big Bazar which is to be opened in Metro One in Kaloor. When I checked up with an official there before six months they said that the mall will be opened within two months. But there was no news after that.

[KMC]

Smart city agreement to be signed next week as per Mr.Achutanandan
http://www.indiavisiontv.com/news/20070428/kerala-vs1.html

Afraid , Smart City will skyrocket the prices in Kochi and eventually it will loose the price differential advantage which it has over bangalore , Hyderabad and Chennai. I don’t think any other other project in kerala has created such a hype. Other places in kerala will benefit from this High price in Kochi as builders will move to areas where they can find cheap land. Cant imagine the situation once Sobha’s Hitech City Kicks off . in previous posts I read that that Port trust is planning to release its excess land for township with Private players . CPT has Vast amount of land in Islands , they are sure to get a windfall.

[roshan]

Software firm Cognizant Technology Solutions was evincing interest in tier II cities like Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore and Kochi.Kochi would be the company's eighth location to operate, and the unit's formal inauguration is scheduled to take place any time.


http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=22838

[roshan]

Indians from the southern state of Kerala here are being offered shares in a company which has been recently promoted by the provincial government to launch infrastructure development projects at home.

The company named 'InKEL' (Infrastructures Kerala Limited) has been formed as a public private partnership (PPP) initiative and low and middle-income Keralites, both here and at home, will be given preferential treatment in the allotment of shares

The company hopes to launch a number of key infrastructure projects in the state and they includes building a series of Knowledge Corridors, electronic hubs, free trade and warehousing zone in Kochi, life science park and a satellite city, among other things.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&month=April2007&file=Local_News2007042871944.xml

[ReNik]

Software firm Cognizant Technology Solutions was evincing interest in tier II cities like Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore and Kochi.Kochi would be the company's eighth location to operate, and the unit's formal inauguration is scheduled to take place any time.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=22838

Cognizant has already started operation at Kochi in March. This news is from an "insider". I had posted it here earlier.

thing is for sure,Wipro and L&t tech park are not the only buildings under construction in Infopark.Last November when i drove by infopark i counted more than 5 buildings under construction and my friends working there confirmed it.I wonder why the newspapers are not running a cover story on the expansion of infopark(A biz mag called The Realtor did run a story but it carried extremely poor quality photos).Infopark's website sucks ,it has not been updated since it went online and they wont even respond to our queries.I heard 3i infotech(prev icici infotech) is in an expansion mode at infopark.

Okay, so 3i Infotech is at Infopark. They have not
updated their webpage for ages.

[sowmya]

Smart city agreement is likely to be signed before 7th of May. It was supposed to be done tommorow. It was postponed due to the inconvenience of some of high officials including some ministers in UAE to reach Tvm on May 30.Hope everything works out as planned and work starts at the earliest

Inshah Allah!

http://www.indiavisiontv.com/news/20070429/kerala-smartcity.html

[pramodusnair]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/478160570_adb2704cb2_o.jpg

[KMC]

Kochi , the Gold centre of Kerala
Almost half of the gold sold in entire Kerala is done in Kochi . Point to be noted in this article is already 36 jewellers booked in upcoming Gold Souk at Vytila. The busiest Junction in kerala is gonna be even more busy.
http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=2357989&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@

[pramodusnair]

Three new projects fuel boom in Kochi

By 2015, Kochi would need more than 100,000 plus apartments.

Three mega projects, the Vallarpadam International Container Terminal (VICT), Petronet's LNG terminal and the Smart City, were expected to lead to 200,000 jobs while related projects like the bunkering terminal, single point mooring (SPM) and new hotels would add to demand for apartments.

In the last few months, land value in Kochi's Kakkanad area climbed 75 per cent.

A large number of land deals were being done in Kochi localities like Vyttila bye pass (NH 47) and the Sea Port to Airport Road.

Prices per centiare near NH 47 was Rs 20 lakh and on the Sea port - Airport Road it was Rs 6 -8 lakh. Demand was so high that extension of the city outwards in all directions was inevitable.

In the north, land upto Thrissur 80km away on NH 47 was now being described as being suitable for apartments in future and land value was rising in areas like the Nedumbassery-Angamally area where the international airport was situated.

In the south, the road to Cherthala was suitable and in fact, in Cherthala, some large apartment projects were coming up.

Other areas to see development included the south-eastern suburbs of the Thripunithura-Chottanikkara and the north-western areas of Varapuzha, North Parur and Vypin Island.

The city of Kochi was at present slowly spreading to around 70 per cent of the land area of Ernakulam district as very little land was available within the city limits.

The city was already extended upto the Kalamassery and Aluva municipalities since these were areas adjacent areas of the old city.

Hectic construction was also going on the reclaimed land near Goshree bridges connecting the city with Vypin island.


http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage.php?autono=283059&leftnm=0&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

[pramodusnair]

Cochin Port Trust plans shopping mall for cruise-ship passengers

http://www.livemint.com/2007/05/01005518/Cochin-Port-Trust-plans-shoppi.html

[ReNik]

Kochi , the Gold centre of Kerala
Almost half of the gold sold in entire Kerala is done in Kochi . Point to be noted in this article is already 36 jewellers booked in upcoming Gold Souk at Vytila. The busiest Junction in kerala is gonna be even more busy.
http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=2357989&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@

Good post, KMC. If anyone is visiting Kochi in near future, make sure to get a few snaps of Gold Souk. I will definitely get a few during my June/July visit.

BTW, what is the status of FAR guidelines ? Has the govt come out with new one ?

[ReNik]

Mather Green Hills seen by Airport-Seaport road
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2997/11779322148334683954797uw3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[elm07]

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=India&month=April2007&file=World_News2007042925710.xml

Infosys CEO-designate says Smart City will shore up Kerala’s image
Web posted at: 4/29/2007 2:57:10
Source ::: The Peninsula / By John Mary


Thiruvananthapuram • Infosys Technologies CEO-designate Kris Gopalakrishnan has said the advent of Smart City in Kochi, though belated, will help Kerala shed over its negative image on the investor front.

In a freewheeling interview on a local TV channel here today, the first after his being selected the CEO, Kris Gopalakrishnan said even Infosys had delayed setting up shop in Kerala because the board had felt jittery about the proposal.

"There have been two of us from Kerala on the board, me and Shibulal. But even we failed to convince the rest of the board that Kerala is a viable investment option. We offered our personal guarantees but they said, 'Wait' ", said Gopalakrishnan.

Gopalakrishnan said the state government should accept the reality and accelerate its efforts to improve conditions here so that investors who venture to do business would have the best of infrastructure and a congenial atmosphere.

He was sure the main promoters of the project, Dubai Technology Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority (TECOM), would be able to attract IT majors to set up business in Smart City.

Kerala was poised for a major growth in IT. But the big leap would be later since during the first five years growth would be linear. The State should retain its inherent advantages, the greenery and the landscape, with undulating terrain and backwaters, and restrict industries, including IT to designated zones.

Several other States, which were far ahead of Kerala on the IT front, experienced problems of unplanned development. Kerala could therefore learn from mistakes of other States while joining the IT bandwagon, he said.

Referring to the unique success of Infosys, Gopalakrishnan said it was the company's excellence in execution that lent it an advantage over the rest. And that was achieved by excellent team work, with an eye for details.

The company, which was started in 1981 by seven software professionals, led by N R Narayanamoorthy, has come a long way since its inception. India's second largest software and services outsourcer, Infosys expects its revenue to grow by 28 per cent to 30 per cent to about $4bn in the current fiscal ending March 31 next year.

But its excellent growth record has come in the wake of increasing cost of staff in India, a strengthening of the Indian Rupee against the US dollar and an anticipated slow-down in some segments of the IT market in the US.

Fifty per cent of the company revenues are from offshore. However, the new CEO is undeterred by this.

"We have grown up, encountering challenges. We will retain our core strengths and make the best of the situation rather than brood over things that we can't control, especially the strengthening of the rupee against the dollar", said Gopalakrishnan.

Infosys added 19,526 employees during the year, taking the total number of employees to 72,241 as on March 31. Gopalakrishnan will take over as the CEO on June 22 and Shibulal will replace him as the COO.

the peninsula

[ReNik]

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5414/472863577ad2948a71cosv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
peggyhr gallery

Which is this restaurant ?

[sowmya]

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5414/472863577ad2948a71cosv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
peggyhr gallery

Which is this restaurant ?

Is it the one close to Marine Drive

[bhasidali]

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5414/472863577ad2948a71cosv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
peggyhr gallery

Which is this restaurant ?

Nik, It is Taj Residency...:)

[KMC]

International Symposium on Automation & Robotics in Construction
ISARC -2007,Kochi, Kerala, India
See the importance Kochi is having
http://www.isarc2007.iitm.ac.in

[sowmya]

Still iam really sad that there are very few movie halls in the city with Mymoon Lulu closing down. Does any one have an idea when the ABAD multiplex in Maradu and Peevees in MG road will open

[gusman1]

According to an article in Upstream (Intl oil & gas newspaper), Pertonet is aiming to award engineering, procurement and construction contract for its delayed Kochi liquefied natural gas import project in June or July. The EPC contract for the project will include regasification facilities to handle imports of 2.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG and the jetty and related marine facilities capable of handling 5 million TPA. The construction work is expected to take between 42 and 45 months to complete. The first cargo is expected to be taken in 2011. The Puthvypeen project was earlier been scheduled for completion in 2009.

[elm07]

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5414/472863577ad2948a71cosv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
peggyhr gallery

Which is this restaurant ?

Is it the Taj Malabar on Willingdon Island?

[elm07]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Hotels__Restaurants/Banyan_Tree_to_start_Rs_150_cr_JV_hotel_in_Kerala/articleshow/1992938.cms

Banyan Tree to start Rs 150 cr JV hotel in Kerala


KOCHI: The Singapore based internationally acclaimed hospitality group - Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts - is foraying into Kerala to start a Rs 150 crore joint venture luxury resort in a backwaters island of Chertalla in Kerala's Alapuzha district.
The resort, which would be the most luxurious in India, would have 60 traditionally built villas with contemporary interpretations and each villa having its own private swimming pool, Banyan Tree Chairman Ho Kwonping told reporters here.
"We will bring an entirely new tourism concept to India and Kerala," he said.
Kerala's famous Ayurvedic therapy will also be used in the Banyan Tree's spa at the new resort, which is expected to be ready by 2008, he said.
The resort would also have luxury houseboats modelled on the lines of the traditional Kerala houseboats, criss-crossing the backwaters with tourists. Each houseboat would also have a jacuzzi.
The Kuwait-based Kapico group will build the hotel on a 20 acre land belonging to the Mini Muthuoot group of Kerala.
The project will be a seven star resort having 33 standard villas, 17 deluxe villas and a presidential villa and two and three bedroom villas on the lake side.
Banyan Tree is joining hands with Kapico Group of Kuwait and Mini Muthoottu of Kerala for the joint venture- Kapico Kerala Resorts Private Ltd.

[KMC]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Hotels__Restaurants/Banyan_Tree_to_start_Rs_150_cr_JV_hotel_in_Kerala/articleshow/1992938.cms

Banyan Tree to start Rs 150 cr JV hotel in Kerala

Great Find frnd. The most luxurious seven Star resort is now in Kochi
This is the transition stage of Kochi into the big league . Cheers

[KMC]

Still iam really sad that there are very few movie halls in the city with Mymoon Lulu closing down. Does any one have an idea when the ABAD multiplex in Maradu and Peevees in MG road will open

Are they planning to demolish the Mymun building and build a Mall there , Becauz that’s a Prime location . I guess some thing really big can be expected there . Any Idea??

[roshan]

Thiruvananthapuram, May. 3: The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) will set up an electronic components manufacturing hub in 250 acres of land in Ernakulam District. The manufacturing centre is expected to provide employment to at least 20,000 people. The project will be completed by 2010.

A KSIDC official said that land for the project has been identified and the State Government will acquire it at a cost of Rs 500 crores. The electronic hub will host original equipment manufacturers, makers of electronic components, electronic research, design and development companies, manufacturers of semi-conductors and electronic goods fabrication units. The proposed hub will also have "non processing" areas for setting up hotels, residential complexes and commercial centres.

The State Government hopes to attract foreign investment for developing the proposed hub. The proximity to the Kochi port and provision for uninterrupted and high quality power would prompt a considerable number of big electronic equipment manufacturers to set up shop in the complex, according to Government officials.

There is a huge and growing demand for electronic equipment in India and many global players are eyeing its large market for electronic items. In 2005, India had imported electronic materials, components and finished products amounting to over twelve billion US dollars. However, electronic manufacturing in India is just 0.7 per cent of the global electronic industry.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200705031654.htm

[roshan]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 2 : The $350-million Kochi SmartCity by Dubai-Tecom (Techhnology and Media Free Zone Authority) is likely to be signed before May 10. Tecom - a subsidiary of Dubai government - also intends to firm up the inking of the pact, ushering a Dubai prince as its star guest for the function.
"The Kerala government had offered a date before April 30. But its up to them (Dubai government) to arrange the signing ceremony at their convenience. I gather that the MoU is likely to be signed on May 9 or 10," Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthandandan told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet, here. The Dubai IT infrastructure developers were busy working on the first phase of setting up a project in Malta city, he said.

The Kerala government is to get 26% stakes in the Kochi SmartCity project in two phases. The chairman of board of directors will also be a State government nominee. SmartCity project is envisaged to deliver 90,000 direct jobs in Kochi.



http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=162998

[sowmya]

Are they planning to demolish the Mymun building and build a Mall there , Becauz that’s a Prime location . I guess some thing really big can be expected there . Any Idea??

KMC,Is it just a mall or a one with multiplex? but still it might take time.Or is it closed down just for maintanance?

[rajkrish]

Its coming up in Cherthala which is in Aleppey

Great Find frnd. The most luxurious seven Star resort is now in Kochi
This is the transition stage of Kochi into the big league . Cheers

[rajkrish]

This is great news. :cheers: Achumama has proved his commitment and worthiness. People who doubted him can go and sleep now.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=162998

[sowmya]

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=162998

So Roshan, Is it an MOU or final agreement?so will agreement take more time?

[pramodusnair]

:rolleyes: This is great news. :cheers: Achumama has proved his commitment and worthiness. People who doubted him can go and sleep now.

FYI Mr Rajkrish Cherthala is nearer to Kochi than Allapuzha,so the resort will benifit Kochi more .Cherthla is becoming a suburb of Kochi if you have time visit the last page , i have posted a newsfrom Economictimes ,bangalore edition quoting several prominent builders with the same opinion.

[rajkrish]

I agree Mr. Pramodusnair, its going to benefit Kochi but KMC was saying that it is coming up in Kochi and as far as I know Cherthala is still a part of Aleppey ;)

[pramodusnair]

FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS MAKE A BEELINE TO KOCHI
M rochan,Bangalore
Foreign manufacturers continue to flock to the CSEZ(Cochin special economic zone).The list of companies interested in making CSEZ a manufacturing hub for their products includes US based electronic manufacturing services firm Plexus,German textile manufacturer Zettl,Belgium based glass manufacturer MBT and Synetica an Italian process control manufacturer.
According to sources,the four companies are in talks with CSEZ officials to set up bases at the multiproduct SEZ,subject to land availability."The 103 acre site at Kakkanad,the exisiting location of the Cochin SEZ is filled to capacity.We are scouting for another 200-250 acre patch in and around Cochin to develop phase II of the CSEZ."
Sources said that the four companies combined could bring in an investment of Rs500 crore.
Located equidistant from the Cochin port and the international airport,the Cochin SEZ is home to 91 units in various sectors.Exports from the zone in FY2005-06 stood at Rs 696 crores.A bulk of this came from the export of electronic hardware.Exports in FY2006-07 touched Rs1037.52 crores,while the same in current fiscal from the SEZ is estimated at Rs 1250 crores.

The increasing investor interest in Cochin is substantiated by the fact that city is poised to be a key centre in the international shipping line courtesy the upcoming ICTT at Vallarpadam,which by 2010 will offer an alternative to Srilanka and Singapore for container transhipment.
:banana: Some cities are just unstoppable.
Every city has its dreams but altleast ours is not a pipedream:notacrook:

[ReNik]

:rolleyes:

FYI Mr Rajkrish Cherthala is nearer to Kochi than Allapuzha,so the resort will benifit Kochi more .Cherthla is becoming a suburb of Kochi if you have time visit the last page , i have posted a newsfrom Economictimes ,bangalore edition quoting several prominent builders with the same opinion.

Pramod,

Kochi spans from Chertala to Angamali for practically everything. It is only common knowledge that Chertala becomes a hotspot beacuse Kochi's seams are inflating at frenetic pace, already several newspapers have reported it. The railway coach factory is another major investment in Chertala in manufacturing sector. This is just 17 kms from Aroor and has Vallarpadam nearby to facilitate export.
Govt has proposed the Electronic hardware SEZ at Vaikkom, as many investors have approached for land near Kochi. That means eastern end of the metro area will streatch to Vaikkom in a nother couple of years. To add to all these, as FAR may be reduced a bit in Central City area of Kochi these spots will become major residential zones too.

So Roshan, Is it an MOU or final agreement?so will agreement take more time?

I hope you know that an MoU has already been signed in Sept 2005 . It was widely reported too. As usual the MoU only had rough guidelines and final deal was yet to be reached and both parties were free to withdraw from the project. That final agreement was what was cleared by the Cabinet last week and to be signed next week. So, no chance dear ;)

[pramodusnair]

Pramod,

Kochi spans from Chertala to Angamali for practically everything. It is only common knowledge that Chertala becomes a hotspot beacuse Kochi's seams are inflating at frenetic pace, already several newspapers have reported it. The railway coach factory is another major investment in Chertala in manufacturing sector. This is just 17 kms from Aroor and has Vallarpadam nearby to facilitate export.
Govt has proposed the Electronic hardware SEZ at Vaikkom, as many investors have approached for land near Kochi. That means eastern end of the metro area will streatch to Vaikkom in a nother couple of years. To add to all these, as FAR may be reduced a bit in Central City area of Kochi these spots will become major residential zones too.
You are right on spot nik.

[ReNik]

Here is Daily Pioneer - Kochi edition on Smart City

Smart City pact next week

Pioneer News Service | Thiruvananthapuram

The final agreement for the proposed Smart City IT project for Kochi is likely to be signed between the State Government and Dubai-based promoters Technology and Media Free Zone (Tecom) next week.

Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, while briefing the media about the decisions of a Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday, said that Tecom authorities had informed that the pact could be signed on May 9 or 10.

The Government had asked Tecom to decide on an appropriate date, he said.

When the Government was informed of Tecom's willingness to set up the Rs 15 billion IT facility, there was expectation that the agreement would be signed on April 30. Full Story (http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=KOCHI&file_name=KOCHI8%2Etxt&counter_img=8)

[pramodusnair]

KSIDC to start electronic hub in Kochi
Thiruvananthapuram, May. 3: The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) will set up an electronic components manufacturing hub in 250 acres of land in Ernakulam District. The manufacturing centre is expected to provide employment to at least 20,000 people. The project will be completed by 2010.

A KSIDC official said that land for the project has been identified and the State Government will acquire it at a cost of Rs 500 crores. The electronic hub will host original equipment manufacturers, makers of electronic components, electronic research, design and development companies, manufacturers of semi-conductors and electronic goods fabrication units. The proposed hub will also have "non processing" areas for setting up hotels, residential complexes and commercial centres.

The State Government hopes to attract foreign investment for developing the proposed hub. The proximity to the Kochi port and provision for uninterrupted and high quality power would prompt a considerable number of big electronic equipment manufacturers to set up shop in the complex, according to Government officials.

There is a huge and growing demand for electronic equipment in India and many global players are eyeing its large market for electronic items. In 2005, India had imported electronic materials, components and finished products amounting to over twelve billion US dollars. However, electronic manufacturing in India is just 0.7 per cent of the global electronic industry.


http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200705031654.htm

[elm07]

MODERNISATION OF TERMINALS OF AIRPORTS IN KERALA

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=27442



Modernization work of Terminals in the Cochin, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram Airports in Kerala are progressing in a time bound manner. Information regarding these airports was given by the Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel in the Lok Sabha today.

At Cochin Airport, which is a private airport managed by Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), the modernization work of arrival Block of International Terminal Building has been completed whereas 70% work of its Departure Block has been completed. The modernization work is expected to be completed by March, 2008. As per the information furnished by CIAL, an expenditure of Rs. 43.60 crore(approx.) has been incurred so far

[pramodusnair]

Yasoram Skycity - Cochin
Checkout this website,its really cool.
http://www.yasoramskycity.com/index.htm

[elm07]

KSIDC to start electronic hub in Kochi

pramod, any idea where this is likely to come up? Will it be near the NeST hardware park near kalamassery or near Vaikkom?

[ReNik]

pramod, any idea where this is likely to come up? Will it be near the NeST hardware park near kalamassery or near Vaikkom?

elm,

It is the one near Vaikkom. At Kalamassery it is Kinfra which has the old HMT land
in its possession. This one at Vaikkom is expected to be on 500 acres, may be the first phase is on 250 acres as reported.

Pramod,
Please cite the source of the news. This is useful in general and is required
sometime by copyrights.

[ani07]

infopark to build one more IT building 'Anugraha' having size of 4 lakh sq ft.Infopark will be having 26 lakh sq ft build up space within 1 year.

[viperpaul22]

Yasoram Skycity - Cochin
Checkout this website,its really cool.
http://www.yasoramskycity.com/index.htm

damn..that's really rad..global, truly global!!
A great find Pramod!!
what other news regarding this project?

[pramodusnair]

pramod, any idea where this is likely to come up? Will it be near the NeST hardware park near kalamassery or near Vaikkom?

elm07,I am a bit confused myself about the location of the park.Its not in kalamasssery thats for sure cos there are already 3-4 industrial parks there.
It can be anywhere near Cherthala /Vaikkom/chottanikara.

[pramodusnair]

Pramod,
Please cite the source of the news. This is useful in general and is required
sometime by copyrights.

Sorry for not providing the link.I'll update my previous posts with the links.

[pramodusnair]

Paul!!
Its in ministry of environment's office for approval.

[pramodusnair]

Zoom developers is planning to set up five star hotels in Bathinda, Indore, Kochi, Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhubaneshwar and Nagpur.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=00303a7a-981e-4857-b660-3970af614fdd&&Headline=By+2010%2c+smaller+cities+too+would+bask+in+5-star+hotel+luxury

[sowmya]

After the Smart City contract is signed how much time will it take for the starting the construction work of the project.Bcoz land owners have stated creating agitations and I heard that High court has given a stay for land acquisition for two weeks. hope the project wont run into trouble even after the contract is signed

[elm07]

After the Smart City contract is signed how much time will it take for the starting the construction work of the project.Bcoz land owners have stated creating agitations and I heard that High court has given a stay for land acquisition for two weeks. hope the project wont run into trouble even after the contract is signed

I dont think that will stop the project - the agitation, if I assume correct, is based on the price of the land, worst case the Government will fork more cash, I dont think they will let this stop them now that they have come this far.

[ReNik]

I dont think that will stop the project - the agitation, if I assume correct, is based on the price of the land, worst case the Government will fork more cash, I dont think they will let this stop them now that they have come this far.

Smart City getting affected by lack of 14 acres of land ?? There are people who nurse such dreams ??
High Court has thrown out the case against land acquisition once. Only thing contested now is the compensation package. The problem is that govt approved only part of the suggested package which infuriated 40 odd evictees. Govt has not approved job assurances yet.
this will surely be sorted out in a week. Meanwhile signing of final agreement has nothing to do with such minor things. It is expected to take place on May 9th or 10th.

[ReNik]

Rs. 500 crore "Food City" in Kochi

An SEZ for food processing units will be set up in Kochi soon. Union govt approved the
project and sanctioned Rs. 50 cr for equity participation. State Food Minister Divakaran
announced this news today.

[ReNik]

Paul!!
Its in ministry of environment's office for approval.

Pramod

Has it got approval ? What about Forum Mall ?

Also do you have the subscription of The Realtor ? Is it available online ?

[elm07]

damn..that's really rad..global, truly global!!
A great find Pramod!!
what other news regarding this project?

Looks like this concept from the builder has been around for some time ... I found a discussion on this from about 3 years ago (the difference here is that they were planning to build the sky city on land).

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=127857

[KMC]

I read in newspapaer that Govt is taking 167 acres for infopark expansion . Mostly the land taken is marshy land and will not need much eviction . Cant imagine , Now Brhamapuram , PuthenCruz is becoming part of IT Boom . And new building Anugraha is going to be constructed . Its phenomenal growth in Kochi. With LNG Terminal , Vallarpadam , Smart City , more than a Dozen of 5 Star hotelas and a 7 Star , and numerous Highrises Its growing beyond its existing Infrastructure. There needs proper development than an uncontrolled boom like this.
Where are the roads needed, Where is the Water , Where is the Power. All these will become Question Mark on Kochi's Future progress. Wish Govt address all these things on priority , else Kochi will become a concrete jungle. The only Plus Factor I see is Kochi is grwing both Vertically and Horizontally and thats important .

[bhasidali]

Check ou this....:banana:

http://www.kmc-ekm.org/main01.htm

[sowmya]

What happened to Aerens Gold Souk? Is it coming up near Vytilla junction? because there a board there which shows Aerens Gold Souk but construction has not yet started there?Or it the construction going on in some other area?
Also what happened to Pantaloon Super bazar which is supposed to open in Metro One mall in Kaloor and Mall O in Palarivattom?

[KMC]

What happened to Aerens Gold Souk? Is it coming up near Vytilla junction? because there a board there which shows Aerens Gold Souk but construction has not yet started there?Or it the construction going on in some other area?
Also what happened to Pantaloon Super bazar which is supposed to open in Metro One mall in Kaloor and Mall O in Palarivattom?

Gold Souk , Piling is over . It is lying with Environment ministry for some clearance . Meanwhile almost 36 Jewellers seems booked in the Souk. I read in manorama.

[pramodusnair]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/484923238_399023e3ef_o.jpg

Sarin's gallery,flickr.com

Two highrises getting built near Abad's marine plaza.Can anybody identify those buildings?

[pramodusnair]

Pramod

Has it got approval ? What about Forum Mall ?

Also do you have the subscription of The Realtor ? Is it available online ?

Its still in the list of projects waiting for approval.I have a copy of Realtor with me whihc i bought from a news stall in Aluva Transport stand(i dont have a subscription) ,their website therealtor.co.in is underconstruction and has been like that for a long time..