[Sathyalal]

Kanankakunnu
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9139/img2545ao7.jpg

[chandrurajan]

deleted

[sudheeshnairs]

I dont know where is this '2' coming in to picture? It is 4, which would be the largest number of aerobridges in any Airport in Kerala in 2008.

Bangalore and Chennai are presently carrying on with 2-3 aerobridges.

Currently TVM airport uses buse only. Current bus service is good and it is air conditioned. Previosuly it was a second-had KSRTC bus.

Anyway 2 is better than zero

[Sathyalal]

More pictures from Kanakakunnu

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/8420/img2547fp5.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8374/img2565bj3.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5373/img2567bo0.jpg

[Sathyalal]

Sorry doom sayers!:) and also to those who wished and tried their best(including the so called local media gaints) to block the world class institute(second such in the world) from setting up campus in India's Knowledge hub.

IIST started construction at Ponmudi and Valiamala

GURUVAYUR: The timely intervention and the initiative taken by Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan had turned the dream of an Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology ( IIST) at Thiruvanathapuram into a reality, ISRO chairman G.Madhavan Nair told this website’s newspaper here on Sunday.

He said that it was when concerns about the state losing the illustrious IIST project that the Chief Minister convened the meeting of all concerned and offered the land required for the project free of cost.

The 20 acres of land had been taken over by the ISRO at Ponmudi and the works for the proposed observatory for the IIST has been initiated.

The installation of telescopes, antennas, etc will be completed soon, Madhavan Nair said.

Madhavan Nair said that the ISRO would launch the construction works of the classrooms, laboratories etc in the 10-acre land of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Valiyamala to avoid further delay.

The assurance of the State Government to provide the land at Valiyamala was expected to be cleared at the earliest and Revenue Minister K..P.Rajendran was monitoring the procedures for speedy acquisition of the land to be handed over to the ISRO for setting up the main campus of the IIST, he said.

The prestigious national institute would offer courses in aerospace engineering, avionics and space sciencerelated courses like astronomy.

Courses in astrophysics also would be offered. The institute would also offer master’s degree and research facilities in space science, Madhavan Nair said.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080120223531&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0

IISER has already started the process for selecting the director

[Santhosh]

Call Asianet and inform them... They always against any new development in Kerala. Now asianet is planned to block the cybercity in Kochi.

[ktm_boy]

Call Asianet and inform them... They always against any new development in Kerala. Now asianet is planned to block the cybercity in Kochi.
I dont think we need to discuss this in TVM thread. But since to addded the comment here, i am responding. pls move further discssion to other thread.
Yes i saw it, they are going against it. But No newspaper has supported it much. Only mathrubhumi given article. after that they also turned it down. Since HDIL doesnt want to take over land from pvt parties(local people) this controversy is not going to gain much ground support. Not Only that HDIL has constructed all internal raods and they going very aggressive.

This is the problem kerala dailies. Last week i have read an article against Technocity of TVM in kerala sabdam. they are telling its one of biggest land mafia deal. They also complaining that the land of muslims, ezhavas and christians were only taken for technocity and land belong to Nairs were not taken. By allowing this, those whose land not taken over will be able to sell their land for more than 1 or 2 lakhs to private real estate while those land goes for for Technocity will get 10 to 15K only(GoK fixed rate). Since this reporter playing communal card, it will affect the project plan.

My request to GoK is to go aggrassively for land take over. Take over all 507 acres of land from land owners and give them enough compensation. Give this land to private parties. let them develop it. If this delays, there are few people who were always happy to take advantages. there are so many companies waiting for land in technocity. so GoK, please dont wait for any tenders. Also a request to dialies/channels, pls dont play spoilsport. there are lot of development happens in kerala. support it.

[Santhosh]

Previously the politicians in Kerala were against development. Now the politicians are supportive but the media is totally against development. I do not know why the media in kerala is like this....

[Sathyalal]

Air India MRO added to the current list of projects under construction... at a good pace... Brahmos, IIST, IT campuses(Infy,US Tech,Nest,TCS,IBS,Elxi), New Steel & Glass terminal for the Airport etc...


http://i32.tinypic.com/6yjgwy.jpg

[Sathyalal]

IISER classes from next academic year



Special Correspondent







THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The proposed Indian Institute of Science Education and Research will start functioning in Thiruvananthapuram from the next academic year.

The classes will be initially held at the Government Engineering College here.

Special Secretary of the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development K. M. Achari, who held discussions with Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan here on Thursday, said that the land identified for the institute at Vithura would be suitable.
He sought assistance of the State government in developing the transport facilities.

The institute is being set up at a cost of Rs. 500 crores

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/25/stories/2008012555250700.htm

[rajkrish]

Technopark news !!!

There was a developer's conclave on the TP Phase III and IV development. PwC made the presentation

The primary objectives of the Conclave were.

1. Assess Investor response to the expansion plans (Technopark Phase III and Phase IV).
2. Obtain a feedback on the market demand to fine tune the parcel sizes offered for the bidding.
3. Gauge the responses to the SPV mode of partnership, so as to finalize the bid documents

.
Technopark Phase III expansion in about 92 acres

52 acre SEZ by Technopark

40 acres SEZ as an SPV with private participation

Realty majors like Emaar MGF, Unitech, Parsvnath, K Raheja, GMR Infra, Embassy, L&T were the mainn attendants

News & Photo credits : Sudheesh Nair
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5629/dsc05711og3.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6412/dsc05713us7.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/2558/dsc05716fk9.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8306/dsc05714eh3.jpg

[chandrurajan]

http://i25.tinypic.com/10dazq8.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/whkz9v.jpg

[sudheeshnairs]

International Convention Centre & Five Star Deluxe Hotel at Akkulam by K Raheja Corp.

They have their office at Heera Classic, Kesavadasapuram. Had met some of their people at Developer's Conclave at Technopark.

Preliminary works are going on at site.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8103/dsc05799lk8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3655/dsc05801ui6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/3170/dsc05800qf8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[sudheeshnairs]

:previous: The location

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6514/akkulamum4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I have also marked the sites of DLF-HILTON, PLAZA CENTER & TAMARA. So we will be having four Five star properties in this location. Plaza Center would be a mixed development of Office, Hotel and entertainment.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5706/akkulam1qw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[rajkrish]

Infy design for the first block
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/7203/prefinal1mo9.jpg

[Santhosh]

Here the link from Mangalam online news:

http://mangalam.com/index.php?page=detail&nid=11588

I did not see the same news in any other malayalam online news paper.

[Sathyalal]

Santhosh, Hindu has the same news
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/04/stories/2008020460940300.htm


Here the link from Mangalam online news:

http://mangalam.com/index.php?page=detail&nid=11588

I did not see the same news in any other malayalam online news paper.

[SREEKUMAR]

Its always better if the media is unaware of any new projects. They will dig up some issues and develop a controversy and ultimately we will lose the projects. I always noticed that many projects come up in TVM hardly get the local media’s attention which is really good.
Cheers …




Santhosh, Hindu has the same news
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/04/stories/2008020460940300.htm

[Sathyalal]

Completely agree with Sreekumar. Best example is the Brahmos project. Till the last moments they did not have much details or may be the local journo's IQ was not enough to understand the importance of it

Its always better if the media is unaware of any new projects. They will dig up some issues and develop a controversy and ultimately we will lose the projects. I always notices that many projects come up in TVM hardly get the local media’s attention which is really good.
Cheers …

[scorpiogenius]

Its always better if the media is unaware of any new projects. They will dig up some issues and develop a controversy and ultimately we will lose the projects. I always noticed that many projects come up in TVM hardly get the local media’s attention which is really good.
Cheers …

hahahaaa sreekumar! Thats correct man...Its an advantage if these news are not appearing in newspapers as far as Kerala is concerned..:haha: :haha:

[SREEKUMAR]

I don’t think we can get any project materialized in Kerala due to the land issue. Today Manorama reports that there are 11 more land disputes under investigation including the land handed over to BrahMos. Very bad.. This happens only in Kerala. What to do?. Everyone knows that there will be corruption in any Govt deal. We have to just keep quiet if we want to get these projects done.. Feel sorry for the young generation … They will have to keep migrating to other countries and lick the feet of Arabs & goras..


hahahaaa sreekumar! Thats correct man...Its an advantage if these news are not appearing in newspapers as far as Kerala is concerned..:haha: :haha:

[sudheeshnairs]

:previous: I beg to differ, at the same time not interested nor have time for useless lengthy discussions..

There are plenty of job openings here, in all sectors, all grades..may be what I have seen for the past say 7-8 years..

[Santhosh]

Why the news media in Kerala always trying to find and propagate the land issues? I feel the same corruption there in other states also but the media will keep quite for the development of state or the politicians may be bribing the media also.

Anyway future of kerala is not bright .... nothing will change in kerala except big party offices.

[SREEKUMAR]

50,00,000 unemployed people with 10,000 or 20,000 openings in year..


:previous: I beg to differ, at the same time not interested nor have time for useless lengthy discussions..

There are plenty of job openings here, in all sectors, all grades..may be what I have seen for the past say 7-8 years..

[rajkrish]

Kerala government will be setting up a Data center in Technopark premises. The proposed data center will get Rs. 50 Crores from the Union government and will host all the data servers of Kerala government and affiliated services. The center will be coming up in 5000 SqFt. of area in one of the Technopark buildings. It will be known as the State Data Center

Source : Kerala Kaumudi

[SREEKUMAR]

Yesterday asianet reported about some land disputes about ‘Rifaee homes’ at TVM. Also we know that EMAAR_MGF failed to get listed in the Bombay stock exchange .There was no demand for their shares and they had to withdraw all the IPOs. If this is the situation with the foreign companies, what would be the future of these projects and how can we rely these companies??? Anyone can update on this?

[Sathyalal]

Thiruvananthapuram international airport has pipped six other airports, including Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad, to achieve the top slot in a survey carried out for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to find out the quality of services extended to passengers in the airports.

Thiruvananthapuram airport achieved a 98 per cent in overall performance in round I of the survey carried out between April and June last year and 94 per cent during round II held during the July-December period.

The survey was done by Unik Solutions among passengers in various airports. The results show that the airport has overtaken those in Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Goa, Guwahati and Amritsar.
The international airport has also registered an all-time high passenger movement of 2,01,405 during last December.

The passenger traffic was 15 per cent more than the corresponding period in 2006. In December 2006, the passenger movement through the airport was 1,68,322.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/12/stories/2008021258370300.htm

[sudheeshnairs]

Still I beg to differ:) These statistics are mostly absurd. For most of the comparisons, they depend on the people registered in employment exchanges..I had registered once I completed my Engineering in 1996. Later I did my MBA and am working for last 7-8 years. One might draw a CTC of six digits, but still he would be counted as 'jobless' based on this registrations.

There are a lot of job openings in the service sector, infact Kerala is one of the biggest markets for banking, insurance, telecom, media etc. Even the mushrooming TV channels, FM stations etc provide jobs to all sections of society. There is little unemployment atleast in the urban centres.

This is from my view point only, as a person who is working in Kerala for the last 8 years.


50,00,000 unemployed people with 10,000 or 20,000 openings in year..

[PLUS]

I don’t think we can get any project materialized in Kerala due to the land issue. Today Manorama reports that there are 11 more land disputes under investigation including the land handed over to BrahMos. Very bad.. This happens only in Kerala. What to do?. Everyone knows that there will be corruption in any Govt deal. We have to just keep quiet if we want to get these projects done.. Feel sorry for the young generation … They will have to keep migrating to other countries and lick the feet of Arabs & goras..

On land disputes, we forget easily that Asianet and Manorama are corporates
who have interests in real estates through many investment companies. Whenever
they announce "scam" no one bothers to check what prompts these sudden "concern"
about deals that took place 2 or 3 years ago.


About migration, the picture is relatively less gloomy. See this study...

The latest MMS 2007 round data—analysed in a recent CDS working paper by Prof KC Zachariah and S Irudaya Rajan—indicates stability in Kerala’s migration pattern. The number of emigrants (18.5 lakh), return emigrants (8.9 lakh), non-resident Keralites (27.3 lakh) and the proportion of households with a non-resident Keralite (25.8%) has remained virtually the same since 2003. “Mobility has become, so to say, immobile,” argue the authors, adding that the “era of large scale emigration from the state seems to be largely over.”

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/The-state-of-emigration/267143/

Actually Kerala should be ready for a reverse migration. Labor dept says there are 700,000 migrants from Bihar, Orissa and Bengal in Kochi alone, mostly in construction. Now even Maoists think this is is large enough to make it a fertile
ground for their activities - one of their top leaders were caught from Aluva recently.

Last week there was an incident where a group of workers from Bihar attacked a
police patrol and freed some of their friends taken into custody for anti-social activities. This should be carefully handled without slipping into a Bombay like situation. Unfortunately, no politician has thought about this time bomb in making.

[Santhosh]

I heard that sivasena declared a 48 hour hartal in TVM/Kollam.. Is our state is part of NE states?

[Santhosh]

The above Title is for Nagpur , not for TVM.

What about the same in TVM? I did not see anything mentioned in the article came in Hindu Businessline.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021550820700.htm

Is the one coming up in TVM also by AirIndia and Boeing together, right?

[sudheeshnairs]

The tender for the same would be given tomorrow or day after..

Today I had a meeting with the regional head of Consolidated Construction Consortium Ltd (CCCL) at my office. They are likely to get (L1) the hanger contract. Shapoorji Pallonji and others have also quoted.

CCCL is at present doing the new International terminal of Trivandrum Airport, which would be ready by Nov 2008(Some 2-3months delay). They have got the tender for the second phase also.

They are also doing the first phase of INFOSYS, piling has started..Also the expansion of Muthoot Plaza Five star hotel.



The above Title is for Nagpur , not for TVM.

What about the same in TVM? I did not see anything mentioned in the article came in Hindu Businessline.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021550820700.htm

Is the one coming up in TVM also by AirIndia and Boeing together, right?

[sudheeshnairs]

A professionally taken photo of CYBER PALMS

Working 24 X 7..The highway is also seen with the streaks of light

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/9291/1002027uu4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Two towers rising up to 21 levels. Three more towers remaining in the Cyber Palms layout. Another two towers will come up in the adjacent plots, which will take the number of towers to seven.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2623/8032014lq6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/4143/1002037tv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The mockup apartment & marketing suite

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8973/1002030vy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Sathyalal]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala leads in the overall investor friendliness parameters followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, according to the latest study by KPMG.
The other communist bastion of West Bengal ranks far below Kerala and is rated below the national average along with Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Gujarat in the state-wise entrepreneurial confidence index.
The study shows the performance of the southern state has been above the national average and matching the performance of some of the states perceived to be fast growing.
The researchers surveyed 300 entrepreneurs across India to evaluate their perception on finance, governance issues, infrastructure, local environment and ecosystem, manpower and regulatory issues in their respective states.
Kerala emerged the best state for availability of skilled manpower, power at cheapest cost, water, IT infrastructure, telecommunications, banks, institutional lenders, venture capital and private equity as source of funding, entrepreneurial education, law and order, mentoring facilities, tax administration and labour regulations.
Thiruvananthapuram and, to a lesser extent, Kochi, have emerged as popular destinations for IT companies. The state has also witnessed a construction boom, and a sharp growth in the number of small and medium enterprises. There is also evidence that overseas remittances, which earlier were primarily meant for household and sustenance expenses, are now getting increasingly channelled for enterprises.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=202025&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22

[sudheeshnairs]

:previous: :) Sreekumar, hope you are now clear about the debate we had earlier. It has come up at the right moment..

[ktm_boy]

Job opportunities in keralla very very less compared to other south induian states. Job opportunities in manufacturing domain in almost nill. There are jobs in IT field. but that also very less. It can be easily understood from opportunities shredskerala website.. Most of requirement for freshers are for outside kerala.

[Sathyalal]

But how come no body available for labour?
Mornings, You can see a huge crowd consists of people from other states including TN,Karnataka, Andra and Northern states(casual labourers). This is true with almost all the cities in Kerala. The construction industry is surviving just because of the labourers from other states. So is not this contradictory...?

Job opportunities in keralla very very less compared to other south induian states. Job opportunities in manufacturing domain in almost nill. There are jobs in IT field. but that also very less. It can be easily understood from opportunities shredskerala website..

[SREEKUMAR]

That’s bcos of the ego complex of malayalis. They don't like any blue collar job in their own hometown but will do any kind of work outside kerala.
They go to gulf as laborers and ready to work for 10,000 Rs/month where as they can get the same salary in kerala itself .I understand a mason in kerala gets 250-300 Rs/ day whilst an assistant gets above 200 Rs/day. Still they will pay 1 lakh Rs for Visa and go abroad and work for 200 $ /month.



But how come no body available for labour?
Mornings, You can see a huge crowd consists of people from other states including TN,Karnataka, Andra and Northern states(casual labourers). This is true with almost all the cities in Kerala. The construction industry is surviving just because of the labourers from other states. So is not this contradictory...?

[sudheeshnairs]

Job opportunities in keralla very very less compared to other south induian states. Job opportunities in manufacturing domain in almost nill. There are jobs in IT field. but that also very less. It can be easily understood from opportunities shredskerala website..

Hmmm....still things come back to square one..funny enough..Please read the KPMG report as well as the news report..

IT is not the main job provider, but services sector. Kerala is not much suited for manufacturing and do not have any core competency when compared with the neighbouring states because of various factors. They are the topography, demographic patterns like density of population, high cost of land, non availability of barren/waste land etc.

The highest contributor to the GDP of any developed/developing country would be the services sector. Same with the case of India now..Kerala is also booming on services sector.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=202025&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22

See the KPMG Report, 'Entrepreneurial India, An Assessment of the Indian entrepreneurs confidence in their business ecosystem" which says 5,60,000 new jobs were created in Kerala in the last four years.

http://www.in.kpmg.com/pdf/TiE08.pdf

@ Sreekumar, regarding your comment about labourers it is true to some extent only. Infact we dont have much labourers earlier also in Kerala, esp in Trivandrum region. Most Mason/coolies are from Tamilnadu border, and now these folks are also jumping to middle east. It is not an ego issue, I have seen many masons/coolies, whose sons are studying for engineering or so. What happens is that the next generation of most labourers would be educated so that they would be trying to graduate up the social ladder.

And now more mechanisation is being implemented, in construction we have batching plants, RMC, tower cranes, concrete pumps etc. These need a more dignified labour class and such graduation is taking place. Speed of construction is also much improved when compared with older times. We are now able to do a floor of say 15000 sft in 12 days time. That means in a month, a highrise climbs about 3 floors.

Hope our discussion about these not much relevant things stop here.

[ktm_boy]

construction indutry is not part of manufacturing industry. Chennai subrubs are fast emerging auto hub of india. chennai, tirupur, coimbatore, madurai all emreging as manufacturing hubs(in the case TN). In TN, govt is planning to establish IT parks across the state other than Chennai, coimbatore. They have started work 500 acre it park @ tirunalveli. HCL has brought 25 acres of land in this park.

In karnataka, IT spreading its wings thoughout karnataka. Mangalore, Mysore are fast emrging IT hubs. Export from these places r more tha that of kerala.

We lagging behind. The mob culture in kerala is very bad. Also biased attitude of individuals and channels/NPs. There is not a single channel/NP which is unbiased. Though Indiavison is far better their support towards business/industry is bad

[ktm_boy]

Hmmm....still things come back to square one..funny enough..Please read the KPMG report as well as the news report..

IT is not the main job provider, but services sector. Kerala is not much suited for manufacturing and do not have any core competency when compared with the neighbouring states because of various factors. They are the topography, demographic patterns like density of population, high cost of land, non availability of barren/waste land etc.

The highest contributor to the GDP of any developed/developing country would be the services sector. Same with the case of India now..Kerala is also booming on services sector.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=202025&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22

See the KPMG Report, 'Entrepreneurial India, An Assessment of the Indian entrepreneurs confidence in their business ecosystem" which says 5,60,000 new jobs were created in Kerala in the last four years.

http://www.in.kpmg.com/pdf/TiE08.pdf

@ Sreekumar, regarding your comment about labourers it is true to some extent only. Infact we dont have much labourers earlier also in Kerala, esp in Trivandrum region. Most Mason/coolies are from Tamilnadu border, and now these folks are also jumping to middle east. It is not an ego issue, I have seen many masons/coolies, whose sons are studying for engineering or so. What happens is that the next generation of most labourers would be educated so that they would be trying to graduate up the social ladder.

And now more mechanisation is being implemented, in construction we have batching plants, RMC, tower cranes, concrete pumps etc. These need a more dignified labour class and such graduation is taking place. Speed of construction is also much improved when compared with older times. We are now able to do a floor of say 15000 sft in 12 days time. That means in a month, a highrise climbs about 3 floors.

Hope our discussion about these not much relevant things stop here.

Its true that things are changing, but the pace is very slow. If you go TP/Infopark, there are many cos. But total infrstructure/cos there in entire kerala is very small compared to a street in bangalore. A simple example is bagmane park in CV ramanagar(or IT infra in off surjapur outer ring road) which have more infrastucture(IT) than entire kerala. Apart part from couple of IT majors like INFY, WIPRO, TCS kerala do not major IT players.

In Bangalore pvt parties developing IT parks. But thats not happening in kerala. Its the GoK who goes on investing in IT infrstructure. 3 ongoing IT infrastucture projects in kerala are L n T park infopark, Leala park in TP and infopark are on land alloted to them by the GoK. Why they r not so confident in buying land their own and building the infr?

As per KPMG, the IT infr in kerala is better than Karnataka. I am not sure how they reached that figure. Anyone who visted bangalore recently cant digest that. You can c, IT infr building coming up in each street in bangalore, but such is not the case with kerala. GoK itself is not sure abt the plan of proposed IT infra projects like Smart city, tehnocity etc. These projects have been proposed more than 2 yrs back and still its paper only.

[Santhosh]

Understand that the KPMG report is not a comparison between states. It is clearly mentioned inside that PDF file. Those kerala guys who participated in this study voted high mark for kerala may be because they did not visited Bangalore or any other parts of India.

Anyway this report is not going to reduce the number of hartals in Kerala as well as not going to increase number of IT parks in Kerala.

There is no new IT park in pipeline also. Again we , mallus, should go outside only for work.

[sudheeshnairs]

:previous: Still as I said back to square one.

I didn't say IT space created in Bangalore is less than what is here in Kerala. I also said IT job creation is also not much...A career or job doesnot mean IT alone..As said a couple of times earlier, the service sector is doing good.

[rajkrish]

Jet Airways became the first Indian airlines to adopt IBS's solution for Cargo Management. This was announced during the opening of IBS's Bangalore facility.

IBS is a Technopark based company offering Airlines, Logistics and Supply chain management solutions to Fortune 100 clients.

News source : Manorama Online (http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?contentType=EDITORIAL&programId=1073753761&articleType=Malayalam%20News&contentId=3602013&BV_ID=@@@)

[rajkrish]

With 140 IT and ITES companies working at the Technopark campus, more companies are looking forward to set up shop at the park here.

Several IT firms have expressed interest to set up shop, M. Vasudevan, a top official attached to the Technopark told.

"Of these, Satyam and Ford Business Solutions are the major IT companies who have already shown deep interest in Technopark. A delegation from Ford has already visited, while correspondence with Satyam is also moving ahead. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has already written to them," said Vasudevan.

Technopark, situated on the outskirts of the capital, currently has 17,000 employees located in 3.20 million sq ft of office space.

Work is progressing for construction of another 1.20 million sq ft space. After completion in two years time, the new section will employ close to 15,000 professionals, which will finally take the number of professionals working at Technopark to 32,000.

"Right now, there is no vacant place but we have informed Satyam and Ford officials that they can be accommodated to commence their operations. Moreover, we are in a position to allocate land to companies like Satyam to build their own campus," added Vasudevan.

Besides the expansion of the Technopark campus, the state government is developing a Technocity on a 507-acre campus located close to the Technopark. Land acquisition for the Technocity has been put under the fast track programme.

News source : NDTV News (http://www.ndtvprofit.com/2008/02/21122138/More-IT-firms-keen-to-be-in-Ke.html)

[rajkrish]

Oracle, the world's biggest Enterprise software maker, is visiting Trivandrum to evaluate the facilities available @ Technopark

[elm07]

:previous: The location

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6514/akkulamum4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I have also marked the sites of DLF-HILTON, PLAZA CENTER & TAMARA. So we will be having four Five star properties in this location. Plaza Center would be a mixed development of Office, Hotel and entertainment.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5706/akkulam1qw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

sudheesh thanks for the maps ... in the first map, you have a UST global township right next to the convention & hotel - is this different from the UST campus next to Infosys in the second map?

[rajkrish]

:previous: UST Global township is different from their DC. In fact the employees of UST Global have formed a cooperative society, with the blessings from the management, and they have acquired a large tract of land there to build residences for the members.

[sudheeshnairs]

:previous: Yes elm07, it is a township in about 17 acres. I was little bit involved in the land purchase for the project some 3-4 years back.

The Housing Society of the UST Global employees is behind the project. It would be having about 140 villas. If I am right, M/s Gopakumar & Associates are the architects.

[rajkrish]

With around 350 workers working round-the-clock in shifts, work on the new terminal of the Thiruvananthapuram Airport is expected to the completed much ahead of the expected schedule of December this year.

Though the land has been acquired, the work is yet to commence. Tendering process for the construction work began recently. The submitted tenders will be opened on March 7.

The plan is to construct a flyover right from the service road of the bypass near the Ananthapuri Hospital. The height of the starting point of the flyover would be about four metres from the ground level.

Two ramps, one from Enjackal junction and another one from Chakkai junction, will be constructed to join the beginning point of the flyover.

The total length of these stretches would be around 440 m and the project cost is estimated to be around Rs 15 crore.

“The stretch will be ready when the work on the terminal is complete,” says KITCO Thiruvananthapuram branch manager V.K. Siva Dutt. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also expressed concern over the delay in commencing the work on the approach road.

About 40 percent of the first phase works on the terminal with a total outlay of Rs 165 crore has been completed.

“At present, the work on erecting the steel pillars for the terminal building with a tubular structure as well as that of the aerobridge and apron are progressing.

The structure of the terminal building which will be covered with heat-reflecting toughened glass is expected to be completed in a couple of months,” says AAI general manager-engineering V.K. Malhotra.

The terminal building will have a capacity to accommodate 625 passengers. The first phase mainly includes the two aerobridges, apron, taxiway and car parking area.

“We have also begun the second phase of the work with a cost of Rs 80 crore side by side with this. It includes the extension of the terminal building and parking bays and construction of one more aerobridge, “ says Nagraj.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20080226221309&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0&

[rajkrish]

The Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division has finally come up with a solution to settle the parking woes of the city’s train commuters.

The Railway Division, which is in the process of signing a fresh contract for vehicle parking at the railway station with a new party, will demand compulsory electronic hand terminals for issuing parking tickets in its contract agreement.

“We will be signing the contract agreement in the beginning of March and in this agreement, we will ask the contractors to introduce the electronic ticketing system, instead of the manual system,” a Railway official told this website's newspaper.

Once introduced, the Thiruvananthapuram Central will become the first railway station in the state to have the electronic ticketing facility for parking. “This is basically to control manipulation by the ticket collectors.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20080225230322&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0&

[rajkrish]

LOK SABHA

The Government of Kerala has submitted a proposal proposing Poovar in Thiruvananthapuram District on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border as the possible location for setting up of international size shipyard on the West Coast of India. The details of the proposal are as under:

• The proposed site has a waterfront area of 2.5 km in length and about 800-1000 acres can be made available of which a part will be by land acquisition and rest by reclamation.

• Water depth of 13 metre is available within 500 metres of the shoreline. After reclamation the depth of 13 metre will be available alongside.

• The site can be easily provided with road-rail connectivity. At present, NH-47 is less than 10 km from the site and

Kanyakumari-Thiruvananthapuram broad gauge railway line is less than 10 km away.

• The new Port at Vizhinjam, which is about 10 km from the proposed site, can be made use for the shipment of all the material required for the development and functioning of the shipyard.

Mumbai Port Trust has been nominated to function as the nodal agency for setting up of International size shipyard for the West Coast of India. It has been decided in the Ministry that the nodal agency may take a holistic approach in suggesting suitable locations of the shipyards. It has also been decided that Consultants may be appointed by the nodal agency to identify 3 or 4 alternative sites. A tender inviting offers for appointment of Consultants has been advertised by Mumbai Port Trust in the Press on 21st January, 2008.

This information was given by the Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Thiru T.R. Baalu in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6157/poovarrk7.png

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=35682

[rajkrish]

NEW DELHI: The country’s aviation infrastructure will get a massive investment dose over the next five years. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has planned to set aside Rs 12,434 crore for the upgradation and modernisation process.

For the three metro airports in Kolkata, Chennai and Trivandrum, AAI has earmarked 43% of its planned outlay, while the rest will go into upgrading other non-metro airports and modernising the existing aeronautical facilities.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Transportation/AAI_lines_up_Rs_12k-cr_airport_revamp/articleshow/2820721.cms

[rajkrish]

Pic courtesy : Rajesh SM, SSC
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3456/lotterylo2.png

[rajkrish]

http://i30.tinypic.com/10ynmsx.jpg

http://www.vagroup.com/gal/index.html

Pic courtesy : Company, SSC

[Sathyalal]

Technopark view from Tejaswini. Ginger and Kazhakkuttam Jn can be seen

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2071/arial4ww6.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/1143/arial3ai9.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2220/arial2ne2.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/328/arialuo3.jpg

[Sathyalal]

Campuses under construction

for Nest and Case.

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4683/nestjp2.jpg

[Sathyalal]

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/6016/img2898lk5.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7601/img2899ji5.jpg

[Sathyalal]

On weighted score of 4.8, based on parameters of affluence index, population size and growth potential, Pune, Chandigarh and Thiruvananthapuram are right behind Hyderabad's 4.9. Predictably, Delhi (8.5), Mumbai (6.9), Bangalore (5.7) lead the list, but Thiruvananthapuram stands ahead of Chennai and Jaipur's 4.5 scores. A study of the consumption spends shows that metros constitute about 30 per cent of the total consumption market of hundred cities mapped by Indicus Analytics, implying that KUT, other towns and rural India together garner a whopping 70 per cent.

http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2008/newsfullstory.php?id=1205992058

[Sathyalal]

More photos

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9773/img2900mz9.jpg

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/7816/img2901ak1.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6570/img2902zx8.jpg

[Sathyalal]

Views from Technopark lawn

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/2/lawn1zm2.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/505/lawn4ak4.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4208/lawnbg6.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7391/lawn2ob7.jpg

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/2861/lawn3mg9.jpg

[Sathyalal]

more..

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4973/view1ml9.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5584/pambaxk7.jpg

[Santhosh]

Sathyalal

Why are you always posting this technopark pictures in site? There is nothing new in TVM?

What happened to Satyam in TVM? Any update on Satyam or Technocity?

[Sathyalal]

Have you seen Tata Elxi campus, previousely in this thread?.

That is a new photograph. Technopark itself is similar to a growing city. So many new campuses/buildings are coming up(Infy, New IBS Tower). Nest and Case also are constructing new campuses. Nest is half way through. I will be posting those pictures also soon.

Satyam will start by July.

There is a big fight for Technocity by Emaar, DLF, Rahejas etc. So gov is planning for bidding. RFQ will be released in one or 2 weeks.

Technopark is the largest employment cluster in the state, so it deserves the posting based on its new growth.
The second largest employer(in terms of employment) in the state is VSSC, but is the distant second in terms of numbers (and also is its neighbour). I think you got it, what is technopark to the state:) If you feel that they are ugly, do not look at them. They are real pictures, not just drawings. There are people who enjoy seeing it(Look at SSC for the responses for the same pictures). Also surprising to see that your 'same location' botheration is not happening in other threads when exactly the same location(or even drawings/news items) is repeatedly posted:) Any way thanks for your concerns. But sorry I can not take it, since pictures has some thing new in it.


Sathyalal

Why are you always posting this technopark pictures in site? There is nothing new in TVM?

What happened to Satyam in TVM? Any update on Satyam or Technocity?

[Sathyalal]

One portion of the Cafteria(getting completed); Top floor Tejaswini. This will give excellent view towards sea(west side), Mountains(East), Technopark(North), Akkulam side(South)

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4016/cafeteriaqg9.jpg

[Sathyalal]

A mass run organised by SunTec Business Solutions to highlight the need to empower differently abled children in the city on Saturday
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/30/stories/2008033058780200.htm

[Sathyalal]

Ruby Arena
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5797/img2715go4.jpg

[puppuli]

:previous: :previous: :previous:

Great Pics Mr.Sathyalal

I had been to technopark around 2 years back,now i think Technopark has changed a lot in no time

[Vinu007]

Nostalagic pictures :).. i have been there when i was little.. its nice to see it again..

[Sathyalal]

Some photos.

Courtesy: Shafi

SI West Winds

http://i32.tinypic.com/23u7zfa.jpg

Heera Park

http://i28.tinypic.com/fcqhj6.jpg

Nikunjum Estates

http://i32.tinypic.com/vzdap5.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/k99cgw.jpg

Capital One

http://i30.tinypic.com/2eutlpx.jpg

http://i29.tinypic.com/2mcezns.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/2emmuzq.jpg

http://i26.tinypic.com/xp0lcj.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/2vukj14.jpg

http://i25.tinypic.com/fp77m8.jpg

Kawdiar....

http://i27.tinypic.com/2exajd3.jpg

http://i27.tinypic.com/ifua95.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/awqb6r.jpg

http://i28.tinypic.com/mlkrpy.jpg

Shivaji Saphire....

http://i31.tinypic.com/1zqrd52.jpg

Heera West Court

http://i25.tinypic.com/ok1tvl.jpg

[Sathyalal]

Medical college(Zoomed from Akkulam hills)

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9822/img1144wd7.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7673/img1146ox4.jpg

[Sathyalal]

more..

Courtesy:Shafi


Karimpanal Arcade.

http://i32.tinypic.com/11b2ih3.jpg

AKG Centre under renovation

http://i25.tinypic.com/37zb7.jpg

[Sathyalal]

Palayam-Plamood Road..
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/1342/img1577ax7.jpg

[puppuli]

No news here?

The Kerala government will acquire an additional 15 acres of land for the expansion of Infopark in Kochi.

Briefing mediapersons here, state IT secretary Ajayakumar said the government had lined up measures to keep the momentum going in the information technology scene in the state.

This apart, the government plans to construct two more buildings at the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark and Infopark campuses soon. Each building would boast of 5,00,000 sft space, he added.

The government’s initiatives to have IT parks in all districts in the state have been set in motion and some of the districts would see infotech parks taking real shape in a couple of districts this year itself, he said.

[chandrurajan]

Pic Courtesy : Ajaypp SSC

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4209/img2655rstl1.jpg

The second phase is leased to IBS.

[Sathyalal]

The details of the plaza center plaza project coming up in Akkulam

http://www.plazacenters.com/kep.php?f=trivandrum.jpg

London, UK, June 19, 2007 - Plaza Centers N.V., a leading emerging markets property developer, today announces that, in a 50%:50% joint venture with a leading Indian property developer, it has acquired a plot of land with an area of approximately 10.78 acres (approximately 43,600 sq m), situated in Trivandrum, the capital city of the State of Kerala, India.

The total cost of the land (including acquisition costs) amounted to approximately 1,060 million Rupees (approximately £13.4 million).

Plaza and its partner intend to use the plot to develop a project totalling approximately 2.1 million sq ft (195,000 sq m), which is currently intended to comprise:

- A shopping and entertainment centre with a total area of approximately 720,000 sq ft (approximately 67,000 sq m);
- An office complex with a total area approximately 970,000 sq ft (approximately 90,500 sq m);
- A hotel and apartment hotel with a total area of approximately 400,000 sq ft (approximately 37,500 sq m).


http://www.inrnews.com/realestateproperty/india/thiruvananthapuram/plaza_centers_acquires_land_in.html

[chandrurajan]

Pic Courtesy : Shafi SSC

http://i32.tinypic.com/juvazr.jpg

[elm07]

Thanks for all the pics Sathyalal, the Kowdiar ones look awesome.

[Sathyalal]

thanks elmThanks for all the pics Sathyalal, the Kowdiar ones look awesome.

[Sathyalal]

State has crossed Rs.10,000 crore for the first time with direct and indirect revenue touching Rs.11,433 crore in 2007.

Thiruvananthapuram came first in foreign tourist arrivals with 1,93,924, followed by Ernakulam - 1,65,125. The growth was 27.94 and 25.32 per cent respectively in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam.

As much as 23.36 per cent of foreign tourists came from the U.K.; 9.33 per cent from France; 7.72 per cent from the U.S.; 6.95 per cent from Germany; and 4.39 per cent from the Maldives.

Sources said it showed that the U.K. was still the top market for Kerala. The arrival of chartered tourists from Gatwick was also reflected in the statistics.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/15/stories/2008041553690400.htm

[Sathyalal]

Foreign banks to lend another 250 million rupees for the Compact disc's upcoming animation studio at Thiruvananthapuram special economic zone.

http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINDEL22542920080415

[Sathyalal]

Thiruvanthapuram, Apr 16 Thiruvananthapuram rail division has emerged Southern Railways’ only department to overshoot its revenue targets. While Southern Railways revenue grew by 12% over the previous year, in Thiruvananthapuram rail division alone, the corresponding revenue growth was in a phenomenal 21% rate

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Thiruvananthapuram-rail-division-records-Rs-611-cr-earnings/297900/

[Sathyalal]

Accentia Tech acquires New Jersey company

In line with its plans to buy more companies, healthcare receivable cycle management (HRCM) company Accentia Technologies has taken over New Jersey-based Oak Technologies and its Hyderabad-, based subsidiary, Vasant Scribes

Pradeep Vishwambharan, the CEO of Thiruvananthapuram-based Accentia Technologies, said by acquiring Oak Technologies its Hyderabad-based subsidiary had also became a part of the takeover. He further added: the takeover involved $4 million.・

Vishwambharan said: the acquisition is a part of Accentia's efforts to strengthen its presence and share in the global HRCM market. The company has already acquired three US companies, two in Florida and one in Oregon.・

The Accentia Tech chief said the company had firmed up plans to buy more companies this year. The targeted companies include three overseas and five Indian firms. We have lined up over half a dozen more acquisitions in India and abroad.・

Meanwhile, Accentia Technologies has bagged an order worth $4.5 million for its healthcare receivables management services from a leading US-based hospital chain.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=8&subLeft=2&chklogin=N&autono=320465&tab=r

[Sathyalal]

Etihad records 25 percent growth in its load factor

Mumbai April 18 : Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways Friday said it has recorded a 25 percent year on year growth in the load factor to its four Indian destinations.


On the Indian sector, the load factor to Mumbai grew to 84 percent, followed by New Delhi at 79 percent.

In south India, Thiruvananthapuram notched a growth of 77 percent and Kochi 72 percent.

"The first quarter of 2008 has shown strong loads at an average of 78 percent from the four existing routes," said Etihad Airways country manager Neerja Bhatia.

This summer, the airline will begin flying to Kozhikode and Chennai. Following a bilateral agreement between the two countries, Etihad is also finalising plans to launch flights to Jaipur and Kolkata.

"We have a very positive outlook as we double our routes in India in 2008. Our focus for the next quarter is to maintain these numbers and launch services to Chennai and Kozhikode," said Bhatia.

--- IANS

[Sathyalal]

Varkey's

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2820/img2962zc6.jpg

More 5 star rooms getting ready

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7799/img2969wi3.jpg

[Sathyalal]

A proud moment for the country

“It is a good experience to launch so many satellites” because it was quite an involved and complex task, said B.N. Suresh, former Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram. The VSSC has built the PSLV-C9 which is a four-stage vehicle.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/28/stories/2008042859871500.htm

PSLV launches India into space history

India became the second country in the world to achieve the difficult feat, after Russia which had put into orbit 13 satellites in April 2007. But Isro officials pointed out that the total weight of Russia's 13 was only 295 kg as against the 820 kg carried up by the four-stage PSLV on Monday. They added that Nasa’s attempt to do something similar had come to nought.

A proud Isro chairman G Madhavan Nair declared the mission successful and said there was "not even a slight deviation in the spacecraft’s trajectory and they (the satellites) were delivered at their doorstep".

After handshakes and hugs, the talk had turned to the next mission: Chandrayaan-1.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/PSLV_launches_India_into_space_history/articleshow/2993110.cms

Salute country's great sons working in VSSC and ISRO.

A very proud moment for the city

[Sathyalal]

T’URAM: Seven-and-a-half months after lift-off, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO’s Taxila for shaping India’s future space scientists, is planning big on the academic side.

Into its second semester, the IIST is actively pursuing tie-up possibilities with some of the best like-minded scientific institutions abroad to give its students an edge in space education. Among the institutions it has approached are the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which runs NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, among other things, and the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.


The first semester results were good. So far, we concentrated on academics and establishing the institute in Thiruvananthapuram. Now we are incorporating sports, cultural and other extra-curricular activities without compromising on academics,・Suresh said.

Co-operation with space agencies like the NASA, Japan’s JAXA and others are possibilities for the future. For the time-being, the student population will be entirely Indian as the IIST is meant to answer ISRO’s manpower crunch.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20080505214350&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=-375

[Sathyalal]

StanChart HK mulls $200-m fund tap for Toonz Animation

Hot on the heels of the $4-million financing for Toonz Animation’s `Wolverine’ project, Standard Chartered Bank’s Hong Kong unit is thrashing out a king-size content-funding deal for the Kerala Technopark-based company. Toonz is on the verge of finalising about 10 animation projects costing about $200-million.

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/StanChart-HK-mulls--200-m-fund-tap-for-Toonz-Animation/304728/

[Sathyalal]

Trans towers

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4603/img2975hc0.jpg

near LIC Jn

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/9925/img2986uw0.jpg

[Sathyalal]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA: Toonz Animation India has been shortlisted for the Global Tech Showcase (GTS 2008) being held in conjunction with the World Investment Conference in La Brule, France, June 4 to June 6 this year.

The GTS 2008 selection committee selected Toonz Animation India Pvt Ltd after extensive review of over 700 companies.

The committee includes senior executives from leading European companies such as Siemens, T-Mobile, British Telecom, SAP, ST Microelectronics, Burda, and Bouygues Telecom, said the company here.

Hosted by EuroStart Capital Partners LLC, a San Francisco-based venture fund, the GTS 2008 would offer the opportunity for the most promising companies from around the world to launch and accelerate their business in Europe.

GTS 2008 will take place in conjunction with the World Investment Conference that will feature hundreds of corporate and political leaders from firms such as Sony, Freescale, EDF, Nokia, BT, Total, Siemens, as well as government officials and ministers from around Europe.

"This is an excellent opportunity for Toonz to identify potential clients, business partners and investors. GTS 2008's unique format will catalyze immediate revenue ramp-up in Europe," said Jean-Bernard Guerree, managing director at EuroStart.

http://www.ciol.com/News/News-Reports/Toonz-to-be-part-of-GTS-2008-in-La-Brule/8508105872/0/

[Sathyalal]

India is a hot spot for UST Global

The availability of quality manpower talent in India has enabled UST Global to expand on a massive scale in the Asian sub-continent. UST Global is currently the biggest software employer in the ‘God's Own Country’ and has aptly set up its Indian headquarters at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram.

The California-based IT major provides end-to-end IT services and business process outsourcing solutions for Global 2000 companies. UST, which primarily caters to the US and European markets, plans to set up centres across tier-II and tier-III towns of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. With nearly 5,500 employees, mostly in India, UST Global is keen on increasing its headcount in the country. Last year, UST Global was ranked second in the top 20 Outsourced Software Testing & QA Vendors.

Part of the $6-billion Comfro Group, UST’s goal is to become a $1-billion company by 2010. In an exclusive interview to Sify.com, Arun Narayanan, Joint Chief Operating Officer of UST, shares the company’s growth plans.

http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14670227

[Sathyalal]

Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Bio-technology gets 100 crores grant

This amount is for research in nanotechnology, expanding the campus facilities and recruiting more scientists.

Sources:
http://www.mathrubhumi.com/php/newsFrm.php?news_id=1224774&n_type=HO&category_id=1

http://www.keralakaumudi.com

[PLUS]

Coral Abacus

A 16 storey township from Coral group. (Location not known)
http://www.coralgroupindia.com/coralabacus.html

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/9070/coralabacuszy2.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[Sathyalal]

First nanotechnolgy institute in India to be setup in Thiruvananthapuram. 80 crore sactioned for the institute.

Source : Amrita TV news(7:30 AM, May 13)

[Sathyalal]

RGCB to construct new campus

The RGCB has requested the Kerala government to provide 50 acres of land for setting up a second campus. It has identified two sites: one at Vithura, close to the land allocated to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (ISER) and another one at the cashew plantations near the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) complex at Valiamala.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/13/stories/2008051355610100.htm

[Sathyalal]

Technopark gets award for best Tech Biz Incubator

Technology Business Incubator at Technopark (T-TBI) in Thiruvananthapuram has bagged the award for the best Technology Business Incubator in the country for the year 2007. The award is instituted by the ministry of science & technology, government of India.

Former President of India and renowned scientist APJ Abdul Kalam presented the National Award at a ceremony in New Delhi, a release, here, said.

"We have incubated more than 70 start-up technology Companies in the past four years with a success rate of over 90%," he added. Out of these, 35 Companies have graduated and moved into larger space and 32 are still continuing their operations in the Incubator, yielding a success rate of almost 95%. Altogether, these Companies have created 2000 job opportunities. This number is expected to double in five years. The T-TBI has spawned highly successful Companies like 'The Torque', a venture by seven students from College of Engineering (CET), Thiruvananthapuram.

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Technopark-gets-award-for-best-Tech-Biz-Incubator/309249/

[Sathyalal]

Lanco says consortium wins $2-bln Kerala port project

MUMBAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Lanco Infratech Ltd (LAIN.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday its consortium with Malaysia's Pembinan Radzai had won rights to build the Vizhinjam Container Port project in Kerala, estimated to cost 80 billion rupees ($2 billion).

The first phase of the project is to be built in 60 months, Lanco said in a statement.

http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINBMB00172520080514

[rajkrish]

Great news.

[Santhosh]

So Happy to heat this news. Hope Central Govt will give clearance for this. Any news about the Poovar Shipyard?

[Sathyalal]

Santhosh, Poovar is suggested to central gov.
--

More on Vizhinjam.


The project, India's largest container trans-shipment port project, would be developed in four phases with an ultimate capacity of 6.5 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units).


The Vizhinjam port, situated about 16 km south off Thiruvananthapuram and at 10 nautical miles from international sea routes connecting Europe, Persian Gulf and Far East, when developed would attract a fair share of the container trans-shipment traffic meant for India, currently handled by international ports at Colombo, Malaysia, Al-Salalah (Oman) and Singapore, he said.

The Kerala government had called for bids in August 2007 through Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited on a 33-year concession basis.


NCC-Maytas, Videocon-Gammon-Sical, Apollo Enterprise-DS Construction, and Zoom Developers-Portia Management Services were the other contenders for the project, according to a release.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=37537

So Happy to heat this news. Hope Central Govt will give clearance for this. Any news about the Poovar Shipyard?