Kochi Smart City project plan, history and progress

Kochi Smart city Project status

Smart City Kochi is a hyper IT township planned to be build in Kochi, Kerala. Dubai Internet City was the main sponsor of the project which would likely to generate over 100,000 jobs as direct and indirect employment. This project has been under hold due to unsettled issues between state government and Tecom. M.A. Yousaf Ali, the leading NRI industrialist in Gulf has been appointed as a mediator in Dec 2010 to resolve these issues between Goverment and Promoter of the Kochi smart city project

Kochi Smart City Project History

Kochi smart city Project is getting old without getting any clearance from the share holder Tecom for last 7 years. Initially the former Chief Minister A K Antony generated the planning of Kochi smart city project in chief ministerial period of 2003. Later Oommen Chandy wen on with the smart city project and invited the Dubai Internet City officials to India for a feasibility study when he was Chief Minister of Kerala. After result of the study done by Dubai Internet city client Tecom has signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Kerala Government. But he failed to make this project reality due to the objection of LDF party, the opposition party at that time.

Afterwards when LDF party came into power Chief Minister has taken interest to continue the project and has been done some attempts to discuss with Dubai Internet City. And he also forwarded some altered suggestions to make change in previous Memorandum of Understanding.

Dubai client agreed with the Government and prepared a new MOU. Then the Kerala Government officials, clients Tecom and Sama Dubai are signed the final contract.

With the announcement of ZES policy by Kerala Government all the issues raised up between Government and Tecom. Because of many strategies in the ZES policy was opposite to Smart City agreement. Since this issue Kerala Government and its Political party front LDF did not make any step forward on the organizational procedures of the project. Later the Chief Minister Achuthanandan tried for the Kochi smart city agreement to get awayfrom the opposite strategies in the ZES policy. Then he was blamed by his own political party for giving exemption to Smart City project. These conflicts between the Chief Minister and the LDF party deferred the land registration in the name of Smart City, Kochi. was accused of giving exemption from SEZ policy to Kochi Smart City project and the apparent discord in the ruling party and the government deferred the registration of the land in the name of Smart City, Kochi. Moreover the economic recession in 2008 helped to slow down for resolving the project delaying issues with apparent solution. After that there was not any substantial movement from the part of Tecom that raised doubts about TECOM’s financial stability. The Kerala Government declared statements for the requirement of new promoters if Tecom does not want to go on with the Project as per the blue print agreement

Tecom was demanded for free-hold land right which the state government would never give to the promoter. This was the major barrier against the forwarding process of the project. In January 2010, the Tecom Company showed their uninteresting to proceed with the project. Then Kerala government has been appointed a convincing mediator to revive the project as per smart city Kochi frame work agreement. After result in 2011 the Government of Dubai informed to state Government that they wish to visit Kerala and discuss again upon this concerned project smart city Kochi Now this conditions are giving again some hope to the project come true.

Kochi smart city Project agreement

The Dubai Internet City, a joint venture between Tecom and Sama Dubai, agreed to invest around $400 million in project Smart City in 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land on the outskirts of Kochi.

Future of Kochi smart city Project

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has send a letter Smart City Dubai Chief Executive Fareed Abdul Rehman by asking the company to clear its intension.

The letter also was enough to clear that Tecom Company won’t have any rights to deal real estate dealings on the freehold property which they will be getting for the Project Smart City and Achuthananthan said afterwards it would be the final letter and they have to let us know in 15 days.