The first DLF-Hilton hotel is expected to be ready this year at Saket in New Delhi. It will be a Garden Inn with 180 rooms, said a source. The total number of hotels planned under the DLF-Hilton alliance at present, stand at 16, comprising 3,500 rooms. These projects are in various stages of development and construction, and will come up in cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Trivandrum, and Chandigarh...

FE (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Hilton-Group-to-make-a-comeback-in-India/297839/)

@ Ashok - First of all the interactive map is quite outdated, it does not show Thejaswini, Peepul Park, TCS Development Center site, IBS Campus or the Leela Infopark, for example. Thus, the space actually available is much less than it seems on that map. More importantly, Technopark's USP is that it is a Green IT Park and any more development would mean losing more than a minimum of its green cover. The authorities don't intend to build any more space in the existing campus. The 500,000 sq.ft latest building of Technopark and the 1.1 million sq.ft. TCS DC will be the last buildings to be developed on the Phase I campus.

@ Vicks - The demand from the local population is strong and it is growing due to a variety of factors like paucity of land within the city, smaller families, growing incomes and so on. Trivandrum has among the highest per capita incomes in India.

Recently released statistics also show that in terms of inflows from NRKs, Trivandrum leads districts like Ernakulam, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta.

Combined together, these two trends are the reason why every developer in the land is launching a flurry of projects and managing to sell them quickly.

Thanks Ajai for the clarification. That makes a lot of sense to me

Thanks folks for educating me on the apartment market in Trivandrum. It's nice to know that Trivandrum has among the highest per capita incomes in India. That is really surprising. I hope more investments will flow into the city. I also hope the town planning authorities develop the city in a scientific and organized manner

Folks,
Please click the link below to to see the location of PRS Residential Project that is going to come up in Akkulam.The location is behind Good Sheppard School.The project is in design phase.

http://picasaweb.google.com/swaven

SI property updated their site with new project Endura Sreekaryam

http://www.sipkerala.com/asp/projects/project_specs.asp?project_id=33

Any updates on the Satyam, IBM and Wipro who have been scouting for space in technopark?
Also there was a news item in Keralkaumudi a few days back that the procedure for leasing the land in Technocity (200 acres) will start with in one or two months. Any idea about the firms participating in the bid ?
Is the Oak Ridge Lab still in reckoning as one interested to start their wing in Technocity?

Cheers!!!

The first Titanium Sponge Plant (TSP) of the country will be commissioned in June 2009. The plant is a Rs.94.7 crore project coming up at Chavara, near here, as a unit of the public sector Kerala Metals and Minerals Limited (KMML).

The “bhoomi puja” for the civil work of the plant was performed on Thursday in the presence of Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran. The plant is coming up within the KMML complex.

Talking to presspersons, Mr. Premachandran said the technology for producing titanium sponge was being provided by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The fund for the project comes from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Mr. Premach andran said the plant would produce 500 tonnes of titanium sponge annually.

Titanium sponge is a raw material for titanium metal which has wide aircraft and space applications. The entire production of the plant will be purchased by the ISRO. As per a memorandum of understanding, the KMML will execute the project with funding from the ISRO and technology from the DMRL. KITCO Ltd. is the engineering consultant for the project.

He said the capacity of KMML’s synthetic rutile plant would be augmented from the 34,000 metric tonnes per annum to 55,000 metric tonnes per annum at a cost of Rs.32. 36 crore. A fluidised bed coal fired boiler would be procured at a cost of Rs.44.06 crore. For this, boiler coal could be used instead of furnace oil. These steps were taken as part of KMML’s cost reduction programme, Mr. Premachandran said

A mineral research institute (MRI) of the Central government is likely to come up at Chavara, Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran has said

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/18/stories/2008041853920500.htm

South Kerala is getting strategically more importance than any other part of India. Trivandrum Airport will have a significant role in this particular project both in cargo section as well as scientific population travelling between trivandrum and rest of the world...

Cheers......

The first Titanium Sponge Plant (TSP) of the country will be commissioned in June 2009. The plant is a Rs.94.7 crore project coming up at Chavara, near here, as a unit of the public sector Kerala Metals and Minerals Limited (KMML).

The “bhoomi puja” for the civil work of the plant was performed on Thursday in the presence of Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran. The plant is coming up within the KMML complex.

Talking to presspersons, Mr. Premachandran said the technology for producing titanium sponge was being provided by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The fund for the project comes from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Mr. Premach andran said the plant would produce 500 tonnes of titanium sponge annually.

Titanium sponge is a raw material for titanium metal which has wide aircraft and space applications. The entire production of the plant will be purchased by the ISRO. As per a memorandum of understanding, the KMML will execute the project with funding from the ISRO and technology from the DMRL. KITCO Ltd. is the engineering consultant for the project.

He said the capacity of KMML’s synthetic rutile plant would be augmented from the 34,000 metric tonnes per annum to 55,000 metric tonnes per annum at a cost of Rs.32. 36 crore. A fluidised bed coal fired boiler would be procured at a cost of Rs.44.06 crore. For this, boiler coal could be used instead of furnace oil. These steps were taken as part of KMML’s cost reduction programme, Mr. Premachandran said

A mineral research institute (MRI) of the Central government is likely to come up at Chavara, Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran has said

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/18/stories/2008041853920500.htm

South Kerala is getting strategically more important than any other part of India. Trivandrum Airport will have a significant role in this particular project both in cargo section as well as scientific population travelling between trivandrum and rest of the world...

Cheers......


Also the feeder cargo ships will be plying between Vizhinjam and Thankassery / Minor Port near Chavara.

http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?articleType=Malayalam+News&contentId=3861597&tabId=11&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@

GITPAC International, the tourism planning and consultancy division of ATE group of companies,Trivandrum signed a memorandum of understanding with Irish tourism firm Tourism Development International (TDI) for strategic alliance in tourism industry.

GITPAC was represented by its chairman B K Goswami and vice-chairman E M Najeeb and TDI was represented by its chairman Michael McNulty and MD Peter McNulty.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20080418005838&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0&

SI Property Endura
2 towers of 15 & 16 floors
Sreekaryam

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/5994/atgaaacyxi80xpmnuxii2z0pg2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

www.sipkerala.com

ADS Moonlight
8 floors
Sreekaryam

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7572/dfghym6.png (http://imageshack.us)

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

The first Titanium Sponge Plant (TSP) of the country will be commissioned in June 2009. The plant is a Rs.94.7 crore project coming up at Chavara, near here, as a unit of the public sector Kerala Metals and Minerals Limited (KMML).

The “bhoomi puja” for the civil work of the plant was performed on Thursday in the presence of Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran. The plant is coming up within the KMML complex.

Talking to presspersons, Mr. Premachandran said the technology for producing titanium sponge was being provided by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The fund for the project comes from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Mr. Premach andran said the plant would produce 500 tonnes of titanium sponge annually.

Titanium sponge is a raw material for titanium metal which has wide aircraft and space applications. The entire production of the plant will be purchased by the ISRO. As per a memorandum of understanding, the KMML will execute the project with funding from the ISRO and technology from the DMRL. KITCO Ltd. is the engineering consultant for the project.

He said the capacity of KMML’s synthetic rutile plant would be augmented from the 34,000 metric tonnes per annum to 55,000 metric tonnes per annum at a cost of Rs.32. 36 crore. A fluidised bed coal fired boiler would be procured at a cost of Rs.44.06 crore. For this, boiler coal could be used instead of furnace oil. These steps were taken as part of KMML’s cost reduction programme, Mr. Premachandran said

A mineral research institute (MRI) of the Central government is likely to come up at Chavara, Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran has said

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/18/stories/2008041853920500.htm

South Kerala is getting strategically more important than any other part of India. Trivandrum Airport will have a significant role in this particular project both in cargo section as well as scientific population travelling between trivandrum and rest of the world...

Cheers......

i have already posted this in kollam thread. Just remind one silly note. When somebody posted a project, which is planned near Cherthala, in cochin thread, there were a lot of hollos from many.:lol::lol: And atlast, it was moved to Alappey, pathanathitta.. thread by the mod...:nuts:

^^ - Point noted, but I think Shafi was pointing to ISRO's contribution in the venture not trying to foist it off as a development in Trivandrum. ISRO is located entirely in Trivandrum, as far as Kerala is concerned. Chavara is very much in Kollam, no one is claiming otherwise, rest assured on that. Perhaps, the post can be trimmed to the ISRO relevant bits. Let's not start a debate on this one, lol. :)

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

Eventhough it was very difficult to find this forum;the overall classification of forums in SSC is quiet interesting.

Wonder how this forum appeared under the category "Indian Cityscapes & Photography " instead of "Regional and Urban Projects/South" !!

The first DLF-Hilton hotel is expected to be ready this year at Saket in New Delhi. It will be a Garden Inn with 180 rooms, said a source. The total number of hotels planned under the DLF-Hilton alliance at present, stand at 16, comprising 3,500 rooms. These projects are in various stages of development and construction, and will come up in cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Trivandrum, and Chandigarh...

FE (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Hilton-Group-to-make-a-comeback-in-India/297839/)


Furthur

Realty major DLF and Hilton Hotels Corporation have signed management agreements for the development of seven new hotels, a DLF press statement noted. This marks the second stage in DLF Hilton Hotels Ltd's overall plans to build and develop 75 hotels in India in the next five to seven years. The seven projects will bring the total number of new hotels under the DLF-Hilton alliance to 16, comprising 3,500 rooms. All these projects are in various stages of development and construction.
To be managed by an affiliate of Hilton Hotels Corporation, the seven new hotels will cover different market segments under the Hilton family of brands: Hilton, the upscale full service brand; Hilton Garden Inn, the mid-scale brand; and Homewood Suites by Hilton, an extended stay hotel brand.
The projects are: Hilton Dwarka (300 rooms), Hilton Garden Inn (400 rooms) and Homewood Suites by Hilton (100 rooms), all Dwarka, New Delhi; Hilton Residences Kolkata (100 rooms); Hilton Garden Inn (250 rooms) and Homewood Suites by Hilton (100 rooms), both Chennai/OMR; and Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum (200 rooms).
"The execution of these seven new management agreements with Hilton is a major step in the overall DLF strategy to rapidly scale up DLF presence in the hospitality sector to 25,000 hotels rooms in the next five to seven years," Shakti Singh, Managing Director, DLF Hotel Holdings Ltd, commented.
The three hotels planned at the International Convention Centre complex in Dwarka will comprise nearly 2 million sq. ft of development, including international convention and exhibition centre facilities, and premium commercial space.
The 100-room Hilton Residences Kolkata will be located in the central business district and is intended to complement Hilton Kolkata (announced in May 2007) that will boast an apartment setting.
The 250-room Hilton Garden Inn and 100-room Homewood Suites by Hilton in Chennai/OMR are planned to be located along the Old Mahabalipuram Road.
Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum is to be located less than 5 km from Technopark. When completed, this hotel will be 8 km from the existing airport.DLF has over 224 million sq. ft of existing development and 748 million sq. ft of planned projects. The group's core business is development of residential, commercial and retail properties. DLF has recently forayed into infrastructure, SEZ, financial services and hotel businesses.

Contact: DLF, DLF Centre, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 110001. Tel: 011-42102030

Projects Monitor

KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)

KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)

Wow !!!!! Thats a great news. Investments are flowing into Trivandrum :banana2::banana2::banana2:

KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)

Gr8 News

Wow!!!Tats a great news.....Thanks Ajay for the info......:cheers:KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)

KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)


Ajay

Can you provide the link?

KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)

It is indeed a great news Ajay. Hope that it materialises soon since we have projects like Telecom city by Sidco which we have been hearing for the last 3 years or so but no progress report.

Cheers!!!

Keralakaumudi epaper reported that the corporation has taken up the demolition of unauthorized buildings in the Peroorkada- Ambalamukku Junction. The buildings affected are those which have flouted the rule which says all the construction on either side must be 4.5 meters from end of the 25 meter width of the road.
The report also says that there have been protests and phone calls from higher up to influence against this action , but the officials did a commendable job to ingnore these calls and for that requested for a police presence and switched off all mobile phones.
The mayor has mentioned that such demolitions will be extended to other areas in the city.


THis is really a good news and the corportation deserves applause for doing this rightful matter in a fearless way. I hope such actons from the authorities will continue in future also.

CHeers!!!

KINFRA has announced plans to develop a Medicity on 250 acres of land at Mangalapuram on the outskirts of Trivandrum. To be developed on the PPP model, it will involve major private investment. The overall investment in the project is estimated to exceed Rs 1000 Crore.

The Government is planning to declare the entire area as a Special Economic Zone. The land has already been notified for acquisition and is mostly part of two large estates, which have little inhabitation.

The Medicity will have units in the fields of medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and so on. It is only about 15 Kms from the Trivandrum International Airport and about 30 Kms from the deep sea port at Vizhinjam.

And moreover, this massive project is literally just down the road from Technocity. :)

Source: The New Indian Express (Print edition)


good news :banana: :banana: :)

Work on the new International Terminal at TIA is entering a crucial phase as the contractor, CCCL, commences erection of the steel structure for the massive building.

Meanwhile, hectic piling is in progress at the site of the Air India MRO facility. The demolishing of the old Rubber Works buildings is almost complete.

The Dhanya-Remya theatre is getting set for a re-development of its own. The owners have cleared additional land behind the theatre. It seems that a multiplex and/or mall will be developed on the land, along the lines of the project at Kripa theatre down the road. More news on this soon.

Land clearing has been completed for the massive Kshitij/Pantaloon mall at Pattoor and preliminary work has commenced on the site.

I was not able to get pictures of the sites this weekend due to a pressing schedule, will get some next week. Stay tuned!

So much for encouraging IT in Trivandrum. The politicians couldnt resist fleecing them and eating a share of the pie from peope who actually work. From what I hear, there is a big slow down in Technopark. So Technocity will also be a major PLAN for the next few years, just like vizhinjam, ISRO, and what not..Not sure if this post will stay for long :)

From Indian Express:

CLOSE on the heels of the tall talk by the CPM leaders about the drastic changes in the industrial environment in the State and the significant growth anticipated in the IT sector, the State IT Department and the IT companies at Technopark here are fast moving on a collision course.

According to sources, the CEOs in the Technopark here have been sharing a general feeling that they are no more welcome to the State Government.

Unlike in the past, Technopark authorities and the companies housed at the Park now find no way to settle the differences between them. Neither are the Park Centre authorities and the IT Department able to take up the issue in the right forum, nor have the companies an idea about whom to consult to settle the issues that warrant political will and policy intervention.

The collapsing relations between the IT companies on side and the State IT Department and the Park Centre on the other were in evidence at the recently-held KeralaIT.Com. Majority of the companies at the Park opted to keep out of the unprofessionally-organised IT exhibition.

Adding insult to injury, the IT Department and the Technopark authorities have declined to pay back the advance given by three companies in the Park for rented space in the newly-built block - ‘Thejaswini’. The three companies (two of them are the leading companies in their respective domains and had set up their facilities during the initial days of the Park) had paid three months’ rent in advance to the Park Centre.

However, owing to various reasons, these companies decided not to occupy the built up space allotted to them in Tejaswini. The Park Centre authorities, after consulting the IT Department, informed the companies that the advance given by them could not be refunded. There is no change in their stand, even after the Technopark authorities rented out the same space to some other companies.

Meanwhile, another vexed issue regarding the payment of building tax of Technopark buildings to the Corporation is yet to be sorted out. As a result of the efforts taken by a CPM councillor in the City Corporation, the Technopark authorities were asked to pay the building tax arrears since 2000. Under some false notion, the Technopark authorities were not paying building tax. However, when the Corporation sent notice, the IT Department instructed the Park Centre authorities to pay the arrears on their own and collect the same from the companies later.

Following the instruction, Technopark paid around Rs 1.75 crore to the Corporation. But when the Park Centre wanted the companies to pay the building tax arrears, the companies responded in the negative. According to them, the building tax payment is the responsibility of the lessor and lessee need not bother about the same. The Park Centre should have incorporated the building tax in the rent, they said.

It is indeed a great news Ajay. Hope that it materialises soon since we have projects like Telecom city by Sidco which we have been hearing for the last 3 years or so but no progress report.

Cheers!!!

should materialize by 2020..by that time the political leaders would have filled their coffers enough in the name of Medicity..perhaps we could have 20 tender processes by then..vizhinjam we have had only a couple so far..way to go..

^^ - Lol, I am not sure what is meant by "slowdown" at Technopark, when the pace of employee addition has been steadily accelerating over the last year as has been the addition of space by companies in their own campuses. All the majors - Infosys, TCS, UST Global, IBS and so are steadily adding numbers and space, and even the mid-size and small firms are expanding, with new ones entering Technopark all the time.

The numbers are clear, Mind, and they don't bear out your belief. If at all, Technopark has been growing at a CAGR which outstrips that of the industry by a comfortable margin. And it still continues to account for 70% of the IT/ITES industry in Kerala, according to the 2007-08 figures released recently.

The issues pointed out by the report are real ones and are part of the red tapism which plagues every State, not just Kerala.

As for the companies not occupying Thejaswini space, two of the biggies are UST Global and IBS, both which are building their own campuses. IBS has already commissioned its first phase. In fact, the demand for space at Thejaswini has been so stiff that the Technopark authorities were forced to convert some parking space into business space.

Our media loves to beat their drums about what does not happen right, but fails to devote any space to what is going well. The newspaper in which this report appeared has devoted quite a few columns to the "problems" in Technopark but fails to cover developmental news like, say, the inauguration of Thejaswini or the Developers' Conclave for Technocity. It was also the one paper which failed to corner advertisements about KeralaIT.Com 2008, coincidence?

As Kris Gopalakrishnan pointed out at KeralaIT.Com 2008, the media also needs to strongly project Kerala's strengths not just wax eloquent over its weaknesses. :)

And as for Technocity et al remaining a mere plan, we don't talk about paper tigers on this thread. Let's wait a few weeks and see what transpires, and not waste space here discussing and debating ad inifinitum, the probabilities of projects transpiring. Oh and by the way, the IIST started classes last year. ;)

Cheers!

have to admit that your reply sounds convincing enough, and sensible too :) so i will just believe you and hope something good comes out of it all..its just that i am too disappointed by the politicians in kerala.. thanks anyway..

^^ - Lol, I am not sure what is meant by "slowdown" at Technopark, when the pace of employee addition has been steadily accelerating over the last year as has been the addition of space by companies in their own campuses. All the majors - Infosys, TCS, UST Global, IBS and so are steadily adding numbers and space, and even the mid-size and small firms are expanding, with new ones entering Technopark all the time.

The numbers are clear, Mind, and they don't bear out your belief. If at all, Technopark has been growing at a CAGR which outstrips that of the industry by a comfortable margin. And it still continues to account for 70% of the IT/ITES industry in Kerala, according to the 2007-08 figures released recently.

The issues pointed out by the report are real ones and are part of the red tapism which plagues every State, not just Kerala.

As for the companies not occupying Thejaswini space, two of the biggies are UST Global and IBS, both which are building their own campuses. IBS has already commissioned its first phase. In fact, the demand for space at Thejaswini has been so stiff that the Technopark authorities were forced to convert some parking space into business space.

Our media loves to beat their drums about what does not happen right, but fails to devote any space to what is going well. The newspaper in which this report appeared has devoted quite a few columns to the "problems" in Technopark but fails to cover developmental news like, say, the inauguration of Thejaswini or the Developers' Conclave for Technocity. It was also the one paper which failed to corner advertisements about KeralaIT.Com 2008, coincidence?

As Kris Gopalakrishnan pointed out at KeralaIT.Com 2008, the media also needs to strongly project Kerala's strengths not just wax eloquent over its weaknesses. :)

And as for Technocity et al remaining a mere plan, we don't talk about paper tigers on this thread. Let's wait a few weeks and see what transpires, and not waste space here discussing and debating ad inifinitum, the probabilities of projects transpiring. Oh and by the way, the IIST started classes last year. ;)

Cheers!

have to admit that your reply sounds convincing enough, and sensible too :) so i will just believe you and hope something good comes out of it all..its just that i am too disappointed by the politicians in kerala.. thanks anyway..

Believe me, so am I and very much so. But I am always optimistic that things will look up. For one thing, IT/ITES seems to be universally recognised as one of the key industries that Kerala should focus. It now remains to be seen how fast the Govt. can move to support it, and I believe it will not take ten years more, unlike the ten years we have wasted so far since Technopark really took off. :)

If you watch the developments in the last few months, it is very disappointing that, no new airlines has started operating from TIA. Always we hear that the airlines are applied for the permission, but not received from DGCA. But it is very surprising to hear, that other airports are able to attract new players, and how they are managing to get the permission? See the last few months calicut attracted ethihad, air arabia, rak, emirates, oman, qatar, and so on ,, and cochin, got jet airways, al jazeera, now bahrin air, tiger air, and so on. On contrary Trivandrum still dont have no new airlines, and if I believe, the last compny to choose tvm was Ethihad last year. Shall we assume that this is due to shortage of capacity of TIA to cater the additional flights, or waiting for the new terminal to operate? Even in domestic, I belive there is some reshedule happened, which is not healthy for the TVM airport. May be some one in the airlines field can update the latest situation, and which are all the new players will be permitted to fly from TIA inthe near future.

A SUBWAY® restaurant will be opened at Technopark on Monday, April 21st at 4:00 PM. The new restaurant is located right on the entrance to Technopark. It will be inaugurated by the honorable Minister for Law, Sports and Parliamentary Affairs Mr. N Vijayakumar.In addition to submarine sandwiches, the new SUBWAY® restaurant at Technopark will also offer a variety of salads and a hearty western breakfast
:banana::cheers:

PRS builders is starting their new Apartment project 'Shangrila' near Old GPO junction. It would be nearly 10-12 storied building :) . Had seen the hoardings in front of PRS hospital, Killippalam but couldnt take a snap...

^^ - The city is filling up with high-rises. Even areas which hitherto had not witnessed the apartment boom are doing so in recent days. Hope the development race will be one balance with the need to maintain the city's green cover.

Most of the Gulf Airlines have exhausted their bilaterals to TRV, the exception I guess being Qatar.
CCJ is getting its fair share of development now.
The Jet airways thing with TRV is a bit puzzling though. They did not operate TRV-BLR or TRV-MAA till Deccan started services. Jetlite (Sahara) dropped TRV-MLE which should be one of the most lucrative SAARC services in India. Right now, domestic tickets to TRV are sky high, and that will increase services.
The good thing though is that with EK expanding services to North America, most important destinations in Europe and North America have 1 stop connectivity to TRV.
The part about domestic services seem to be that TIA being an AAI airport, they do not have much incentive in getting more services. Hopefully, this will change too.

Kerala institute in Trivandrum to make heart valves
Source: manoramaonline
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will become the first state in the country to make human heart valves from bovine calves, a top state official said on Monday.

At present these valves are made in India from imported pericardial tissues and jugular veins of bovine calves.

"We expect the project to begin in three months time at our Kulathupuzha bovine farm," managing director of Kerala Livestock Development Board Ani S. Das said.

"We expect the first valve to be ready in 18 months time," he said.

"We will remove the pericardial tissue and jugular vein from the bovine animals that are slaughtered and hand them over to Sri Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology where the heart valves would be made," said Das.

The central government has in principle approved the project, he said.

Sri Chitra institute was established by an Act of parliament as an autonomous institute. It is under the administrative control of the department of science and technology of central government.

The institute works for the convergence of medical sciences and technology and its mission is to enable the indigenous growth of biomedical technology, besides high standards of patient care.

Das said the project has been cleared by the department of biotechnology and has also got the EU 2000 Norm, a pre-requisite for going ahead with such ventures.

" As per this norm, history of the bovines' parentage, feeding schedules, health status and vaccination record will have to be maintained," said Das.
Cheers!!!

SFS Cyber Gold.... Site updated

http://www.sfshomes.com/cybergold.html#

I know many of the forumers are familiar with this site,but i am posting this for the new tvm forumers

http://www.tribiz.in/index.html

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/6200/infocityaprl08im7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I know many of the forumers are familiar with this site,but i am posting this for the new tvm forumers


The site is still under construction. The existing one is a mock site. The final version will be entirely different from the existing one. The new site will be launched soon with an official inauguration.

So Stay Tuned.:):)

I know many of the forumers are familiar with this site,but i am posting this for the new tvm forumers

http://www.tribiz.in/index.html

I was unaware of the site. Thats for the update, Nishanth. Definitely it will become one of the favorite pages in my browser. :)

^^
Wasnt aware of it either... Thanks Nishanth..

This is the case with threads of Kerala cities and Mangalore only. We had started with Cityscapes/projects together.

We would be segregating both soon, cityscapes/photos alone shall be here,

Eventhough it was very difficult to find this forum;the overall classification of forums in SSC is quiet interesting.

Wonder how this forum appeared under the category "Indian Cityscapes & Photography " instead of "Regional and Urban Projects/South" !!

^^

hey, B'lore boy![;)] good to see you back...

As rightly pointed out by some persons, TIA has suffered heavily during the last one or two months as the number of domestic flights have gone down with Air Deccan withdrawing all the 28 weekly flights and NO other Domestic/ International airline starting any new services from TIA. While RAK airways and Air Arabia has come to Calicut, with Saudia, Oman Air, Emirates due to join the list by June-July, Bahrain Air, Tiger Airways and some domestic carriers have started new services from CIAL.

The real sufferer is TIA. But why is this happening? Is it because there is no body to argue for TIA? Or is it because of the work going on connected with new Terminal Complex and closing of runway for 6 hours?

May be Ajay can throw light on this….

Thanks Scorpio...:)

It was a matter of two weeks gap, while I was settling down here in Bangalore. Having a nice time here, infact the transition was so smooth that I didn't feel any change at all. Life at work is great, good exposure, with the marketing of great projects like Northstar (30 floors, 1 million leasable space) under my responsibility. Also exposure to other industry verticals like hospitality, retail, SEZs etc.

I had driven down from Trivandrum to Bangalore in a day. Got lots of photos also. Have got good pics of Bangalore too. Need to take an internet connection at my apartment too.

I feel that Bangalore is whipped much everywhere for no reason regarding lack of infrastructure, traffic etc. My expereince is that there is not much to whine about, it is pretty better than most indian cities. I drive to work during the peak hour morning and evening from Airport side to the CBD (Lavelle road, near UB city) and found it to be ok for a six million plus city.

And nice to see much action happening in TVM with new project launches. I would be flying down home during first week of May. And King Fisher is making good money, yesterday the rate for TRV-BLR was around Rs.8500, one way.


^^

hey, B'lore boy![;)] good to see you back...

^^ - I must confess that the withdrawal of Deccan services on packed routes like the ones to Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai, is a complete mystery. I believe it has to do with the Deccan-KF merger and these sectors will be taken up by KF flights soon. I also think that a major expansion of services will happen on completion of the current work at TIA.

Kristal "Tech-Park View" Updates

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7619/p4040077mk1.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2746/p4040078ge6.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6301/p4040081gx8.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5447/p4040082iu6.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/21/p4040084fb1.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8229/p4040085iq7.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/6220/p4040091qp9.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5476/p4040099zo8.jpg

Thanks Scorpio...:)

And King Fisher is making good money, yesterday the rate for TRV-BLR was around Rs.8500, one way.

OOps . That is INR 17000 for a return TRV-Bangalore Flight.
Just the other day I could book a TRV-Sharjah-TRV flight by IC for about INR 22000 (That too Business class) for my parents. Air arabia would have been much cheaper.

Trivandrumites are getting a raw deal as far as domestic air travel is concerned.

^^ - I must confess that the withdrawal of Deccan services on packed routes like the ones to Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai, is a complete mystery. I believe it has to do with the Deccan-KF merger and these sectors will be taken up by KF flights soon. I also think that a major expansion of services will happen on completion of the current work at TIA.

The bigger mystery was Indian Airlines withdrawing its flight to Bangalore despite running full on most days. That kind of set the tables for KF and Jet to raise their prices freely. Insiders say theres a rat in this pull-out.

I guess the introduction of dynafares by Deccan has been a boon to all of us. Prior to that, IA used to charge something like 5,500/- for a one way ticket. I think it was in 2005, after Onam I found my #3 position in the waiting list Tvm-Blr didn't change for a week and I was put on the IA flight to Chennai, from where I took a Jet flight to Blr for 4,400/-. 10,000/- for a flight Tvm-Blr. IA was fleecing the Tvm passrs when the fare Blr-Cochin was 3000/-+. Today, we can go the same route fr 3500/- in the luxury of KF! Thank God!
There is some cheer for Trivandrum based air passrs. Jetair has announced direct flights betwn Mumbai and Muscat with flight no 9W 540, leaving Mumbai daily @ 10.30p.m. They have announced that Trivandrum will soon follow suit. With the commissioning of the new terminal, new flights are a certainity and come Nov., with the closure of Cochin and Calicut runways, Tvm is going to be buzzing with activity.

MUSCAT — India’s top private carrier Jet Airways has introduced one more destination, its third, on the India-Oman sector with the launch of services from Mumbai to Muscat on Monday. Trivandrum will follow suit shortly, top officials of the airline said here, also adding that the low cost JetLite would begin flying to Muscat and other Gulf cities within a few months.....

flights to the Kerala capital would commence “in the next few months ...

url (http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2008/April/middleeast_April312.xml&section=middleeast&col=)

Folks,
Read this very interesting article.
http://whoseowncountry.blogspot.com/2008/02/birth-of-new-city.html

Regards,
Venket.

Read the nice article "Another day in paradise" about Kovalam and Varkala beaches which has come in The Vancouver Sun, a Canadian Daily. ^^

No wonder how the tourists in these places are increasing every year :). I likes this remark about Varkala. :colgate:

"Varkala, to the north, has totally different topography. As a consequence, it is more breezy, casual, laid-back. It has a long, California-style beach"

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/travel/story.html?id=46b62971-67a4-483e-92f6-9aae45aa805f&p=1

http://www.greatindiaestates.com/majesticprojects.php

Folks,
Read this very interesting article.
http://whoseowncountry.blogspot.com/2008/02/birth-of-new-city.html

Regards,
Venket.

Hey buddy Venkat, its an aticle from my blog, if you haven't noticed.:):)
I'm happy you found it interesting...
And thanks for the promo;)

Samrudhi Rohini
16 floors
Vattiyoorkkavu

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/1443/jhgfhp4.png (http://imageshack.us)

www.artechrealtors.com

http://bp1.blogger.com/_APhZZsq5ilU/SA7JpAPNrAI/AAAAAAAAALQ/W2XNXxj46ik/s1600/subway4.jpg

http://technoparklive.blogspot.com/2008/04/subway-opened-in-technopark.html

Samrudhi Rohini
16 floors
Vattiyoorkkavu

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/1443/jhgfhp4.png (http://imageshack.us)

www.artechrealtors.com


Thank you Scorpiogenius for the update. For past months I have seen Rohini theatre closed and furnishings taken out, and my guess was right. Nice to see apartments coming up in Vattiyoorkavu and looking forward to more such.

Meanwhile, another disappointing news. According to Kerala Kaumudi today, Railway Chief engineer office is being shifted away from Trivandrum to Central Kerala, due to pressures exerted by some Contractor Lobbies. This is happening at a time when Trivandrum Central is being planned to upgrade to world class station and many other projects here in pipeline. Guess what our politicians are doing?

More details are available also at
http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/24/stories/2008042453570400.htm

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8226/15051348ne0.png

Its quite interesting to see that nice designs are popping up even in the outskirts of the city...

:cheers:

@ Scorpio, Biju - Yeap, the city is expanding in all directions, except due West of course. ;)

And yet another massive integrated township seems to be on the anvil for Trivandrum, we should soon be seeing the announcement of a major project by MNC developer, Rakindo.

The response to charter tour operations from the United Kingdom, Sweden and Russia during the peak tourist season was “overwhelming”, with the operators terming it as the “best in the last seven years”.

Although Kerala is touted as a 365-day destination, arrival of the first chartered flight from the U.K. heralds the four-month peak season commencing in November. The good occupancy in hotels and the unusual crowd on the famed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala were attributed to the chartered tourists.
The U.K.-based First Choice and Thomas Cook are the main charter tour operators. The flights had a load of over 95 per cent. As many as 6,100 tourists arrived in the weekly flights operated by Thomas Cook from Gatwick to the Thiruvananthapuram international airport between November 3 and April 19.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/25/stories/2008042550610200.htm

Finishing school to go on stream
Source: thehinduonline
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Model Finishing School, being set up jointly by the State IT Department and the Institute of Human Resources Development (IHRD) with support from Infosys, is all set to go on stream.

The school, which aims at preparing educated and technically skilled youth from the State to secure suitable employment by giving them training in communication and presentation skills, has initiated steps for admitting students. The government decided to set up the school in order to ensure that youth from Kerala acquired sufficient skills to gain jobs in the booming IT sector.

According to the projections of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), the IT industry would experience a shortage of five million jobs by 2010 in the absence of graduates with employable skills.

The school would begin with a 45-day training programme which would have various components such as communication and inter-personal skill development. The first batch would comprise engineering graduates who have secured an aggregate minimum of 60 per cent marks in their qualifying examination. Selection would be solely based on merit after a rigorous scrutiny of applications.

Applications can be downloaded from the Web sites, www.modelfinishingschool.org, www.ihrd.ac.in and www.keralaitmission.org. Completed applications along with a DD for Rs.100 (Rs.50 for SC/ST) drawn in favour of ‘The Director, IHRD’ payable at ‘Thiruvananthapuram’ should be sent to The Special Officer, Model Finishing School, Science and Technology Museum Complex, PMG Junction, Vikas Bhavan PO, Thiruvananthapuram – 695 033 on or before May 5.
Cheers!!!

Meanwhile, another disappointing news. According to Kerala Kaumudi today, Railway Chief engineer office is being shifted away from Trivandrum to Central Kerala, due to pressures exerted by some Contractor Lobbies. This is happening at a time when Trivandrum Central is being planned to upgrade to world class station and many other projects here in pipeline. Guess what our politicians are doing?

Yesterday minister Velu assured our MPs from TVM that it wont be shifted to Cochin.

@ Scorpio, Biju - Yeap, the city is expanding in all directions, except due West of course. ;)

And yet another massive integrated township seems to be on the anvil for Trivandrum, we should soon be seeing the announcement of a major project by MNC developer, Rakindo.
We can all see the city of Trivandrum extending its wings to all directions.\ and it will not be long before the GTDA -(Greater Trivandrum Development Authority) comes into being to integrate the development activities on the lines of GCDA.
In the north we have the Technopark expanding beyond Kazhakoottom with Technocity, Telecomcity , medicity etc coming in the vicinity of Attingal.

In the south we have Neyyantinkara which will be on a fast track growth with vizhinjam project getting realized. Further if the shipyard project becomes a realilty it will add fuel to that growth.

In the east we have places like Nedumangad which is already in focus with Valiamala ISRO and IIST,Ponmudi, botanical garden. It now extends to Vithura which is going to host IIST.

We will also see extension in west of TVM with reclamation of sea for the Vizhinjam project . The industries minister has said that it may be required to reclaim more land from sea for industrial growth of the state since existing land becomes scarce. So let us wish and hope that TVm will grow westwards also.

Cheers!!!

Finally the preliminary activities for the approach road to new TIA terminal is underway. The have wiped the green cover from NH to the new Terminal. Now we can clearly see the activities of the new TIA terminal going on in full pace. Thanks to Vijayakumar and team for taking the matter so seriously.

Cheers........

:lol:We can all see the city of Trivandrum extending its wings to all directions.\ and it will not be long before the GTDA -(Greater Trivandrum Development Authority) comes into being to integrate the development activities on the lines of GCDA.
In the north we have the Technopark expanding beyond Kazhakoottom with Technocity, Telecomcity , medicity etc coming in the vicinity of Attingal.

In the south we have Neyyantinkara which will be on a fast track growth with vizhinjam project getting realized. Further if the shipyard project becomes a realilty it will add fuel to that growth.

In the east we have places like Nedumangad which is already in focus with Valiamala ISRO and IIST,Ponmudi, botanical garden. It now extends to Vithura which is going to host IIST.

We will also see extension in west of TVM with reclamation of sea for the Vizhinjam project . The industries minister has said that it may be required to reclaim more land from sea for industrial growth of the state since existing land becomes scarce. So let us wish and hope that TVm will grow westwards also.

Cheers!!!

And there is one more dimension- the vertical one, almost unthinkable, a decade back!

Demolition of Unauthorized structures in Tvm

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/26/stories/2008042660920300.htm

I have deep admiration for the Respectful Tvm Mayor Mr Jayanbabu and his team for their bold steps in demolishing the unauthorized structures and I am sure that they are doing this on merits in a dedicated and fearless way without yielding to any pressure from the big wigs or political parties. If our leaders extend this example to all sectors, our city will get rid of many bad reputations and become a nicer place to live and do business.

Cheers!!!

Dewa Projects has not dropped their Trivandrum projects

They are coming up with shopping mall in 1.85 acres and a 300 bed multi speciality hospital in Trivandrum.

I think they have some property in Kaudiar...Ajay or Sudheesh can confirm this...

^^ Dewa so far doesn't have a credibility so far. They were not able to raise the funds when they bidded for the Go shree land and then Puravankara filed a case being the next highest bidder. So once the concrete is poured in, we cannot say anything about their projects.

Regarding the Kowdiar land it might be the land inside the Kawdiar Palace. I had also inspected that land. Even GOD will not be able to do anything inside the Palace land since the Govt may not be giving building permission. I have seen many folks buying land and thats it, they are stuck with it.

The palace land falls under the 'heritage' category, and eventhough it is said to be owned by the royal family members, the Government has control over it. Being state property and a 'heritage' sites, it is much difficult to do anything with royal family properties. Same issue is there with Pattom Palace land, near Sree Uthradam Thirunal (SUT) hospital.

One more thing related to the 'power' Govt can exercise over the royal family controlled entities, you all might be aware that the control and ownership of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple could be taken over by the state govt from the Travancore royal family.

Dewa Projects has not dropped their Trivandrum projects

They are coming up with shopping mall in 1.85 acres and a 300 bed multi speciality hospital in Trivandrum.

I think they have some property in Kaudiar...Ajay or Sudheesh can confirm this...

^^^^ Today's Mathrubhumi reveals that Dewa Group had purchased a 35,000 sq ft building in Trivandrum from R.D.Goyanke group. Can anyone know about which building is this???

http://www.mathrubhumi.com/php/showNews.php?news_category_id=7&Farc=

^^Hey Vivek, why we bother about small buildings about 35000 sft? Perhaps it is better we discuss about projects which are worth discussing.

^^Hey Vivek, why we bother about small buildings about 35000 sft? Perhaps it is better we discuss about projects which are worth discussing.


Yes, I know that is a meagre one when compared to other projects which we are discussing, I just let you guys aware that they added this creep also in their inventory. Am not sure, may be this building is for their their office purposes!!! Cant we add this as their another footstep in Trivandrum Real Estate Market? I dont think so... I believe the news such as the entry of top guns (if it is through smaller projects or biggies) has a place in this forum...

If am wrong,,, Please correct me!!!!

@ Scorpio, Biju - Yeap, the city is expanding in all directions, except due West of course.




In the east we have places like Nedumangad which is already in focus with Valiamala ISRO and IIST,Ponmudi, botanical garden. It now extends to Vithura which is going to host IIST.

Cheers!!!

Ajay,Kannan - Glad to see that city has started expanding in all directions.
I have one question though on the east. The places you mention are beyond Nedumangad from the city and mostly with ghat roads. Why not first focus more developments in the east on non-ghat stretches like the ones from Vazhayila to Nedumangad (Keltron-Karakulam), Vattiyoorkavu to Aruvikkara( ISRO complex, Central Polytechnic, GV Raja School) , Thirumala to Kattakada (Asianet-Peyad, Terumo Penpol, Poabson Garbage plant)and so forth. I feel Government has not properly projected these areas till now for industrial or IT parks development though these areas are reasonably accessible to the city as compared with Kazhakootam/Mangalapuram/Attingal stretch.

^^

Regarding the Kowdiar land it might be the land inside the Kawdiar Palace. I had also inspected that land. Even GOD will not be able to do anything inside the Palace land since the Govt may not be giving building permission. I have seen many folks buying land and thats it, they are stuck with it.

The palace land falls under the 'heritage' category, and eventhough it is said to be owned by the royal family members, the Government has control over it. Being state property and a 'heritage' sites, it is much difficult to do anything with royal family properties. Same issue is there with Pattom Palace land, near Sree Uthradam Thirunal (SUT) hospital.

One more thing related to the 'power' Govt can exercise over the royal family controlled entities, you all might be aware that the control and ownership of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple could be taken over by the state govt from the Travancore royal family.

Thanks for this info, Sudheesh. Never knew about the palace land issues. Just curious whether the "Habitat" building foundation inaugarated some years back falls outside this land or not.

And regarding Padmanabhaswamy temple, it has been under the control of the Royal family even after state formation and continuing now due to some peculiarities and the famous "Arattu" carried out every year. Moreover, Government had announced that it is not interested in the temple even after a local court indirectly favoured the Government. All this because local and old people of Trivandrum have respect and faith for the Padmanabha Swamy temple and the erstwhile Travancore Kings who declared themselves as "Padhmanaba Dasas". Hence, any intervention by Government on the temple may be like entering and walking through a minefield.

Regarding Dewa Project
In their article in the hinduonline today Dewa has said that they have substantial real estate holding in some cities including Thiruvananthapuram.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042756341700.htm

Has any one idea where these holdings are in our city?
Cheers!!!

AirAsia will fly to Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu and Tiruvananthapuram in Kerala while its sister airline AirAsia X ply the Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar route



AIRASIA Bhd and sister airline AirAsia X will both begin flights to India in late 2008, AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said.


AirAsia will service cities in southern India, while its long-haul affiliate will fly to cities in northern India.


Fernandes said the budget airline had secured landing rights to Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu and Tiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala.


"AirAsia will start first, starting with Tiruchirapalli," Fernandes told Business Times in an interview.


"AirAsia X will fly to Amritsar (in Punjab)," he added.


Fernandes said AirAsia, which will use A320s, will fly daily to the south Indian cities, while AirAsia X, which will use A330s, will ply the Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar route three to four times a week.


"We hope to fly to four destinations each for AirAsia and AirAsia X in the two to three years after we start flying to India," he said.


Fernandes, who voiced hopes of AirAsia flying to all major destinations in India, said it was unable to at this point in time because its aircraft did not have extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS) capability.

"Our plane has to fly near land because it has two engines. We have to have a special system, called ETOPS, in which the plane is allowed to fly on one engine over sea. We have not got that capability, (and) we are not sure if we want that capability as it costs a lot and we don't know the benefits that will accrue to us just for a few points into India.


"Without ETOPS, one cannot take the most direct route into India. There is an island (en route to India), Port Blair (Andaman Island), which we can pass, which allows us to fly direct, but it is only open for a certain number of hours," he said.

Nice updates mate

After a long drought , it is a very cheerful news that finally Air asia decided to fly to Trivandrum. Since they mentioned it as end of this year, may be I presume this will coincide with the inauguartion of new terminal. Similarly It is also great relief not only to trivandrumites, as well as tamil friends of our neighbouring state, as many are living in malaysia.

What is the status of the aero bridge, under construction in the existing terminal?

Ajay,Kannan - Glad to see that city has started expanding in all directions.
I have one question though on the east. The places you mention are beyond Nedumangad from the city and mostly with ghat roads. Why not first focus more developments in the east on non-ghat stretches like the ones from Vazhayila to Nedumangad (Keltron-Karakulam), Vattiyoorkavu to Aruvikkara( ISRO complex, Central Polytechnic, GV Raja School) , Thirumala to Kattakada (Asianet-Peyad, Terumo Penpol, Poabson Garbage plant)and so forth. I feel Government has not properly projected these areas till now for industrial or IT parks development though these areas are reasonably accessible to the city as compared with Kazhakootam/Mangalapuram/Attingal stretch.

^^ - The answer has got to do with two factors, mainly - Transportation and Logisitics. The city's best transport axes - the NH and the Bypass lie to its West and North. The Airport and raillines are also on that side. It is natural that industrial development comes up in these areas. be it Technopark or the various KINFRA facilities.

If the proposed Outer Ring Road is implemented quickly, through the areas that you mentioned, growth will quickly happen provided sufficient land is made available.

Varkey's

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

More 5 star rooms getting ready

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

[QUOTE=sathyalal;20075924]Varkey's

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

Who are going to be the tenents of varkeys building?
Is it a mall or a mixed use development?

Regarding Dewa Project
In their article in the hinduonline today Dewa has said that they have substantial real estate holding in some cities including Thiruvananthapuram.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042756341700.htm

Has any one idea where these holdings are in our city?
Cheers!!!

The Chairman of Dewa Projects Mr. Venugopalan Nair is basically from trivandrum (Manacaud). The administrative office of dewa projects is functioning at Hotel Venus (SS Kovil Road) and the decision making team is sitting there. IRAQ is the functional area of Mr. Nair. Last time when i met the chief finance officer of Dewa group, who is responsible for all fund management of all the dewa projects, revealed about their hospital and mall projects at trivandrum and the housing project at cochin. They have bought the Spencers building years back and holds good commercial properties in the city.

Land sought for cricket stadium

Source: thehinduonline

Thiruvananthapuram: The Trivandrum Residents Apex Council (TRAC) has sought the Chief Minister’s intervention to secure the release of 8.1 hectares of land for the construction of a cricket stadium of international standards at Kudappanakunnu.

A press note issued by TRAC president Amaravila Ramakrishnan Nair and general secretary K.T. Roy said the unused land belonging to the Department of Animal Husbandry would be ideal for the project. “The government does not have to waste time looking for a site outside the city when the department has 16.2 hectares of unused land near the proposed Collectorate building at Kudappanakunnu. Another advantage is that there would be no need to displace people.”

The TRAC leaders said, “As a State lobbying to host the next National Games, Kerala is poised for major strides in sports infrastructure. The Kerala University stadium and the Lakshmi Bai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) are being equipped with synthetic track, an international swimming pool is coming up at Pirappancode and a velodrome on the LNCPE campus. In this context, the absence of a cricket stadium is a major drawback.”

The press note urged the Department of Sports to step up efforts to secure the land.

I think this cricket stadium is different from the one by indian cricket association which they now changed the venue from tvm and shifted to Cochin
If so this is a welcome news since we wanted badly to have a cricket stadium of international standards particularly when the game is getting more boost and becoming more popular with IPL matches.
But will we get grant from the cricket board of India for the huge expenditure for an international standard stadium?
Also there must be pressure from several quarters on the govt so that we can realize this sooner before the natiional games. I am happy that TRAC is taking a lot of interest in this matter and a lot of activities are going on in terms of infrastructure for the proposed national games on the assumption that we will get to host it.

Cheers!!!

Balakrishnan petitioned for High Court Bench

Source: thehinduonline

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Federation of Residents’ Association, Thiruvananthapuram (FRAT) has submitted a memorandum to K.G. Balakrishnan, Chief Justice of India, urging him to intervene to help in the setting up of a High Court Bench in the city.

In a press release by Pattom Sasidharan Nair, president of the association, it was recalled how the first Assembly of the State, when the E.M.S. Namboodiripad government was in power, had passed a unanimous resolution for setting up a Bench here.

However, it was unfortunate that the resolution had not taken effect even after 50 years, when the Assembly was celebrating its golden jubilee.

Members of the Bar association submitted a memorandum to L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Bharatiya Janata Party leader, who is on a visit to the State.

The memorandum seeks the support of the Opposition MPs when a private Bill for the High Court Bench is introduced in Parliament.

Mr. Advani promised the full support of the BJP in the House.
Cheers!!!

^^ - The answer has got to do with two factors, mainly - Transportation and Logisitics. The city's best transport axes - the NH and the Bypass lie to its West and North. The Airport and raillines are also on that side. It is natural that industrial development comes up in these areas. be it Technopark or the various KINFRA facilities.

If the proposed Outer Ring Road is implemented quickly, through the areas that you mentioned, growth will quickly happen provided sufficient land is made available.

Ajay, fully agree that west and north has advantages over east of Trivandrum. No questions there. Iam only wondering with arabian sea on the west and higher density of population on the coastal area, how many more projects can the western side accomodate? Reclamation of sea on the west is theoretically possible but how costly it is need to be known. Best example is the Kansai international airport in Tokyo by reclaiming sea but also one of the costliest airports in world.

In the east, land availability may be less of an issue compared with West as seen with projects like IISER , IIST and GV Raja sports school. I was only curious that when somebody says east of Trivandrum they go as far as Vithura and Palode whereas the ones nearer to city suburbs missed out.

I also look forward to the outer ring road connecting the National Highway 47 through eastern parts of Trivandrum at the earliest. This road was proposed as early as in 1970s but disappointingly still in paper. Iam also not sure about the latest alignment (it kept on changing) and whether any budget allocation there with timeframe of completion. With civil station coming up at Kudapanakunnu, this outer ring road is a must for people from all areas to reach here conveniently.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7799/img2969wi3.jpg[/QUOTE]

You can see the inauguration of this Super Deluxe star Hotel in another 15 days time.

Meanwhile Subiksha stores are ready to take off. They got the approval as well as the works are on final stage. 10 stores will be opened inside the city by may 9th and another 7 in the outskirts of the city.

Cheers....

Balakrishnan petitioned for High Court Bench

Source: thehinduonline
Cheers!!!

Kannan, On the contrary please see how a kochi based newspaper " Pioneer" reports on the high court bench agitation. Some excerpts below:

--------------------------
Stir for HC bench stagnant with protesters continue fast

The two-month-old stir for a High Court bench in the capital city is now stagnant with the protesters taking their turn to conduct the twenty four hour fast before the District Court in Vanchiyoor and the Central Government or the High Court or the Supreme Court, not interfering in the issue to sort it out.
-----------------------------

More funny details at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=KOCHI&file_name=KOCHI3%2Etxt&counter_img=3

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

The ISRO has come a long way from humble beginnings, launching pocket sized rockets from thumba, in the early 60s. The latest feat is nothing short of amazing, which will boost the confidence of the scientists before they embark on the moon mission.
The icing on the cake is that ISRO is going to earn considerable amounts of foreign exchange, selling the data they are going to capture as a result of the latest mission. So, it is pay-back time for the organization. I hope this monetary success will silence the doubting Thomasses who are questing the wisdom of embarking on a lunar mission.
The city can really be proud that it has hosted the majority of the activities that ultimately resulted in this huge success. I feel proud.

You can see the inauguration of this Super Deluxe star Hotel in another 15 days time.

Meanwhile Subiksha stores are ready to take off. They got the approval as well as the works are on final stage. 10 stores will be opened inside the city by may 9th and another 7 in the outskirts of the city.

Cheers....

Where in the city is subhiksha coming up???

Heartening news that ISRO has launched 10 satellites to orbit successfully. VSSC in TVM palyed crucial role in the rocket and congratulations to all of the scientists there. Looking forward to the grand Chandrayaan in future to moon.


Yesterday minister Velu assured our MPs from TVM that it wont be shifted to Cochin.

According to Kerala kaumudi report today, despite assurances provided by Minister Velu to Kerala MPs, Railway has issued order to shift all 24 employees of Chief engineer office from here to Ekm.

Yesterday the 2nd big bazaar in the city @Pattom was inaugurated as per keralakaumudi..^^^^

Where in the city is subhiksha coming up???

Being a woman, the news sounded wonderful to me :cheers:



Source : http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/04/26/stories/2008042651800200.htm

Highlights :
Viji Kumarapuram of ‘Swapnakoodu’ fame, launched the first of its kind in the city – a hair studio called Fair International at Kannamoola.

Viji plans to begin a state-of-the-art hair lab soon. This is to facilitate people to diagnose their hair texture and enable one to test the protein content in one’s hair. If any anomalies are diagnosed, the lab would enable the customer to find an appropriate chemical treatment for his/ her hair. The lab would also help test the hair strength and elasticity.

Glad to know that we do have forumers from the fairer sex, welcome sunshine:)

Till this time we knew only of one active lady forumer in SSC India forum, and now you too. Better to have more participation from ladies too. Earlier we had another TVM forumer SONA who is no longer active.

Being a woman, the news sounded wonderful to me :cheers:

^^ - Atlast, a lady among this pack of gents! :)

Meanwhile, the Governor has been expressing some progressive views (http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/29/stories/2008042961730300.htm) on urban development:

Let cities grow taller: Governor

Special Correspondent

‘Vertical growth is the only solution to space crunch’

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor R.L. Bhatia said here on Monday that the urban land use pattern in Kerala necessitated a shift to vertical growth. Speaking after inaugurating a national seminar on Spatial Technologies for Land Use Planning, he said high-rise buildings that can accommodate more dwellings offered the only solution to the acute scarcity of land. “Multi storey buildings that can accommodate more families in less space should be preferred over sprawling houses that consume valuable space in an urban environment,” he said.

Such views have been aired for quite some time now, but are considered political taboo. Hopefully, coming from the Governor, they will find a better hearing. :okay:

Subhiksha Mobile retail is open near Ayurveda College. Meanwhile welcome to the forum.

Where in the city is subhiksha coming up???

SunTec in IDC vendors’ list

Thiruvananthapuram, April 28

The city-based SunTec Business Solutions has been named one of the 21 ‘most interesting independent software vendors in India’ by IT market research and advisory company IDC. SunTec develops relationship-based pricing and centralised billing solutions for sectors such as banking, financial services and telecom. According to a company press release, the list was prepared by IDC based on interviews and information drawn from other sources. The list highlights the potential of Indian independent software vendors and reveals how they are attaining higher levels of maturity in terms of offering best-of-breed IT products and solutions, the press release adds. —

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/04/29/stories/2008042952100400.htm

I have been very excited about all the news of the growth the city is achieving. So, I am looking forward to visiting Tvm for a few days from the 4th of May. Meanwhile, can someone tell me, has the ugly duckling of the M.G. road been razed to the ground and the road widened? I am talking about the Kulathingal bldgs opposite the G.P.O. It has stalled the city's progress for long enough! The last time around, I promised myself that I will come back to the beautiful city, only after this monster is annihilated!! LOL.

Where in the city is subhiksha coming up???

Subhiksha is coming up in Peroorkada,jagathy,Sasthamangalam,Kazhakuttam,Thirumala,Fort,manacadu,karamana,Sreekaryam,Maruthankuzhi..

Except Fort and Manacadu all the other outlets will be opening soon..In the case of Manacadu and fort its difficult to get the license since the protest from the vyapari vyavasai is very strong there.

BTW Subhiksha Mobile has opened in Aayurveda college jn and Attakulangara,2 more shops are opening soon in Karamana and Pattom

The last time around, I promised myself that I will come back to the beautiful city, only after this monster is annihilated!! LOL.

Kris - You can come with a light heart, the building was razed almost two months ago. The last hinderance, the Kesari Memorial building, is getting knocked down now.

Kris - You can come with a light heart, the building was razed almost two months ago. The last hinderance, the Kesari Memorial building, is getting knocked down now.

Phew! That took some doing. It calls for a drink.
Thanks for the info, Ajay.

SHAFI,

MAY I ASK YOU FROM WHERE DID YOU GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT COMMISSIONING OF THE TAJ HOTEL AT VAZHUTHACAUD WITHIN 15 DAYS?

The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) will set up a ‘magic palace’ in the city in association with the Academy of Magical Sciences, said KTDC chairman Cherian Philip.

He made the announcement after inaugurating a ‘street magic show’ organised as a part of ‘Vismayam 2008,’ an International Magic Festival that began in the city on Monday.

The KTDC chairman said the Department had already submitted a memorandum for the proposed ‘magic palace’ to the Union government. “The novel project will be the first in the country,” he said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/30/stories/2008043054140400.htm

Local contractors to execute CRIP work -WORK TO RESUME THIS WEEK

Source:thehinduonline

TRDCL to supervise the work resuming this week


THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Work on the City Roads Improvement Project (CRIP) is set to resume this week in a new format involving local contractors.

Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Ltd. (TRDCL), the private consortium executing the project, has opted for a supervisory role, leaving a major portion of the work to the contractors.

“We have identified local contractors with the necessary expertise and resources. The company will have a strict monitoring system to ensure that there is no compromise on the quality of work,” a project manager said.

The project had been bogged down for more than a year following the delay on the part of the State government in acquiring the land needed for road development. Early this year, the government renewed the contract with the TRDCL and stepped up efforts to complete land acquisition. It agreed to arbitration to settle the company’s claim for compensation to offset the losses caused by the delay.

Tom Jose, Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), said most of the land required had been acquired. “The government is accelerating efforts to resolve the disputes over land acquisition. We expect to find a settlement soon,” he said.

Project managers said the pending works, including reconstruction of drains and repair of damaged medians, would begin this week. Piling for the flyover at the Bakery junction was expected to resume shortly.

“The construction of the box structure will take more time because the special shuttering required for the work is supplied only by two companies in India,” a TRDCL official said.

Work on trial pits for the second flyover at Mele Pazhavangady is scheduled to commence soon on Power House Road, from the second railway terminal to the Parthas junction.

Project managers said the decision to utilise local contractors would obviate the need for a massive remobilisation of manpower and machinery.

“Many of the contractors have modern equipment, such as mechanised pavers. The TRDCL will supply materials such as bitumen and concrete and keep a strict tab on the quality of work,” an official said.

With the project grinding to a halt in November 2006, Punj Lloyd, the engineering firm in the consortium, had redeployed most of its workforce and machinery to its project sites in other States.

The government’s efforts to identify a new camp site for the project yielded results last week. After several rounds of negotiations, the Department of Agriculture agreed to lease out a plot from the World Market Complex at Anayara by the side of the Kovalam-Kazhakuttam National Highway bypass.

The TRDCL will use the site to locate its bitumen mixing plant, concrete batching unit, equipment yard and casting facilities for drains and kerbs. PWD sources said the stalemate over the lease amount had been resolved. Punj Lloyd has started mobilising its mixing plants and heavy machinery from project sites in Gujarat, Bihar and Assam.

CHeers!!!

Technopark III

Total - 92 acres
Out of this, 42 acres will be developed by a private developer as SEZ. The cost for the project will be 800 crores. Remaining 50 will be embarked for IT companies
http://keralaitparks.org/projects.html

KSIDC had started recruitement drive of professionals especially for 'land acquistion, marketing and planning inustrial parks etc'. The advertisement came in todays hindu. And the advertisement mentions that the locations are TVM and Kochi.

Seems KSIDC is going for large land acquistions in this cities for some project.
I guess it will be for the "Electronic City" project. KSIDC had already identified 250 acres in TVM and 268 acres in Kochin for this ambitious project.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Apr 30, 2008

‘FleeTrac’ to track buses
Tuesday April 29 2008 13:39 IST
ENS

T”PURAM: Uncertainty regarding bus timings will soon be a thing of the past. The private buses in the city will in the near future come equipped with a first-of-its-kind web technology called ‘FleeTrac’ that will enable passengers to track the location of a bus at any point of time.

The FleeTrac technology is a web-based service that enables passengers to know the arrival and departure time of buses, their location at a particular point of time and time to reach their destination through internet website and sms messages. The information will be exhibited in the buses also.

The whole system works with the GPS device fitted within the bus that can locate the latitude and longitude of the place. By using GPRS and advanced computational techniques, it is possible to locate the actual location of the bus.


http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20080429031756&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0&

Subhiksha Mobile retail is open near Ayurveda College. Meanwhile welcome to the forum.


Subhiksha is coming up in Peroorkada,jagathy,Sasthamangalam,Kazhakuttam,Thirumala,Fort,manacadu,karamana,Sreekaryam,Maruthankuzhi..

Except Fort and Manacadu all the other outlets will be opening soon..In the case of Manacadu and fort its difficult to get the license since the protest from the vyapari vyavasai is very strong there.

BTW Subhiksha Mobile has opened in Aayurveda college jn and Attakulangara,2 more shops are opening soon in Karamana and Pattom



Thanks to both of you and a additional thanks to all others who gave me a welcom :)


btw I have been around for sometime now

GV Raja Sports Museum and sports park in Trivandrum

See the link..

http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?articleType=Malayalam+News&contentId=3916037&tabId=11&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@

HLL, RGCB team up to set up business incubation centre



T’PURAM: The evasive viral strains of chikunguniya and dengue are soon to be rounded up by a technology initiative of two public institutions. The Hindustan Latex Limited(HLL) and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) are setting up a business

Read on ---- http://newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEO20080430033403&Page=O&Title=Thiruvananthapuram&Topic=0&

Cheers!!!

TRIVANDRUM TO BE DEVELOPED AS OPERATIONAL BASE FOR AIR INDIA

The National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL), which runs Air India, plans to develop Trivandrum as an operational base for its domestic flights. Aircraft and crew will be stationed in the city and flights will originate from and terminate in the city. The city has also been an operational base for Air India Express, the company’s low-fare carrier, from February 18 this year. Air India has already started construction work on its aircraft maintenance base which is the airlines second such facility in India. The base will service the Boeing 737-800 range of aircraft currently flown by Air India’s low-fare carrier Air India Express. The maintenance base will also offer its services to other airlines, including foreign airlines, which operate the Boeing 737-800. The base will be able to accommodate 2 Boeing 737-800 aircraft at a time.

http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=14333_0_1_0_M

FINALLY BIG BAZAAR STARTED OPERATING AT PATTOM. (One more road triggered with traffic)

http://i26.tinypic.com/2mnf5n4.jpg

See the video...
A ride over Trivandrum City...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhZayJKrcE4&feature=related

Fuelling facility commissioned at Kochuveli

Source: thehinduonline

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new fuelling facility at the second terminal of Kochuveli railway station was commissioned by Chief Operations Officer, Southern Railway, Abraham Jacob on Wednesday.

With the introduction of the facility, the diesel locomotives and power-generator car of the Garib Rath train bound for New Delhi from Kochuveli need not be taken to Thiruvananthapuram central railway station. Railway sources said the fuelling facility would come in handy for trains using diesel locomotives. The facility has been provided by the Indian Oil Corporation. Cheers!!!

Recently some reliance people visited my house and told us about installing a hub or transformer or something like that in our area and told us about an inaugural offer. While subscribing to reliance broadband we get a landline connection with R2R free and also cable tv connection after 6 months. Everything though single line.They told me that this cable tv facility through telephone lines is a new technology called iptv and for the purpose Reliance has already merged with ACV, a leading cable tv provider in the city. I was shocked at the news :shocked: , though a wonderful one :wink2:.

But how cud such an acquisition be missed by the media.......This was informed to me by those reliance guys.....Can somebody pls confirm this and also about when iptv will be launched in tvm :)

If what they said is right then I think iptv by reliance is available only in selected cities and trivandrum is one of them :)

Recently some reliance people visited my house and told us about installing a hub or transformer or something like that in our area and told us about an inaugural offer. While subscribing to reliance broadband we get a landline connection with R2R free and also cable tv connection after 6 months. Everything though single line.They told me that this cable tv facility through telephone lines is a new technology called iptv and for the purpose Reliance has already merged with ACV, a leading cable tv provider in the city. I was shocked at the news :shocked: , though a wonderful one :wink2:.

But how cud such an acquisition be missed by the media.......This was informed to me by those reliance guys.....Can somebody pls confirm this and also about when iptv will be launched in tvm :)

If what they said is right then I think iptv by reliance is available only in selected cities and trivandrum is one of them :)

Some info about the Reliance iptv: I have worked in the software development of the Reliance iptv for 1 year around 4.5 years back. It contains the STB(Set-Top Box) called CHOISpad which is connected to their servers of huge capacity through broadband connection. It has many facilities like Digital Channels,Video On Demand, Magazines, Phone, Internet etc etc...The remote control has all the keys of a computer keyboard and you can browse the internet through the TV itself using the STB remote. STB has hard disk inside that.You can even store the TV programmes..Its a wonderful device.I think its already installed in some places in Gujrat.

Todays Hindu paper has an add with two projects from PRS Builders.
1. PRS Shangrilla - Kunnumpurum (Scorpiogenious has already mentioned this particular project)
2. PRS Lake Ville - Akkulum, 300 Apartments and Sky villas, Status shows launching soon. the design looks awesome. looks like 23+ storied building.

Will post more soon... Cheers...

Now after Mobile store entring into Trivandrum market, another Giant UNIVERCELL has also opened their outlet at pattom.

See the video...
A ride over Trivandrum City...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhZayJKrcE4&feature=related

That was a nice video nishant , gr8 work:banana:

Two reliance sales people told me the same thing two months back.I took Asianet DSL connection last month.The sales person from Asianet Satcom was telling that Reliance has bought shares of Asianet Satellite Communications from Hathway Investments.
This was not reported by media.

Recently some reliance people visited my house and told us about installing a hub or transformer or something like that in our area and told us about an inaugural offer. While subscribing to reliance broadband we get a landline connection with R2R free and also cable tv connection after 6 months. Everything though single line.They told me that this cable tv facility through telephone lines is a new technology called iptv and for the purpose Reliance has already merged with ACV, a leading cable tv provider in the city. I was shocked at the news :shocked: , though a wonderful one :wink2:.

But how cud such an acquisition be missed by the media.......This was informed to me by those reliance guys.....Can somebody pls confirm this and also about when iptv will be launched in tvm :)

If what they said is right then I think iptv by reliance is available only in selected cities and trivandrum is one of them :)

Two reliance sales people told me the same thing two months back.I took Asianet DSL connection last month.The sales person from Asianet Satcom was telling that Reliance has bought shares of Asianet Satellite Communications from Hathway Investments.
This was not reported by media.


This was not missed by the media.If I remember this was reported by "Kerala Kaumudi" recently;may be in April month.It was also reported that some other group(can't remember the names) are trying to buy some other cable tv firms mainly in Central Travancore also....

Air asia has got landing right to fly to trivandrum from Malaysia, and plan to start operation from end of 2008.

http://btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Wednesday/Latest/iaaindia.xml//Article/index_html/print_html
AirAsia flying to India next year
By Vasantha Ganesan
bt@nstp.com.my
AIRASIA Bhd and sister airline AirAsia X will both begin flights to India in late 2008, AirAsia chief
executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said.
AirAsia will service cities in southern India, while its long-haul affiliate will fly to cities in northern India.
Fernandes said the budget airline had secured landing rights to Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu and
Tiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala.
"AirAsia will start first, starting with Tiruchirapalli," Fernandes told Business Times in an interview.
"AirAsia X will fly to Amritsar (in Punjab)," he added.
Fernandes said AirAsia, which will use A320s, will fly daily to the south Indian cities, while AirAsia X,
which will use A330s, will ply the Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar route three to four times a week.
"We hope to fly to four destinations each for AirAsia and AirAsia X in the two to three years after we start
flying to India," he said.
Fernandes, who voiced hopes of AirAsia flying to all major destinations in India, said it was unable to at this
point in time because its aircraft did not have extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards
(ETOPS) capability.
"Our plane has to fly near land because it has two engines. We have to have a special system, called ETOPS,
in which the plane is allowed to fly on one engine over sea. We have not got that capability, (and) we are not
1/2

Total Area - 4 acres

There are total 7 towers

3 towers with 25 floors (300 units)

4 towers with 8 floors(sky villas)

Starting price is 3000 per sq.ft

^^ - I must confess that the withdrawal of Deccan services on packed routes like the ones to Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai, is a complete mystery. I believe it has to do with the Deccan-KF merger and these sectors will be taken up by KF flights soon. I also think that a major expansion of services will happen on completion of the current work at TIA.

Yes, it is confirmed that Deccan air has stopped flying from TVM for good. I have pasted below reply from Air Deccan representative to a friend of mine by e-mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. S. Pratapan,

Greetings form Deccan!!!
We regret to inform you that the flights have been withdrawn in this sector as well as few sectors owing to the merger between the two Airlines Deccan/Kingfisher with regard to rationalization of routes . Our Trivandrum Base is closed. We thank you for the warm appreciation with regard to Deccan.

We look forward to having you fly with us in our other available sectors and thank you for writing into us.

Thanking You,
Kanaka Sunil

Deccan - Customer Relations
------------------------------------------------------------

My concern is why Indian airlines is not getting back flying to this lucrative sector Bangalore which it used to for years and stopped some time back.

Total Area - 4 acres

There are total 7 towers

Nice update, looks like the Aakulam Lake is fast becoming a high-rise lake district. :okay:

More facilities at Kochuveli soon

Source :thehinduonline

Rs.29-crore project to handle more trains

Facilities to be created without acquiring land

Work to be completed within a year

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Railways have initiated steps to handle 10 to 15 Mail and Express trains at Kochuveli within a year by setting up facilities at a cost of Rs.29 crore.

Discussions in this regard were held at the divisional headquarters at Thycaud here on Wednesday by Divisional Railway Manager Titus P. Koshy with the Chief Operations Manager, Southern Railway, Abraham Jacob, who arrived here on a day’s visit.

The initiative comes in the wake of the announcement of new trains from Kochuveli to Amritsar and Dehradun in the Railway Budget 2008-2009. Besides, the frequency of the biweekly Garib Rath Super Fast Express to Lokmanya Tilak had been increased.

As Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station is saturated and is handling trains two-and-a-half times more than the sanctioned capacity, Kochuveli is being developed as a satellite terminal. But, delay in acquiring land is hampering Railways from creating facilities for starting more services from Kochuveli.
Minimum facilities

A top railway official told The Hindu that it has been decided to create the minimum facilities at a cost of Rs.29 crore at Kochuveli to receive and despatch 10-15 trains without acquiring land.

As part of the project, Railways will set up an island platform (to receive trains on both sides), two more pit lines and a sick line.

With this, the number of platforms in Kochuveli will go up to three. Already, a pit line and two platforms have been set up in Kochuveli.

According to the official, Railways will be able to handle nine originating trains from Kochuveli once the minimum infrastructure is created.

Platform turn-round facilities of another three to five long distance trains can also be handled at Kochuveli.

“The tender process has commenced and the aim is to complete the work by May next year. We will need another Rs.3 crore for setting up two foot over-bridges at Kochuveli,” he said.

The new trains sanctioned in the budget will have to commence before March next. “In that case, the maintenance of the rakes will have to be taken care of in Amritsar or Dehradun,” he added. CHeers!!!

Air asia has got landing right to fly to trivandrum from Malaysia, and plan to start operation from end of 2008.

http://btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Wednesday/Latest/iaaindia.xml//Article/index_html/print_html
AirAsia flying to India next year
By Vasantha Ganesan
bt@nstp.com.my
AIRASIA Bhd and sister airline AirAsia X will both begin flights to India in late 2008, AirAsia chief
executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said.
AirAsia will service cities in southern India, while its long-haul affiliate will fly to cities in northern India.
Fernandes said the budget airline had secured landing rights to Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu and
Tiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala.
"AirAsia will start first, starting with Tiruchirapalli," Fernandes told Business Times in an interview.
"AirAsia X will fly to Amritsar (in Punjab)," he added.
Fernandes said AirAsia, which will use A320s, will fly daily to the south Indian cities, while AirAsia X,
which will use A330s, will ply the Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar route three to four times a week.
"We hope to fly to four destinations each for AirAsia and AirAsia X in the two to three years after we start
flying to India," he said.
Fernandes, who voiced hopes of AirAsia flying to all major destinations in India, said it was unable to at this
point in time because its aircraft did not have extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards
(ETOPS) capability.
"Our plane has to fly near land because it has two engines. We have to have a special system, called ETOPS,
in which the plane is allowed to fly on one engine over sea. We have not got that capability, (and) we are not
1/2

CHEEEEEERS

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

Thiruvananthapuram, May 2 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.

“It is possible that the entire slate of $200-million projects is considered for content-financing, after looking at each project on a case-to-case basis,” says Lee Beasley, head, media and entertainment, Standard Chartered Bank, Hong Kong. Beasley and team were in parleys with Toonz Animation top brass on Friday.

Some of the animation projects in the Toonz pipeline are `Brave’, `Mostly Ghostly’, `Santa Claus’, `Play Mobil’, `Build a bear workshop’, `Zafari’, `Recycle Gang, `Shapies’, and `Speed Racer’.

Beasley, known as Europe’s film-financing guru till he moved from London to Hong Kong, was cagey about the exact quantum of funding that the bank is considering. Cash-flows are likely to be spread across a period of one-and-a-half year.

“The funding could be 100%. But frankly, we are yet to finalise,” Beasley told FE.

Entertainment funding is usually spread over three categories.

One—funding against guaranteed pre-sales.

Two—gap-financing against full-cost revenue.

Three—equity-based partnership. Standard Chartered has its guns trained, with unabashed preference, on the more risk-free form, where pre-sales contracts are involved.

Although the bank has been active in financing active feature films throughout Asia, ‘Wolverine and the X-Men’ is its first financing deal in the area of animated content. ‘Wolverine and the X-Men’ is a 26-episode series based on the popular Marvel Comics Super Heroes ‘X-Men’. This is expected to reach audiences in July.

The upcoming deal is probably an index of the growing confidence that Asian entertainment financiers now have on Indian animation industry, Toonz Animation, CEO, P Jayakumar said. Cheers!!!

PRS LAKE VILLE AAKKULAM

This is a big project in a land area of 4 Acres. There are more than 300 apartments and 32 Nos. of Sky Villas which are very exclusive ones. There are total 7 Blocks, of which 3 Blocks are 28 floors high. There will be more than 300 apartments in the 3 Blocks. The 32 Nos. Sky Villas will be in 4 Blocks and each block will be 9 floors high. Out of 9 floors, ground floor is meant for car parking and upper 8 floors will be 8 Sky Villas in one Block

Will be posting the Elevation soon...

http://i29.tinypic.com/2ah9zzm.jpgTHE NEW INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION AS SEEN BESIDE THE CHACKAI CANAL ROAD.

[IMG]http://i31.tinypic.com/szg1uo.jpg

Can some body update the status of aerobridge being constucted in the old terminal. Is is still under construction or opened for passengers?

^^ - Nice shots, Hari. The main steel frame is coming up quickly. Reju, I think all the aerobridges will now be imported and commissioned together.

Congratulations! Trivandrum now has its very own sub(sub) forum under SSC India.

:cheers:

I have changed the thread name to Trivandrum Projects.

City photos will go to the Trivandrum Trivandrum: Images, Life, Culture, History & Greenery (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=400311) thread in Indian Cityscapes & Photography subforum.

Major projects can have their own threads now. Check the Mumbai Projects subforum for the format to create separate threads for major projects.

Sun,
Nice structure . Thanks..

Sathya

Congratulations! Trivandrum now has its very own sub(sub) forum under SSC India.

:cheers:

I have changed the thread name to Trivandrum Projects.

City photos will go to the Trivandrum Trivandrum: Images, Life, Culture, History & Greenery (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=400311) thread in Indian Cityscapes & Photography subforum.

Major projects can have their own threads now. Check the Mumbai Projects subforum for the format to create separate threads for major projects.

With an eye on rising demand in the Indian hospitality sector, Sri Lanka's Aitken Spence has taken under its wings four hotels and four resorts, some of which are being built. In the next two years, the group plans to manage 1,400 rooms in India.
It has already struck deals with four hotels around Delhi, some with rooms between 100 and 240 still under construction. In all, the firm has bagged eight management deals in India, some with equity participation. The deal would mean exporting its premium brand ‘Heritance’ to at least two locations.
In addition to Delhi, the company has signed up a resort each in Cochin, Madurai, Andaman Islands and Trivandrum. Apart from India, the company has plans to expand its hotel business in the Middle East, too.
Aitken Spence has a chain of hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka, Maldives, India and Oman. Several more properties are to commence operations in India in the near future.

Source : Projects Monitor

IT Investment Region
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/8484/itirkn6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:)Work on Varkey Mall in statue is due to start soon...

Total Built up Area - 1,27000Sq Ft

Total 7 Floors...

3 Basement - For Carpark
Ground Floor - Retail
First Floor - Retail
Second Floor - Retail
Third Floor - Retail
Fourth Floor - Multiplex (4th Floor is a Double Height Floor)
Sixth Floor - Office Space
Seventh Floor - Office Space

The Final Rendering is not yet out...shall post as soon as its out....:banana:

Yesterday Kariali channel reported that the technical evaluation of the bids for the vizhinjam project is over. Today comittee will submit the report to GOK. The bidding process will be over with in May 15.:cheer:

Is this the Dubai based our own school/well care hospital group Varkey or Eranakulam based Varkey group? Any idea??


:)Work on Varkey Mall in statue is due to start soon...

Total Built up Area - 1,27000Sq Ft

Total 7 Floors...

3 Basement - For Carpark
Ground Floor - Retail
First Floor - Retail
Second Floor - Retail
Third Floor - Retail
Fourth Floor - Multiplex (4th Floor is a Double Height Floor)
Sixth Floor - Office Space
Seventh Floor - Office Space

The Final Rendering is not yet out...shall post as soon as its out....:banana:

A little offbeat thing, but connected one..

The Manager of this new facility now stays in the house in Poojappura which I vacated last month while moving to Bangalore. Infact he is the ex boss of one of cousins. He had also met me to get the details of the apartments during the HDFC property fair held few months back.


Recently some reliance people visited my house and told us about installing a hub or transformer or something like that in our area and told us about an inaugural offer. While subscribing to reliance broadband we get a landline connection with R2R free and also cable tv connection after 6 months. Everything though single line.They told me that this cable tv facility through telephone lines is a new technology called iptv and for the purpose Reliance has already merged with ACV, a leading cable tv provider in the city. I was shocked at the news :shocked: , though a wonderful one :wink2:.

But how cud such an acquisition be missed by the media.......This was informed to me by those reliance guys.....Can somebody pls confirm this and also about when iptv will be launched in tvm :)

If what they said is right then I think iptv by reliance is available only in selected cities and trivandrum is one of them :)

Is this the Dubai based our own school/well care hospital group Varkey or Eranakulam based Varkey group? Any idea??

Its the Dubai based group...

Cheers

:)Work on Varkey Mall in statue is due to start soon...

Total Built up Area - 1,27000Sq Ft

Total 7 Floors...

3 Basement - For Carpark
Ground Floor - Retail
First Floor - Retail
Second Floor - Retail
Third Floor - Retail
Fourth Floor - Multiplex (4th Floor is a Double Height Floor)
Sixth Floor - Office Space
Seventh Floor - Office Space

The Final Rendering is not yet out...shall post as soon as its out....:banana:

Good news sidewinder, but where is it coming in statue? We already have one adjacent to Statue.
As per the allocation of floors it seems that it will have 10 floors considering the 3 basement floors for car parking.
I like the idea that the buildings coming up in busy areas are providing for the car parking . Other wise it will be a hell for the traffic flow, causing delays and accidents .
Hope we will also see multilevel car parking facilities in different crowded areas in the city.

Cheers!!!

Good news sidewinder, but where is it coming in statue? We already have one adjacent to Statue.
As per the allocation of floors it seems that it will have 10 floors considering the 3 basement floors for car parking.
I like the idea that the buildings coming up in busy areas are providing for the car parking . Other wise it will be a hell for the traffic flow, causing delays and accidents .
Hope we will also see multilevel car parking facilities in different crowded areas in the city.

Cheers!!!

Hi,

Regardin the location of the land,

From Nabard take a left towards the Police ground, and as u get around the ground, there is a small temple, next to it is the land, you can see the company hoarding there with their logo....


Cheers....

On 01 May 2008, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) invited request for qualifications (RFQs) for execution of Cherthalai- Thiruvananthapuram section on BOT (Toll) basis of NH 47.

The proposed project will be developed in two stretches forming a distance of around 173 km. These stretches include, the Cherthalai-Ochira section (approx. km 85.90) involving an investment of Rs.1,286 crore and Ochira-Thiruvananthapuram section (approx. km 86.90) involving an estimated cost of 1,222 crore. The prospect bidder will be responsible to design, engineering, construction, development finance, operation and maintenance of the project for a pre-agreed concession period.

http://www.projectstoday.com/newsr.asp?newsid=21467&dsp=ts

On 01 May 2008, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) invited request for qualifications (RFQs) for execution of Cherthalai- Thiruvananthapuram section on BOT (Toll) basis of NH 47

Here's The Details of The RFQ Invitations

www.nhai.org/doc/30April08/RFQ_Invitation_KL%2003%20%2004_BOT.pdf
www.nhai.org/doc/30April08/Invitation_TN%2010_BOT.pdf
www.nhai.org/doc/30April08/RFQ_Invitation_KL%2002%20TN%2008%20%2009_BOT.pdf

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

^^ - Great to see that the NH-47 widening work is finally taking off. Construction should start immediately after the monsoon. The work will be completed first on the Kovalam-Kazhakkoottam stretch where land acquisition is complete.

Meanwhile, NASSCOM & A.T. Kearney have rated Trivandrum as one of the cities challenging the 7 metros in the IT-BPO arena, amongst 50 cities in India. The exact details of the report are yet to be made public but a summary of the findings is available at the NASSCOM Website (http://www.nasscom.in/Nasscom/templates/NormalPage.aspx?id=53873).

^^ -
Meanwhile, NASSCOM & A.T. Kearney have rated Trivandrum as one of the cities challenging the 7 metros in the IT-BPO arena, amongst 50 cities in India. The exact details of the report are yet to be made public but a summary of the findings is available at the NASSCOM Website (http://www.nasscom.in/Nasscom/templates/NormalPage.aspx?id=53873).

I was just wondering as to how many of the cities classified as "challengers" in the above mentioned nasscom report have a facility like our TP. Not many, I am sure. Ofcourse they are all business centers unlike Trivandrum.

With Technocity we should be moving into the 'leaders" category.

Felicity Towers will be occupied by Giants.....

2 floors by HSBC and 1 floor by CNN - IBN is confirmed. 2 more giants are on the verge of geeting space there. One is Delhi based and the other Bombay based.

Everyone is searching for good commercial and office spaces in the city. The scarcity is acute that the builders badly wants to add more build up area in the city. In the next 2 years we can see the construction scenario reaching the greatest level with high requirements and huge constructions going to happen.

Felicity Towers will be occupied by Giants.....

2 floors by HSBC and 1 floor by CNN - IBN is confirmed. 2 more giants are on the verge of geeting space there. One is Delhi based and the other Bombay based.

Everyone is searching for good commercial and office spaces in the city. The scarcity is acute that the builders badly wants to add more build up area in the city. In the next 2 years we can see the construction scenario reaching the greatest level with high requirements and huge constructions going to happen.

Where is this tower coming up, Is HSBC moving from Kulathungal towers or they are opening any new branch?

Deleted....

Where is this tower coming up, Is HSBC moving from Kulathungal towers or they are opening any new branch?

@reju this is a completed building opp to AGs office at statue and HSBC is currently occupying space at Vellyambalam and not kulathungal towers. This will work as their main branch once it is inagurated.

Hi Guys,

Caught this new Fire and Emergency truck waiting at the Airport....

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/6845/51135763cw0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/6845/51135763cw0.7d5e1b49fc.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=118&i=51135763cw0.jpg)
Shot with iphone
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/5788/30909296tr9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/5788/30909296tr9.68837eefea.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=59&i=30909296tr9.jpg)
Shot with iphone
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7751/85629213bw0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7751/85629213bw0.b37fa1eb0a.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=59&i=85629213bw0.jpg)
Shot with iphone
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2192/73076410pw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/2192/73076410pw2.1977cf2740.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=118&i=73076410pw2.jpg)

Caught this guy waiting at the domestic airport parking lot, on Sunday
(4-5-08)

^^ - Great timing there! :applause: The Rosenbauer Panther is one of the most sophisticated Airport Fire Trucks in the world. This looks like the fourth Panther to be deployed at TIA, which is one of only a handful of airports in India including the six metros, to receive this state-of-the-art vehicle. :)

What is the status of Leela IT park in Technopark? Did the work finish? Anybody occupied the space there?

Also can anybody update the status of the road development? 3 weeks back Vijyakumar told in a press meeting that the work will start within 5 days..Did they start work or waiting for the monsoon to come?

Samrudhi Anupama,Pattoor Jn,Trivandrum

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/8910/samrudhianupamatov1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Samrudhi Magnet,Opp.Womens college Vazhuthacadu

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/5089/samrudhimagnetam1.gif (http://imageshack.us)

Here is the link...
http://www.artechrealtors.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8&Itemid=8

Burggruen Hotels Trivandrum

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/1470/burggruenhotelstvmtvq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

@Ajay,Sudeesh

What about the kshijit mall in pattoor?Artech group has now added Kshijit and pantaloons in their clients list...
here is the link..

http://www.artechrealtors.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=2

The foundation stone would be laid for a Rs 100 crore convention centre at nearby Akulam and also ISRO's Indian Institute of Space and Research here during the one-month celebration period, Achuthanandan said.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=36969

This is Good News.The Akkulam Convention Center Design is simply breathtaking.I'm sure this will soon become Numero Uno Landmark in Trivandrum.

Trans towers

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

near LIC Jn

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




l

Folks,
Please click the following link to read Knight Frank Report on Emerging Growth Centers.Trivandrum tops the charts.

http://www.newmarkkf.com/research/marketreports/library/india_growthcentres.pdf

Regards,
Venket.

Burggruen Hotels Trivandrum

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/1470/burggruenhotelstvmtvq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

@Ajay,Sudeesh

What about the kshijit mall in pattoor?Artech group has now added Kshijit and pantaloons in their clients list...
here is the link..

http://www.artechrealtors.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=2

Artech is executing the mall project for Kshitij/Future Group. Site clearance has been completed and work is to commence soon.

Interesting :)

Folks,
Please click the following link to read Knight Frank Report on Emerging Growth Centers.Trivandrum tops the charts.

http://www.newmarkkf.com/research/marketreports/library/india_growthcentres.pdf

Regards,
Venket.

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/

Ruby Plaza,Vellayambalam,Trivandrum

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3402/rubyplazamq3.gif (http://imageshack.us)

Burggruen Hotels - Kovalam

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8397/burggruenxk9.gif (http://imageshack.us)

Ruby Plaza,Vellayambalam,Trivandrum

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3402/rubyplazamq3.gif (http://imageshack.us)

Burggruen Hotels - Kovalam

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8397/burggruenxk9.gif (http://imageshack.us)

Same group as that of Ruby Saloons, Ruby Arena, Happy Hair Fixing ???

http://C:\Users\SHELLY\Music\Pictures\2008-05-03 home014

The Kerala Transport Development and Finance Corporation (KTDFC) is taking up construction of bus station-cum-shopping complexes at a number of cities and towns in the State for the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).

Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas told presspersons that six locations had been approved for construction of the complexes in the first phase.

They were Angamali, Thiruvananthapuram Central Station, Thiruvananthapuram City, Peroorkkada, Kozhikode and Malappuram. The foundation stone for the first of these would be laid by Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan at Angamali on Monday.

The Minister said that construction of nine more complexes would be taken up in the next phase. Altogether, 30 locations had been identified for the complexes.

The projects would be executed on a build, operate and transfer basis by the Finance Corporation.

However, revenues would be shared equally between the corporations from the first year. This would help the KSRTC to come out of the red.

The complex would be multi-storied buildings with facilities for parking buses and private vehicles, waiting rooms, toilets, shopping malls and other facilities. The Angamali complex would be commissioned in 24 months.

SOURCE: HINDU

^^^^

Bus station cum-shopping complex in Thampanoor Trivandrum

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4026/58205709hr2.png (http://imageshack.us)

A digital fillip for Chitranjali Studio
Source: thehinduonline

Colour analyser

On Friday, Minister for Culture M.A. Baby inaugurated acomputerised colour analyser that promises to simplify behind-the-scenes work.

“The new equipment will help the cameraman make quick judgements regarding the quality of individual shots, as it makes even the lightest shades distinctly visible to the eye,” said Mr. Sudheer, who has been working at the studio for the last 28 years.

Already, three films, including one featuring Suresh Gopi in the lead role, have been graded using this Rs.40-lakh equipment.

Earlier, inaugurating the digital analyser Mr. Baby urged the employees of KSFDC to develop a positive work culture.


Mr. Baby assured the employees that the government would provide all the necessary assistance for the proposed renovation of the studio.

The Minister also inaugurated a film museum on the studio premises.



The new facility is part of a major restoration programme on the sprawling grounds of the Chitranjali Studio on the Thiruvallam hills, near here.

The project seeks to harness the strength and imagination of the 200-odd employees at the studio complex to create the State’s first film city-cum-recreation centre.

The regeneration of the campus involves landscaping the grounds with flower beds, lawns, shrubs, and trees.

The Chitranjali Studio was set up in 1980 to provide processing and post-production facilities for Malayalam filmmakers.

Over the years, the studio became a dead unit as a result of the failure to upgrade the infrastructure.
Cheers!!!

1. Why is the 'HAPPY Land' is seen to be inactive? No ads and no more popular.

2. The culture of people of Kerala, in particular of those in Trivandrum city, only asks for Thampanoor or East Fort as Trivandrum? Any location in the city should be known by the location name. It is ridiculous to refer to all from Ulloor / Kesavadasapuram/Mannanthala/ Sreekaryam/ Pappanamcode/ Peroorkada/ Vattiyoorkkavu etc to refer to Tmapanoor as Trivandrum istead of asking for Thampanoor. Even traffic boards direction have written like this, from any locations inthe metro city. What can be done to change this culture?

SDN

:hahaha:The work for the DLF Hilton hotel was started one or two days ago. Now the land clearing is going on.

:hahaha:The work for the DLF Hilton hotel was started one or two days ago. Now the land clearing is going on.

Any photos available in DLF Hilton hotel projects.....?

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7563/home014ln4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Why Govt is behind Big bazar? This is a chain which is running successfully in all over India, and what is the problem if they do similar in Kerala. When Govt cannot stop price rice, this store is one of the best option for the customers of Kerala. Today I read that govt has scrapped the registration of land of this shop at pazhavangadi, owing to the pressure from the youth wing of the ruling party. This kind of attitude will send wrong signal to the bigwigs planning to open shops in Kerala

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7293/home015nj7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

2. The culture of people of Kerala, in particular of those in Trivandrum city, only asks for Thampanoor or East Fort as Trivandrum? Any location in the city should be known by the location name. It is ridiculous to refer to all from Ulloor / Kesavadasapuram/Mannanthala/ Sreekaryam/ Pappanamcode/ Peroorkada/ Vattiyoorkkavu etc to refer to Tmapanoor as Trivandrum istead of asking for Thampanoor. Even traffic boards direction have written like this, from any locations inthe metro city. What can be done to change this culture?

SDN

I dont agree with this. Infact it is the other way. May be you are referring the people new to city.

1. Why is the 'HAPPY Land' is seen to be inactive? No ads and no more popular.


SDN
yes ajith,they have a website that too not updated ,even after they introduced new rides
http://happylandtvm.com

1. Why is the 'HAPPY Land' is seen to be inactive? No ads and no more popular.
SDN

Dont think its not popular.You could see crowd there even on week days. I agree They could have done a bit more to promote that place.

2. The culture of people of Kerala, in particular of those in Trivandrum city, only asks for Thampanoor or East Fort as Trivandrum? Any location in the city should be known by the location name. It is ridiculous to refer to all from Ulloor / Kesavadasapuram/Mannanthala/ Sreekaryam/ Pappanamcode/ Peroorkada/ Vattiyoorkkavu etc to refer to Tmapanoor as Trivandrum istead of asking for Thampanoor. Even traffic boards direction have written like this, from any locations inthe metro city. What can be done to change this culture?
SDN

I see what you are saying, Its the new comer/Outsider thing. I remember years back while I waiting for a city bus at Vellayamabalam one man who seemed to be totally lost (from his accent and looks, i could make out he is an outsider) asked me.. Do you get buses to Trivandrum from here? It took some time for me to realize that he is looking to get to "Thampanoor".

Dont think its not popular.You could see crowd there even on week days. I agree They could have done a bit more to promote that place.



I see what you are saying, Its the new comer/Outsider thing. I remember years back while I waiting for a city bus at Vellayamabalam one man who seemed to be totally lost (from his accent and looks, i could make out he is an outsider) asked me.. Do you get buses to Trivandrum from here? It took some time for me to realize that he is looking to get to "Thampanoor".

HAY Guys ,

There is a funny reason for that ,it is our KSRTC bus board named as Thiruvananthapuram -NTA ,Thiruvananthapuram -ATTINGAL etc,insteadf of naming tvm central

I dont agree with this. Infact it is the other way. May be you are referring the people new to city.



Yes, for every City, there is a 'Zero Mile'.
For Trivandrum, this Zero mile can be seen in front of the St. Joseph's Church at Palalayam, (I am not sure whether this is there as of now, consequent to the road development works).

I think, one more is available near the Thampanoor Central Station (in between the roadside fruit stalls & auto stand). Both these locations are on the NH 47 (Old road).

Somebody at City may be able to verify both these points & report.

AS far as people new to any City, their main point of concern will be the place where the Main Bus Stand and / or Railway Station are located. In the case of Trivandrum, both these are ideally located at Thampanoor and this might be the principal reason why Thampanoor is treated as Thiruvananthapuram itself. See the line buses. They bear the board Trivandrum, though they proceed to Thampanoor. Take the case of City buses, they refer Thampanoor as Thampanoor.

Hope it is clear.

yes ajith,they have a website that too not updated ,even after they introduced new rides
http://happylandtvm.com
Thanks for the update. I didnt see any update in their web site neither for a long time.

Yes, for every City, there is a 'Zero Mile'.
For Trivandrum, this Zero mile can be seen in front of the St. Joseph's Church at Palalayam, (I am not sure whether this is there as of now, consequent to the road development works).

I think, one more is available near the Thampanoor Central Station (in between the roadside fruit stalls & auto stand). Both these locations are on the NH 47 (Old road).

Somebody at City may be able to verify both these points & report.

AS far as people new to any City, their main point of concern will be the place where the Main Bus Stand and / or Railway Station are located. In the case of Trivandrum, both these are ideally located at Thampanoor and this might be the principal reason why Thampanoor is treated as Thiruvananthapuram itself. See the line buses. They bear the board Trivandrum, though they proceed to Thampanoor. Take the case of City buses, they refer Thampanoor as Thampanoor.

Hope it is clear.


The zero which we see near thampanoor busstand belongs to MC road (Not part of NH). Though MC road starts from Kesavadasapuram, the chainage of Kesavadasapuram is Not zero, But around +6 Km.

The Rajeev Gandhi Center for Bio-Technology (RGCB))has been allotted 100 Cr for expansion. 25 cr of this has been already handed over. This money would be spend on Nano Technology initiatives, Studies on contagious diseases and for hiring scientists.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3076/rgcblu6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Why Govt is behind Big bazar? This is a chain which is running successfully in all over India, and what is the problem if they do similar in Kerala. When Govt cannot stop price rice, this store is one of the best option for the customers of Kerala. Today I read that govt has scrapped the registration of land of this shop at pazhavangadi, owing to the pressure from the youth wing of the ruling party. This kind of attitude will send wrong signal to the bigwigs planning to open shops in Kerala

the clowns we have elected know only to create problems for people who try to make progress. their lack of education does not allow them to think beyond that. the way the people of trivandrum have taken up big bazaar and spencers is a clear indication of their acceptance and the need for such retail chains - which provide cost effectiveness, quality, and most importantly, customer oriented service which is absent among the so called vyapari vyavasayi establishments.

This is exactly what I was thinking. People are accepting BigBazzar and Spencer; then why the politicians are working against them?

the clowns we have elected know only to create problems for people who try to make progress. their lack of education does not allow them to think beyond that. the way the people of trivandrum have taken up big bazaar and spencers is a clear indication of their acceptance and the need for such retail chains - which provide cost effectiveness, quality, and most importantly, customer oriented service which is absent among the so called vyapari vyavasayi establishments.

the clowns we have elected know only to create problems for people who try to make progress. their lack of education does not allow them to think beyond that. the way the people of trivandrum have taken up big bazaar and spencers is a clear indication of their acceptance and the need for such retail chains - which provide cost effectiveness, quality, and most importantly, customer oriented service which is absent among the so called vyapari vyavasayi establishments.

I remember that there was a shutters down strike observed by our traders, protesting against stringent punishment for adulteration. It was as if they were saying, "don't interfere with our right to cheat the public".
Is it any wonder that they do not want competion in their exclusive domain?

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Friday said software exports from the state touched Rs.12 billion for the last fiscal.

It was Rs.7.5 billion for the year 2006-07. During the Congress rule in 2005-06 it was Rs.4.25 billion, Achuthanandan told reporters here. ...

url (http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/41883)

Shashi Tharoor’s professional training academy to open Wednesday

Thiruvananthapuram, May 12(IANS) Former UN under-secretary general Shashi Tharoor’s professional training academy will open at the Technopark campus here Wednesday. “The academy will be world class with state-of-the-art technology and a leading team of professionals who will train students and develop their English speaking skills. The duration of the course is two months and there will be just 20 students per batch. The fees will be Rs.30,000,” Tharoor told reporters here.

Link (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/shashi-tharoors-professional-training-academy-to-open-wednesday_10047810.html)

http://www.coralgroupindia.com/coralabacus.html

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

Technopark to host two modern training facilities

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Technopark here will host two modern training facilities for bettering the business communication and technical skills of professionals, including fresh recruits, working in the knowledge and service industries.

N. Radhakrishnan Nair, Chief Executive Officer, Technopark, told journalists that Governor R. L. Bhatia will inaugurate the first such facility, the Afras Academy for Business Communication (AABC) promoted by Shashi Tharoor (former Under Secretary General of the United Nations and acclaimed writer), on Wednesday. Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan and Education Minister M. A. Baby will be present.

CMC limited, an IT solutions provider, will open the second such facility, a technical school for improving the "soft skills" of young graduates freshly recruited by global businesses, at Technopark in September this year. Mr. Nair said Technopark will sign an agreement with CMC Ltd this week. The Government will invest Rs 2 crores in the technical school.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200805121940.htm

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

Heera Central @Pattom

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/3227/image1620xs6.jpg

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)

1. New campus of RGCB in 50 acres. The new campus will focus on research in Nano sciences, cancer medicines, spices and virological diseases. Project cost is 100 crores initially.

http://www.keralakaumudi.com/

2. India's first Nano Techno Center will be established in TVM soon. Announcement of this project will shortly come from the part of GOI. The campus will be established on around 50 acres of land. The center will focus on research in Molecular sciences and Nanotechnology. The intial cost of the project is 80-100 crores.

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

Centre allots Rs 100 cr for RGCB
Source: newindpress.com
T'PURAM: The Central Government has sanctioned a special grant of Rs 100 crore for the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB).

This special grant, over and above the normal grants-in-aid, is to be spend over the next three years, starting from the current year. The Central Government has already issued orders for the first instalment of Rs 25 crore for 2008-09.

This was revealed at a national meeting attended by state science and technology ministers and Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal in New Delhi on Monday.

Biotechnology being a sunrise sector, the RGCB will now spearhead research by developing a specific centre for Nanosciences and Engineering, Cancer Research, Infectious Disease Biology and Spices Improvement through genetic Engineering.

"The RGCB also intends to start incubation facilities for start-up biotech industries, which will co-exist along with the research centre," said RGCB director M Radhakrishna Pillai.

"We have identified two locations. One is at Vithura close to the land allocated to the Indian Institute for Science, Education and Research (IISER) and the other a little distance away at the cashew gardens near the VSSC at Valiamala," said Radhakrishna Pillai Cheers!!!

Now Look at the eastern hilly region of Trivandrum. A cluster of educational and research centres together.

1. IIST, India's only one space training institute
2. LPSC/ISRO
3. ISSER
4. India's first Nanotechnology institute
5. RGCB(New proposed campus)
6. Asia's largest Tropical and Botanical research institute

Heard that Sree Chithra Institute of Medical sciences & Technology is planning a new campus in eastern side.

It is good if we can develop a 6 line road from city to this region

Nice to see my brain child taking shape..Olive has almost topped up..:)

Had flown to Trivandrum for the weekend, didn't get time to go this side. Anyway had a good view of these towers , the highway, the railway track, the lake etc etc from air aboard the King Fisher to BLR yesterday morning.

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

Nice to see my brain child taking shape..Olive has almost topped up..:)


Your brainchild....and my future home! ;) It's shaping up great, the view should be awesome!

Sathya - The list of institutes you put up would be the envy of any city in India, including Bangalore and Pune. However, that's just one part of Trivandrum! I wouldn't be wrong to proudly say today that Trivandrum has come on par, if not edged ahead of, those two cities as the most important R&D hub in India. It's long overdue that the State Government provided dedicated external infrastructure for these institutes on par with that planned for the IT parks, airport or port.

Clubbing all important ones(education & research) based on region.

The new educational hub(Eastern side).

1. IIST, India's only one space training institute
2. LPSC/ISRO
3. ISSER
4. India's first Nanotechnology institute
5. RGCB(New proposed campus)
6. Asia's largest Tropical and Botanical research institute.

West side

1. VSSC/ISRO/TERLS/ISTRAC
2. CESS
3. Electronic Test Laboratory
4. NISH
5. Flying Academy(There is a proposal to convert this to Aviation university).

City Area

1. C-DAC
2. NIC
3. IISU/ISRO
4. Cyber Forensic Centre
5. RGCB(Poojappura Campus)
6. SCIMST
7. RCC
8. NIIST (RRL)
9. CDS


North

1. CET
2. Spralling campuses of Kerala University,LNCPE and other major educational institutions
3. Technopark/IITM-K/ASB/AABC/Animation schools etc

South

1. C-DIT

If I missed out any thing please add..

Trivandrum, Kerala: My kind of town

Parthas has to be India’s best fabric shop and a visit to Trivandrum without going there would be to miss a life-changing experience. It is five floors of shirting, silks, linens, cottons – practically every fabric under the sun, and it will make you see material in a new light. The colours of the silks are divine. ...

telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/asia/india/1949035/Trivandrum,-Kerala-My-kind-of-town.html)

Clubbing all important ones based on region.

The new educational hub(Eastern side).

1. IIST, India's only one space training institute
2. LPSC/ISRO
3. ISSER
4. India's first Nanotechnology institute
5. RGCB(New proposed campus)
6. Asia's largest Tropical and Botanical research institute.

West side

1. VSSC/ISRO/TERLS/ISTRAC
2. CESS
3. Electronic Test Laboratory
4. NISH

City Area

1. C-DAC
2. NIC
3. IISU/ISRO
4. Cyber Forensic Centre
5. RGCB(Poojappura Campus)
6. SCIMST
7. RCC
8. NIIST (RRL)
9. CDS


North

1. CET
2. Spralling campuses of Kerala Universtity,LNCPE and other major educational institutions
3. Technopark

South

1. C-DIT

If I missed out any thing please add..



R R L (REGIONAL RESEARCH LABORATORY) Pappanamcode

Yes Anish, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences & Technology(former RRL) is in Pappanamcode. The location of nanotechnolgy institute was decided due to the presence of NIIST.
note : City area means within/nearby corporation limits


R R L (REGIONAL RESEARCH LABORATORY) Pappanamcode

Clubbing all important ones(education & research) based on region.

The new educational hub(Eastern side).

1. IIST, India's only one space training institute
2. LPSC/ISRO
3. ISSER
4. India's first Nanotechnology institute
5. RGCB(New proposed campus)
6. Asia's largest Tropical and Botanical research institute.

West side

1. VSSC/ISRO/TERLS/ISTRAC
2. CESS
3. Electronic Test Laboratory
4. NISH
5. Flying Academy(There is a proposal to convert this to Aviation university).

City Area

1. C-DAC
2. NIC
3. IISU/ISRO
4. Cyber Forensic Centre
5. RGCB(Poojappura Campus)
6. SCIMST
7. RCC
8. NIIST (RRL)
9. CDS


North

1. CET
2. Spralling campuses of Kerala University,LNCPE and other major educational institutions
3. Technopark/IITM-K/ASB/AABC/Animation schools etc

South

1. C-DIT

If I missed out any thing please add..

Yes Anish, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences & Technology(former RRL) is in Pappanamcode. The location of nanotechnolgy institute was decided due to the presence of NIIST.
note : City area means within/nearby corporation limits

ER&DC (Electronic Research & Development Centre)

ER&DC (Electronic Research & Development Centre)

Now its renamed as C-DAC and it is already mentioned...

Good compiled list, Sathyalal. You may want to add following also:

1. CTCRI (Central tuber crops research institute) at Sreekariyam.
2. IISU (ISRO inertial systems unit)at Vattiyoorkavu.\
3. NATPAC (National Transportation planning & research centre) Pattom
4. CMFRI (Central Marine fisheries research institute) Vizhinjam branch.
5. BRAHMOS aerospace ?? (under DRDO) to come up at Chaka.

Is it ISSER ya IISER coming up in the Eastern side?? :? pls. clarify..

Thanks in advance..

It is IISER(Indian Institute of Science Education and Research)

And one more:
GSI (Geological Survey of India), Nettayam.

Thanks Biju for more info.

Brahmos is already started,We can see their new name board near the airport. I was skeptical to put it under research ?? or production.
IISU is already in the list. I have updated the list with your information


Here is the updated list

The new educational hub(Eastern side).

1. IIST, India's only one space training institute
2. LPSC/ISRO
3. IISER
4. India's first Nanotechnology institute
5. RGCB(New proposed campus)
6. Asia's largest Tropical and Botanical research institute.
7. GSI

West side

1. VSSC/ISRO/TERLS/ISTRAC
2. CESS
3. Electronic Test Laboratory
4. NISH
5. Flying Academy(There is a proposal to convert this to Aviation university).
6. Brahmos



City Area

1. C-DAC
2. NIC
3. IISU/REPLACE/ISRO
4. Cyber Forensic Centre
5. RGCB(Poojappura Campus)
6. SCIMST
7. RCC
8. NIIST (RRL)
9. CDS
10. CTCRI
11. NATPAC


North

1. CET
2. Spralling campuses of Kerala University,LNCPE and other major educational institutions
3. Technopark/IITM-K/ASB/AABC/Animation schools etc

South

1. C-DIT
2. CMFRI



It is IISER(Indian Institute of Science Education and Research)

And one more:
GSI (Geological Survey of India), Nettayam.

hi guys...i have been actively monitoring some of the wonderful work that u people put out on this forum...hats off to u all...

i am a native of trivandrum (i call a small village near neyyattinkara named kamukincode my home)...currently residing in the mid-east...i have been avidly looking at the massive development that has been going on near and around the technopark and the associated 'IT corridor'...

while i agree that the announced and yet-to-be announced projects are geared to an explosion in demand...my major concern is regarding the basic infrastructure...are the current road, water and sewerage infrastructure geared to cope with the large number of housing units that are mushrooming within a few square kilometres? do you feel that the Govt. is doing enough to have the basic infrastructure in place?

i do not want to sound too cynical, but past records have not been examplary...it would be sad to see the akkulam lake turning into a sewage pit in a couple of decades' time...

Chinku,
I spoke with one of the developers who is building a huge residential complex near Akkulam Lake.I told him that I fear with massive developments around Akkulam lake,in few years time the lake will be turned into a big sewarage.He told me that cannot happen since the government has very strict guidelines for sewarage when granting permissions for construction. Currently the biggest problem in Akkulam Lake is Water Hyacinth plants.It has covered almost the entire lake.It's very sad.

It is a refreshing change TVM city will get with all these R&D institutions coming up. When the IT nerds starts to share the same coffee table with the Pure Science scientists from ISRO and the like we will find a more cosmopolitan society in the offing. This would help to make TVM a true global knowledge city,more on the lines of Bangalore where you would find a clutch of R&D institutions ,IT bigwigs and educational institutions.
It would also make a lot of sense if the GOK can make the Mamoth Secretariat Office digital and spare the rest of Mallus from shuttling to TVM and save them from the finicky babus and middlemen. With institutions like IKM and CDS this is achievable I believe. I remember having to stay in a shabby lodge inorder to attend the allotment of seat after the entrance exam. That became history long time back.

Lets wait for the True Global City of Kerala emerging

PRS Builders new projects

Lake Ville
3 towers of 28 floors each
Akkulam

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8086/sdfghghfct4.png (http://imageshack.us)


Shangrila
10 floors
GPO Jn

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/9043/hgfjb8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Had been to Kerala for a fortnight. Unfortunately I was in Trivandrum only for 2-3 days, but managed to snap a few photos here and there. :)

Approaching Pattom Jn
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/2512/image0291cr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Pattom Jn. The highrises in PMG Jn could be seen.
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1994/image0301nx7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/373/image0311zk9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Condor Mall site. The small tea shop building which has been the source of trouble for the mall site has finally been acquired and demolished.
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1741/image0321wz4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Some interesting looking roundabouts on the Trivandrum Bypass. I generally hate roundabouts but this is the only one reason why I like it. It enhances the aesthetics of a city, if well maintained like these.

Enchakkal Jn
http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/426/image0611lm6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Poonthura Jn
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/6176/image0621su3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8352/image0631hr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Chacka Jn
http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/4706/image078eq6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3356/image079mm5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Ponnara Park roundabout, opposite Trivandrum Central; one of the most beautifully maintained park in the city.
http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/3235/image045vs5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The Technology Business Incubator (TBI) at Technopark here has bagged the national award for the year 2007. The award is instituted by the Department of Science and Technology, government of India, for encouraging and recognising the business incubation activity, which plays a key role in promoting the entrepreneurial culture in India.

Former President and renowned scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam presented the national award at a glittering ceremony held in New Delhi on Sunday as part of the Technology Day 2008 celebrations. Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal was present.

N. Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO, Technopark, and K.C. Chandrasekharan Nair, CFO and Programme Manager – New Initiatives, received the award from Dr. Kalam.

Technology business incubation aims to identify potential entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and nurture them through different phases of growth, until the business takes off to a maturity level, where it becomes a financially sustainable venture.

It plays a catalytic role in promoting indigenous technology development, encouraging entrepreneurship and thereby boosting the overall economic growth of the nation.

“Technopark, through the technology business incubation initiatives, is creating an ecosystem and a fertile ground that promotes the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. We are proud of the fact that we have incubated more than 70 start-up technology companies in our incubation facilities in the past four years with a success rate of over 90 per cent. The award by the government of India is a great recognition for our pioneering efforts in bringing knowledge- driven industries to Kerala by spurring entrepreneurial spirit amongst our technocrats and a motivation for us to attempt bigger things,” said Mr. Nair, on receiving the award

The Technopark Business Incubation Centre (T-BIC) was established in 2002. Following the success of this initiative, Technopark started the Technopark-Technology Business Incubator (T-TBI) in 2006 with funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST). TBI was aimed at providing budding entrepreneurs in the “knowledge driven” industry all facilities and support to tide over their teething problems and establish their company in a short time.

As on March 31, 2008, the T-BIC and T-TBI together have incubated 71 start-up companies.

Out of these, 35 companies have graduated and moved into larger space on the Technopark campus itself, while 32 are still continuing their operations in the incubator, thus yielding a success rate of almost 95 per cent.

BCG Builders project inaugurated
Source: newindpress.com

T'PURAM: Noted author and former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor inaugurated the 25th project of BCG Builders, its first in the capital city, at an event held at Kovalam here on Monday.

The project, christened BCG Horizon, will introduce the concept of solo apartments for the first time in the state.

BCG Horizon will come up in the vicinity of Technopark at Kazhakoottom. Videophone, swipe card, home automation system, squash court and customised elevator are some of the features of BCG Horizon. BCG Builders is a subsidiary of BCG Group, which has a capital base of Rs 400 crore.

During the last four years, BCG Builders have completed major projects in various parts of the state. The BCG Group’s portfolio includes real estate development, hotels, engineering and garments. cheers!!!

Without getting euphoric about all the developments that are taking place around it, let us concentrate on the Aakulam lake, which is what makes the NH leading to the Technopark area, so scenic. Let us not watch helplessly as it gets choked by water hyacinth. Let us ask the authorities to seek the help of the Air Force, who are located round the corner. The tradition of the armed forces is such that they always take an interest in the environment. The Ulsoor lake in Bangalore is a recent example. I am willing to join a signature campaign to initiate the process.

yup..totally agree..TVM forumers should do something for this..

a small suggestion..Ajay/Sathya/shafi..u ppl r in & around TVM only..think u ppl r in a better position to address this issue to the concerned..

Thanks..

Much awaited news...

Vizhinjam tender finalized and the work is awarderd to Lanco group

source: Keralakaumudi

yup..totally agree..TVM forumers should do something for this..

a small suggestion..Ajay/Sathya/shafi..u ppl r in & around TVM only..think u ppl r in a better position to address this issue to the concerned..

Thanks..

Yes,

I also agree with Mahesh & Kris.

Development is important but caring the Environment and Nature is Most Important

Various media repoting that the Consortium to build & operate the Vizhinjam International Sea Port and Transhipment Terminal has been finalised. It is understood that the flagship Company in the Consotium is Hyderabad based. There is also one Malaysian partner.

Please post more details, ASAP please.

Cheers

Much awaited news...

Vizhinjam tender finalized and the work is awarderd to Lanco group

source: Keralakaumudi



Sathya, we were posting together.

Good compiled list, Sathyalal. You may want to add following also:

1. CTCRI (Central tuber crops research institute) at Sreekariyam.
2. IISU (ISRO inertial systems unit)at Vattiyoorkavu.\
3. NATPAC (National Transportation planning & research centre) Pattom
4. CMFRI (Central Marine fisheries research institute) Vizhinjam branch.
5. BRAHMOS aerospace ?? (under DRDO) to come up at Chaka.



Few More....
(Please excuse me if duplication)


1. CPCRI - Central Plantation Crop Research Institute's Sub Station, Palode.
2. IAHV - Institute of Animal Health & Veterinary Biologicals, Palode
3. TBGRI - Tropical Botanical Gardens & Researc Institute, Palode.
4. NARP (AC & RI) - National Agricultural Research Project - Southern Region at the Agricultural College & Research Institute @ Vellayani.

Few More....
(Please excuse me if duplication)


1. CPCRI - Central Plantation Crop Research Institute's Sub Station, Palode.
2. IAHV - Institute of Animal Health & Veterinary Biologicals, Palode
3. TBGRI - Tropical Botanical Gardens & Researc Institute, Palode.
4. NARP (AC & RI) - National Agricultural Research Project - Southern Region at the Agricultural College & Research Institute @ Vellayani.




1. Coconut Research Station (CRS), Balaramapuram:
Located on the Balaramapuram - Vizhinjam Road at Kattachalkuzhy. It is this research institute where the research, principally on the nurtient & water requirments for the coconut plantations is being done.

2. CSRI (Cropping Systems Research Centre), Karamama:
Formerly known as MARS (Model Agronomic Research Station)
Located behind the PRS Hospital, on the banks of the River Killi, this station has a prominent role in the agricultural development of Kerala.

3.RTTC (Research,Testing & Training Centre), Vellayani:
This functions under the Department of Agriculture, Kerala State. It is this Centre that introduces modern farm machinery & equipments/tools to State.

Various media repoting that the Consortium to build & operate the Vizhinjam International Sea Port and Transhipment Terminal has been finalised. It is understood that the flagship Company in the Consotium is Hyderabad based. There is also one Malaysian partner.

Please post more details, ASAP please.

Cheers

This is the consortium:
1.Lanco Infratec(Hyderabad)
2.Lanco Power and
3.Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bdh(Malaysia)

Pembinaan Redzai owns some 40% of Westports Holdings Sdn Bhd which is the holding company for Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd which runs one of two container terminals at Malaysia's Port Klang.

http://www.westportsmalaysia.com/index.html

Hopes TN ministers may not interfere by saying security reason as Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bdh is one of the partners in the construction of the deep-water port at Karaikal in Puducherry.

Lanco says consortium wins $2-bln Kerala port project
Wed May 14, 2008 5:07pm IST


MUMBAI, May 14 (Reuters) - Lanco Infratech Ltd 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

^^ ^^

60 months????? that means the first phase will take 5 years to complete??

Press Release
14th May 2008

Lanco Consortium has emerged winner for development of the INR 8000 Cr (USD 2 Billion) Vizhinjam International Container Port Project in Kerala. LANCO has tied-up with Pembinan Radzai Sdn. Bhd (PRSB), Malaysia.:banana:

The Port was bid out by Government of Kerala (GoK) in August 2007 through Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited on a 33 years’ concession basis. The other contenders who were in the race for the project include NCC- Maytas, Videocon - Gammon – SICAL, Apollo Enterprise - DS Construction, Zoom Developers -Portia Management Services.

The Project site is situated at Vizhinjam, about 16 kms south of Thiruvananthapuram. The project site boasts of a unique location at India’s southern tip and enjoys closest proximity (10 nautical miles) for International sea routes connecting Europe, Persian Gulf & Far East etc. Vizhinjam coast is an attractive site in the southwest coast of India, best suited for the development of a world class, all weather deep-water port focussed on both Domestic and International Container Transhipment Traffic.

The project is proposed to be developed as a Container Transhipment hub, given its 15 meter natural draft and proximity to International sea routes. The project was envisaged to be developed in 4 phases with an ultimate capacity of 6.5 Million TEUs (Twenty foot Equivalent Unit). The Port will be equipped with state of the art technology, equipment and highest industry service standards.

The Construction of the initial phase would be completed in 60 months and the other 3 phases will be initiated after reaching stipulated traffic levels.

The port, when developed, would attract a fair share of the Container Transhipment traffic meant for India, currently handled by international ports at Colombo, Malaysia, Al-Salalah and Singapore. The project is expected to benefit Indian companies engaged in export and imports as it would save substantial foreign exchange outgo, time, costs and other transhipment risks associated with some of the other foreign ports.

Kris,
I appreciate the fact that you are willing to take the lead in Signature Campaign for weeding out the water hyacinth from Akkulam Lake.I think if the real estate developers whose projects worth several crores can contribute some money,we can get rid of the Hyacinth menance.The beautiful lake is in sad states of affairs.

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

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Out of 7 floors, 6 floors is occupied by Mothoot Pappachan group for their corporate office.

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You can see TAJ Residency in the distant view.

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Premier Towers at Ayurveda College Jn getting ready. They have started their ground floor operations.

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Canara Bank and the Spencer Building at Spencer Jn

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Vazhuthacaud - Althara Rd

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^^ ^^

Cool pictures man!

I was told by Sudheesh to post pictures in the Cityscapes thread. But I doubt if anyone will get to see them if we keep on posting there. So until we get a link of Trivandrum- Life, images, culture and greenery (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=400311&page=48) thread into the list under Trivandrum main page( I hope it is possible), I hope Sudheesh or Sun wont mind us posting pictures here..:)

Ariel View of SRK Silicon Beach

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/6291/sb1qv9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

MG Road has had a major cosmetic surgery. Old dilapidated buildings have been razed down, big new swanky glass and chrome structures coming up, bus bays, parking areas and more importantly a 3.5km long 6 laned road from LMS Jn to Attakkulangara.

The work is not fully complete but the land has been fully acquired for the development of this arterial road. Lets check out Trivandrum's upmarket business avenue which is reinventing itself.

LMS Jn.
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Fine Arts College Jn
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Spencer's Jn. Thats the Pankaj Towers Shafi was speaking about. The new commercial complex has been almost fully occupied by Gilma and Muthoot.
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Statue Jn
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GPO Jn. This was the most crampy bottleneck in old MG Road. The 7 storeyed Pothen's Building and the Kesari Building are history now.
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Paramount Jn(Ayurveda College Jn) and the trendy cute midrise getting unveiled.(Apologies for the blurred image)
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Passing Overbridge Jn
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Towards Powerhouse Road and the second entrance to Trivandrum Central RS. The new flyover, part of the inner ring road will pass over the MG Road and will connect this road and the Thakarapparambu Road
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One thing which must be dealt with immediately is the parking problem in MG Road. At present in the 6 laned stretch between Overbridge and East Fort only 4 lane traffic is possible as one lane on either side is taken up for parking. I dont know what the Govt is planning to do, but Parking Plazas or development of the small feeder roads connecting the MG Road must be developed to address the issue.

The development of MG Road, once completed will be a turning point in the city's commercial development. Already 2 big malls are u/c on MG Road. The 3.5 km stretch will have 12 signal controlled junctions, one underpass and a flyover.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/05/15/stories/2008051550730700.htm

I have seen the vizhinjam news item in almost all national newspapers including Hindu, Statesman, Indian express, Business standard,Asian Age etc.

Also the same is there in many local dailies including Mathrubhumi, Keralakaumudi etc...

Not surprisingly it is missing from the state edition of Manorama. This is clearly exposing their agenda and hostility towards Trivandrum.

Toonz Academy bullish on Chinese animation market

Thiruvananthapuram-based training institute in 2D and 3D animation, Toonz Academy, sees vast opportunities in the niche Chinese market, which holds a $10-billion potential for animation training.

The academy had recently signed MoUs with various Chinese universities including the Beijing University, Shengyang University and Dalian University to start centres of excellence in animation. As part of this, a student exchange programme will facilitate 50 Chinese students to study in India from this August.

Toonz Academy, part of animation studio Toonz Animation India, is also exploring possible avenues in geographies like West Asia, Europe and Africa. It had initiated a deal with the Abu Dhabi Media Zone to set up an academy in West Asia, which would start operations in July this year. "Negotiations are in advance stages to set up animation training centres in Maldives, Sri Lanka and Africa," Ramaprasad said.
http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=322959&leftnm=1&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

Sure hurts, please yourself with this:
http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentId=3975468&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@

I have seen the vizhinjam news item in almost all national newspapers including Hindu, Statesman, Indian express, Business standard,Asian Age etc.

Also the same is there in many local dailies including Mathrubhumi, Keralakaumudi etc...

Not surprisingly it is missing from the state edition of Manorama. This is clearly exposing their agenda and hostility towards Trivandrum.

Hopes TN ministers may not interfere by saying security reason as Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bdh is one of the partners in the construction of the deep-water port at Karaikal in Puducherry.

Since, "The Lanco Group" is owned by the Vijayawada Congress M.P Mr. Lagadapatty Rajagopal;the TN ministers have to work very hard to interefere in this.:banana:

Yes it hurts, because they put it as some junk online link, that is too 2 or 3 lines. I am talking about the print edition. That is why I specified ' State edition'. means outside TVM local page. And they are doing this to which project??..state's largest infrastructure project, which is given importance by national and international media. It is good to see the masks falling down

Sure hurts, please yourself with this:
http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentId=3975468&contentType=EDITORIAL&BV_ID=@@@

Yes it hurts, because they put it as some junk online link, that is too 2 or 3 lines. I am talking about the print edition. That is why I specified ' State edition'. means outside TVM local page. And they are doing this to which project??..state's largest infrastructure project, which is given importance by national and international media. It is good to see the masks falling down

In Keraka Kaumudi news is published at the front page. In Mathrubhumi it is published inside "box". But Nonorama ..........Hopeless.. :toilet:

Sajith,
Let them do it. At least the educated class is starting to recognize them. Slowly they will be exposed ; considering the larger mass.
Sathya.

In Keraka Kaumudi news is published at the front page. In Mathrubhumi it is published inside "box". But Nonorama ..........Hopeless.. :toilet: