Cochin (Kochi) / Ernakulam Projects II

[Prasanth_KCV]

http://newindianexpress.com/cities/k...cle1373235.ece

Fort Kochi all set for a makeover: Mayor

Fort Kochi is set to get a facelift, with `10 crore allotted for the beautification of the city, said Mayor Tony Chammany at the inauguration of the Coastal Clean-up Campaign held here on Sunday.

The mayor added that the outlay for the project will be made from the funds of MLA Dominic Presentation. The project will include the beautification of the children’s park, maintenance of the parade ground, the beach, and the roads in the region.

Ten sodium-vapour lamps will be erected at the beach front as well, to address the lighting issue.

The Coastal Clean-up Campaign for Fort Kochi, organised by Global Oceans will conclude on December 14.

The campaign includes cleaning up of the beaches and the Fort Kochi Heritage Zone, with the help of volunteers, who would also create awareness on the need to keep the area plastic-free and clean.

A proposal to host an event to showcase thermocol disposal and its eco-friendly alternatives has been mooted as part of the initiative. On Sunday, the volunteers cleaned up the Vasco Da Gama Square.

[Prasanth_KCV]

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/12121...locks-horn-pwd

GCDA locks horn with PWD


Kochi: Even though the Public Works Department has decided not to hand over the old Harbour Bridge at Thoppumpady to the Greater Cochin Development Authority for repair works, the feud between the two agencies is very much on.

According to GCDA chairman N. Venugopal, a lobby with vested interests sabotaged the plans of handing over the bridge to the authority. The dilapidated condition of the bridge is a visible threat to pedestrians and two-wheelers.

“Though the PWD minister was not against handing over the bridge to the authority, a lobby derailed the move. The possible fall in toll collection at the new BOT bridge if the old bridge is repaired and opened for traffic, is the reason why they sabotaged the move”, said Venugopal. Earlier, the GCDA had offered to renovate the bridge at a cost of Rs 80 lakh.

PWD minister V.K. Ebrahim Kunju had recently said that the department had offered the GCDA the right to repair and maintain the bridge for a period of 30 years, but the authority turned down the offer. However, terming the minister’s claims as baseless, N. Venugopal said that the authority had not received such an offer from the PWD.

“If the bridge is repaired by the PWD, it should be reopened for vehicles soon. The argument that the bridge is unfit for traffic is baseless. If the bridge is preserved as a heritage structure by not allowing traffic, repair works will be futile. A lobby in support of the company which operates the new BOT bridge does not want the old bridge to be reopened for traffic”, alleged the GCDA chairman.

Meanwhile, the PWD minister and Dominic Presentation MLA have made it clear that the bridge would be repaired soon at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. The bridge built in 1938 to link the city with West Kochi has been in a dilapidated condition for the last few years due to lack of maintenance

[Prasanth_KCV]

source FB

[mohammedirshad06]

Kochi today becomes Biennale City

Hosting India's first Biennale, which is Olymics of Art



Theme Song for the Launch

Courtesy:- Routecochin

[Aslesh]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

I sure hope they go out of the regular 'mela' format, which is home appliances-Computers-Chapati maker-juicer-chipper-kozhikode halwa-Rajastan textiles-car wash-eureka forbes.............cars-devika bajji and sugar cane juice.

Lol you didn't miss any. Seems like you are a regular vistor in those Melas.

[mohammedirshad06]

Global Village will be Bollywood Themed

Grand Kerala Shopping Festival will sign a pact with Rotomac Global Private Ltd to organize GKSF Global Village in Kochi from January 22 to February 9, GKSF director U V Jose said on Monday.

"Salman Khan is the brand ambassador of Rotomac and they have agreed to sponsor the Global Village for Rs 50 lakh and an opening ceremony. Although bringing Salman Khan will be a little difficult, they will be going with the Bollywood theme," said Jose, who added that the Global Village was being organized for the first time and will pick up during subsequent editions of the GKSF. "Sri Lanka, Thailand and UAE have confirmed their participation in the fair," said Jose.

As per the initial plan the Global Village fair was to conclude on February 5. But since Kochi will be hosting an three-day NRI conference with around 2,500 delegates attending it, from February 6 to 9 the organizers decided to extend the fair to February 9, with the hope that some of this crowd would find their way to Bolgatty, where the event is being held.

So far more than 4,000 merchant establishments have registered for GKSF. General category registration, aimed primarily at small retailers, has witnessed 568 members in the first week. Registrations in the premium gold category have been impressive this time. While there were 265 registrations in this category last season, already 455 outlets have signed up for this year. "The registrations have moved from the cities to the smaller towns in Kerala," observed Jose. In Idukki, growth in registrations has been remarkable. From just 99 registrations during last season, the numbers have swelled to over 350. More than 80 outlets have joined GKSF in the small town of Adimali, while nearly 25 have registered at Rajakkad village.

The starter kits of GKSF will be distributed to participants from December 12.One of the highlights of this season's registration trends is the growing participation of homestays, resorts, and other tourism services. Around 1,000 establishments have registered in the jewellery section, 900 in the textiles category and 800 in the electronic home appliances category. "We hope to see a 10-20% increase in the inflow of tourists and pilgrims as GKSF coincides with our peak tourism and pilgrim season," tourism minister AP Anil Kumar added.

The national road show, which was flagged off from Delhi on November 25 will reach Thiruvananthapuram on December 13 where the flag will be received by chief minister Oommen Chandy.

GKSF is conducted by the department of tourism in partnership with various other government departments will conclude on January 31, 2013.

[Prasanth_KCV]

Night life in Kochi

[Prasanth_KCV]

[mohammedirshad06]

Its EventFULL Kochi

[sree_ec]

From FB:

[psanthosh]

AI Express to get its own wings

Air India Express, the low-cost arm of Air India Charters, will become an independent company in five years after cutting the umbilical cord with the parent company, top officials of Air India Express said here on Thursday.

Addressing the media after the 187th board meeting of the company, Air India Express deputy chief operating officer Captain Pushpinder Singh also said that the airline’s headquarters in Kochi would become fully functional from January 2013.

“AI Express will have its own crew and aviators in the next five years. Commanders and pilots who are on deputation with us from Air India will return to the parent company gradually and these posts will be filled through fresh recruitment,” he said.

Steps were being taken to recruit more pilots. “We have 180 pilots against the actual requirement of 250. Of these, 166 are on deputation from Air India. We are planning to recruit 60 commanders and 50 pilots,’’ he said.

He added that the salary for pilots would be revised to make it the best in the industry. However, they were focusing on optimum utilisation of its aviators to provide better service. “It has been decided at the meeting to hire pilot instructors from abroad. These foreign instructors will enhance the strength of the existing commanders and will also ensure that trainee pilots are getting ready to join service at the earliest.

“Instructions have also been given to upgrade senior commanders as instructor pilots,” he said.

In the next three years, AI Express will acquire 14 aircraft taking the total number of flights to 35. “Though we have 21 aircraft at present, we are able to use only 17 due to shortage of pilots,’’ he said.

Regarding the AI Express headquarters in Kochi, Capt Singh said senior officers from operations, flight safety, commercial, finance and flight coordination would be deputed to the Kochi office. “A call centre for Kerala will be set up in the first quarter of 2013,’’ he said.

Ministry of Civil Aviation Joint Secretary Rajashekera Reddy, Retired Air Chief Marshal Fali H Major, Air India finance director S Venkat, Air India engineering director K M Unni, commercial director Deepak Brara and Air India Express chief operating officer Ansbert D’Souza were present at the board meeting

http://newindianexpress.com/cities/k...cle1378753.ece

[mohammedirshad06]

Whats the use of a Monkey forcibly pushed to a tree? The moment we leave our hands, it will come down

Now Venugopal is there, so he is pushing... The moment he leaves, things back to old shape

Just read this, to understand AIE is no mood to fully heed to Minister's concept

Air India director board, which met in Kochi on Thursday ratified the proposal to shift the headquarters of the Air India Express (AIE) to the city from January 1.

The low cost wing of the national carrier operates the lion's share of flights from the three airports in Kerala and from the neighbouring Mangalore airport. Much of the control operations of this will now be shifted to Kochi, said Air India chairman and managing director Rohit Nandan.

"We had taken this decision about seven months back, but the pilots' strike and other issues had deferred its implementation," he said in response to questions from reporters here.

Deployment of additional staff in various sections has already begun. "We have already recruited a deputy chief of operations to be posted in Kochi. Officers at the level of deputy chiefs will also be posted here in other wings like commercial and flight safety as well as a flight coordinator," deputy chief operating officer (COO) Pushpinder Singh told TOI here.

Rohit Nandan said teams of dedicated staff from AIE would be posted in all the airports in Kerala for ensuring better rapport between the airline and passengers.

Ansbert D'souza, COO of AIE, said a call centre in Malayalam would be opened in Kerala soon.

Pushpinder Singh, however, disclosed that integrated operations control centre (IOCC) of the Air India and AIE would continue to remain in Delhi. This means the asset management would largely be controlled from Delhi, airline sources said.

Pushpinder Singh sought to underplay this by saying that with the introduction of airline resource management system (ARMS) software, the geographical location of the IOCC was not of much significance. "I am not suggesting that the location of IOCC closer to predominant area of operation has some advantages. But with the increased communication facilities it would be possible for effective resource management even from different locations," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/17606736.cms

[psanthosh]

നെടുമ്പാശ്ശേരിയില്* നിരീക്ഷണ റഡാര്* ഏപ്രിലില്*

കൊച്ചി: കൊച്ചി അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര വിമാനത്താവളത്തില്* അപ്രോച്ച് സര്*വെയ്*ലന്*സ് റഡാര്* ഏപ്രിലില്* കമ്മീഷന്* ചെയ്യും. രണ്ടുവശത്തുനിന്നും വിമാനങ്ങള്* സുരക്ഷിതമായി ഇറക്കുന്നതിന് വേണ്ടി ഒരു ഇന്*സ്ട്രുമെന്റ് ലാന്*ഡിങ് സിസ്റ്റം (ഐ. എല്*.എസ്.) കൂടി സ്ഥാപിക്കുമെന്നും കേന്ദ്ര വ്യോമയാന വകുപ്പ് സഹമന്ത്രി കെ.സി. വേണുഗോപാല്* പറഞ്ഞു.
അടിസ്ഥാന സൗകര്യങ്ങള്* വികസിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ ഭാഗമായാണ് റഡാറും ഐ.എല്*.എസ്സുമെല്ലാം സജ്ജമാക്കുന്നതെന്ന് മന്ത്രി പത്രസമ്മേളനത്തില്* പറഞ്ഞു.
വിമാനങ്ങള്* കൂട്ടിയിടിച്ചുണ്ടാകുന്ന അപകടങ്ങള്* ഒഴിവാക്കാനുദ്ദേശിച്ചാണ് റഡാര്*. ഇതിനാവശ്യമായ ഉപകരണങ്ങള്* ചെന്നൈയിലെത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഡയറക്ടര്* ജനറല്* ഓഫ് സിവില്* ഏവിയേഷനുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടുള്ള ചില നടപടികള്* പൂര്*ത്തിയാക്കാനുണ്ട്. ഏപ്രിലില്* റഡാര്* കമ്മീഷന്* ചെയ്യും. നിലവില്* ഒരു ഭാഗത്ത് മാത്രമാണ് വിമാനങ്ങള്*ക്ക് ലാന്*ഡിങ്ങുള്ളത്. ഐ.എല്*.എസ്. പ്രാബല്യത്തില്* വന്നാല്* മറ്റൊരു ഭാഗത്തുകൂടി ലാന്*ഡിങ് സാധ്യമാകും.

ഗതാഗത നിയന്ത്രണം ഓട്ടോമാറ്റിക് ആക്കും.വിമാനത്താവളവും എയര്*പോര്*ട്ട് അതോറിട്ടി ഓഫ് ഇന്ത്യയും തമ്മിലുണ്ടായിരുന്ന തര്*ക്കങ്ങള്* പരിഹരിച്ചു. വിവരങ്ങള്* കൈമാറുന്നതു സംബന്ധിച്ചായിരുന്നു തര്*ക്കം. സി.ഐ.എസ്.എഫിന് പ്രത്യേകം ക്വാര്*ട്ടേഴ്*സ് എയര്*പോര്*ട്ട് അതോറിട്ടി ഓഫ് ഇന്ത്യയുടെ നേതൃത്വത്തില്* നിര്*മിക്കും.

ഗുരുവായൂര്*, ശബരിമല തീര്*ത്ഥാടന കേന്ദ്രങ്ങളിലേക്ക്*ഹെലികോപ്റ്റര്* സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള ചര്*ച്ചകള്* നടക്കുകയാണെന്നും മന്ത്രി പറഞ്ഞു. പവന്* ഹാന്*സ് ഹെലികോപ്റ്റര്* കമ്പനി കേരള സര്*ക്കാരുമായും കൊച്ചി അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര വിമാനത്താവളം അധികൃതരുമായുമെല്ലാം ചര്*ച്ചകള്* നടത്തി. ആദ്യം പരീക്ഷണാടിസ്ഥാനത്തിലായിരിക്കും പദ്ധതി.

[rakeshr]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Global Village will be Bollywood Themed

great kochi.....
we need a Global village as in the Dubai shopping festival in the coming years...So let this be a start for the boom im coming years

[mohammedirshad06]

Kerala now can be proud to soon own India's 3rd Largest Airport terminal at Kochi

Design of New International Terminal of CIAL unveiled

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Cochin Airport unveiled the designs of its International Airport















Features of New International Terminal

The new terminal alone will be 1.5 Million Sqft built up area, thus making total airport to 2 Million Sqft Airport, making India's 3rd largest airport, after Delhi and Mumbai.

The new terminal will have following features

+ Elevation to feature Kerala Temple architecture.

+ Two level terminal – Arrival in ground level & Departure in first level.

+ Finger pier concept to handle 13/15 aircraft through aerobridges during peak operations.

+ Total of 15 lakh sqft built up area.

+ Elevated road approach to Departure level.

Facilities at a glance:

Departure-level 2

+ Covered Road/Kerb area 3 lakh Sft – 3+3+2 lane traffic

+ Check in counters 56 No.s , provision for additional 28 no.s

+ Immigration counters 48 No.s

+ Security Frisking –space for 6 no.s X-ray modules

+ Duty free shop 10000 sft

+ Boarding gate 13/15 No.s

Departure –level 3

+ Food court 2 no.s

+ Premium lounges -4 No.s

Arrival –Level 1

+ Arrival corridor

+ Connectivity to Departure for Transit passengers

+ Connectivity to Remote arrival

+ Immigration Counters -50 No.s

+ Aquarium, Vertical garden, Hanging Installations, Wall murals

Arrival –Level 0

+ Baggage makeup area -5 carousels

+ Duty free shop-20000 sft

+ Conveyor Belt -6 no.s

+ Passenger Exit lounge- 18000 sft with 2main exit points

+ Visitors waiting and related concessionaries

+ Meet and Greet area

+ 3+3+3 lane traffic

+ 25 m wide corridor with landscape and connectivity to Departure

[e_arunsid]

Work has started on the new marine walkway near BOT bridge

Authorities have also started retaring and widening the strech between Vathuruthy and Vikranth bridge

[Malayaali]

[DileepKS]

I think we should buy a sack each of crystal salt, mustard and dry chilles, take it aboard in a helicopter around the city seven times, and burn it in a bigg bonfire without speaking.

You know, the grandma's cure for "evil eye" (കണ്ണേറ് ദോഷം ). Just in an appropriate scale. There is so much of going on here that could generate a lot of evil eye.

[Malayaali]

New Gas based Power Plants put on Hold

The Minister of State (Independent Charge ) of the Ministry of Power SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA informed Lok Sabha today that Government of Kerala has submitted application for allocation of gas, as per the gas allocation policy for 12th Plan, for setting up of two gas based power plants, namely Brahmapuram Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) 3x342=1026 MW in Ernakulam District to be executed by Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and Cheemeni CCGT 3x400=1200 MW to be executed by Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) in Kerala. In addition, application has also been received for expansion of Kayamkulam CCGT 3x350=1050 MW in Kerala by NTPC.

Due to uncertainty in availability of domestic gas in the country, Ministry of Power/Central Electricity Authority has issued an advisory not to plan any new gas based plant till 2015-16. Therefore, the new gas based power projects including above power plants of Kerala, could not be allocated gas so far. In view of uncertainty in availability of gas, setting up of new gas based power plants is being delayed.

If Government of Kerala decides to set up the above power plants based on Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG), the power generated from this plant is likely to have a fluctuating fare structure, as RLNG price is linked with crude price in international market. Since, power generated from RLNG based power plant is costlier due to higher fuel price, State Government has to adopt necessary measures to protect the consumers, including providing subsidy.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

New Gas based Power Plants put on Hold

Appol athum SWAHAHA!!!!!

To be very very honest, I despite of being a strong Congress adherent and fan of Manmohan Singh, whole-heartly wishes fast and immediate return of LDF (minus Achumma and S.Sharma).... 100 times better than this govt, which is purely Blah-blah-blah....