Smart City Kochi - Under Planning & Development

[ak.army]

I personally feel govt shud take over and develop this land as Infopark Ph-III

[e_arunsid]

Govt can take back this land only after 9 years..thats the agreement.

[agnath.]

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

Man there are still vacant spaces within INFOPARK. Lnad was alloted to Brigade they dint started the work. L&T postponed their 2nd building as 1st building still vacant even after completing it in 2008 august

Binoj, Any idea about current availability of vacant spaces ready to occupy in infopark ? As far as i understand theres acute shortage of the same.

In my opinion infopark was ignored by last govt with just one new building of 3.5L came up in 5 years, rest everything was tall claims on paper. Hardly any new biggies came and setup office in IP in LDF term. I fail to understand how we can say VS was good for infopark. I don't see anything that he has done for promoting infopark...

[Binoj_viswam]

Originally Posted by agnath.

Binoj, Any idea about current availability of vacant spaces ready to occupy in infopark ? As far as i understand theres acute shortage of the same.

In my opinion infopark was ignored by last govt with just one new building of 3.5L came up in 5 years, rest everything was tall claims on paper. Hardly any new biggies came and setup office in IP in LDF term. I fail to understand how we can say VS was good for infopark. I don't see anything that he has done for promoting infopark...

Thejomaya is still have 1 floor vacant (40000 sqft). AThulya has vacant space.
Then Govt policy was to encourage private players and it need to concentrate other cities which do nt have any IT infr. Thus They provided land to Brigade which they delayed. 2nd building of L&T dint come up as the 1st building was not fully occupied. then there were delay as part of leela. U cant build an IT building of magnitude 5 lakh sqft within a fortnight.
Then 2nd phase of Infopark was initaited during last LDF rule. Infopark itself was supposed to handover tecom as previous UDF govt. Its retained and developed. I think its major achivement.
Another thing is strating IT parks in other places. C we want entire kerala to b developed not just kochi or TVM. Every city need to taste the pie of development. If just one city grows, it will have issues that of bangalore & chennai.

[RKPV]

I heard a good portion of this Thejomaya vacant space is occupied by a Kochi based IT company recently. They will be moving within few months.

Three floors in Athulya belongs to CTS.

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

Thejomaya is still have 1 floor vacant (40000 sqft). AThulya has vacant space..

[Binoj_viswam]

Originally Posted by RKPV

I heard a good portion of this Thejomaya vacant space is occupied by a Kochi based IT company recently. They will be moving within few months.

Three floors in Athulya belongs to CTS.

Thats a gud news. But this tejomaya was fully ready by 2008 Aug. This means till now vacant spaces were there... and it vindicates those who criticise VS for non-availability of spaces have hidden agenda....

[e_arunsid]

Let me disagree to Binoj here..There is hardly any space ready 2 occupy left in Infopark.. Even though Lnt had completed tejomaya by late 2008..TCS that time itself had informally commited to take 5 floor. They had the agreement for 3 floors initially..IBS also had commited to take a floor in 2008 (Which they didnt because of them going through a tough time). Later in 2010 TCS formally moved and took the remaining 2 floors.

Vaccant floors in Athulya doesnt mean it is leased out but it is already committed for some company.

For Eg.Cognizant has agreed on 3 floors..but if i m not wrong agreement has been signed only for 2.Similar commitments are made with companies like E&Y.

Btw..It was blunder to start IT parks in Ambalapuzha.Koratty and Cherthala even before Kochi was saturated.The investment required to get the support infrastructure is huge,they could have constructed something like Technopark Phase 3 with that money. Lets be more practical here We need IT to be developed in 3 main cities and not in every nook and corner (that will never happen)

Just 3 months back a close friend of mine had approached Infopark for a company name Phases (which is based out of Denmark) and they were told there is not even an inch left....Even for the upcomming phase 2 building there are already informal commitments made.

ACS (Xerox) is another eg..they are now looking at other options in the city.

[Malayaali]

More over even if there is a complete 5 lakh sq ft building lying vacant, that's not an excuse to delay further projects for a city aiming to be the IT Hub!

I believe, there should be number of quality office spaces for the companies to choose, rather a floor a small structure!

[KMC]

Originally Posted by e_arunsid

Btw..It was blunder to start IT parks in Ambalapuzha.Koratty and Cherthala even before Kochi was saturated.The investment required to get the support infrastructure is huge,they could have constructed something like Technopark Phase 3 with that money. Lets be more practical here We need IT to be developed in 3 main cities and not in every nook and corner (that will never happen)

Our govt is known for making blunders , given a chance they will start IT park in Kuttanadu and market the project as place where ""Paddy meets IT"" .

[mohammedirshad06]

Binoj

I disagree as you are comparing Malta, Dubai with India. Opportunities of both countries are different from what meant to India. In Dubai companies invests mainly to gain Arabian finance as Dubai is the leading off-shore financing center in West Asia, not for any employment opportunities. Secondly its the only major way to enter into multi-billion worth Arab markets of MENA. No one thinks of starting SDC in Dubai, as Dubai is one of the world's top costliest cities and no local cheap manpower available,

Malta is again is a cost effective way to enter into European market, particularly the Balkan states and Mediterranean countries.

This will not be the priority for a developer when coming to India, which is more of development market, than meant for marketing offices....

We lost the golden period from 2005 from 2008, which was meant Kochi for leaping in this sector.

If Tecom started construction works in 2006, by 2008, they would have completely atleast a quater of their total 8.8 Million sqft, as it was their golden period. Once they invested into it, they will be forced to protect and work hard to gain occupants as they cannot allow their investments go dry even during recession period of 2008-2010.

Here, we let TECOM to sit at shore for all the period and now asking them to work, after recession when most of other builders are running away due to fund shortage. TECOM too would have done the same like DLF, HDIL, Parsvanth etc. But being a sovereign company, it will serious affect a country's rating itself. Hence sticking on......

Achumma's role here is like saying, you killed a man, but out of its guilt you raised his children like your own..... Smart City was meant to bring in more and more private developers into Kerala, and showcase before world, we are open to Privatization. But strangling it, we proved it otherway round.... And now asking them to honour their commitments made 6 years ago, when they were in good times......

Anyway, there is no point in crying at past. Happened is happened. I am sure, no one in Kochi will forgive Achumma for his cruelity done to the growth of city. Hope Piravom residents will prove that again...

But equally I am concerned about delays of Smart City now. If they find hard today, they must collaborate with ADIA or Kishad of Abu Dhabi, rather than losing their goodwill and image. Further delays will seriously affect Dubai's rankings and image itself as a serious global investor......

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by KMC

Our govt is known for making blunders , given a chance they will start IT park in Kuttanadu and market the project as place where ""Paddy meets IT"" .

[agnath.]

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

They provided land to Brigade which they delayed. 2nd building of L&T dint come up as the 1st building was not fully occupied. then there were delay as part of leela. U cant build an IT building of magnitude 5 lakh sqft within a fortnight. Then 2nd phase of Infopark was initaited during last LDF rule. Infopark itself was supposed to handover tecom as previous UDF govt. Its retained and developed. I think its major achivement.

Binoj, nobody is asking for 5L sqft in fortnight but definitively would look for atleast 2Million construction in 5 years time, when they are proposing an alternative to a project of 10M construction(smartcity). If private players were not constructing govt could have taken back the land and given to companies who are ready to construct UST/CTS or HCL. At the end of last govt we didn't have smartcity, we hardly had anything from govt side as well...yet another thing on paper 3 months before election in infopark phase 2.

Originally Posted by Binoj_viswam

Thats a gud news. But this tejomaya was fully ready by 2008 Aug. This means till now vacant spaces were there... and it vindicates those who criticise VS for non-availability of spaces have hidden agenda....

I don't think many here care for OC, VS, chennithala or pinarayi to have hidden agenda, but a govt had to enable an environment to create quality IT space for companies. (through govt, private players , tecom or whoever it may be). As of now there's lack of built up space in infopark. When a project was getting shelved, alternate arrangements to create space had to be looked at to have available when needed..... To be frank I feel OC is not doing enough to push tecom to go for a 2 Million sq ft construction, in next 2-3 years.

[agnath.]

Originally Posted by KMC

Our govt is known for making blunders , given a chance they will start IT park in Kuttanadu and market the project as place where ""Paddy meets IT"" .

[Binoj_viswam]

I respect ur opinion however its difficult to reply to all these comments. But I just wanted to underline, it is blunder to spend money on IT infrastucture in cities like kochi & TVM. Govt should only a facilitator and and also provide support services like better connectivity, electricity, water. And encourage private players to start IT infra( parks, building) which i think Last IT minister has done wonderfully. Govt canot b held responsible for the delay as part of developers or IT companies to start the construction. The delay can be due to many reasons and is not a rare phenomenon. Govt cannot do anything in that aspect and if the forcefully take back the land given to cos its going to send wrong signal.

Govt should concentrate on other cities like calicut. IT companies can be started even in paddy fileds if there is right infrastructure whther its in kuttanadu or Kollam. Korraty infopark has many small companies and employs close 500 people. These small companies are paying less rentals than in INFOPARK and enjoys good infrastructure. Same is the case with cherthala park. There 3 companies now.

Smart city & Tecom is a white elephant always. They dont have any expetise in proving IT infrastructure to software Devlopment companies. Kerala govt is better positioned to provide that. Someone said if smart city comes, it will give positive signal to investors and they will beeline to start center in kochi. Thats an incorrect assumption. Before starting SDC, every major MNCs will do detailed analysis multiple options available. And then finalize accordingly.

I dont know about any commitments, but in last nov when one of the largest MNC(where i work) enquired about facilities in INFOPARK/TP, they have got details of vacant spaces all the IT parks INFOPARK (Atulya, Tejomaya & Leela) & TP

There was delay in case Phase 2 , i admit. But u all know the difficulties in aquiring land in kerala. Lets happy atleast we have 160 acres of land available for IT development. CTS has been given land there.

[RKPV]

Aayiram kudathinte vaya manukku moodikkettam........

What will be, 'IF' Tecom started construction on 2001, or 1996 ?
Why didnt they come?

If Tecom granted by Smartcity on 2006, They would have done nothing but just holding infopark, and CTS might have started at Trivandrum Technopark, not in Kochi.

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Binoj


If Tecom started construction works in 2006, by 2008, they won't have completely atleast a quater of their total 8.8 Million sqft, as it was their golden period. Once they invested into it, they will be forced to protect and work hard to gain occupants as they cannot allow their investments go dry even during recession period of 2008-2010.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by RKPV

What will be, 'IF' Tecom started construction on 2001, or 1996 ?
Why didnt they come?

If Tecom granted by Smartcity on 2006, They would have done nothing but just holding infopark, and CTS might have started at Trivandrum Technopark, not in Kochi.

If always have huge gaps to imagine.... But in a very positive environment like 2005-2008 era, there would have been more leaps...

I would definitely blame Govt to keep a potential developer inactive during the golden period over petty small policy issues..... If the govt policy was against Smart City, it should have cancelled it in 2006 itself and decided to go by its own by constructing its own bldgs and asking for more co-developers etc.... Rather the govt choose to stand in two boats at a same time. I find fault here.

In Malta too, they were handed over 1 Lakh sqft existing bldg first and they developed additional bldgs. Once they invested into the project, they will be forced to work on for it, as they cannot leave investments dry. Here, we made them to sit outside, watch all the fun....

Its where I have objection. Either fully like Govt developed model or to be developed by private companies with govt only as a facilitating role. Here the govt donned the role of both facilitator and dictator, reducing business prospects during the golden period....

Well, this is my opinion about it.... I know you have a contrary to it... With full respects to that, I can't subscribe for it......

[manukarukail]

Originally Posted by KMC

Our govt is known for making blunders , given a chance they will start IT park in Kuttanadu and market the project as place where ""Paddy meets IT"" .

Absolutely correct. Will any non-keralite IT professional be ready to work in IT companies set up at such small towns and villages? Most of them are not even interested in working in bigger cities of Kerala(Kochi & Trivandrum) due to non-availability of Pubs, hangout places etc.

[sudheeshnairs]

PUB is not the factor which will hold back a non Keralite IT professional from coming to Kerala. Infact PUB alone is not a big factor, I would say the availability of good and wide variety of indian and imported liquor, esp wine and beer retail shops, be it malls, supermarkets etc. And this situation is unique to Bangalore, not other cities. I would admit, I will be missing that convenience in Kerala when I comeback, nothing else.

The two main factors are the maturity and scale of IT industry as well as the cultural factors. The advantage of working in Bangalore or Hyderabad is that even if something happens to the organization in such a volatile industry, there are plenty of alternatives/options available. (Bangalore is having more number of people working in IT (which means that much opportunities) than the total population of the corporation area of Kochi).

Kerala is unique in main factors, when most other states seem to be uniform. We differ in our social, cultural and food habits. Malayalai is predominantly non veg, uses parboiled rice and coconut oil which are alien to an average south Indian software guy. And I realised that the word 'beef' is such a controversial thing outside Kerala only when I shifted from Trivandrum to Bangalore. On the contrary the main item of any of our road side eatery/restaurant is Porrotta and Beef.

I have seen that most of the cafeteria/canteens in such companies are predominantly veg, esp the south Indian veg food and is almost the same for Tamils, Telugus or Kannadigas. Today noon also I had to have such a lunch.

Another thing is the language. Kerala, due to many factors has been a closed society. Here even the so called educated people would not be communicating well in English or Hindi, let alone the security men, office boys, peons, care takers, drivers, etc. In Bangalore, a person coming from any state can survive easily because of the wide usage of Hindi. I am communicating here in Bangalore with the security, autowalahs, cab drivers, helpers etc in Hindi. I am yet to learn to speak in Kannada even though I am completing my fourth year here. And most other state guys, (except those from TN)including those from non hindi states like Orissa, Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat etc feel at home since they can speak Hindi. We have to improve a lot in this.

A non Keralite guy has to weigh all these pros and cons before taking the decision which have lots of chances of backfiring also.

[e_arunsid]

The point of discussion was if Govt shud have started building spokes before HUB was fully developed ?.

Any day Kochi would be way better for an outsider when compared to Kuttanad/Koratty/Cherthala/Ambalapuzha

More to my suprise Technopark which has entered phase 4 (wd Technocity) has just one spoke in kollam while Infopark has 3 spokes

[sudheeshnairs]

Originally Posted by e_arunsid

The point of discussion was if Govt shud have started building spokes before HUB was fully developed ?.

No, I was not replying to the point of discussion.

My reply was to the post by Manukarukail. That’s why I gave the sign.

Originally Posted by e_arunsid

Any day Kochi would be way better for an outsider when compared to Kuttanad/Koratty/Cherthala/Ambalapuzha

Definitely, personally speaking I also do not fully agree with the hub parks. You need to have a critical mass of everything, be it social, infrastructural or leisure around the space.

And personally I feel such spokes should be targeted at the local startups and giving fillip to the local entrepreneurial talent wrt ITES. I think I read somewhere that ‘Technolodges’ in Kollam dist are doing the same.

Originally Posted by e_arunsid

More to my suprise Technopark which has entered phase 4 (wd Technocity) has just one spoke in kollam while Infopark has 3 spokes

Geographically, Trivandrum is at the southern most part and doesn’t have much hinter land. Can have spokes towards North in Kollam only.

And I think the strategy of starting spokes is only based on the availability of land which is held with sick industrial units. So wherever there was industrial land with Govt, they utilized it, that’s all, including Kollam Technopark.