Smart City Kochi - Under Planning & Development

[KMC]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

Concept master plan for SmartCity ready

Concept? And approval required to begin preparation of original MP! WTF?

This is really disturbing ... Had some ray of hopes till now , that also vanished... I think the evictees should file case against govt for returning their land or else , Smart city should be merged with Infopark and hand over the same to Infopark....

[Malayaali]

Nothing can be done. Politicians and top business people have strong interest (for their own sake) in this project. Even if it moves like this for another decade, we can see our CM claiming Smart City construction will start soon.

[Kochi Resident]

But sometime back I heard that Smart city construction of first building will start in April 2012? Also Is it required that the masterplan should be fully approved for the construction of first block?

Originally Posted by Malayaali

Nothing can be done. Politicians and top business people have strong interest (for their own sake) in this project. Even if it moves like this for another decade, we can see our CM claiming Smart City construction will start soon.

[Kochi Resident]

Please find below! From what I read here first building will start construction after the primary masterplan is ready. So there should not be any delay

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

[KMC]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

Nothing can be done. Politicians and top business people have strong interest (for their own sake) in this project. Even if it moves like this for another decade, we can see our CM claiming Smart City construction will start soon.

One should really appreciate achu mama for not giving Infopark to these guys
It wud have been a Murderous move ... guys are spoiling our city's image...

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by Kochi Resident

Please find below! From what I read here first building will start construction after the primary masterplan is ready. So there should not be any delay

Is it not mandatory to have environmental clearance before starting construction?

If the above report is true, the first building is independent of Master plan and may not require environmental clearance also. Then, i feel the project is on the move.

[agnath.]

Both infopark phase2 and smartcity had cannon designers as master planners, locations adjacent, local conditions same.... Advantage for smartcity was that, they already had a initial plan prepared by Colin Buchanan. An year after signing deal with VS still they talk of master plan ..... marketing anything is good, it shouldn't become senseless that people start laughing over it ...

I fail to understand if an initial plan was ready why smartcity couldn't complete the whole process faster than infopark, worser still we are not even half way through, master plan circus has reached just stage1 of four stage plan .... So get ready for more media circus ...

These were the timelines given to cannon designers by Infopark for Phase 2.
************************************************************
Stage I - Preliminary Concept Master Plan - shall be presented within 45 days of engaging the Consultant

Stage II - Concept Master Plan
Based on the discussions and comments given by Infopark on preliminary concept plan, the Consultant shall develop a single preferred Master Plan agreed by Infopark.
- Concept Master Plan shall be submitted within 2 months from the approval of preliminary Conceptual Plan.

Stage III - Schematic Infrastructure Planning - one month after approval of Concept Plan (Stage II).

Stage IV - Detailed Master Plan
The above deliverables to be completed and submitted within 1.5 months from the approval of Concept Master Plan

The entire scope of works as mentioned above shall be completed by the Master Planner within 6 months from the date of engagement.
*************************************************************

reason for delay is simple either they don't have money to build it or they are not sure about the returns so they are delaying it ....

[Malayaali]

Reason number 1 might be the cause for the delay, if any. We've waited more than 5 years for this project to get going, now lets give it time till April to confirm whether the above report has got anything to believe.

[home@kochi]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

Sure. I have seen that myself.

"Met in the train" kind: ഇച്ചീരെ സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയറിന്റെ പണ്യാ..
Locals at my village: കൊച്ചീലൊരുകമ്പനീലാ..
Locals at my locality: ഇവടെ മേഖലേലാ..
To people who understand the companies here: ഇവടെ ജീട്ടെക്കിലാ..

Originally Posted by sudheeshnairs

And I don’t think there is a ‘good image’ with jobs in Gulf, at least in my circles. (US/Europe is a different ball game).

Yes, things are changing….

Yup. It really depends on the circles. Educated people who retired from govt jobs etc and ppl settled in cities, know that there is value in a IT profile etc. They dont know details etc but there is some respect. But as I said there are circles which are themselves gulf returnees, not so aware ppl etc. For them they have no idea if we say about IT companies. I am more of like as Dileep has quoted above. Using various versions, according to the audience.

[Nidhin VC]

Can we start a facebook campaign of some sort to attract media attention to the delay in starting smart city. Considering the amenities GOK had provided,the people of Kerala have the right to protest against this dilly dallying.I dont know why CPM didnt spoke anything about this even during Piravom campaign. If they are not starting the project at least the land should be given back to the govt. In a city like Kochi, land bank of 250 acres should not be wasted like this

[Nidhin VC]

I find the arguments like " Tecom is better than HDIL and Parsvanth" very silly and stupid considering the investment govt had to make in terms of land aquisition and other costs incurred for KSEB etc. FOR HDIL or Parsvanth Kerala never had to spend much.

The hardships suffered by local populace for handing over the land should not go in vain. Otherwise no one will hand over any piece of land in the name of development in future

[Malayaali]

Lets give it one more month. There were reports that they will start construction in April.

[Nidhin VC]

I cant even remember how many 'One more months' we have waited. Govt can get loans from banks may be international ones at a lower interest rate. Govt should start building IT parks with their own investment till Kerala reaches a critical mass in IT. We should see how much govt investment in Techno park was helpful in creating the brand Trivandrum as an IT city. This is what is helping TVM to attract investments from Capgemni ,infy and accenture.

Even providing land with related infrastructure and letting these IT firms to buld their own campus is 1000% better than waiting for a dubious looking project to materialize.

[mohammedirshad06]

Don't know whether its true or not.....

The Kerala CM on his official website, announced updates of prime projects on March 12 2012, where under prime infrastructure projects, he listed Smart City updates

In that he says, Pavilion is completed and administration offices will soon move into it.....

http://www.keralacm.gov.in/images/st...nts100days.pdf

Can anyone in Kakkanad area, check whether the pavilion is completed and ready?

Ommen Chandy normally donot bluff.... Moreover this is an official document released to Public. If its true, there is no need to further attack TECOM, on basis of suspicion.....

[Malayaali]

I think that's an old report. Is not that report about 100 days achievements?

[Nidhin VC]

Agreed but only IF THIS IS THE FACT. Smart city CEO had recently mentioned that Pavilion will be further delayed and only the next board meeting not the one scheduled in March will be held in the Pavilion.

Regarding the construction ,yeah i can see that they have mentioned April. But I do have news paper reports which say they were planning In Jan,then in Feb and March.So April is just another month for me.

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Don't know whether its true or not.....

The Kerala CM on his official website, announced updates of prime projects on March 12 2012, where under prime infrastructure projects, he listed Smart City updates

In that he says, Pavilion is completed and administration offices will soon move into it.....

http://www.keralacm.gov.in/images/st...nts100days.pdf

Can anyone in Kakkanad area, check whether the pavilion is completed and ready?

Ommen Chandy normally donot bluff.... Moreover this is an official document released to Public. If its true, there is no need to further attack TECOM, on basis of suspicion.....

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by Malayaali

I think that's an old report. Is not that report about 100 days achievements?

Definitely not.... The document was published on March 12 2012 as a press release, which carries projects which were shaped recently, not what seen during 100 days period.

For example, during 100 days project, High Speed Rail Corridor was not figured. It was in Nov/Dec, the project got shaped up.... Only in Jan 2012, the Prime Minister's Principal secretary asked DMRC to take up feasibility study and report to the PMO in 6 months time. Those details are marked there

Likewise E.Sreedharan's role in Kochi Metro got defined only by Feb 2012. Its also mentioned as same there

Mullaperiyar, never figured during the 2011 100 days action plan declaration. It surfaced out during November stand-off

Likewise PRT etc was finalized very recently only......

Moreover, the report expressly says, its complete and describes internal features... I am really confused!!!! Who to believe?

[KMC]

This is one project which is spoiling the City's complete image ...sad to say , but its a fact that its irritating to see this thread..

what are these comedian doing..... concept master plan undakkan 5 months , athu discuss cheyyan 2 months , final master plan ondakkan again 1 year....
height of stupdity happening ...

With major projects lie Metro Rail getting approval , hope it would have been better had Govt also shown some interest in pushing this project further.

[Nidhin VC]

Proposed IT parks in Kannur, Kasaragod to get NABARD loan
Works for developing proposed IT Parks at Eramam-Kuttoor in Kannur and Cheemeni in Kasaragod are expected to start soon as National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) has approved loans for the two projects along with the proposed IT Park in Kozhikode are being set up by Cyberpark, a State government organisation modelled on Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram and Infopark in Kochi for promotion of investments in IT and ITES sectors in the Malabar region.
................................................................................................

See how govt with the help of financial institutions building IT infrastructure else where.Govt can avail loan from any of the authorities like NABARD to develop an IT park which is bigger than the one currently 'proposed' by Tecom.
Instead of waiting endlessly for this stupid company to commence we should try outr best to make sure the land is taken back by the government.Anyways GOK has more experience in building IT space than this controversial firm( Number of ppl employed in TP and IP will be much mor than Malta smart city and Internet city).
We should do our bit to attract the media attention in this extreme delay from the part of Tecom. I mean if any one has any media contacts I am sure they will take up the issue if we can make them understand the significance.Also we can think about an FB campaign.

[Nidhin VC]

I am sure that tecom will do another Stone laying drama as the pressure builds up and this Wall and news papers like Manorama will be filled with celebration and Achudanandan bashing articles.

I hope at least this time we will be more careful and GoK make sure the govt investment is pouring in IT infrastructure building untill we reach the critical mass. Otherwise we can hear many more smart city/cyber city shobha park kind of stories.