Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy promises to fast-track Smartcity IT project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The long-delayed Smartcity IT project in Kochi will be speeded up without placing fresh impediments between its Dubai-based promoter Tecom and the state government, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said.

After a round of talks with visting senior Smartcity officials from Dubai, he told reporters here the project would be carried out within the framework of agreement worked out by previous LDF regime to avoid further delay in materialising the project, which will generate hundreds of IT jobs.

"The Government is keen that the project is materialised as early as possible.Going for a fresh agreement would only delay the whole thing. So, we don't propse to scrap the earlier agreement," he said.

The Tecom side was represented by its CEO Abdullateef al Mulla and Smrtcity Kochi CEO Baju George. Leading NRI businessman M A Yousafali and state Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty were also present at the discussions.

Both sides agreed to lay the foundation for the headquarters building by October 31 and complete the first phase of the project by October, 2012.

The project would cover a total area of 250 acres and it would function under the rules of the central SEZ policy.

The Kochi Smatcity proposal first came up in 2006 and its foundation stone was laid some four years ago. However, the work failed to take off following sharp difference between the state over the issue of freehold right over part of the land demanded by Tecom.