The KochiNow Blog

Metro project zooms ahead

Metro: land acquisition notified

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The Revenue authorities on Thursday issued notification in Ernakulam village authorising the land acquisition process for the proposed Metro Rail project.

The notification in the remaining six villages would be issued shortly.

Of the total land required for the project, 41 acres is under private ownership spread over Thripunithura, Elamkulam, Ernakulam, Edappally North and South, Thrikkakkara North and Aluva West villages.

The State government has sanctioned Rs.1 crore for the preliminary expenses towards the acquisition process. Full story

GIDA project get unanimous support

GIDA project gets people’s nod
Friday February 29 2008 08:52 IST

Express News Service

KOCHI: The project prepared by the Goshree Island Development Authority (GIDA) for the development of the Kadamakkudy island community got the approval of local residents.

The landowners in Pizhala island will handover their consent letters for acquiring land for the project to District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who is also the secretary of GIDA, on Sunday.

A meeting of the political parties and other organisations will be held on the occasion as a part of the programme. Fisheries Minister S. Sarma will inaugurate the meeting.

Just a hectare worth - but handfull

The renewed package that state govt is about to
approve will settle issues for all.

State government in a spot

Staff Reporter

Deadline set by the Centre for land acquisition expires today

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Nearly one hectare yet to be acquired for Vallarpadam terminal rail link

Only 54 of the 210 landowners have agreed to give land for Sabari railway

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KOCHI: The State government finds itself in a tight spot as the time limit fixed by the Union government for the completion of land acquisition for the Angamaly-Sabari rail link and the rail connectivity for the Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) expires on Friday.

The acquisition process in both the projects has met with roadblocks in the face of the protest by the landowners against acquiring their land.

The four-lane, 30-km highway from Cochin seaport to the Cochin International airport will be developed at an estimated investment of around Rs 200 crore, to help improve the transport infrastructure in the State. — K. K. Mustafah

Cochin Airport - Seaport Highway
Connects the New Cochin International Airport with Cochin Seaport by a new road of 30 kms.
Passes through Cochin Special Economic Zone, Industrial Areas of Cochin and Kalamassery Connecting HMT, FACT, Kochi Refineries Ltd. and Various Oil Terminals at Irumpanam.
Total investment estimated at Rs. 1900 million.

The Project is proposed to be take up in a Phased manner as follows.
Phase - 1
Development of 10 m carriage way for 13 KM between HMT and Karingachira including construction of ROB at Irumpanam yard and ROB at CRL Junction. Estimated cost Rs.350 Millions. This phase was completed in May 2003. Actual expenditure of the project is Rs.230 million.
Phase - 2
Development of a 10m carriage way between HMT and Cochin International Airport and up to Kariyadu in NH 47 and From Karingachira to NH 49 Bypass. Estimated cost Rs.1050 Millions.Land acquisition for this phase is in progress.
Phase - 3
Development of the entire stretch of road between NH 49 Bypass and Cochin International Airport and up to Kariyadu as a four lane highway. Estimated cost Rs.600 Million

The construction of Phase - 1 of the project from Karingnachira (Tripunithara) to HMT (Kalamassery) commenced in May 2001.
And was completed in May, 2003.

Construction of 13 KM Road between Karingachira and HMT, including widening and strengthening of Existing Road.
Project details of Airport - Seaport Highway Phase - 1
IFB Published on November 5,2000
Contractor M/s Ray Constructions, Mumbai
Physical Progress Completed
Pre-qualified Bidders and their Quoted Price ( Rs.)
M/s. Ray Constructions, Mumbai 22,00,01,500.00
M/s. Vishal Infrstructure Ltd.,Bangalore 22,46,23,700.00
M/s. Tantia-Teechnibharathi -Joint Venture 22,79,33,900.00
M/s. Bridge & Roof (India) Ltd. 22,89,59,010.00
M/s. Sreedhanya Constructions, 23,74,71,175.00
M/s. Bhagheeratha Engineering Ltd.-ACC Joint venture 27,51,19,512.00
M/s. MCHC Joint Venture 29,29,45,250.00
Sajeev Kumar V
AS PART of the Kerala Government’s bid to improve infrastructure for trade and industry, the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd (RBDCK), a State Government undertaking, has executed the first phase of the Airport-Seaport Highway Project connecting the Cochin International Airport Ltd to the Kochi port via the Cochin Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

The Rs 28-crore first phase included a 13-km highway between HMT Kalamassery and Kochi Refineries Ltd, and a railway overbridge at Irumpanam.

The work was jointly financed by RBDCK, the Union Commerce Ministry, the Ministry of Transport’s Central Road Fund Scheme, and the Railways.

The total length of the Airport-Seaport Highway Project is about 30 km. and is proposed to be developed in three phases at an estimated investment of around Rs 200 crore, to help improve the transport infrastructure in the State.

The project has been proposed as a four-lane highway with a design speed of 100 km/hr.

Once complete, the highway, which will pass through the SEZ and connect such major industrial units as HMT, FACT, and KRL as also the various oil terminals at Irumpanam, will boost the flow of cargo traffic both from the port and the airport.

The second phase of the project will begin from the KRL Junction to the proposed NH 49 by-pass. Land acquisition is on and the work will be executed within one year of the completion of land acquisition.

The third phase of the project will be to four lane the road, depending on the volume of traffic.

The project road also connects the industrial belt of HMT, Kinfra IT parks, and the Cochin Division of FACT before joining the NH 49 by-pass east of Kundanoor Junction. From Kundanoor Junction of NH 47 A, it leads up to Kochi port.

The 13-km, two-lane road constructed in the first phase will act as a by-pass to the NH 47 within the Kochi city limits. The by-pass will be important for movement of hazardous cargo.

Petroleum tankers from Irumpanam oil terminals, a cause of concern to the district authorities, can now move north up to Kalamassery without entering the city.

To ensure a smooth and durable road, natural rubber modified bitumen (NRMB) is to be used. The Central Road Research Institute and Rubber Board had selected this road for the performance evaluation study of NRMB. This will be the longest stretch of fully rubberised road in Kerala.

The design and construction of the road are of international standards.

The design life of the road is 15 years with overlays at five-year intervals.

To ensure good riding quality, the unevenness of each layer has been monitored and it is ensured that the pavement rough index is within the desired standard of 200 mm/km.

Laid using the state-of-the-art technology and equipment such as hydrostatic sensor pavers, the highway promises to be the smoothest in the State.

Marked and painted with retro-reflective thermoplastic paint, and with blue signboards, the road is extremely user-friendly.

The project road, on completion of all stretches, is expected to ease the pressure on NH 47 especially where it takes more than an hour for a heavy vehicle from the airport to reach the Kochi port.

Once this highway becomes operational, this distance could be covered in less than 30 minutes even at 60 kmph.

RBDCK was constituted in 1999 by the Kerala Government to boost infrastructure.

Its objectives include identification of projects relating to highways, bridges, underground railroads, etc., for implementation either directly by itself or under BOT schemes.

There are half-a-dozen new road development projects, including the much-talked-about Kerala Expressway, on which preliminary work is on.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2003/07/28/stories/2003072800190600.htm & http://www.rbdck.com/road.htm#

We are reconstructing ageing facilities and building modern infrastructure to support the terminals coming up here. The port’s vision is to emerge as a world-class regional hub in the Indian Ocean, offering cost-effective logistics solutions to maritime trade. MR N. RAMACHANDRAN, KOCHI PORT TRUST CHAIRMAN

V. Sajeev Kumar

With the commissioning of the Single Point Mooring of the BPCL-Kochi Refinery and the commencement of civil works for the international container transshipment terminal at Vallarpadam, the Cochin Port Trust has achieved a major milestone in implementing two of the ambitious development projects envisaged under the National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP) of the Government of India. The port had lined up a bouquet of development projects that intend to provide the entire gamut of maritime-related services.

However, there are some more projects that are yet to come up. The Port Trust Chairman, Mr N.Ramachandran, spoke to Business Line on the status of the remaining projects. The port has a vision “to emerge as a world-class regional hub port in the Indian Ocean, offering cost-effective logistics solutions to the maritime trade”.

Excerpts from the interview:

What is the progress on the remaining development projects under NMDP?

The project feasibility report for the cruise terminal has been submitted. As far as financial structuring is concerned, it needs more fine-tuning. The final feasibility report will be submitted only after that and then we will proceed for expression of interest. The port has to receive approval from the Government of India for the project as it requires clearance from the Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee.

As far as LNG Terminal is concerned, the port is negotiating with Petronet LNG on the licence agreement as the company had demanded some departures from the existing policy. This is beyond the power of the Port or the Shipping Ministry.

There are some issues, such as the tenure of the land, that delayed the signing of the agreement. There was a meeting at PMO last month and it was decided that all departures from the policy will be put up to the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs for special clearance. The licence for the concession agreement can be signed only after that.

Meanwhile, Petronet LNG has started developing the land at Puthuvypeen by constructing a boundary wall and raising the land level. The port has also initiated steps to develop the roads and drainage section to the SEZ area. The port will get substantial benefit out of the terminal as it is going to be a major source of income in the form of wharfage and vessel-related charges. Regarding the bunkering terminal, all port-related constructions should be carried out on PPP model or BOT as per the new policy of the Centre.

Instead of Bunkering Terminal, the port is looking for constructing a new Multi Purpose Liquid Terminal under PPP model and once it is ready, it can also be used for extending bunkering services to ocean-going vessels. Terminal experts from the Indian Ports Association are undertaking a technical and financial feasibility study of the project and their report is expected in a month’s time. Tenders in this regard will be floated only after PPPAC clearance.

How will the port manage the loss of revenue on account of the commissioning of SPM

The next two years will be difficult for the port on account of SPM as there is a shortfall of about Rs 40 crore in annual revenue. The port is handling roughly 10 million tonnes of cargo of BPCL-KRL that comprises crude (7.5 million tonnes) and petroleum products (2.5 million tonnes). The present wharfage rate is Rs 65 per tonne. Once the crude moves to SPM, the wharfage rate will drop to Rs 25 per tonne, which means that annual revenue will fall from Rs 65 crore to Rs 25 crore.

Given the situation, the only option for the port is to increase revenue by enhancing the cargo base and improving productivity and efficiency. The under-performance of public sector FACT was also a setback to the revenue of the port. This year, we are down by half a million tonnes of fertiliser raw material.

KRL has said they will continue to use the Cochin Oil Terminal facility for export of products. We also have to look for alternatives when KRL is not using the facility. Within the next two years, we will be able to improve our cargo handling volumes. The wharfage charges from LNG will be a major revenue earner for the port.

We are in the process of renewal and reconstruction of ageing facilities and also building modern infrastructure to support the new terminals that are coming up here. To support the mega projects, we are modernising our support infrastructure. A new 110 KV power supply system is already under implementation. For high precision navigational safety, a sophisticated Vessel Traffic Management System is under implementation.

What steps have you taken to end flash strikes?

I have two clear choices before me. The easier option is to succumb to the pressures and continue the way we have always been. The more difficult option is to take the road less travelled, face the issues upfront, suffer the pain today and clean up the system. This may involve some strikes and work stoppages, but I believe it is worth it.

An overwhelming majority of workers are totally against the culture of flash strikes and work stoppages. They want to work and contribute towards the developments of the port. In fact, it is the hard work and team spirit shown by these workers that is keeping the organisation afloat. Even among trade unions, there are some excellent leaders who are extremely supportive of the actions taken by the management.

http://www.blonnet.com/2007/12/10/stories/2007121050620600.htm

COCHIN(KOCHI)
Kochi is an upcoming city in Kerala and is aggressively being promoted by the state government as an IT destination. Though it doesn’t have any ITES companies of significance yet, it holds a lot of potential to attract many.

But the city needs to address the following infrastructure issues: Though it has the lowest power tariff among all the cities surveyed, it still experiences some power cuts. Like most cities in India, Kochi lacks a decent public transport infrastructure

Compared to the larger cities, Kochi has only a few colleges. As ITES companies would mainly hire graduates, the state needs to ensure abundant supply of trained manpower.

Kochi too loses out in the perception game. The government needs to ensure that the city moves up this scale to start attracting new businesses
Power The variance in the ranking comes due to the tariffs existing across various cities. Kochi has a low tariff of Rs 3/unit and it goes as high as Rs
4.97/unit in Mumbai Kochi experience pre scheduled power cuts
Manpower Manpower cost varies depending on the city’s cost of living. The city’s attractiveness also depends on the number of trained manpower. Manpower cost is as high as Rs 51.59/hr in Mumbai as compared to Rs 17.04/hr in Kochi.
Perception Perception plays an important role while deciding the location of a new unit. Bangalore ranked high because of the state’s IT policy. Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi lag behind in the IT initiatives undertaken by the government. Recent riots at Ahmedabad has harmed its perception even more as a business centre.
Entrepreneurship Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi have a large number of start- ups and have more entrepreneurs hailing from the city who in turn set up base in the
city. Kolkata, Pune and Kochi don’t score very that high, as they do not have many start-ups.
http://cibercitycochinindia.blogspot.com/2008/02/cochinkochi-best-indian-ites.html#links
Source REDIFF.COM

COCHIN(Kochi) is emerging as attractive ITES destinations primarily due to rapid improvement in infrastructure (power, international bandwidth and urban transportation) and lower manpower costs due to lower cost of living and lack of alternative employment opportunities. It was asessed on factors such as assessed on factors such as manpower availability, real estate, telecom infrastructure, policy initiatives, power infrastructure, city perception and entrepreneurial history.
The growth has been largely driven by three factors. First is the desire of by state governments to attract entrepreneurship, which has resulted in attractive policy environments and incentives being offered.

The second is the rapid improvement in key infrastructure areas like power, telecom bandwidth and real estate in newer locations.

The last is the need for ITES companies to lower operating costs, especially employee costs and transportation.

Kochi

Kochi is an upcoming city in Kerala and is aggressively being promoted by the state government as an IT destination. Though it doesn’t have any ITES companies of significance yet, it holds a lot of potential to attract many.

But the city needs to address the following infrastructure issues: Though it has the lowest power tariff among all the cities surveyed, it still experiences some power cuts. Like most cities in India, Kochi lacks a decent public transport infrastructure

Compared to the larger cities, Kochi has only a few colleges. As ITES companies would mainly hire graduates, the state needs to ensure abundant supply of trained manpower.

Kochi too loses out in the perception game. The government needs to ensure that the city moves up this scale to start attracting new businesses

Power The variance in the ranking comes due to the tariffs existing across various cities. Kochi has a low tariff of Rs 3/unit and it goes as high as Rs
4.97/unit in Mumbai Kochi experience pre scheduled power cuts
Manpower Manpower cost varies depending on the city’s cost of living. The city’s attractiveness also depends on the number of trained manpower. Manpower cost is as high as Rs 51.59/hr in Mumbai as compared to Rs 17.04/hr in Kochi.
Perception Perception plays an important role while deciding the location of a new unit. Bangalore ranked high because of the state’s IT policy. Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi lag behind in the IT initiatives undertaken by the government. Recent riots at Ahmedabad has harmed its perception even more as a business centre.
Entrepreneurship Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi have a large number of start- ups and have more entrepreneurs hailing from the city who in turn set up base in the
city. Kolkata, Pune and Kochi don’t score very that high, as they do not have many start-ups. REDIFF.COM

Moving to cleaner, greener pastures

Traffic blues, heavy pollution, peak hour rush, water scarcity and rising noise levels are forcing many Kochiites to move to a healthier life in the suburbs, says HEMJITH BHARATHAN. They lament the deteriorating quality of life in the city

This might be something right out of fantasy or a fairy tale. No traffic lights, horns, pollution and lots of parking space. Life is tranquil and moves at a leisurely pace. Whatever be it this is what many residents of Kochi, maddened by the commotion and chaos on the roads, desperately long for today. Kochi too, like other cities, is turning into a city of excesses forcing many to move to the less congested, neighbouring areas like Aluva, Poothotta etc.

The city maybe an investor’s paradise, but the consumer boom does not suit everyone. Many who prefer peace and live with certain ideals are apprehensive about the future of Kochi. There are many who fear that the city will be taken over by the gangs of software engineers who are out to transform Kochi into an automated roller coaster.

Latheef, an NRI says, “Dubai is getting more and more congested by the day. The traffic moves at snail’s pace. But when we come home on holidays, to escape the rush there, we find that Kochi is the same. Crawling traffic, crowded, polluted streets and lack of parking space. I will be shifting from my apartment at Kaloor to a river-view apartment at Aluva to enjoy the quietude and scenic beauty.”

Choking smog

Kochi is slowly turning into an environmentalist’s nightmare. The car boom, due to man’s unending love affair with automobiles, has polluted and crammed the city. Car exhaust, multiplying in proportion with our passion for anything on wheels, is blanketing the city with thick smog. The fumes get trapped among the mushrooming tall buildings. Are we moving into the dark ages?

Bhaskaran, who sold his flat off M.G. Road to settle down in the lush, surroundings of Silent Valley says, “Kochi is becoming uninhabitable due to the grime, dust and pollution. Lack of proper drainage adds to its woes. Its narrow infrastructure cannot contain its rapid development. On certain mornings one sees a mysterious fog with a strange chemical odour that obscures the atmosphere. Doctors have warned that this can be harmful for respiratory organs. The city is thus choking in its own growth.”

Seeking a cleaner atmosphere is what makes many leave the city. According to a recent report breathing the polluted air in Mumbai is equivalent to smoking two packets of cigarettes a day. Will Kochi be trailing far behind? Sapna Prabath, a homemaker who has shifted to Poothotta says, “the air is definitely cleaner here than the polluted city roads. While Kochi is reeling under water scarcity we get pure drinking water from a well in our compound. Though we are away from the city we do not lack in anything as the transport system, new bridges and roads have made the city easily accessible. A CBSE school nearby takes care of the education of my children.

We go to the city occasionally, perhaps once in a week, for shopping, movies or eating out with the children.” But for many the city is home. Shifting has never crossed their minds even in their wildest dreams. They are used to the din, excitement and fervour. They feel part of it. To them Kochi is brimming with unlimited possibilities. The city is acquiring a character. It is grooving to the tune of the global beat. “Why move out when everything is so convenient here? The city is the most happening place and I love to be part of its jostling and opportunistic crowd,” says Kailash.V. Rajan. He adds, “Pollution levels will come down once the focal point shifts and expands from M.G. Road up to as far as Nedumbassery Airport. Educational institutions and super-specialty hospitals have sprung up in the outskirts broadening the city limits. The fixation with M. G. Road may thus diminish with shops and buildings coming up on suburbs and fringes of the city.”

Geena Matthew, a homemaker, who stays in an apartment off M. G. Road is also unaffected, optimistic and feels that things, though slow, will improve. She says, “with proper planning and better utilisation of water transport the crowds and traffic can be streamlined. Bridges and flyovers, which we hope will be constructed soon, can reduce traffic congestion to a great extent. Though Kochi is expanding with projects on the outskirts, M. G. Road will always be the focal point of the city like Mount Road in Chennai. There is always something happening here. New shops and stores spring up out of the blue replacing old structures. Living in the heart of the city is thus being part of its pageant and parade.”

Thriving city

However, Vasanth Sukumaran, an architect, who too lives in the heart of the city, is uneasy about the future. “The city is expanding at such a fast rate that for even for those who shift, there will be only a short respite before they find that pollution has spread to their areas too. The road from the city to Nedumbasserry is getting to be as crowded as M. G. Road. The city’s infrastructure is miserable. Cities are usually planned taking into account its growth for at least 30 to 50 years. But in Kochi, constructions spring up daily without any forethought and planning. In the years to come there will be total chaos and residents will suffer.”

With such views expressed one cannot make sense of the future of Kochi. With a catch-me-if-you-can attitude the city swells at an alarming rate challenging environmentalists, town planners, engineers and architects. Unmindful of tomorrow it lives each day to the fullest. New stores, franchises spring up every day, jostling with high-rise apartments, restaurants, and business houses for precious space. The urban crowd loves its ambiance. Their senses soar. They are pampered with comfort and ease with eating joints competing, catering to every taste, pocket, and racing for the quickest home delivery. The city moves on. Live for the day is its message to its residents. The future will take care of itself. So for now, lets keep our fingers crossed.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2006/07/24/stories/2006072400940100.htm

The city of Kochi (formerly Cochin) prominent as the port city of Kerala is one of the fastest emerging cities of India. As a port city, it has always been the proclaimed economic capital of Kerala with trade and retail being its fundamental business sphere. However, in the recent times, since NASSCOM ranked it as the second potential city for investments in the IT sector, Kochi has emerged as a favored destination for the IT & ITES industry. Also, Kochi shows vast potential for economic growth and industrialization based on norms such as real estate growth, available work force, overall infrastructure, policy initiatives and commercial history. However, the accessibility of cheap bandwidth through undersea cables and lesser operational costs in comparison to other key cities in India has proved to be of major advantage.
Kochi is one of the few cities in India, which has the best connectivity to the outside world through sea, air and road. This is also one of the reasons for Kochi being identified as an attractive destination for investments. Moreover, this inflow of investments has created realty prospects in the city, both residential and commercial as the IT firms are bringing in more and more people into the city. And with the coming up of Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) the economical capital of Kerala is now even more attractive to the investor counting on economic and realty prospects. The CSEZ apart from catering to the business growth and industrialization with the investments in IT and Business parks has also been responsible for growth of Kochi real estate.

Besides the Technopolis developed at the CSEZ, the setting up of a software productivity center by Wipro in Kochi is considered as one of the variable factors in the evolution of Kochi as an upcoming city. Major IT firms such as US Software, IBS, Sun Tec, Gemini, NeST, Ernst and Young, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, ACS Inc. and Allianz Cornhill are only some of the IT firms gradually making their presence felt in the business prospect of Kochi.

As the graph of Kochi real estate takes an upward move, top real estate developers from within the country are vying up to the city with interesting projects. A spectacular development in the Kochi real estate market is with the Rs. 950 million-joint venture projects between HDFC and Larsen and Toubro (L&T). However, the project that Kochi real estate can consider as the mother of all investments is the Rs. 1500-crore`Smart City’ project proposed by the Dubai Internet City (DIC). Moreover, with city administration providing the investors with the basic infrastructure like power, international bandwidth and urban transportation, industry experts expect a capital appreciation of around 12-15 per cent in the next two-three years. All these factors are contributing factors in creating a congenial environment for making Kochi one of the fastest growing cities in India.

http://www.earthspace.in/news_cochin.php

A city with almost every household having one family member working in the Gulf(Middle East), Kochi or Cochin’s resident population is waking up to new business avenues. The growing business needs are seen translated into a growing demand for commercial and residential property.

The Cochin Port Trust has entered into a joint venture with Dubai Port International and is handling the Container Trans-shipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam. The Cochin port houses an international bunkering terminal, a ship repair yard, a CNG terminal and an exclusive berth for international cruise ships. Interestingly, Kochi also has an international airport built under public-private partnership.

Commercially, the city is growing with tourism and international trade. The IT industry is establishing a sound base here, and the demand for office spaces, hotels and retail outlets is increasing.

As a result, the need for residential apartments in Kochi is estimated at 50,000 in the next 2 - 3 years. Builders are catching up with the demand with a choice of residential projects. Real estate developers Puravankara Projects, Sobha Developers, Prestige Group, Emaar-MGF and Brigade Group have established their presence in Kochi. Sahara Infrastructure & Housing and Unitech have also purchased property in Kochi for development.

Infrastructure in Kochi has been strengthened accordingly. A new ring road skirting the city, a highway running parallel to the coast, and a new airport to seaport road have speeded up intra-city movement.

Commercial properties are more in demand on Marine Drive, portions of MG Road, Chittoor Road and Shanmugham Road. Puravankara’s Grand Bay luxury apartments at Marine Drive fetch rates of Rs 4,000-4,500 per sq ft and apartments cost over Rs 80 lakhs. The developer’s upcoming projects include Oceania, again on Marine Drive, and one each at Kakkanad and Edapally. The last two are more moderately priced as in these localites the land rates are lower.

Prestige Group of Bangalore with Neptune Courtyard, and the Abad group also have residential apartments coming up in Marine Drive.

Local real estate developer Skyline Builders have premium apartments coming up in Kallor priced at Rs. 1,700 to Rs. 2,600 per sq. ft. Great India Estates has fixed rates for its forthcoming residential apartments at Rs. 3000 per sq.ft, at Kakkanad.

The NRI community is funding and fueling the demand for residential flats, as is borne out by the high percentage (60 to 80%) of flats booked by them.

As for commercial properties, 6 malls are on the anvil, and would be ready by 2009. Forum will cover 1 million sq. ft. of space. Others are Lulu Mall, Aerens Gold Souk, Abad mall, Metro One, Mall O and Kalyan Mall. The Summit Mall will stretch vertically to 12 floors. Sources also reveal DLF’s plans for a hotel-cum-mall on Marine Drive.

Not known for any significant commercial or industrial activity in the past, the upward trend in real estate in Kochi is an indicator of a healthy and reviving economy.

http://www.indianrealtynews.com/real-estate-india/kochi-sees-spurt-in-real-estate-activity-2.html

Goshree bridges that provide connectivity to Vallarpadam, where the container transhipment terminal is being planned.
V. Sajeev Kumar

Considering future development activities in the Puthuvypeen and Vallarpadam areas on account of various upcoming projects, the Goshree Island Development Authority (GIDA) plans to construct a coastal highway linking Vypeen-Munambam stretch in the western part of Kochi for easy accessibility.

The Ernakulam District Collector, Mr A. P. M.Mohammed Haneesh, who is also the Secretary of GIDA, constituted for the integrated developments of islands off mainland Kochi, said there would be a development boom on the western side of Kochi mainland with the commissioning of the Vallarpadam Container Transhipment Terminal, coupled with the other expansion plans proposed in the port-based special economic zone (SEZ) at Puthuvypeen. With all these developments taking place in that area, the existing infrastructure would need to be improved to cope with the new demand, he said.

Four-lane carriage way

The proposed coastal highway, with a total length of 25.3 km from Puthuvypeen to NH-17 near Munambam, is expected to cost Rs 219.85 crore. The project, which will run parallel to the existing road in the Vypeen-Munambam area, will have a four-lane carriage way with median and service roads and footpaths on either side.

The highway will provide an alternate route to reach NH-17 without entering the city and facilitate smooth evacuation of traffic from the port-based SEZ area at Puthuvypeen. Besides the Vallarpadam Container Transhipment Terminal, Mr Haneesh said, the LNG Terminal, Cruise Terminal and Single Point Mooring of Kochi Refineries Ltd were some of the projects coming up in the area and the proposed coastal highway would provide an alternative in case the existing road in the Vypeen-Munambam area gets blocked. The existing road, with a length of 25 km, was heavily congested and it would be difficult to absorb the additional traffic when all these projects start functioning. The existing road carries one bus per minute, in addition to other vehicles.

Planning ahead

With the development of Vallarpadam terminal, the flow of containers to Vallarpadam through road from Kochi city would see significant increase. The already congested roads of the mainland would get choked as a result. Even the proposed NH connectivity from Vallarpadam to Kalamassery was bound to get overcrowded, resulting in considerable traffic blockade between Kalamassery and Thrissur on the NH-47. Therefore, an alternate easy route would have to be planned in advance to facilitate easy flow of traffic in the mainland, he said. A number of mega projects are getting established in the accreted land in Puthuvypeen of which some are hazardous in nature.

The only access to these industrial plots is the present road constructed by Kochi Port as an extension of Goshree road. In the event of any catastrophe, an alternate escape route is essential. As the port road connects this area to the southern end of Vypeen-Munambam road, another highway connecting to the northern end will help easy evacuation in case of any emergency.

Mr Haneesh said the GIDA had come out with a proposal for 30-m wide new road as an extension of Goshree road towards North and finally joining NH-17. This would be an inter-district road facilitating transportation from the high activity area to the hinterland. It had been estimated that around 85.50 hectares of land would be needed to construct the coastal highway.

As the road alignment was mostly through marshy lands, far away from roads, objections towards land acquisitions would be minimum, he said.

Execution options

Regarding execution of the project, the Collector said several options were available with GIDA. One was to entrust the project to the Union Government, whereby the road comes under the ownership of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The other option was taking it up as a joint venture of GIDA, the Kerala Government, the Union Government, stakeholders (both private and public) and transferring the road to NHAI on completion.

Another option would be to execute the project jointly by GIDA, the State Government and the stakeholders with the road coming under the ownership of GIDA and other stakeholders, with the former owning the road.

The FACT Engineering and Design Organisation (FEDO) was drawing up a detailed project for the proposed coastal highway and Kochi Refineries had donated Rs 3 crore for the project. The Kerala Chief Minister had also agreed to take steps to secure Central assistance for the coastal highway, Mr Haneesh said.

This would be a road connecting the major Union Government projects coming under the port-based SEZ in Puthuvypeen and the Centrally-assisted model fishing harbour at Munambam, he added.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/10/15/stories/2007101551570600.htm