SmartCity Kochi to start construction in November

Dubai's Tecom and partners are planning to start construction of the SmartCity project in Kochi in November, a statement said.The second project monitoring committee meeting of the SmartCity Kochi project was held in Dubai under the Chairmanship of Ahmad Humaid Al Tayer, Member of the Supreme Fiscal Committee of Dubai and attended by Abdul Latheef Al Mulla, Vice-Chairman, SmartCity and Group CEO Tecom, Dr Adnan Chilwan, Deputy CEO, Dubai Islamic Bank, Suresh Kumar, CEO of Emirates NBD Capital, Yousuf Ali M.A., Vice-Chairman of Norka Roots, Government of Kerala, and Dr Baju George, Managing Director, SmartCity.The meeting reviewed the progress of the project and set a time line for the first year's activities and allotted the required funds for the same. As per the reports available, the work on SmartCity Pavilion, which will showcase the various advanced technological advancement of SmartCity Kochi will begin on September 29. This pavilion will also have the offices for the Administrative and Project Management team. "As per our project plan the work on headquarters building will commence on November 19 and the rest of the work will be implemented in a time bound manner," said Abdul Latheef Al Mulla after the meeting.Taking into consideration the importance of the project and need for speedy decisions, the committee decided to induct Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy as an honourable special invitee to the SmartCity Kochi Board. Kerala Ports and Excise Minister K. Babu and Yousuf Ali M.A. have also been made special invitees. "The decisions taken today are very important and will further boost the effective implementation of the project in a mutually beneficial manner" added Dr Baju George. "I am sure, with the inclusion of Kerala CM and the fixing of a dateline for various activities, the project is going in the right direction and we can soon see the positive impact of this in the economic scenario of Kerala" said Yousuf Ali. From / Gulf News