You can check the malta smart city project. They have constructed a building of 5 lakh sq feet in 4 years. But Infopark cud able to contruct around 5.5 laksh sq feet in 18 months. So govt understood that TECOM doesnt have the financial capability to do that. Thats why govt is going to look for other investors. This Smart City itself is just a hype. We dont need Smart Cities in Kochi. We need IT companies like TCS/Wipro/Bosch/HCL etc etc. Smart City cannot ensure any jobs. Only 10000 employees are working in Dubai Internet City itself. So govt is really doubting the financial capability of TECOM. People like OOmmen Chandys or Kunjalikuttys interests was to create a hype to help the real estate business people in and around Kakkanad.

TECOM is not an IT company. They cannot create any jobs. Wipro, TCS etc are IT companies. Thats why govt gave land to them. Govt didnt sell the land to these companies. They have constructed campus on a lease agreement for 90 years. Govt can take over this land after the lease period. If they dont develop the land in s stipulated time, then govt can take over the land. Oomme Chandy tried to sell Infopark to TECOM. Infopark doesnt sell land. It gave land for lease to builders like Brigade and LnT

Govt has not sold any land to Wipro/TCS/Leela. Its a big mistake made by UDF govt to invite TECOM for Smart City. Anyway the present govt did not do the mistake of handing over most of the land in Kakkanad. They had lot of doubts abt TECOM. Not it is prooved that TECOMs financial position is worse than Infopark Kochi. So govt is asking infopark to start the contruction of 2nd phase of Infopark.

Some important points to remember. Bangalore is called as the IT capital of India. In Electronics City Bangalore, aorund 6000 employees are working and the main emplyers are Infosys, Wipro, HCL etc. Infopark is also trying the same model of Electronics City not trying the model of TECOM. I am sure that Infopark can easily achieve the target of bringing more companies to Kochi. TCS had asked for 50 acres of land in Infopark in 2005. They didnt give the land due to this Smart City hype. Actually Kochi lost lot due to this much hyped Smart City. now govt has taken a bold stand to remove TECOM from this project. Govt will look for other private investors for Smart City. In Bangalore builders like RMZ, Prestige and all are proved that. Govt of Kerala has signed an agreement with RMZ for an IT park in Kinfra land in Kakkanad. Govt and people in kerala are not at all interested to give free holding to TECOM. They are not at all a trusty worthy builder. They proved that in the last 3 years.

“Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last Sunday declared that although Claudio Grech and chief financial officer Antoine Portelli had resigned, everything was going ‘according to plan’. MaltaToday analyses the hyped-up start and the potential fall of the SmartCity project”

Read more : http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/07/t6.html

What! The Bus Hartal is not going to take place. OhHHHHHH!!!!  a Sign of Relief !

“Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last Sunday declared that although Claudio Grech and chief financial officer Antoine Portelli had resigned, everything was going ‘according to plan’. MaltaToday analyses the hyped-up start and the potential fall of the SmartCity project”

Read more : http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/10/07/t6.html

The massive efforts of the State Government to develop information technology industry in such a way in the State as to give employment to thousands of educated youth are largely fruitful, although the smart city project has not yet taken off. The insistence of the company Teecom, the chief promoter of the project, for having complete rights over the land stands as a stumbling block. It must not be forgotten that the previous government’s bid to hand over the entire Inforpark to smart city was stalled due to the timely intervention of the LDF. Now the stupendous effort of the government is taking IT industry development in the State to new horizons beyond the smart city.

In spite of the delay in materializing the mega infrastructure IT facility project viz the smart city, the development of IT in the State has been untrammeled. It is making real strides in the State. The latest in a series of IT centres that are built up in the State is the Koratty IT Park which is conveniently located near the Nedumbassery international.airport. The park is coming up in a 30 acre campus and in the first stage itself 70,000 sq.feet area will be developed for IT companies.

The IT park at Koraty will function under Kochi Infopark which is a landmark of IT development in the State like the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark. Previously there were nefarious efforts to bestow the whole of Infopark on the proposed Smart City. But the present government decided to retain Infropark under the government. Since then several IT majors have set up shops at Infopark. At present 45 companies function in a sprawling campus of a hundred acres. Till now 20 lakh sq.feet area has been built up for prospective companies. More than 600 crore has been invested at this centre. Software exports recorded a giant leap in Inforpark. Whereas in 2006 software exports were for a meagre Rs. 79 crores in 2009 it has crossed 400 crores. There has been an addition of 5000 persons in the workforce. A building complex called Athulya is coming up in the infopark.

For the second stage development of Infopark government is acquiring another extent of 160acres. Development in the second stage is conceived in such a manner as to yield 50000/- jobs additionally in the sector. The IT Park at Kundara in Kollam district is coming up under the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark. More than 150 companies do business in Technopark giving employment to more than 20000/- IT professionals accommodated in State-of-the-art office area of 40 lakh sq.feet. The expenditure requirement of an IT company in Technopark is only one third of what is incurred in similar IT parks elsewhere. The third stage of Technopark is coming up in the campus and with its completion there will be complete utilization of the land available here.

Technocity which can be considered as the fourth stage of Technopark is coming up in a 450 acre sprawling area near the present Technopark beside Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam National Highway. The possibilities of IT sector in spite of global economic meltdown have prompted the state government to implement a strategy of decentralized development of IT in the State. Techno lodge conceived as a miniature IT centre at the panchayat level to help small entrepreneurs to set shop has proved immensely successful. The experiment is slated to be replicated in several places.

In order to facilitate IT development in northern part of the State construction of a Cyberpark will be shortly begun at Kozhikode. Under this Cyber Park IT centres will be constructed at Eramath in Kannur and Cheemeni in Kasaragod districts. The construction of technopark at Cherthala, Ambalapuzha and Kundara are under completion. Thus, the objective of the State Governemnt to develop information technology industry in the whole State is under realization. y.