Central nod to Chennai-model Kochi Metro rail

The Ministry of Urban Development has reportedly given approval to model the Kochi Metro rail on the lines of Chennai Metro rail.

A draft in this regard has been prepared by the Cabinet.

There will be no private participation in the project. The amount which was earmarked for the project will be increased to Rs. 5,016 crore from Rs. 1,886 crore, as 51 percentage of the amount will be taken by way of loan.

The project will be submitted before the Cabinet only after receiving a nod from the Finance Ministry.

Kochi to get country's first health mall

A one-stop solution for all medical and health needs -- from doctors, hospitals, ayurveda centres, pharmacies and even insurance referral units -- will open in a 10-storied mall in this Kerala city.

The BCG group, a Rs.500-crore business conglomerate, is building the country's first multidisciplinary health mall here and it will be open by August, a company official said Thursday.

Spread over 110,000-square feet, the mall will include retail stores dealing with pharmacy, optical ware, skin care products, cosmetics, ayurvedic, herbal, organic, health foods, health and medical equipment, Rekha C. Babu, CEO of BCG Group, told reporters.

A separate floor will be for allied services where medical colleges, hospitals, ayurvedic centres and insurance companies can set up their referral centres.
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Kochi Vallarpadam container terminal Corporate Videos

ICTT Inauguration - Cochin Port - Video
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PM inaugurates Vallarpadam Container Terminal

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dedicated to the nation the Rs 3,200-crore International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at nearby Vallarpadam, a major expansion project of Cochin Port Trust. The rail and road projects were also inaugurated by the prime minister.

Governor R S Gavai, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, Defence Minister A K Antony, Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, Union Ministers Prof K V Thomas, Dr C P Joshy, G K Vasan, Mukul Roy, E Ahamed, Mullappally Ramachandran, K C Venugopal, Kochi Port Trust chairman N Ramachandran took part in the inaugural function. Representatives from Dubai led by D P World chairman Sultan Ahamed bin Sulyaminray attended the function.
Dr Singh in his inaugural speech said the Vallarpadam terminal will develop the district. He opined that along with the project, the water transport should be given importance.

Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, who spoke on the occasion, requested the PM to take personal interest in fulfilling the Kochi metro and Palakaad railway coach factory projects.
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PM to inaugurate Kochi international container terminal tomorrow

India's first International Container Trans-shipment Terminal (ICTT) in the Special Economic Zone at nearby Vallarpadam Island is all set to be dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.

The total cost of the first and second phase of the terminal is pegged at around Rs 6,250 crore. When completed, the terminal will be able to handle 4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of cargo per annum. The first phase of the project is ready to handle one million TEUs per annum.

The project will be operated by Dubai Port World (DPW) and aims to make Kochi a key centre in the shipping world, reducing India's dependence on foreign ports to handle trans-shipment requirements, Cochin Port sources said.

Once fully developed, the ICTT, a part of the expansion project at the Cochin Port, would be the largest individual terminal in India. As part of the project, India's longest railway bridge -- 4.62 km long -- was set up over the Vembanad Lake, thereby establishing rail connectivity to Vallarpadam from the mainland.

Port sources said ICTT will generate additional employment opportunities, facilitate investment flow to the tune of Rs 7,500 crore and help in the development of port-based industries to transform Kochi into an economic hub. However, the project is being commissioned at a time when the 326 families that were evicted for setting up the terminal at Vallarpadam are yet to get a roof over their head. Former Supreme Court Judge V R Krishna Iyer has said the move to commission the project without rehabilitating the evictees was 'shameful'.
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Vallarpadam container terminal to be inaugurated on Feb 11

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh willdedicate to the nation on February 11 the Rs 3,200-croreInternational Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at nearbyVallarpadam, a major expansion project of Cochin Port Trust.

Dubai Ports World (DPW), the terminal''s operator, hadcompleted construction of the modern terminal which would havestate-of-the-art cargo handling equipment, Cochin Port TrustChairman N Ramachandran told reporters here.


As per the agreement between CPT and DPW, the constructionof the terminal, its equipment and operations would be theresponsibility of DPW while the port would ensure road andrail connectivity to the project site and deepening of theshipping channels.
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Vyttila Mobility Hub

Vyttila Mobility Hub is an integrated transit terminal in the city of Kochi.. It is designed as a converging point of various forms of public transportation, such as local and long distance buses, metro rail and water transport. The first phase, consisting of the terminal for long distance buses and the basic amenities, started construction in December, 2010. When fully implemented, it will have facility to integrate all modes of public transportation, as well as for shopping, entertainment and hospitality.


The tenders for the construction of first phase has been granted to Nagarjuna constructions from among seven companies which submitted tenders. The selection was on account of quoting the lowest amount for the execution of the project and the first phase of the project be completed by February 2011. After completion it will be largest bus terminus in the Kerala state and third largest in South India.


Work on Vytilla mobility hub inaugurated
State Fisheries Minister S. Sarma inaugurated the construction work of Vytila Mobility Hub in Kochi today. The project aims at solving a good share of commuting problems in the city by creating amenities in and around the Vytilla Junction, by integrating different modes of transport like roadways, metro rail, railways and waterways.

From Vytilla, public transport systems can provide connectivity with the western and eastern parts of the city, West Kochi, and also regional hubs like Vypeen, Palarivattom, Kakkanad, Thripunithura and Aroor. Vytilla is also well- connected with National Highways 47, 17 and 49, the seaport and the airport.

The proposed metro rail passes through the junction and National Waterway III is located close by. By basing operations in Vytilla, the KSRTC and private buses would be able to save huge amounts on fuel, apart from the time saved in not entering the city. Thus, the Vytilla mobility hub has evolved as a natural remedy and is envisioned as a long-term solution to Kochi’s transporting problems.

http://www.vyttilamobilityhub.com

Sobha Hi-Tech City:Rs 5,000 cr Kochi project on course

Bangalore-based realty major Sobha Developers has said its Rs 5,000 crore hi-tech city project in Kochi is delayed as the company is awaiting clearances from the central government.

While necessary state approvals are in, the clearances from the Centre under the Coastal Regulation Management Act and environmental clearances are yet to be attained, Sobha Developers senior official Mr Mathew Francis said. The mega project was to come up at Maradu village on Kochi outskirts.

“On receipt of these clearances only, the master plan for the project can be submitted for final approval,” Mr Francis, who is the area head, said.

Way back in August 2007, Sobha had inked an MoU with Kerala to build a Rs 5,000 crore ‘Sobha Hi-Tech City’ The pact involved the company developing a 400 acre and the state had agreed to bring the project under single-window clearance, besides agreeing t o provide electricity, gas, water, sewerage system, telecom etc.

The project would offer seven million sqft of knowledge park, shopping malls and avenues, hotels, resorts and leisure and entertainment facilities, residential complexes and all related infrastructure including world-class marina.

On completion, the ‘Sobha Hi-Tech City’ is expected generate 75,000 direct jobs. The project was initially proposed to be completed in eight years.

On the heels of company selling its 50 acres in prime Pune IT corridor for Rs 114 crore, a section of media has reported that the company was thinking of monetising the huge swathe of land near the commercial capital of Kerala.

Dismissing these reports as baseless, Mr Francis said that the company is not abandoning the mega project.

If stayed on course, this would be one of the largest investments in the otherwise investment-starved Kerala.

Meanwhile, the first phase of Sobha City in neighbouring Thrissur is is already complete, Mr Francis said.

The Sobha City spans over 55 acres and consists of 18 lakh sq ft of residential space and over five lakh sq ft of commercial space. The group has 80 acres of land in Thrissur and it is awaiting government approval for the remaining 25 acres.

Mr Francis said the company reported a two-fold jump in net profit at Rs 58.9 crore for the quarter ended September. - PTI

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