KOCHI: Get set, go! The Infopark Phase III project got off the starting blocks with the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) opening its land-pooling office on Friday.
The launch of the office, located on the second floor of the Park Centre at Infopark Phase I, marks the start of the land-pooling process, wherein the government will consolidate multiple, fragmented land parcels from different owners into a single, large tract.
Minister for Industries P Rajeeve, who inaugurated the office, termed land pooling a “revolutionary change” in the state’s development journey. Land pooling is the most innovative of steps adopted by the government to simplify the land-acquisition process, Rajeeve said.
“As per law, authorities do not require cabinet approval for new projects built using Infopark’s own resources. This will speed up future development activities,” the minister added. Infopark CEO Susanth Kurunthil presented the concept of the proposed Infopark Phase III AI City. “As GCDA moves forward with land acquisition, Infopark will start with the design and software development of the AI City,” he said.
“The primary mission of AI City is to run all basic services on artificial intelligence. The services will be provided through real-time data analysis,” Susanth said.
“A digital nervous system will control activities. Deep tech software technology for the proposed AI City will be developed as much as possible in Kerala. This will facilitate the creation of an ecosystem, including deep tech startups,” he added. IT department special secretary Seeram Sambasiva Rao said the AI City will be a model for the entire country.
GCDA chairman K Chandran Pillai said the endeavour confers the coming generation with “great responsibility” — to make land pooling a success. “The model to be set by this intervention will be very big,” he noted, expressing the hope of completing land acquisition within a short time.
On September 29, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between GCDA and Infopark set the stage for the phase III project. Now, with the opening of the land-pooling office, procedures like identification of landowners on the 300-acre site earmarked in Kizhakkambalam and Kunnathunad panchayats in Ernakulam district will begin. Earlier, the GCDA chairperson had said the aim is to finish land-pooling formalities in less than a year.
