KOCHI: In a significant announcement in line with Kochi’s ambitions to become an IT hub of global standards, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said in a Facebook post that land acquisition measures for the implementation of Infopark phase IV are progressing alongside the land pooling procedures for the Phase III project.
Meanwhile, Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) chairperson Chandran Pillai said the land pooling process will get an official seal when GCDA signs an MoU with Infopark on September 29 in the presence of the chief minister in Thiruvananthapuram.
The CM posted: “Adding another bright chapter to the development story of Kerala, the third phase of Infopark in Kochi is becoming a reality. Keeping in view the needs of the future, Infopark has been envisioned as an AI technology-controlled township.
The Phase 3 township will have 20 million square feet of IT space spread over an area of 300 acres. It will have residential zone, educational institutions, and healthcare institutions. State-of-the-art facilities will also be provided for waste management.
The project is planned to be implemented through land pooling under the leadership of GCDA. It is expected that Infopark Phase III will also create employment opportunities for about two lakh
people. Along with this, the steps for land acquisition for Infopark Phase IV are also progressing. Once these two phases become a reality, Kochi will become the IT hub that the world is looking forward to.”
Chandran Pillai told TNIE that 100 acres will be dedicated to the development of IT infrastructure.
“The remaining 200 acres will have a residential zone, commercial zone, education and healthcare zone, cultural zone, utility zone, transportation zone, and an STP SWP district cooling centre,” he said.
As for further expansion of the IT park, as discussed in the recently held Kerala Urban Conclave, the chairperson said GCDA is positive about increasing the land outlay to 600 acres. “However, when we go ahead with such an idea, we have to think of various aspects, including the continuity of the geographic layout.
This is very important when it comes to the expansion of an IT park. Our first step is to make the land pooling model, which is being undertaken for the first time in the state, a success. We will succeed, and once that happens, further expansion plans will be undertaken,” he added.