Road Repair Works in Cochin Started

At last the Corporation of Cochin has decided to do some repair works on the road, but so far the repair works has been too pathetic. Instead of tarring the road properly, they are just focusing on doing patch works, which have made the travel more miserable than before.

They have just scattered some stones and sandwiched it with a roller and there is not smoothness in riding a vehicle along this road. Let us hope that the corporation would do a neat tarring once the patch work is completed. Otherwise this maintenance work would be in vein as it would be washed away in the next heavy rain.

Tarring works  have started in the highway also as there were huge potholes which made it really dangerous to drive vehicles especially two wheelers. But the quality of these tarring would be visible only after the next two or three heavy rains.

Kochi SmartCity Construction Works to Start in November

As per the latest news, Dubai's Tecom and partners are planning to start the construction of the prestigious SmartCity project in Kochi by November.

The second project monitoring committee meeting of the SmartCity Kochi project was held yesterdat in Dubai under the Chairmanship of Ahmad Humaid Al Tayer, Member of the Supreme Fiscal Committee of Dubai. The meeting was also by  prominent persons such asAbdul 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 SmartCity Kochi project and set a time line for the activities that is supposed to be completed in the first year. The meeting also allotted the required funds for the same. As per the reports from various sources, the construction works of the Kochi SmartCity project would start on 29th September. As per the project plan the work on the headquarters building of the Cochin SmartCity project would start from November 19th and the committee  have also included Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy as a special invitee to the SmartCity Kochi board. Apart from Oommen Chandy, Kerala Ports and Excise Minister K. Babu and Yousuf Ali M.A. have also been included as special invitees.

As per Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, things are moving fast and work would begin next month according to the time table  and all the hitches seems to be over enough to make the SmartCity Kochi project move on a fast track.

It was Shri Oommen Chandy who had first finalised the proposed mega IT project during  his previous tenure as the Chief Minister of Kerala.  But unfortunately during the Left Democratic Front reign, headed by V.S. Achuthanandan  nothing else happened except for the foundation stone laid for the project.

Cruise Tourism is Back in Cochin

With the country’s first cruise liner AMET Cruises launching its operations from the first week of October, Kochi is all set to welcome the prestigious cruise tourism. The M V AMET Majesty will be initially setting sail from Kochi to Maldives, Lakshwadeep and  would also be undertaking a cruise on the high sea.

The M V AMET Majesty would sail from Kochi to Maldives (four nights), Kochi-Lakshadweep (two nights) every week and would also operate one high-sea trip during the night for those trying something new for holidaying.

The AMET cruise has introduced a new and unique holiday format, recreation and entertainment in the country. Before, the only the foreign cruise liners used to visit the Indian ports  and were always focused towards the rich people. But now AMET cruise has come out with the rightly priced packages which bring cruise tourism options within the reach of the urban middle class. The minimum price for the cruise would be around Rs 5,000 per person for a night and port charges. Special packages would be offered for those who book the cruise in advance.

The AMET cruise is planning to operate throughout the year and would operate in the west coast from October to March and in the east coast from April to September.

Some of the features of the AMET cruise include dance floor, disco casinos, show lounges bars, swimming pool, barbeque, conference room, kids’ zone, event floor for business meets, seminars, trade shows, anniversaries and social gatherings. Apart from these the cruise comes with luxurious state rooms, suites and stag cabins.

Major Benefits of the Kochi - Mangalore Gas Pipeline

The much awaited Kochi-Konjirkod-Bangalore-Mangalore pipeline will become a reality soon as Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) had received the authorization for laying the Kochi-Kanjirkkod-Bangalore-Mangalore pipeline from Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 2007. Now the company has started land acquiring process for this purpose and the 3,700 crore project involving 1,114km long pipeline from Aluva to Kanjikode, Kanjikode to Palakkad, Kanjikode to Mangalore and from Palakkad to Bangalore, would be implemented in two stages.

Some of the major benefits of the Kochi Mangalore gas pilpeline are

1) Uninterrupted power supply
The Kochi - Mangalore gas pipeline would be offering uninterrupted power supply to all industrial units and business establishments which would be paving the way for the overall development of the area

2) Cheap and Quality Power Gas
The Kochi - Mangalore gas pipeline would also provide quality and cheap power and gas.

3) LPG trucks would disappear from the roads and as a result transportation would become cheaper

4) LNG is much safer than LPG

5) Domestic gas will be supplied through pipeline under the city gas scheme in the major cities like Cochin,
Mangalore, Coimbatore  in the future.  This city gas scheme is supposed to cover over 200 cities in India.

6) LNG is environmental friendly and as a result it would lead to green and clean city with almost 25% reduction in environment pollution

7) Helps in making the import of crude oil to come down by almost 10 per cent

India’s First International biennale to be Hosted in Cochin

India’s first international Biennale in November next year is all set to be hosted in Cochin which would be pushing Kerala's tourism appeal to new heights. A record number of 1.3 million visitors from across the world are expected to meet at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale during the three months. The event would begin on November 2012 in the heritage zones of the city in order to view works by some 75 artists from 45 countries as part of a visual arts festival taking place in Kochi and Muziris. Both Kochi and Muziris are an area  which boasts of rich and unique culture and history.

The chief promoters of the event are in talks with many corporate houses on behalf of  sponsorship including household brands such  as car companies and leading banks. All these companies are interested in supporting the event and  the promoters are hoping to forge long-term relationships with them for at least three biennales. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is inspired by the world’s oldest Biennale in Venice, and aims to bring together superstars in the art world across the globe and young budding local talents in the centuries old city which boasts of rich legacies of Europe, Africa, South East and Far East Asian and as well as China.

The legendary Muziris port city which  existed until the flood of 1341, was discovered during the recent excavations at the nearby region in Kodungalloor. Kerala government is planning to build a tourism circuit in the near future. Muziris is actually known as the gateway to Judaism, Christianity and Islam in India and  its rich maritime history dates back to 1st century BC. The biennale comes in handy for the Kerala which wields its soft power to attract tourists.

The Kochi Biennale Foundation will be restoring the heritage buildings built by the Dutch, Portuguese, the English and the local Maharajahs to their past glory and would be left to the participating artists to exhibit their works. The cost of the maiden edition of the Biennale is estimated to be at Rs750 million and the state government would be offering a part of financial support for the same.

Kochi Metro Launches its Own Website

After  the huge uncertainty regarding the ambitious Kochi Metro rail project, the official website of the Cochin Metro rail project was launched by the Kerala Power Minister, Shri Aryadan Muhammed at Thiruvananthapuram on July 26, 2011. The launch of the website marks a major milestone in the progress of this high priority and prestigious project for Kerala.

The official website for Kochi Metro can be accessed at http://www.kochimetro.org and the website gives detailed information about the project and its implementation. Descriptions on the necessity of the Cochin metro rail project, the aim and target of the project, its detailed plan, technical data, major specialities, land needed for the project, details of land acquisition and rehabilitation facilities etc are provided in the website. The government hopes that the website launch would be a one-stop-shop for all the information that is related to the Kochi Metro project. The officials also hope that the web site would help in creating awareness on the project among the people in Kochi.

The launch of the Kochi Metro website is also a  part of the Chief Minister’s initiative to have transparency in government projects.  Tenders, GO’s, circulars and other major documents that are related to the project will also be uploaded on to the website in due course of time. The route map of the proposed metro rail line is also provided in the website.

Cochin to Male Ferry Service to Start Soon

A bi-weekly passenger-cum-ferry service between Cochin and Male (Maldives) will be starting soonn. Initially the ferry service between Cochin and Male is to be run by a private operator but facilities on either port of call should be arranged by the concerned ports.

Request for Proposal (RFP) documents along with possible terms and conditions for the service are to be considered and approved by the nodal Ministries of India and Male. Ministry of Shipping, Government of India and the Ministry of Transport and Communication, Government of Male will be initiating work on getting all necessary clearances to operationalise the ferry service at the earliest. Pending finalization of the RFP, the two sides will invite Expressions of Interests (EoI) from interested private parties for starting this ferry service. Shipping Corporation of India under the Ministry of Shipping would be assisting on the technical aspects in operationalising the service.

New Traffic Regulations in Cochin City

Based on Metro Analysis discussions held yesterday between Kochi Metro officials and District administration along with other stakeholders like City Police, Municipal council officials, Corporation the traffic to the city is planned to be streamlined once the North Railway Over Bridge (ROB) will be partly demolished for the purpose of reconstruction.

The City Traffic Police in Cochin presented he following proposals, which is submitted for Approval from the District Administration.

1. There will be traffic curbs and restrictions from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM in all parts of the Cochin city, particularly in North ROB-Kaloor area.

2. Buses plying from Kaloor Bus stand and KSRTC Buses operating to South, Boat Jetty Bus station should ply over partly demolished North ROB

3. Buses plying from Kakkanad side, operating via Edappally, will have to use  the Palarivattom Round and take diversion to Thammam road, enter into the MG Road, via TP road.
4) KSRTC Buses from Northern sides, bound to KSRTC Station in Rajaji Road, after servicing at Kaloor Bus stand, should  take diversion to Kaloor Kadavanthara road via Kathrikadavu Overbridge and enter into City via South Overbridge and reach Rajaji Road through MG Road.

5. Buses plying in Aluva-Fort Kochi route or buses from Aluva to MG Road, Chittoor Road etc should enter the city via Container road, by taking exit at Kalamasserry.

6. Non Commercial vehicles like private cars etc from the CBD to Kaloor, Edappally side, must ply thro' Chittoor Road-Ayyappankavu-Pottakuzhi-Elamakkara and reach Kaloor.

7. All Heavy commercial vehicles like freight lorries etc are banned from entering into the city during the peak hours. Heavy vehicles, containers etc are allowed to enter CBD only after 9:00 PM and must exit before 7:00 AM. And those operating, must operate via Container terminal road or South ROB.

A few roads will also  be declared as One Way roads, such as

1. Kacheripady-Valanjambalam stretch of the Chittoor Road
2. C.P Ummer Road which will be one way from North to south direction
3. St.Benatick Road will be one way from West side to East

Parkings will be prohibited in these roads and few stretches from Edappally to Banerjee Road side as well as in KK Road.

CREDAI Kerala Property Show in Cochin from July 29

The Kochi Chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India(CREDAI) is  a body of real estate developers representing over 6,000 developers. The Kochi Chapter would be organising the CREDAI Kerala Property Show at Marine Drive from July 29th to  31st.

As per M V Antony,  the Chairman of CREDAI, CERA would be the main sponsor and will showcase 47 builders, seven banks and major home- accessory manufacturers in 87 stalls covering 32,000 sq ft. Apart from these, there will also  be displays of imported street cleaning machines, the CREDAI Clean City E-toilet and other stalls showing the centralised solid waste management system in apartments and gated colonies, which are part of its much anticipated corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity, the CREDAI Clean City Movement.

There will also be various competitions for adults and kids such as ‘Home interior photo session’ and ‘My dream home painting' and the shows will be from 10 am to 8 pm. Union Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi would be inaugurating the property show at 3 pm on July 29. The Show would be the largest property show of its kind in Kerala  and would help Kochiites to choose their dream homes. The Clean City Movement is a major initiative of CREDAI’s CSR activities and has been initiated to upgrade the civic amenities in Cochin.

Hi-Tech Double-Decker Boats Coming Soon in Cochin

Hi-tech double-decker boats will be coming soon in Cochin and would be flaunted by the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA). The arrival of double decker boats would offer you an opportunity to have a  luxurious ride across the backwaters of Kochi. The air-conditioned double-decker boats would be launched by GIDA in December. The double decker boat service would be connecting the major islands of the city.

The GIDA would be using its own funds for the purchase of the double decker boats and the cost is estimated  to be around Rs 60 lakh. A tender will be called soon to identify the best suited agency for the construction of the boat. The Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO) would also be helping in the preparation of the tender. A technical committee would scrutinize the tenders and the committee will be consisting experts from the water transport sector.

The double-decker boats in Cochin would be the most modern type and navigable even through shallow waters with a depth of around 80 cm. The upper deck of the boat will be fully air-conditioned and will connect Ernakulam-Willingdon Island-Mattanchery-Fort Kochi islands. At the same time GIDA is planning to begin ferry services to Bolgatty, Vallarpadam, Mulavukadu, Kadamakkudy and Vypeen.  New boat jetties would also be constructed in areas which lack basic facilities to support the boat services.

The Kochi Corporation is also planning to purchase new hi-tech boats under the Jawaharlal Nehru national Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). If both the projects are carried out  in a timely manner, they will surely be uplifting the water transport sector and help solve the travel woes of the islanders.

Oceanarium to be Launched near Cochin by Kerala Fisheries

India's first oceanarium is all set to be launched in Cochin which will serve as a major tourism attraction in Kochi. The project is an initiative of Kerala's Fisheries Resource Management Society (FIRMA)  and is supposed to be set up on 40 acres of government land at Puthuvype in Cochin.

Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (KSIDC) has been engaged by the government as bid manager for the project. The prestigious oceanarium project in Cochin envisages setting up a state-of-the-art fourth generation oceanarium and focuses on creating awareness about marine environment and biodiversity.


The proposed oceanarium project in Cochin would be offering unique underwater experience by showcasing aquarium alley, deep-sea tunnel, shark tank, polar pavilion,  touch tank and other entertainment facilities. A consortium of Jacques RougerieArchitecte France and Mahindra Consulting Engineers Limited has completed the detailed feasibility study and report and has also undertaken conceptual design of this project. The oceanarium project with an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore would be rolled out on Design, Built, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis through a strong and competitive bidding process.

The first stage of the selection process  would involve qualification of bidders in accordance with the provisions of Request for Qualification (RFQ). Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (KSIDC) will soon release the RFQ in order to shortlist the qualified applicants for awarding the project through competitive bidding process.

Two Offshore vessels Launched by Cochin Shipyard Limited

Cochin Shipyard Limited has launched 2 Offshore Support vessels named BY 80, an Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel for Shipping Corporation of India and BY 84 , a Platform Supply Vessel for M/s Brage Supplier, Norway. The official declaration of the vessel launch was held at a simple function held at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).

Cochin Shipyard Limited has 34 Ships on order and had achieved a annual turnover of Rs 1462 crores during 2010-11. In the previous year the turn over for CSL was Rs 1417 crores. The Net Profit for Cochin Sihpyard was Rs 227.53  crores for 2010-11 where as it was Rs 223.04 crores for the previous year.

Cochin Shipyard has posted an impressive performance for the fifth year in a row in 2010-11 and is much more creditable in the light of withdrawal of government subsidy to ship building since August of 2007. At the Annual General Meeting of CSL held on  July 14th 2011 the company has declared a dividend of Rs 16.86 crores for the financial year 2010-11.

The ships were launched by Shri V Radhakrishnan, Director (Technical) in the presence of Cmde K Subramaniam, Chairman and Managing Director and Shri Ravikumar Roddam, Director (Finance).

BY 80, which is to be named SCI Urja is the last of a series of 4 Nos. 120T Bollard Pull Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessels that is being built for M/s Shipping Corporation of India Ltd., Mumbai . The vessel is of the AH03 design, designed by STX Europe and is classified under the Rules and Regulations of American Bureau of Shipping under Dual Class with the Indian Register of Shipping. The 66 x 16 M vessel is well equipped with a 300 Metric Tonnes Anchor Handling winch, Dynamic Positioning Grade 1 and fire fighting Grade 1. The vessel is capable of all normal offshore supply functions and has a capacity of 29 persons accommodation. The vessel also meets the requirements of ERRV Group C (Emergency Rescue & Response Vessel), vessel which will help in the standby and rescue functions in case of an Oil field exigency. Upon the delivery the vessel will fly the Indian Flag and will be registered at Mumbai.

BY 084 is the last of a series of 4 Nos Platform Supply vessel of type PSV 09 CD  which is designed by STX Europe  and is being built for M/s Brage Supplier, Norway. The vessel is a modern large Diesel Electric PSV which is designed to cater to all needs of the Offshore oil and gas industry. The 86 x 19 Metre vessel easily meets the highest levels of environmental safety that is denoted by the CLEAN DESIGN notation of M/s Det Norske Veritas. The vessel provides accommodation for 44 persons in addition to the normal offshore supply operations The vessel is also capable of carrying methanol and is fitted with fire Fighter grade 1 equipment. This vessel is equipped with a Dynamic positioning Grade 2 equipment.

International meet on advances in computing at Rajagiri College

The Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology (RSET) would be organising an international conference based ib  ‘Advances in Computing and Communication’ which will start onJuly 22nd and end on July 24th.

The conference will be providing a forum which is aimed for sharing insights, experiences and information on various facets of the latest and evolving technologies and other patterns related to computer science, information technology and electronics. The conference also aims at offering an invaluable opportunity for interaction among students, researchers and practitioners in the respective fields.

As many as 300 papers have been selected in the conference and these 300 papers are selected from over 700 papers received from 38 different countries. The conference at Rajagiri College will include technical sessions, workshops, tutorials and demonstration sessions.

Workshops are also being conducted on topics such as Trust Management in P2P systems,  Cloud Computing, Multimedia Streaming, Identity Management and Signal Processing. Tutorials on Macintosh Forensics, Network Forensics and Next Generation Cloud Computing are some of the other major highlights of the event. Achuthsankar S Nair, Director of State Inter-University Centre of Excellence in Bioinformatics, Kerala University, will be inaugurating the conference on July 22 on the RSET campus, Kakkanad.

Rs 250 crore to Be Invested by Asset Homes in the Next Two Years

Asset Homes, the Cochin based real estate company will be investing Rs 250 in the coming two years as a part of commissioning its nine ongoing projects. As per K A Mohamed Salim, the Managing Director of Asset Homes, the company is planning to expand its business into the major south Indian cities such as Chennai and Bangalore.

The new projects that are proposed in Kerala would be coming at locations such as Kozhikode, Kannur,  Thrissur and Kottayam. Of these the projects at Kozhikode and Kottayam would be commenced in the next two months. Besides these the company would also be launching five premium residential projects  in the major locations of Ernakulam district such as Aluva, Palarivattam, Cheranalloor, Pallimukku, Jawahar Nagar and Kalamassery.

The company will soon launch a project named Picasso Palette at Devalokam Kottayam and this would be followed by a second project at Kanjikuzhy.

Asset Homes boasts of completing and delivering 23 projects in 46 months. Asset Ipulse near Infopark, Kakkanad is their 24th project which is supposed to be launched on July 23.

Monsoon Book Fest at Cochin Started

Book reading is a habit that most of us have ignored in the current lifestyle. Only a few people take time to read books and most of the others are engaged in other hitech activities such as watching movie, browsing internet and so on. Book reading was once a ingredient time pass of the majority of us, but the technological advances have seen a major dip in the book reading habits of people. In Kerala also, the situation is not different. But still there are some good guys who haven't given up the habit of reading books and they try to spend some good time reading quality books.

In Cochin also there are some people who still goes on with their book reading habit and are really fond of good books. For those who are still interested in reading new books, there is a grand and good news for them. The Monsoon Book Fest has started at the DC Books, Panampilly Nagar in Cochin and is there to stay for almost for the next 20 days. The Monsoon Book Fest at DC Books in Panampilly Nagar started on July 1st and would be there till 25th of July. This book fest in Cochin offers a wide range of books in English and Malayalam for the reader and also provides other attractions such as conducting a daily lucky draw contest. Apart from this they are also offering decent discount for the books that are being showcased at the exhibition.

So if you are addicted or serious about books, then you should surely visit this book fest at Cochin. There are still 20 days left and you will be getting plenty of time to plan your visit. Below given is the address for the venue where the Cochin Monsoon Book Fest is happening.

DC Books,
The Kairali Co-operative Housing Society,
South end Panampilly Nagar. 
Cochin

You can also call 9745604781 (Mr Rajeev) for more details bout the Monsoon Book Fest at Cochin.

Railway Water Tank Wagon Derailed in Cochin

A railway water tank wagon got derailed in Cochin and since there was no other trains in the nearby rail a great disaster got avoided. The water tank wagon was going from the maintenance yard near Kathrikkadavu to Ernakulam south railway station when the accident occurred near the Kathrikkadavu bridge in Cochin.

The train had 16 wagons and it was the 9th wagon which got derailed and fortunately the wagon did not carry water that time. The wagon used to carry water from Aluva to the maintenance yard in Ernakulam. The train was going to fill water when the incident occurred. A crane had to be deployed to put the wagons back on track by the evening.

Cochin Weather Now at its Best

The continuous rain seems to have stopped in Cochin and as a results the Cochin weather seems to be at its best.  The sun is out there consistently since a week and this has made a huge respite for those in Cochin. The recent continuous monsoon rains had made the life miserable in Cochin and since it has stopped for a few days, those staying in Cochin are able to go smoothly with their daily works. Those visiting Cochin would also be able to enjoy the charm of Cochin in a much better way.

The sunny days in Cochin would make sure that the water logging inside the city recedes for the time being so that we can travel to and fro in Cochin without any difficulty. The bad thing is that after the first phase of the heavy monsoon session all the major roads in the city have been damaged and this makes traveling difficult. The bad thing is that we would have to wait till the end of the monsoon season, before the authorities do anything to repair the damaged roads of Cochin. And that would take almost four to five months from now.

But in the mean time we can enjoy this small break by visiting some of the hot spots in Cochin with our family or friends, before the next session of monsoon arrives. Even though this is not the perfect season for tourism in Cochin, we can make use of the small rain breaks to enjoy some of the best tourist destinations in Cochin. One can spend their leisure time at some of the top attractions of Cochin such as the back waters, a walk through the Marine Drive, visiting Fort Kochi, Tripunithura Hill Palace, Mattancherry Palace, Jewish Synagogue, Bolgatty Palace etc.

There are still many tourist hot spots in Cochin, that are not mentioned above and each of them are suited for people having different tastes and interests. Make sure that you visit these places before the weather in Cochin gets affected by the second phase of monsoon. Also don't forget to carry your camera along with you, so that you do not miss out on capturing the beauty of Cochin at its best.

Cochin Gets a New Logistics Hub

A major initiative is being shaping up to set up a Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWS) at the Wellington Island in Cochin this move is done in an effort to develop Willingdon Island as a logistics hub. The proposed Free Trade Warehousing Zone would be considered as a part of the master plan being prepared for the redevelopment and redesign of Wllingdon Island.

The idea behind this is to have a free trade warehousing zone which would be a global trading hub that links logistics and supply chain. The FTWS would be used  as a major source of warehousing for different products, logistics and distribution centre along with one-top clearance for export and import of goods and materials.

One of the major plus point that Wellington Island has as far as the new FTWS is concerned are the geo strategic location and is prominent water frontage. The proposed FTWS would be set up on an area of 100 acres and Cochin Port Trust has offered more flexibility, reduced tax rates and ease for operation for the FTWS project. The Cochin Port trust also plans to have a number of industries here once Wellington Island is elevated to a complete logistic hub. Two major industries that is expected to come at this Zone are tea and electronics.

Tea processing and its packaging and exports would be carried out from this Free Trade Warehousing Zone. Some of the major advantages of starting tea industry at FTWS is the proximity of Munnar tea gardens, the presence of major players such as Tata Tetley and the  tax deduction offered by SEZ

The electronic industry also has the same advantage as that of the tea industry. The electronics facility that is expected to come up at FTWS would act as an interlinking point for international suppliers and dealers along with the dealers and manufacturers in the country. For the electronic industry major activities such as packaging, re-packing, relabelling and consolidation would be carried out within the zone.

The warehousing facility which is planned to come up here will also be suited for ship ancillaries, food and beverages and furniture. Some of the major features of the warehouse include customized storage capability, sanitized and temperature controlled environment which would be made moisture and dust-free along with land, air and water connectivity.

Second Phase of Infopark Development Approved

In a meeting held on Monday involving the board of directors of Infopark Cochin, the second phase of Infopark development has got approval. The second phase of development includes 160 acres of land which is spread over Kunnathunadu and Puthencruz villages. Since the board has approved the expansion plans of Infopark, the second phase activities can be launched at the earliest. The preliminary works are supposed to be started in a couple of weeks.

Some of the major personals who attended the meeting included T Balakrishnan (Additional Chief Secretary Holding charge of Information Technology, Industries and Commerce), Alkesh Sharma, S Ramnath and Gigo Joseph. The land development works has been given to a major Cochin based construction company. Out of the 160 acres, 130 acres of land acquisition has been completed, where as the remaining lands are facing some sorts of legal issues.

The Board of Approval of the Union Ministry of Commerce had already granted special economic zone (SEZ) status to almost 31 acres of the area. The second phase of Infopark expansion is considered to bring about 80,000 jobs. The second phase is again planned to be completed in three phases. A software development block, a BPO complex and a convention center is planned to be set up initially.

The total investment for the second phase of Infopark development is estimate to be around Rs 2500 crore. Out of this Rs 475 crore would be invested by Infopark in the next 3 years. The second phase development of Infopark is also expected to provide a built up space of 8 million square feet.

Water and Power Supply to Be Interrupted in Cochin

The water supply to the areas in West Cochin would be interrupted on WEdnesday and Thursday as the realigning work on the pipes in  connection with the approach road for the newly constructed build at Venduruthy is taking place. The power supply would also be interrupted today between 9 AM to 5.30 PM due to some maintenance works. The areas that would be affected by the power supply include Karippalam, Thariyath, Shemabhava, Manja Bhagavathy, Mahiralapally, Chakkarayidukku, Bazaar road, Palliyarakavu, T D School, Cherlai, Kottukulam, Royal Gujarathi Road, Kombara Junction ,Palace Road, Homeo Hospital Road, CBI Road, Madavana Juncton, M G Road, Foreshore Road, Old Thevara Road, Jawahar Road, Pallumukku, AKG Road etc.

Cochin Seaport - Airport Waterway Project to Commence Soon

The much awaited prestigious project that connects the city of Cochin to the international airport at Nedumbaserry via the water network will commence in the month of August. The Seaport-Airport waterway will be connecting the city of Cochin to the airport through the waterway that stretches from the High Court jetty to the international airport in Nedumabassery. The prestigious project is expected to be completed within 18 months and the estimated cost of this project is Rs 107 crore.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) would the implementing agency of this project  and would be doing it with support from the Irrigation Department. The project will be covering a total area of 49.5-km stretch and the total distance will be covered as three different parts. One would be from Cochin Seaport to Eloor, another one from Eloor to Kanjoor and the third one from Kanjoor to Airport. The primary connection, in the first phase, will be the area from Cochin Seaport to Eloor, which is a  23-km stretch and is a part of the national waterway 3 (NW3) maintained by IWAI. Currently country boats are plying on this route.

The second phase of the project will be connecting Eloor to Kanjoor, which is a stretch of 26 km and is part of the famous river Periyar. Protection work of river banks is to be done at some portions and there are also some other thing to do to ensure safety through this route.

The third phase is a 500 metre final reach is a tributary of river Periyar known as Chengalthodu which is extensively silted. The development proposed through this route is deepening and widening of the existing Chengalthodu tributary requires extensive desilatation.

Once this project is completed, Kochi will become the first major port in India which have a direct inland waterway connectivity to the Airport. Another major benefit of this project is that it does not require any displacement or rehabilitation as there is no private property involved in the areas that the project is supposed to take place.

The project would also be surely going to give a major boost in the tourism development on the city. Another major advantage of this project is that the cargo movement through this connectivity will be very much economical and hence the cargo traffic in this region would also get a major uplift. By shifting the movement of goods items from roads to the waterways, the traffic congestion on the roads can be minimized to a certain extent.

Used Cars in Cochin - Where to Search for?

One of my friend needs a second hand car and he was searching for the last couple of months, but in vain. He couldn't find a car that matches his requirement and budget. He also contacted me regarding the availability of used cars, and we both went to several places to see different cars. But still my friend is not satisfied with them due to different reasons.

He is actually looking out for used Maruti cars, and in Cochin the chances of getting a good used Maruti car is more than in the rural areas. I have heard that there are certain showrooms in Cochin which sells used cars, but am not sure which one is the best. I see a lot of advertisements in the newspaper regarding showrooms which offers second hand cars for sale in Cochin.

Is it worthy buying cars from these showrooms, or should we need to take a mechanic along with us while visiting the showroom to check the condition of these cars. Do these showrooms do basic services on these cars before selling? If anybody have any idea about the best used car showroom in Cochin, please let me know through the comment section. The guy is looking for  Maruti models such as Alto and Zen which are in good condition and his budget is around 1.5 lakhs.

Bail Appeal for Apple Realtors Rejected by Court

The Eranakulam Principal Sessions Court on Thursday has rejected the bail Apple Realtors who have foxed hundreds of people, including several  NRIs, of money worth more than 1 billion Indian Rupees. The managing director  and  the director of the Cochin based Apple A Day Properties Ltd are the major culprits behind this real estate scandal. As per the police they have received around 250 complaints against the company so far and most of them have come from people who had paid the firm Rs 500,000 to Rs.3.5 million as advance towards purchasing apartments and villas in 11 different projects, which the company failed to deliver even after the expiry date of the deadline.

The judge have accused the company of collecting money from the people with the sole aim of cheating them and also pointed out that the real estate company have not even delivered a single unit in the last 5 years. As per the police, the promoters of the company had withdrawn the money from their accounts four months ago and lavished the money on luxuries. This was evident as they  found around 30 luxury cars in the name of the promoters.

The companies properties in various parts of the city and outside would soon be attached by the police. The promoters of the company are believed to be outside Kerala, and the police have started hunting for them hoping to arrest them soon. This is also considered to be one of the biggest real estate frauds in Kerala recently.

The Rains Have Made Cochin More Difficult to Travel

As we all know that the monsoon in Kerala have started in full swing and most of the places in Kerala are facing issues with the heavy monsoon rains. An the city of Cochin is not an exception, as it is famous for its water logging during the monsoon season. During the monsoon season Cochin is one of the worst city to visit as it would be heavily flooded at most of the places.

Two days back on a rainy day, I had to visit one of my friend in Cochin who stays near Mathrubhumi Junction at Kaloor. I was coming from Kakkanadu area and I decided to take the short cut from behind the Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium at Kaloor. Once I entered the compound surrounding the stadium, I was shocked to see the huge water logging that was present on the roads that run through the sides of the stadium. I was riding my bike and actually I had to pass through the huge water logging and some how managed to get through that. I thought that it was a rare instance and the rest of the path would be fine. But once I cut through a pocket road which lead to a housing colony near, I was totally confused as I was not able to differentiate between the drainage and the road, as there was yet another sever water logging there.

In between I had to restart my bike a several times as it stopped by itself while passing through the water. My shoes got damn wet and I couldn't even kick myself to start the bike. Some how I managed to reach my friend's house and I removed my shoes the moment I reached him. Since the condition of the roads were worse and it was getting dark, my friend told me to stay there that night and return the next day morning. So after thinking of the ride through the water logs of Cochin city, I decided to stay back and went back the next day when the water had  withdrawn a bit.

So if you are traveling by bike through the streets in Cochin in a monsoon season, always be prepared for the worst. That could be one of the most terrible ride of your lifetime.

Introduction to Cochin (Kochi)

Before blogging too much on this blog about Cochin (Kochi), let me give a brief introduction about this beautiful city in Kerala. Cochin is often called as the Queen of the Arabian Sea and is considered as the commercial capital of Kerala. Cochin is the second largest city in Kerala and is home to some of the most famous and biggest business ventures in Kerala. Cochin comes under the Eranakulam district and is governed by the Corporation of Cochin.

Cochin experiences  a tropical monsoon and is also a popular tourist destination in Kerala, as Cochin has a lot to offer such as the backwaters, beaches, palaces, ancient churches etc. Cochin is home to several major Industries and recently Cochin has become one of the  growing IT destination in India. More about Cochin would be covered later in this blog.

Welcome to the blog on Cochin, Kerala

Hi Welcome all to this informative blog on Cochin (Kochi). Would keep you updated on the major and latest happenings in Cochin