COCHIN(Kochi)
It happened in several major cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad . And now it’s the turn of Kochi to follow suit. Yes, this time around, the real estate boom in Kochi is for real and is here to stay. The prices of land, villas and apartments have gone up significantly and in certain areas it has even toppled the expectations of all. In spite of the prices having gone up steeply, hectic activities in every aspect of realty business is taking place, especially in places like Kakkanad and of late in and around Nedumbassery.
As is evident in every respect, it is the IT sector that has worked as a catalyst for the entire construction sector. This apart, a number of mega industrial projects that are expected to come up centering Kochi have also inspired many to take a plunge into the construction scene in Kochi .
IT centre
Due to a number of favourable factors, Kochi is fast becoming an important IT hub in the country. And in Kochi it’s Kakkanad that’s hogging all the limelight. With several IT and ITES companies having already come up in Kakkanad more such players are planning to make Kochi as one of their predominant operational centres.
Finding a very prospective market, several nationally renowned realtors have also joined the existing city-based builders with plenty of projects. All these have further enhanced the fortunes of not only Kakkanad but also several other areas surrounding it. In the real estate segment, if one is to evaluate the growth rate, it would not be difficult to find that most of the towns enveloping Kochi have witnessed amazing growth in more ways than one.
International airport
For instance Nedumbassery which, till the other day, was rather a sleepy village is now in the midst of hectic construction activities. Several projects have been announced centering Nedumbassery and according to market men more are in the offing. They are working overtime to meet the ever spiraling demand for quality housing and in the process; the skyline of this otherwise rustic region is witnessing a revolution in the true sense of the word.
Factors like huge growth prospects, serene ambience, easy availability of drinking water and good connectivity are just some of the reasons that are prompting people to buy properties in places like Nedumbassery. Realising the immense potential for growth, several leading builders have announced their upcoming projects centering Nedumbassery.
And in the process, the fortunes of the entire region surrounding Nedumbassery will take a turnaround in near future. For more reasons than one, Nedumbassery surely is going to be one of Kochi ’s trump cards in the days to come.
Taking a definite cue from the likely developments that will take place in future in and around airport, numerous housing projects are in the offing. And if the responses to the already announced projects are any indication, the future looks too bright. IT boom has changed the fortunes of Kakkanad, in the case of Nedumbassery it‘s the presence of the Cochin International Airport.
Set for takeoff
The CIAL having become one of the busiest airports in the country in terms of both traffic and turn over, the entire region of Nedumbassery and its neighbourhood areas are on a fast developmental track today.With the pendulum of fortunes increasingly swinging in its favour not only Kakkanad but also Nedumbassery is all set for a great take off.
It is believed that in almost all spheres of entrepreneurship like housing, information technology, healthcare and tourism, Nedumbassery has immense growth potential in its fold. Resultantly, along with Kakkanad, Nedumbassery is also fast turning out to be the fountainhead of all developmental activities in the city.
KERALA.COM
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
COCHIN(KOCHI) suburbs a hot destination for land developers& Individual and Corporate Investors
Kerala - Kochi
Investment in real estate makes sense
Finding it difficult to find ample space to live, more and more number of people are heading for the suburbs and the land developers have also moved away from the city limits to more greener pastures.
The number of people willing to make investments in land is increasing by the day and both individuals and corporate buyers are eyeing Kochi as one of their most sought after destination. Reason, Kochi is a place where one can have the best bet for the money invested. And with every factor becoming quite conducive, both the land developers and builders in Kochi are enjoying the feel good factor. With the industrial scenario changing rapidly, the horizons of Kochi are fast expanding and the growth is getting reflected both horizontally and vertically.
"With the IT based employment opportunities rising in Kochi, the housing sector is bound to grow by leaps and bounds", says a leading Kochi based builder. Truly, the enthusiasm is not only felt in the buying of apartments and villas but also in plots of land. The sudden enthusiasm in buying plots of land can be attributed to the fact that the prices of land have multiplied several times within a very short span of time in Kochi. Many of those who have bought plots in and around Kochi a couple of years back for few lakhs have become millionaires today.
"Of late, Kochi has turned out to be one of the safest places in the country to invest", observes Victor of UXL Marketing. According to him premium townships with standard infrastructures is the latest trend in real estate segment and there are ready takers for the same. UXL Marketing with years of experience in the realty segment has several completed projects to their credit. He is also of the opinion that since the city has saturated it’s the suburbs that’s going to witness hectic activities in the days to come.
According to many Kochi based land developers, small square plots of land ranging from 4 to 7 cents have the maximum number of takers. "Plots of 4 cents always have ready takers in Kochi", says a leading Kochi based land developer. And today, with numerous land developers having surfaced in the real estate scene, the competition has become very intense too. Each and every land developer has their own schemes to offer. Some arrange free trips to their sites while others arrange for home loans and assists in getting a legal clearance.
Nishad of Tercel Developers is also of the view that Kochi has huge investment prospects and as such the land prices are all likely to go up further. Tercel Developers, a relatively new entrant in the realty sector has come up with their maiden project at Aluva and has ambitious future plans to launch apartment and villa projects soon. "We will be announcing two more gated colony projects - one at Pallikkara and the other one at Kakkanad – soon and are also into the construction of customised villas", reveals Nishad of Tercel Developers.
The ongoing project of Tercel Developers is located at Asokapuram near Aluva and is spread over more than 6 acres of land. The project has 67 plots and 10% of the total area is allocated for common amenities like club house, children’s play area and party area. The 6 meter wide tarred road is said to be one of the major attractions of the project. The developers are also making provisions for round-the-clock security, compound wall, provision for water supply, rainwater harvesting and electricity connections for every owner. The project is located quite close to the proposed Seaport-Airport Road and lie in close proximity to places such as KINFRA, Cooperative Medical College, Cochin International Airport and Infopark at Kakkanad.
Projects like International Container Transshipment Terminal and LNG terminal getting streamlined in a row and several such projects set to flock Kochi, the city has hit the big league, feels many. And as such, Kochi is witnessing tumultuous activities in the sale and purchase of land. Already scores of IT majors and other multinational companies are planning to begin their operations in Kochi and are in the lookout for large measure of land which has again resulted in the escalation of land prices.
Aurora Developers is yet another land developer who has made a mark of its own in the real estate scenario of the state. With almost a decade of existence in the industry Aurora has several successful projects to its credit. In the recent past, they have developed a number of residential colonies in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Coimbatore. "With Kochi having become a major destination, of late, we are putting much focus to projects in and around Kochi", remarks Dairish of Aurora Developers. Kochi is a place from where we took off with a project called Santi Nagar at Tripunithura way back in 1999 when the very concept of land development and housing colonies was at its infancy", adds Jojus of Aurora Developers.
Apart from developing gated colonies Aurora also undertakes to build villas on being asked by the clients. The ongoing project of Aurora is located at Sasthamugal near Thiruvamkulam. Spread over 3 acres of land, the project titled Golden Enclave has 38 plots and comes with all standard amenities like common boundary wall, rubble foundation for each plot, security, well-designed garden, clear tittles, children’s play area, club house, tarred roads, provision for water and electricity among others.
It is the factors like affordable pricing, abundance of water and good connectivity that are giving the suburbs too many takers. Home finance companies are also contributing their bit with schemes that allows one to buy a piece of land other than buying an apartment or a villa.
The Hindu
Image makeover in COCHIN(KOCHI) and the rest of KERALA
Wipro Technologies is a global services provider delivering technology-driven business solutions that meet the strategic objectives of our clients. Wipro has 40+ ‘Centers of Excellence’ that create solutions around specific needs of industries. Wipro is fast progressing with the development and setting up of their private IT campus inside Infopark. On completion Wipro’s campus at Infopark would be approximately 1 million sq ft with 8000 seats. The construction activities are expected to be completed by the year 2010.
R. KRISHNAKUMAR
As IT moves out of the metros to Tier-II cities, Kerala emerges as the most attractive destination for the knowledge industry.
MOVE over spice merchants, Gulf emigrants, tourists from around the world: Kerala is shedding its traditional image and gearing up for a grand makeover. Its epithetic slogan, “God’s Own Country”, is passé and may soon give way to another, symbolising the distinction – man-made, no doubt – of its coming into being as a knowledge hub.
“The State has quietly established an efficient IT [information technology] infrastructure and has become one of the most sought after IT destinations in India,” Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO of Infosys, said recently at a ‘Kerala IT.Com 2008’ valedictory event in Thiruvananthapuram. He should know. Infosys, a world leader in consulting and IT services that employs over 17,000 people in 30 centres worldwide, has been operating in a leased facility at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram since 2004. A 30-acre (1 acre is 0.4 hectare), Rs.306-crore, state-of-the-art Infosys campus is under construction nearby and is set to start functioning very soon.
Kerala’s IT Secretary Ajay Kumar told Frontline: “Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi have been ranked as the most attractive IT and ITES [IT-enabled services] destinations in India. CIO.com [United States] recently captioned in an editorial relating to outsourcing from the U.S., ‘Bangalore out, Kochi in’, highlighting the movement of IT outsourcing industry from the metros to Tier-II and Tier-III cities in which both Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram stand out. Many nationally and internationally renowned companies have already come forward with requests for built-up space and land. We are also developing hub-and-spoke model [IT] parks in all districts of Kerala – the hubs in the three major cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode, and the spokes in the remaining districts so that there would be even growth throughout the State.”
No doubt Kerala has earned every bit of its new-found popularity with IT and ITES companies. In December 2007, when UST Global, a leading provider of IT services and business process outsourcing (BPO) solutions for Global 2000 companies, announced that it was opening a new office in Kochi, in addition to Thiruvananthapuram, it listed four reasons on its choice for expansion of its services.
It said, almost echoing the State IT Department’s everyday mantra: “Kerala is the only State in India that has a 100 per cent literacy rate; Kerala is home to a significant number of IT professionals in South India. There are more than 15 top institutions in Kerala offering quality education and specialised IT degrees that make this an ideal region in which to base offshore development centres. In terms of climate and lifestyle, Kerala offers one of the best environments in India. The State is ranked as one of the top 50 places to visit in the world by National Geographic. The standard of living in Kerala is among the finest in the country and its civic, health and social services are highly rated, which makes it an attractive destination not only to work in, but also to live in.”
The company website quotes its chief operating officer Sajan Pillai as saying: “For IT service providers such as UST Global that are in a growth mode, there are a multitude of cities in India in which to choose from. Yet with so many cities plagued by limited bandwidth, we consciously avoid those areas and instead choose cities that will support our, and our clients’, best interests. Kochi is one of three cities in India that are hubs for the undersea cable, which gives UST Global better connectivity and less competition for that bandwidth. This location aligns well with our client-centric Global Engagement Model by helping us expand our services in an economically viable way for our clients.”
UST Global’s new office is located at a 24,000 sq ft development centre at Infopark, a 100-acre, rapidly growing IT park established by the State government in Kochi in 2003. Already 39 companies, including several IT majors, have started operations at Infopark, employing 5,000 people.
No doubt Kerala was blessed with the most critical factors required for knowledge-based industries – quality manpower and social infrastructure. As any IT professional would vouchsafe, it has efficiently built on them, brick by brick, a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure and physical and digital connectivity.
It is today one of the best networked States in the country. The State’s tele-density is double the national average and all the 988 telephone exchanges are digital and connected to the National Internet Backbone (NIB). All the 1,468 village panchayats in the State are within 3 km of a digital exchange and connected to the NIB. Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (VSNL) International Communications Gateway, with two high-speed submarine cable landings (SEA-ME-WE-3 and SAFE) offering 15 Gbps bandwidth support, is in Kochi, currently handling more than two-thirds of India’s data traffic. Optical fibre connectivity up to the village level makes high-quality, reliable bandwidth available in all parts of the State.
But perhaps the biggest advantage Kerala provides to IT companies is the cost factor. According to the State government, the start-up and operational costs are less than 50 per cent and the rentals/real estate costs are less than 60 per cent of those in other major IT parks in India. Business space is available at Technopark and Infopark at rates that are nearly half of those in cities such as Chennai and Bangalore. Power and water tariffs are among the lowest in the country. Kerala sells itself today by arguing: “A low cost of living means lower cost to company per employee.” Employee attrition is very low in the State.
Nothing better illustrates Kerala’s success story today than the glint in the eyes of the top executives of the State’s home-grown IT companies, which have hugely benefited from these unique advantages and the State government’s policies. S. Sasi Kumar, president of NeST, perhaps the first software company in Technopark, which was established as a modest initiative providing network solutions to the government, told Frontline: “When we started in 1995, indeed, we had a ‘locational disadvantage’. Nobody had heard of Thiruvananthapuram as a product development destination. R&D outsourcing was then not considered a popular or profitable venture. But with our roots in Kerala, we have now spread globally as a total solutions provider across the IT spectrum, designing, manufacturing and building systems and support, especially in four key areas, health care, industrial automation, embedded communications and automobile technology. Today we employ over 3,000 people in Kerala alone; we have high-tech manufacturing units in the Cochin Export Processing Zone, Bangalore and Mysore; our worldwide revenue has exceeded $200 million. We are contract manufacturers for some of the world’s leading companies such as GE, Hitachi, HP, Brooks Automation, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Areva, Roboticsware, and so on, and it has been so for the past 10 years. We have several customers that are in the Fortune 500 list.
“In 2001, we also acquired a U.S. company, AM Communications, a provider of high-technology system level products for the broadband communications industry, and have moved the product development activities of that company, too, to Technopark. Our disadvantages have become our advantages. Our competencies are all home-grown. We became the first CMM Level 5 company in Technopark and the 18th in the world to have the Level Five rating.”
There are several such exciting success stories in Technopark, the first such electronic park in the world established with 100 per cent government equity, home today to 140 IT and ITES companies, together employing 17,000 IT professionals. Over 30 per cent of the companies are U.S.-based, 40 per cent are from Europe, 5 per cent are from West Asia, 20 per cent are based in Kerala and 5 per cent in other States. From small beginnings on a 50-acre campus, Technopark, too, has grown along with the companies to a bustling, beautiful campus spread over 228 acres, with more than 3.2 million sq ft of built-up space.
But the real Kerala IT story is in the demand it has created. The State government is, therefore, preparing a master plan to develop an IT infrastructure to match the growing demand for space and has established the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure (KSITI) Company. “It is a private-public partnership company and is expected to mobilise Rs.2,000 crore on IT investments in the next five years. It would have 49 per cent private participation and 51 per cent participation from the government,” IT Secretary Ajay Kumar said.
One of the first commissions of the new company would be to build the government’s prestigious ‘Technocity’, a global IT/ITES/Knowledge township project proposed to be developed as several SEZs on nearly 507 acres, close to the Technopark campus. This is in addition to Technopark’s own expansion plans on about 100 acres adjacent to the existing campus.
In addition to the government initiatives, several private sector electronics parks are also being built. On March 16, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan inaugurated the latest of the private ventures, Phase One of the ‘L&T Tech Park’ on leased land inside Infopark. Construction will begin soon in Kochi for one of India’s largest business parks, the 246-acre Smart City, a joint venture between the Kerala government and the Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority (TECOM), Dubai.
The government expects the Rs.17,000-crore project to make Kerala the leading IT destination in the country and Kochi, particularly, a member of the global network of knowledge-based industry townships that its Dubai-based developers seek to create.
The government’s target is to create over two lakh new job opportunities by 2012. For every direct employment opportunity created in the IT/ITES sector, it believes, three indirect employment opportunities will also be generated. That will be the way out for Kerala from the jinx of low investments, low growth, and low levels of employment opportunities, which have forced Malayalees to leave their beautiful State in large numbers even as tourists from all over flock in.
FRONTLINE
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Cochin Special Economic Zone boasts one of the best infrastructure facilities among its peers in India.
K.K. MUSTAFAH
The Cochin Special Economic Zone is relatively small but artistically laid out.
SPECIAL FEATURE: KERALA FUTURE PERFECT
Free territory
R. KRISHNAKUMAR
The Cochin Special Economic Zone boasts one of the best infrastructure facilities among its peers in India.
WHAT strikes visitors at the 103-acre, artistically landscaped Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ), about 6 km from Kochi, is perhaps its small size compared with the six other special economic zones (SEZs) established initially by the Central government.
The CSEZ is one of the single largest employment destinations in Kerala, with a diversified export product catalogue, including software, hardware, garments, processed food, rubber products, gems and jewellery. It started functioning as an export processing zone (EPZ) in 1986, about the same time as the EPZs in Noida, Madras and Falta (near Kolkata) and long after the Kandla Free Trade Zone in Gujarat (1965) and the Santa Cruz Electronics Export Processing Zone (near Mumbai, in 1974) were established. The seventh such zone approved by the Central government became operational in Visakhapatnam in 1994. The Cochin Export Processing Zone became an SEZ in 2000.
The Centre has so far invested Rs.95 crore, out of which Rs.55 crore was invested in the zone in the past five years. The CSEZ pioneered public-private participation in developing infrastructure for information technology, and a Rs.40-crore software park, Technopolis, is nearing completion on its premises.
The CSEZ has its own power station, an integrated water management plant with a 1.5 mld (million litres per day) water supply system and a 1 mld common effluent treatment plant. VSNL’s 15 Gbps (Gigabytes per second) gateway provides internet connectivity; the zone has a state-of-the-art telephone exchange, a video conferencing studio, a “foreign” post office, an off-shore banking unit and a dispensary.
Special economic zones are primarily meant to provide an operating environment free from legal hassles relating to import and export, boost manufacturing and augment exports, earn foreign exchange and generate employment opportunities. SEZ units are allowed to import construction material, capital goods and raw materials without paying duty or import licence. They are exempt from Central and State sales tax and service taxes.
SEZ projects have only to ensure that their export earnings exceed foreign exchange outflows (by way of imports and import content of sales to the Indian market). There is no need for prior approval to bring in foreign equity. SEZ units in manufacturing are exempt from paying corporate tax on their export income – 100 per cent for the first five years and 50 per cent for the next two years. Fifty per cent of profits reinvested in the SEZ for the next three years also enjoys such exemption.
CSEZ units can also import plant and machinery (including second-hand equipment), the only stipulation being that they have to be utilised within five years. Indian-made capital goods and raw materials meant for the SEZ are exempt from duty. Supplies from within India are considered “exports”, allowing domestic suppliers to obtain export-related benefits.
SEZ units are permitted to maintain foreign currency accounts and hold the entire export proceeds in foreign currency. There is no time limit to bring export proceeds to India. These units can resort to external commercial borrowing for funding and running projects without prior approvals, and have preferential access to the Indian market for their products and services.
According to a 2006 study, the nature of major exports from the CSEZ was as follows: electronics hardware, 28.3 per cent; food and agro products, 22.3 per cent; plastic and rubber goods, 10.3 per cent; engineering goods, 8.3 per cent, gems and jewellery, 6.2 per cent; textile and garments, 5.9 per cent; and electronics software, 3.4 per cent. The CSEZ (then not an SEZ) registered only $0.2 million in the first five years of its establishment but the average investment rose to $58.6 million during 1998 to 2003. Average employment generated during the same periods were 1,050 and 4,962, respectively.
According to State government figures, export earnings of the 85 units employing over 7,800 people in the CSEZ during 2006-2007 amounted to Rs.1,037.52 crore as against Rs.696 crore the previous year, a growth rate of 49.07 per cent.
Union Commerce Ministry figures indicate that in India, after the notification of the SEZ Act, 2005, 439 SEZs have been given formal approval, 138 SEZs have in-principle approvals, while 195 are notified SEZs. The current investment in SEZs is Rs.67,347 crore and the employment generated is 61,015.
In Kerala, the CSEZ was the only such zone before the SEZ Act, 2005, came into being. After the Act came into force, 11 SEZs received formal approval, two got in-principle approval and eight were notified.
Of the eight SEZs that have already been notified, two are port-based (under the Cochin Port Trust in Puthuvypeen and Vallarpadam islands); three are IT/ITES SEZs (two under the Electronics Technology Park in Thiruvananthapuram and one under Infopark, Kochi) and three are under Kinfra (one each for animation and gaming in Thiruvananthapuram, for food processing in Kakkancherry near Kozhikode, and for Electronics Industries in Kochi).
On March 21, the Board of Approval for SEZs of the Union government also announced the granting of SEZ status to 136 acres (of a total of 236 acres) of the Kerala government’s prestigious joint venture IT project in Kochi, Smart City.
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http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/stories/20080411250711400.htm
Monday, March 24, 2008
COCHIN(KOCHI) in Kerala is expected to have 13 malls by 2010 just one less than a shopping hub such as Bangalore.
Bangalore: Some 328 new shopping malls are expected to come up in metros and so-called tier II and III smaller cities over the next two years, forcing developers to find innovative ways to attract stores and maintain foot traffic from shoppers.
A report titled Upcoming malls—2008 and beyond, compiled by real estate consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, says northern India will lead the retail boom, with 136 new malls by 2010.
While New Delhi is expected to get 15 malls, its suburbs, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, will get seven new malls each. Mumbai leads the pack among individual cities with 30 malls planned in the next two years. Real estate firms, such as DLF Ltd, Akruti City Ltd, Nirmal Lifestyle Ltd and Oberoi Constructions all have retail plans in the western and central suburbs of the country’s financial centre.
Kolkata, probably one of the last metros to be hit by the retail boom, has 18 malls lined up. The landmark Statesman House in central Kolkata, which would be turned into a 2 million sq. ft shopping destination by Emaar MGF Land Ltd, is one of the biggest malls coming up in India.
“This new breed of malls is expected to have facilities that were lacking in the earlier malls. Developers will now give more importance to determining factors like parking, mall design and soft strategies like customer relationship to make these malls work,” said Bappaditya Basu, a vice-president at Jones.
Some experts are sceptical about the numbers.
Retail consultants note only 22 new malls became operational in 2007 nationally. For example, just three of the slated 15 malls opened in Mumbai last year, because the others are still in various stages of completion.
Still, the Jones report points out a large number of emerging hot spots—smaller cities and towns that will get their first malls by 2010.
For instance, with 15 new shopping malls being set up by film director Prakash Jha, who has ventured into mall development, several areas in Bihar and Jharkhand, such as Patliputra, Sitamarhi, Hazipur and Bettiah, would soon feature for the first time on the Indian organized retail map.
In southern India, Kochi in Kerala is expected to have 13 malls by 2010, just one less than a shopping hub such as Bangalore.
With huge townships and residential ventures, such as Sobha Developers Ltd’s largest township in Maradu, Kochi developers are upbeat about the city prospects.
The study forecast both local and national developers setting up malls in previously unlikely places. The business strategy of EWDPL India Pvt. Ltd, a three-year-old developer, revolves around setting up first-time malls in small towns.
“We are finalizing a deal in Kottayam which would be the smallest town to get a shopping mall, and scouting for land in Alleppey in Kerala,” said Avnish Hasija, a director. The firm is developing malls in Belgaum (Karnataka), Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) Kolhapur and Nanded (both in Maharashtra).
“Organized retail in India constitutes only 2% of the global retail industry. So new mall developers here are still going through the learning curve and trying not to repeat past mistakes,” notes Jones’ Basu.
http://www.livemint.com/2008/03/24002940/328-new-malls-by-2010-retail.html
A report titled Upcoming malls—2008 and beyond, compiled by real estate consultancy firm Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, says northern India will lead the retail boom, with 136 new malls by 2010.
While New Delhi is expected to get 15 malls, its suburbs, Faridabad and Ghaziabad, will get seven new malls each. Mumbai leads the pack among individual cities with 30 malls planned in the next two years. Real estate firms, such as DLF Ltd, Akruti City Ltd, Nirmal Lifestyle Ltd and Oberoi Constructions all have retail plans in the western and central suburbs of the country’s financial centre.
Kolkata, probably one of the last metros to be hit by the retail boom, has 18 malls lined up. The landmark Statesman House in central Kolkata, which would be turned into a 2 million sq. ft shopping destination by Emaar MGF Land Ltd, is one of the biggest malls coming up in India.
“This new breed of malls is expected to have facilities that were lacking in the earlier malls. Developers will now give more importance to determining factors like parking, mall design and soft strategies like customer relationship to make these malls work,” said Bappaditya Basu, a vice-president at Jones.
Some experts are sceptical about the numbers.
Retail consultants note only 22 new malls became operational in 2007 nationally. For example, just three of the slated 15 malls opened in Mumbai last year, because the others are still in various stages of completion.
Still, the Jones report points out a large number of emerging hot spots—smaller cities and towns that will get their first malls by 2010.
For instance, with 15 new shopping malls being set up by film director Prakash Jha, who has ventured into mall development, several areas in Bihar and Jharkhand, such as Patliputra, Sitamarhi, Hazipur and Bettiah, would soon feature for the first time on the Indian organized retail map.
In southern India, Kochi in Kerala is expected to have 13 malls by 2010, just one less than a shopping hub such as Bangalore.
With huge townships and residential ventures, such as Sobha Developers Ltd’s largest township in Maradu, Kochi developers are upbeat about the city prospects.
The study forecast both local and national developers setting up malls in previously unlikely places. The business strategy of EWDPL India Pvt. Ltd, a three-year-old developer, revolves around setting up first-time malls in small towns.
“We are finalizing a deal in Kottayam which would be the smallest town to get a shopping mall, and scouting for land in Alleppey in Kerala,” said Avnish Hasija, a director. The firm is developing malls in Belgaum (Karnataka), Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) Kolhapur and Nanded (both in Maharashtra).
“Organized retail in India constitutes only 2% of the global retail industry. So new mall developers here are still going through the learning curve and trying not to repeat past mistakes,” notes Jones’ Basu.
http://www.livemint.com/2008/03/24002940/328-new-malls-by-2010-retail.html
Friday, March 21, 2008
Infrastructure Kerala Ltd may double paid up capital
The board of directors of Infrastructure Kerala Ltd (InKel), a new infrastructure company that has been formed under public-private partnership, is likely to double its paid up capital from Rs.1 billion to Rs.2 billion. Chief of InKel C.G. Gopala Pillai told IANS that this would come up in the next full board meeting of InKel to take place here next Monday.
“It would help more and more individuals especially non-resident Keralites (NRKs, who live outside India) to invest in Kerala through us. There are many NRKs who have taken shares in the company,” said Pillai.
InKel is different from the state-owned Kerala State Industrial Infrastructure Ltd and Kerala State Industrial Development Corp.
The Kerala government currently hold 26 percent stake in InKel.
InKel has already identified locations in capital Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and other places, where it would set up basic infrastructure for investors interested in starting sunrise industries.
“In the meeting I will be presenting a few business proposals for consideration, which would help us to go forward with our plans,” said Pillai.
In the board are five leading NRK businessmen including M.A. Yusuf Ali (UAE), Galfar Mohammed Ali (Oman), C.K. Menon (Doha), Varghese Kurian (Kuwait) and C.M. Rappai (Doha). There are four government nominees.
Source : IANS
http://finance.indiainfo.com/2008/03/11/0803111414_infrastructure_kerala.html
“It would help more and more individuals especially non-resident Keralites (NRKs, who live outside India) to invest in Kerala through us. There are many NRKs who have taken shares in the company,” said Pillai.
InKel is different from the state-owned Kerala State Industrial Infrastructure Ltd and Kerala State Industrial Development Corp.
The Kerala government currently hold 26 percent stake in InKel.
InKel has already identified locations in capital Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and other places, where it would set up basic infrastructure for investors interested in starting sunrise industries.
“In the meeting I will be presenting a few business proposals for consideration, which would help us to go forward with our plans,” said Pillai.
In the board are five leading NRK businessmen including M.A. Yusuf Ali (UAE), Galfar Mohammed Ali (Oman), C.K. Menon (Doha), Varghese Kurian (Kuwait) and C.M. Rappai (Doha). There are four government nominees.
Source : IANS
http://finance.indiainfo.com/2008/03/11/0803111414_infrastructure_kerala.html
Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) to host Seminar on logistics management
Business
Seminar on logistics management
Staff Reporter
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Cusat to host seminar on
March 28, 29
Logistics management vital in international trade
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KOCHI: The School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), will organise a national seminar on Logistics Management on March 28 and 29. Top managers and professionals from CIAL, Railways, Cochin Port Trust, DP World and Reliance Retail will discuss logistics issues in their respective areas. Vice-Chancellor of Cusat Gangan Pratap will inaugurate the seminar.
The performance of a logistic system depends on the effective collaboration and integrated functioning of many elements and service providers. There is need to bring the professionals working in different areas of logistics to share their knowledge. This is one of the areas in which academics have a lot to learn from practice.
Logistics management is an interconnecting function that helps move materials from one department to another or one firm to another in a supply chain. It consists of a network of storage, handling and transportation systems.
A decade back we would not have expected to see Californian oranges, and Australian fruits in our supermarket shelves. In international trade, the share of logistics is around 28 per cent of the final product cost. In large countries like India, the domestic logistics cost for agricultural products is in the range of 20 to 25 per cent of the final cost.
Logistics has long been handled by small and less organised set-ups. Hence its efficiency has been poor. There is need to improve logistics system performance in terms of speed, response time, flexibility, cost and reliability. A lot of attention is being devoted in recent times to improving logistics system performance, by improving infrastructure, carriers and collaboration between different agencies providing different logistics services.
The School of Management Studies, Cusat, has been involved in teaching and research in the area of Logistics Management for over a decade now. Courses on Logistics are gaining popularity in Management Schools in Kerala.
Development in the area of logistics in Kerala has been tremendous. Projects such as the Cochin International Airport, Vallarpadom transshipment terminal and LNG project have changed the level of logistics-related activities in Kerala.
For registration and details, contact M. Bhasi, Professor, Coordinator: National Seminar on Logistics Management, School of Management Studies, Cusat, Kochi 682 022, E-mail: mbhasi@cusat.ac.in, drbhasi@yahoo.com, Phone 9447419863. Details are also available on the web site of Cusat: www.cusat.ac.in
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/21/stories/2008032151731900.htm
Seminar on logistics management
Staff Reporter
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Cusat to host seminar on
March 28, 29
Logistics management vital in international trade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KOCHI: The School of Management Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), will organise a national seminar on Logistics Management on March 28 and 29. Top managers and professionals from CIAL, Railways, Cochin Port Trust, DP World and Reliance Retail will discuss logistics issues in their respective areas. Vice-Chancellor of Cusat Gangan Pratap will inaugurate the seminar.
The performance of a logistic system depends on the effective collaboration and integrated functioning of many elements and service providers. There is need to bring the professionals working in different areas of logistics to share their knowledge. This is one of the areas in which academics have a lot to learn from practice.
Logistics management is an interconnecting function that helps move materials from one department to another or one firm to another in a supply chain. It consists of a network of storage, handling and transportation systems.
A decade back we would not have expected to see Californian oranges, and Australian fruits in our supermarket shelves. In international trade, the share of logistics is around 28 per cent of the final product cost. In large countries like India, the domestic logistics cost for agricultural products is in the range of 20 to 25 per cent of the final cost.
Logistics has long been handled by small and less organised set-ups. Hence its efficiency has been poor. There is need to improve logistics system performance in terms of speed, response time, flexibility, cost and reliability. A lot of attention is being devoted in recent times to improving logistics system performance, by improving infrastructure, carriers and collaboration between different agencies providing different logistics services.
The School of Management Studies, Cusat, has been involved in teaching and research in the area of Logistics Management for over a decade now. Courses on Logistics are gaining popularity in Management Schools in Kerala.
Development in the area of logistics in Kerala has been tremendous. Projects such as the Cochin International Airport, Vallarpadom transshipment terminal and LNG project have changed the level of logistics-related activities in Kerala.
For registration and details, contact M. Bhasi, Professor, Coordinator: National Seminar on Logistics Management, School of Management Studies, Cusat, Kochi 682 022, E-mail: mbhasi@cusat.ac.in, drbhasi@yahoo.com, Phone 9447419863. Details are also available on the web site of Cusat: www.cusat.ac.in
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/21/stories/2008032151731900.htm
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Indian Commerce and Industry Ministry grants formal approval for SEZ status for SMART CITY COCHIN
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
BOA FOR SEZS GRANTS 5 FORMAL AND 1 IN-PRINCIPLE APPROVALS
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16:22 IST
The 23rd meeting of the Board of Approval for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) was held on 20th March, 2008 to consider proposals for setting up of Special Economic Zones and also approve other miscellaneous requests pertaining to SEZs.
Chairman informed the members of the Board that so far formal approvals have been granted for setting up of 449 SEZs out of which 206 have been notified as on date.
In this meeting, 9 proposals for setting up SEZs, including 1 proposal for conversion of In-Principle approval to Formal Approval were considered. The Board recommended grant of 5 Formal approvals and 1 In-Principle approval as follows:
Formal approvals:
1. IT/ITES SEZ in Karnataka by Brigade Enterprises Private Limited
2. Biotech SEZ in Andhra Pradesh by Vivo Bio Tech Limited
3. IT&ITES SEZ in Haryana by Wellgrow Buildcon Private Limited
4. IT/ITES SEZ in Haryana by M/s. Sunwise Properties Private Limited
5. IT/ITES SEZ in Kerala by Smart City (Kochi) Infrastructure Private Limited (Conversion of In Principle approval to Formal approval)
In-Principle Approval:
1. Engineering SEZ in Maharashtra by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=36790
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
In COCHIN(KOCHI) IT’s happening !!!!!! Leela & L&T join bandwogon
IT’s happening in Kerala also
Friday March 14 2008 02:42 IST
ENS Economic Bureau
KOCHI: Kerala is conducive for running IT business. The availability of trained manpower, friendly people and low cost make the State an ideal location for business.
Yet the technoscape of the State is not dotted with much IT firms. Barring technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, Infopark in Kochi, the units of Infosys, Wipro and some other major players, the State's IT map looks vacant.
Though slow, things are changing steadily now. L&T and Leela group, two big names in Indian Inc, are making fresh investments in the IT sector.
L&T, which is a partner in Infopark, has set up a 4-lakh sq ft IT park in Kochi. The project, Tejomaya, would be inaugurated by the Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on March 15.
Company sources said that over 70 per cent of space in the building was rented out even before the inauguration. Enthused by the brisk response, L&T had decided to go ahead with it plan to set up the second shop.
Achuthanandan will lay the foundation stone for the second project - Signature Tower - at Infopark campus on the same day.
Being the co-developer of the Infopark, the company has got 7.3 acres in Infopark. Tejomaya has come up in this space. It is the first IT infrastructure project of L&T in the State.
Leading names in IT sector in the country such as TCS, IBS and Arbitron Technology Services have already taken space in Tejomaya.
Meanwhile, Leela Group is setting up a Rs 150 crore IT infrastructure projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. It has also plans to invest in Palakkad.
The group is planning through its subsidiaries Leela Soft and Aushim Soft to set up four IT parks in Kochi at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
Of the four parks, one with 1.32 lakh sq ft has already been commissioned and other three having SEZ status are at various stages of implementation.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEB20080313162037&Page=B&Title=Business&Topic=0
Friday March 14 2008 02:42 IST
ENS Economic Bureau
KOCHI: Kerala is conducive for running IT business. The availability of trained manpower, friendly people and low cost make the State an ideal location for business.
Yet the technoscape of the State is not dotted with much IT firms. Barring technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, Infopark in Kochi, the units of Infosys, Wipro and some other major players, the State's IT map looks vacant.
Though slow, things are changing steadily now. L&T and Leela group, two big names in Indian Inc, are making fresh investments in the IT sector.
L&T, which is a partner in Infopark, has set up a 4-lakh sq ft IT park in Kochi. The project, Tejomaya, would be inaugurated by the Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on March 15.
Company sources said that over 70 per cent of space in the building was rented out even before the inauguration. Enthused by the brisk response, L&T had decided to go ahead with it plan to set up the second shop.
Achuthanandan will lay the foundation stone for the second project - Signature Tower - at Infopark campus on the same day.
Being the co-developer of the Infopark, the company has got 7.3 acres in Infopark. Tejomaya has come up in this space. It is the first IT infrastructure project of L&T in the State.
Leading names in IT sector in the country such as TCS, IBS and Arbitron Technology Services have already taken space in Tejomaya.
Meanwhile, Leela Group is setting up a Rs 150 crore IT infrastructure projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. It has also plans to invest in Palakkad.
The group is planning through its subsidiaries Leela Soft and Aushim Soft to set up four IT parks in Kochi at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
Of the four parks, one with 1.32 lakh sq ft has already been commissioned and other three having SEZ status are at various stages of implementation.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEB20080313162037&Page=B&Title=Business&Topic=0
200,000 Information Technology Jobs will come to COCHIN(KOCHI)
Government to form IT infrastructure company
Staff Reporter
VS opens first phase of L&T Tech Park
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Steps to acquire 507 acres for Technocity
Initiatives on for IT parks in Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Palakkad
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KOCHI: The State government has decided to form an infrastructure company to develop IT infrastructure. The capital for the company will be raised through equity. The new venture would give a boost to the IT sector, said Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.
He was inaugurating the first phase of the IT project, L&T Tech Park, at the Infopark here on Saturday. He also laid the foundations for the second phase of the project.
The Chief Minister said several development projects were under way in Kochi. The hurdles in the way of Vallarpadam International container terminal project had been cleared and the work for the road and rail connectivity had been started. The contract for LNG terminal work had been issued.
As a result of the new projects, the city’s infrastructure had been experiencing tremendous pressure.
As part of measures to ease traffic congestion in Kochi, the government decided to start a metro rail project. Estimated to cost over Rs.3,000 crore, it was envisaged as a combined project of the Union and State governments. The construction activities would be started after getting the Union government’s approval. Preliminary steps for acquisition of land had already begun.
LDF’s job promise
The LDF government had promised to create 2 lakh job opportunities in five years, but within 22 months of its rule, the government could prepare the background for creating more than 2 lakh job opportunities in the sector in Ernakulam district alone.
He hoped that the L&T venture would be helpful in achieving the target. The Chief Minister said the government was taking steps to acquire 507 acres for setting up an IT park called Technocity, near Technopark in the capital. Preliminary steps had been taken for establishing IT parks at Kozhikode, Alappuzha and Palakkad.
Fisheries Minister S. Sarma, K.Chandran Pillai, MP, and K. Babu, MLA, were among those present. K.V. Rangaswami, president, Construction, Larsen & Toubro, welcomed the gathering.
With a total built up area of 1.1 million sq.feet coming up in two phases and spread across 7.5 acres, the L&T Tech Park provides world class space for IT companies. IT majors like TCS, IBS, Arbitron have already booked space at Tejomaya, the first phase of the project, consisting of ground plus nine floors. It also houses a cafeteria, health club, gymnasium, business centre and ATMs. Over 3,500 employees are expected to work at the facility.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031658930600.htm
Staff Reporter
VS opens first phase of L&T Tech Park
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steps to acquire 507 acres for Technocity
Initiatives on for IT parks in Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Palakkad
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KOCHI: The State government has decided to form an infrastructure company to develop IT infrastructure. The capital for the company will be raised through equity. The new venture would give a boost to the IT sector, said Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.
He was inaugurating the first phase of the IT project, L&T Tech Park, at the Infopark here on Saturday. He also laid the foundations for the second phase of the project.
The Chief Minister said several development projects were under way in Kochi. The hurdles in the way of Vallarpadam International container terminal project had been cleared and the work for the road and rail connectivity had been started. The contract for LNG terminal work had been issued.
As a result of the new projects, the city’s infrastructure had been experiencing tremendous pressure.
As part of measures to ease traffic congestion in Kochi, the government decided to start a metro rail project. Estimated to cost over Rs.3,000 crore, it was envisaged as a combined project of the Union and State governments. The construction activities would be started after getting the Union government’s approval. Preliminary steps for acquisition of land had already begun.
LDF’s job promise
The LDF government had promised to create 2 lakh job opportunities in five years, but within 22 months of its rule, the government could prepare the background for creating more than 2 lakh job opportunities in the sector in Ernakulam district alone.
He hoped that the L&T venture would be helpful in achieving the target. The Chief Minister said the government was taking steps to acquire 507 acres for setting up an IT park called Technocity, near Technopark in the capital. Preliminary steps had been taken for establishing IT parks at Kozhikode, Alappuzha and Palakkad.
Fisheries Minister S. Sarma, K.Chandran Pillai, MP, and K. Babu, MLA, were among those present. K.V. Rangaswami, president, Construction, Larsen & Toubro, welcomed the gathering.
With a total built up area of 1.1 million sq.feet coming up in two phases and spread across 7.5 acres, the L&T Tech Park provides world class space for IT companies. IT majors like TCS, IBS, Arbitron have already booked space at Tejomaya, the first phase of the project, consisting of ground plus nine floors. It also houses a cafeteria, health club, gymnasium, business centre and ATMs. Over 3,500 employees are expected to work at the facility.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031658930600.htm
Saturday, March 15, 2008
COCHIN's eminent architect firm Ajit Associates combine forces with Palmer & Turner (P&T) Architects a leading firm in Hong Kong
Hong Kong & Kochi Architects combine forces
Palmer & Turner (P&T) Architects a leading firm in Hong Kong has entered into a collaborative agreement with one of Kochi’s eminent architect firm Ajit Associates joint venture operation to bid for mega projects in the South India, announced BR Ajit, CEO of Ajit Associates. “The purpose of the venture is to bring international design and architectural techniques to India.”
P&T, the largest and oldest architectural firm in Asia has a history going back over 100 years, dating back to 1868 with the arrival in HK of the British architect William Salway, en route from England to Australia.
Hong Kong then had a population of 100,000, but consisting of only 500 Europeans. Development post 1842 has been rapid but relatively unplanned, known more for utility than architectural greatness. The great fire of 1867 changed all that. HK’s status prompted the local traders to seek grander structures.
Realising the potential, William Salway stayed on and opened an office on 1st October, 1868. P&T Architects is currently designing the largest shopping mall and hotel in Dubai and has been responsible for designing many landmarks in Hong Kong, Shanghai and across the region.
“The expertise of P&T is expected to bring innovations in the architectural space”, says Ajit. The joint venture is planning to bid for mega projects and jointly design a five star hotel, international restaurant and club and arts village, in 25 acres in their possession in Kochi. They have also quoted for a major IT project in Kerala.
Ajit Associates, established in 1978, pioneered the first multi-storey complex Kairali, and has a long string of landmarks to its credit like Catholic Syrian Bank, North Malabar Gramin Bank, and Group Housingin Yelahanka (Karnataka). It has expanded to include all the related engineering branches, in-house.
The office was shifted to new premises accommodating all the divisions- consultancy, electrical, mechanical, air-conditioning, public health, urban planning, landscaping et al under one roof.
T K A Nair, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, inaugurated the new 6500 square feet office on the 3rd & 4th floor of Puthuran Plaza, M G Road, in the presence of Justices V R Krishna Iyer and T L Viswanatha Iyer, T Balakrishnan, N Ramachandran, Principal Secretary Industries; Chairman, Cochin Port Trust; Managing Director, Kochi Airport Society; CEO, Infopark and Director, Aerens Gold Souk International and many others.
http://propertybytes.com/?p=893
First phase of Larsen and Toubro Tech Park Tejomaya and second phase of the project 'Signature Tower', at Infopark COCHIN(KOCHI) by Kerala CM
Signature Tower (Phase - 2)
The 6.75 Lakh sq.ft, multi-tenanted facility scheduled to be
operational 2009.
More to the IT of Kerala, Signature Towermarks its uniqueness. Loacted in the most serene professional space the design combines ecosensitive architecture and energy conservation system. Upon completion in 2009 this milesone in IT will be a combination of intelligent space and world class facilities
First project of L&T Tech Park, 'Tejomaya'
Tejomaya has a total built up area of 4 Lakh sq.ft.Experience the beauty of bountiful nature within L&T Tech Park. As the name TEJOMAYA suggest, the building is resplendent with the effulgent energy pervading all over. Green-Tech in character, they are replete with energy efficient systems and state-of-the-art Technology
COCHIN(Kochi), Mar 14: Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan will inaugurate the first project of L&T Tech Park, 'Tejomaya', and launch the work for the proposed second phase of the project, 'Signature Tower', at Infopark tomorrow near here.
With a total built up area of 1.1 million sq ft coming up in two phases and spread across 7.5 acres, L&T Tech Park is set to catalyse the IT boom in the city by providing world-class work-space for companies having Tier-2 City expansion plans, according to an official release today.
'Tejomaya' is ready for occupation and offers column free space with larger floor plates, high-end security systems and infrastructure facilities for continuous IT/ITES operations.
The interiors and exteriors of the building are designed for a congenial working environment with modern lifestyle.
IT majors like TCS, IBS, Arbitron Inc and L&T Infotech have already booked space in Tejomaya and over 3500 technocrats will be expected to be working out of the facility.
'Signature Tower', to be completed by 2009, envisages the development of the 21-storey twin-tower of 6.75 Lakh sq. ft area.
--- UNI
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=35235
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
INFO PARK COCHIN(KOCHI) ONE OF THE MAJOR IT PARKS
Infopark located at Kochi, is the new IT Park being developed by the Government of Kerala. To set up this project, Government has transferred 100 acres of land which is now under the ownership and possession of Infoparks Kerala, which is an independent Society fully owned by the Government.
Infopark has ambitious plans to become one of the major IT Parks in the country. With this vision, it has been growing fast ever since its inception in 2004, and within a short period of time, has attracted investments from IT majors like Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Affiliated Computer Services, OPI Global, IBS Software Services and US Technology. Because of the fast growth rate achieved and strategic positioning of the Park in the upcoming city of Kochi (previously known as Cochin), Infopark is well known among the IT/ITES investors as a very potential destination.
Infopark has infrastructural development in three categories. Infopark provides incubation facility to start-up firms on a short term basis.
Infopark also provides space to SME and large companies on a long term lease, through Infopark’s own and co-developer buildings. Office buildings are also available on a built-to-suit (BTS) for specific company requirements.
Infopark located at Kochi, is the new IT Park being developed by the Government of Kerala. To set up this project, Government has transferred 100 acres of land which is now under the ownership and possession of Infoparks Kerala, which is an independent Society fully owned by the Government.
Infopark has ambitious plans to become one of the major IT Parks in the country. With this vision, it has been growing fast ever since its inception in 2004, and within a short period of time, has attracted investments from IT majors like Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Affiliated Computer Services, OPI Global, IBS Software Services and US Technology. Because of the fast growth rate achieved and strategic positioning of the Park in the upcoming city of Kochi (previously known as Cochin), Infopark is well known among the IT/ITES investors as a very potential destination.Kochi (formerly known as Cochin) is located in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is one of the principal seaports of the country and is located in the district of Ernakulam, about 220 kilometers north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. It has an estimated population of 600,000, with an extended metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the largest urban agglomeration and the second largest city in Kerala after the capital
Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) IN THE VANGUARD OF PROGRESS
Within an arm's reach from the hustle and bustle of a vibrant city, right on the corridor connecting a strategically positioned seaport and a busy international airport, one locates the Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ), the landmark industrial township in KochL Spread over a sprawling I 03-acre area and home to 55 enterprises in diverse sectors of industry, CSEZ wields the status of a 'foreign territory' within India. Free from Customs intervention, the Zone also enjoys special policy support to stimulate NRI and Foreign Direct Investments.
From electronic hardware to readymade garments, an assortment of value added products from the CSEZ find their way into a diversified international market comprising primarily, the USA, Europe and the Middle East. Multinationals including Tyco and Advanced Lighting Resources Inc have set up their manufacturing base within the Zone as joint ventures or otherwise. Not to mention successful Indian majors like the Tatas, Leela Group, Hindustan Levers, and the NeST Group. Besides, steadily increasing contract manufacturing activities by global giants like GE Group, Lucent, Hitachi etc., have been paving the way for major investments in the Zone.
The infrastructure within.the CSEZ perhaps matches the best in the world. Factory Modules built to international standards, high- bandwidth international connectivity, top class electric power distribution system, an integrated water supply system, excellent telecommunication network, video conferencing facilities and a well laid out landscape are hallmarks of the Zone. In a path-breaking initiative, the Zone authorities have recently teamed up with KSIDC and a leading private-sector property developer to establish state-of-the-art, 'plug-n-play' modules for IT units, encompassing built-up area of about a quarter-million square feet. Negotiations have also been kick-started with private businessmen to establish a captive power station to feed the units within the CSEZ.
A 'free economic zone' positioned within an international logistic hub, CSEZ is also the gateway to a storehouse of highly productive, yet cost-competitive, manpower and Kerala's rich natural resources. "We are in the process of developing the Zone as a brand by itself. Kochi emerging as a major logistic hub, several MNCs are likely to relocate their South Asian businesses to the CSEZ in the coming years", says Mr. Paul Antony, Development Commissioner, CSEZ.
As mounting demand for built-up space prompts the Zone authorities to add another half a million to the existing half-million square feet of standard factory area, industry sources foresee manifold growth in foreign exchange earnings by CSEZ units from the present level of about Rs. 3000 million.
http://www.ksidc.org/infinity/infinity_nov02.htm
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Kerala to sign IT agreements with two German states
Monday March 10 2008 01:07 IST
SAJIMON P S
KOCHI: In a major initiative to spread its IT wings across the globe, the Kerala Government is signing agreements with two state governments in Germany to facilitate IT ventures.
The agreements with the states of Niedersachsen and Bavaria are aimed at allowing companies from both to start IT ventures without any impediment.
Preliminary discussions between the governments in this regard are over. Delegations from the German state governments will visit Kerala shortly to continue the discussions and to get a better understanding of the scope of IT industries here, Ajayakumar, state IT Secretary, told this website's newspaper.
Ajayakumar said that he had held preliminary discussions with Walter Hirche, Deputy Prime Minister of Niedersachen and with the IT secretary of Bavaria during Cebit-2008, a leading international IT exhibition held in Germany.
Technopark CEO Radhakrishnan Nair also attended the exhibition representing the State Government. The exhibition was organised by Deutsche Messe AG, a trade fair company, from March 4 to 9, 2008.
“Though there are companies from the USA and the UK operating here, we don’t have many IT ventures from German companies one reason for which could be the problem of communication.
The agreement is expected to be a milestone in the IT scenario of the state, said Ajayakumar. “The agreement will of course improve bilateral relations between India and Germany.
The arrival of companies from Germany will see another IT boom here. Hirche and the IT secretary of Bavaria expressed support and showed interest in signing agreements with Kerala.
They expressed satisfaction at the IT development of the country, and particularly of Kerala. They have agreed to support IT ventures by Indian companies in Germany,’’ he said.
In addition to the state governments, a number of German companies have expressed an interest in starting IT companies in Kerala, he said.
Ajayakumar and Nair also had discussions with representatives of various international IT companies.
Ajayakumar said that the German-Indian Business Centre had expressed its willingness to extend its cooperation with Kerala and had showed keen interest in the agreement.
Bitcom, an IT association of Germany, also held discussions with the State Government.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20080309144600&Title=Kochi&Topic=0
SAJIMON P S
KOCHI: In a major initiative to spread its IT wings across the globe, the Kerala Government is signing agreements with two state governments in Germany to facilitate IT ventures.
The agreements with the states of Niedersachsen and Bavaria are aimed at allowing companies from both to start IT ventures without any impediment.
Preliminary discussions between the governments in this regard are over. Delegations from the German state governments will visit Kerala shortly to continue the discussions and to get a better understanding of the scope of IT industries here, Ajayakumar, state IT Secretary, told this website's newspaper.
Ajayakumar said that he had held preliminary discussions with Walter Hirche, Deputy Prime Minister of Niedersachen and with the IT secretary of Bavaria during Cebit-2008, a leading international IT exhibition held in Germany.
Technopark CEO Radhakrishnan Nair also attended the exhibition representing the State Government. The exhibition was organised by Deutsche Messe AG, a trade fair company, from March 4 to 9, 2008.
“Though there are companies from the USA and the UK operating here, we don’t have many IT ventures from German companies one reason for which could be the problem of communication.
The agreement is expected to be a milestone in the IT scenario of the state, said Ajayakumar. “The agreement will of course improve bilateral relations between India and Germany.
The arrival of companies from Germany will see another IT boom here. Hirche and the IT secretary of Bavaria expressed support and showed interest in signing agreements with Kerala.
They expressed satisfaction at the IT development of the country, and particularly of Kerala. They have agreed to support IT ventures by Indian companies in Germany,’’ he said.
In addition to the state governments, a number of German companies have expressed an interest in starting IT companies in Kerala, he said.
Ajayakumar and Nair also had discussions with representatives of various international IT companies.
Ajayakumar said that the German-Indian Business Centre had expressed its willingness to extend its cooperation with Kerala and had showed keen interest in the agreement.
Bitcom, an IT association of Germany, also held discussions with the State Government.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEX20080309144600&Title=Kochi&Topic=0
Saturday, March 8, 2008
New Vice Chancellor backs CUSAT upgrade to IIEST
Located 10 kms north of COCHIN CITY and 20 kms south of COCHIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,on about 180 acres in Thrikkakara, the main campus is serene and beautiful.
The Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India has adjudged CUSAT as an institution to be upgraded to the level of IIT. The first installment of the development aid has been received by the University during April 2006 and the modification works to upgrade CUSAT as the new breed Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) are going in full swing
Kerala - Kochi
New VC backs Cusat upgrade
Staff Reporter
Says everyone stands to gain with an IIEST
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Says character of an institution need not change by a change in its name
“Cusat’s target should be excellence”
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KOCHI: Gangan Prathap, new Vice-Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), said here on Monday that “everyone stands to gain” from the proposed upgrade of the university into an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST).
Mr. Prathap, formerly scientist in-charge of the Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Bangalore, said the Ananthakrishnan committee’s (which short-listed the IIESTs) proposed allocation of Rs. 80 crore to Rs. 100 crore would be greatly beneficial to Cusat.
A renowned scientist with an excellent academic and research track-record, Mr. Prathap said the character of an institution need not change just by a change in its name.
“I believe Cusat has a special character,” he said.
Pointing out that the best research came from the science departments even in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Mr. Prathap said Cusat’s target should be excellence.
Objective
“Cusat has to take a decision whether it wants excellence or relevance,” he said referring to the ongoing debate on whether the institution should be upgraded.
“The policy (regarding the upgrade) is made by the political process. We are only the executives,” he said.
Huge funding
Noting that the IITs had benefited from the huge funding they received every year, Mr. Prathap said the annual budget of an IIT was in the range of Rs. 100 crore to Rs. 150 crore.
“On the other hand, the budget of a National Institute of Technology was between Rs. 20 crore and 30 crore. Cusat’s fund is only Rs. 22 crore,” he said.
Saying that the best students here would not go to the IITs, if Cusat got that kind of budget, Mr. Prathap said the institution was already one of the best to be brought into the higher level.
Step up research
Highlighting the need to step up research on the campus, Mr. Prathap said, “If you want to be a centre of excellence, it should need more research.”
He said the engineering faculty in most of the foreign universities did a lot of research, while here “it is more teaching.” “Teaching is being driven by good research. That is what IITs do,” he said.
Elaborating on the rapid educational progress being made by countries such as South Korea, Mr. Prathap said it had invested a lot in education.
“Seventy per cent of students there get a chance to go to a university, while it is only seven per cent in India,” he said. Mr. Prathap said that Finland, which had a population of five million, had 20 universities. “Going by that rate, Kerala should have 120 universities,” he said.
A researcher who bagged the S.S. Bhatnagar Prize in Science and Technology (1990), Mr. Prathap said the State did not have a tradition where industry was linked to universities. “It is not an easy issue to resolve. Most of the technology that we use here is absorbed from abroad,” he said.
A native of Kollam, Mr. Prathap had served as scientist at the National Aerospace Laboratories at Bangalore (1980-2000) before joining the CSIR centre.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/05/stories/2008020560940300.htm
Friday, March 7, 2008
Cochin skyline rises to the IT boom
We see a trend of modern age luxury homes in India. The IT boom has brought with it many new age developments – large, multi-storied, elite complexes being one of them. Here’s a look at some of Cochin’s best.
The city of Cochin is not far behind the Indian metros such as Delhi and Mumbai when it comes to the real estate boom. In fact, the Cochin Export Processing Zone and projects like ’Smart City’ have fueled the real estate boom in Cochin and its suburbs. Matching other Indian cities, the land and housing prices in Cochin have more than doubled in a short span of time.
If you’re looking for a home in Cochin (Kochi), make sure you consider these options:
Marine drive - An up-market part of Cochin. Investments by NRIs and residents have added to the demand of residential schemes in this part of Cochin. Several multi-crore projects have been launched in this vicinity. Homes in the Prestige Neptune courtyard were priced in the range of Rs. 1-7 crore. The sea-facing locations of Marine drive add to its luxury!
Thevera - Another locality that boasts of elite residential complexes. Thevera offers opulent accommodation for its residents.
Panampilly Nagar - An aristocrat residential and commercial area in Cochin. It hosts chic housing complexes and several corporate offices. One cannot miss the glamour and glitz of this part of Cochin.
Kakkanad suburb - This suburb of Kochi has grown at a tremendous pace due to the smart city project and IT boom. SRK group has launched a Rs. 200 crore project called ‘Skywings’ at Kakkanad. Its residents can enjoy amenities like clubhouse, health club, supermarket, professional service management, and most importantly, excellent security facilities. The apartments are pegged at as high as Rs. 3 crore.
Edappally - This location has seen a dramatic change in recent times. Good education opportunities and accessibility to the highway have made residences in this area much sought after. If you are looking for a high value investment, this could be the place for you.
The suburbs of Ernakulum, Kadavanthra, and Cheranelloor have also greatly appreciated in value in a short period.
Property developers like Skyline, Meridien Homes, Puravankara, and SRK group have investments in swish projects in Kochi. Planned development and good infrastructure have added to the magnetism of Kochi.
http://www.window2india.com/cms/content/article11092007.jsp?aid=3615
The city of Cochin is not far behind the Indian metros such as Delhi and Mumbai when it comes to the real estate boom. In fact, the Cochin Export Processing Zone and projects like ’Smart City’ have fueled the real estate boom in Cochin and its suburbs. Matching other Indian cities, the land and housing prices in Cochin have more than doubled in a short span of time.
If you’re looking for a home in Cochin (Kochi), make sure you consider these options:
Marine drive - An up-market part of Cochin. Investments by NRIs and residents have added to the demand of residential schemes in this part of Cochin. Several multi-crore projects have been launched in this vicinity. Homes in the Prestige Neptune courtyard were priced in the range of Rs. 1-7 crore. The sea-facing locations of Marine drive add to its luxury!
Thevera - Another locality that boasts of elite residential complexes. Thevera offers opulent accommodation for its residents.
Panampilly Nagar - An aristocrat residential and commercial area in Cochin. It hosts chic housing complexes and several corporate offices. One cannot miss the glamour and glitz of this part of Cochin.
Kakkanad suburb - This suburb of Kochi has grown at a tremendous pace due to the smart city project and IT boom. SRK group has launched a Rs. 200 crore project called ‘Skywings’ at Kakkanad. Its residents can enjoy amenities like clubhouse, health club, supermarket, professional service management, and most importantly, excellent security facilities. The apartments are pegged at as high as Rs. 3 crore.
Edappally - This location has seen a dramatic change in recent times. Good education opportunities and accessibility to the highway have made residences in this area much sought after. If you are looking for a high value investment, this could be the place for you.
The suburbs of Ernakulum, Kadavanthra, and Cheranelloor have also greatly appreciated in value in a short period.
Property developers like Skyline, Meridien Homes, Puravankara, and SRK group have investments in swish projects in Kochi. Planned development and good infrastructure have added to the magnetism of Kochi.
http://www.window2india.com/cms/content/article11092007.jsp?aid=3615
Development off to a flying start in the region around the Cochin International Airport
CIAL and adjoining areas are witnessing a flurry of construction activity
The value of the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery is being felt more than ever before now - about seven years after it started functioning. The airport will be celebrating its seventh anniversary in a month with verve, since it has been one of the main factors that brought life to many a sleepy village around it.
Going by the huge swing in the property market in the area, the development around the airport is going to completely change the surroundings. It has already changed the face of the place, says V.J. Kurien, Managing Director of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL).
People visiting the area after a long gap would not recognise the place, he said. There are 3,100 people working on the premises of the airport. Housing needs of these people has been a major catalyst in the development of the area, said Mr. Kurien.
CIAL project
The passenger traffic has increased to about 5,500 daily. But it is not this alone that has triggered development. CIAL has embarked on a major development project.
Out of the 1,300 acres of land with CIAL, 400 acres lying unutilised by the airport would be used commercially. There are at least five hotels around the airport, which include three-star hotels too. CIAL is planning to set up four hotels, of which two will be five-star and two will be three-star.
The company is also planning a convention centre, an exhibition hall and a shopping complex with an eye on the number of people who visit the airport for sending of or receiving guests and relatives.
According to Mr. Kurien, 15,000 people are estimated to come in and out of the airport in a day. CIAL is planning to develop a small township of its own which will bring in more people residing in nearby areas for their shopping needs.
The multiplexes and food court will be ideal to give meaning to their idle time, Mr. Kurien says.
Golf course
Another project that the airport is planning to come up with is a golf course. About 100 acres in the flight path cannot be utilised for anything else. The Union Government has already sanctioned Rs.10 crore for the Rs.13-crore project. The rest of the amount will be raised through membership, Mr. Kurien says.
Another employment opportunity will be coming up from CIAL, when it sets up a maintenance hangar here. Work will be started soon on the project. About 100 people will get employment in the beginning and eventually it is likely to provide employment to about 4000 people, says Mr. Kurien.
The needs of these people converging on Nedumbassery will have to be met locally. From Athani to Sreemoolanagaram panchayat, the impact is direct. The related small and remote areas have been witnessing a real estate boom.
All this is propelled by real time development and real investors, said Paul Iyyampally, proprietor of Pen Books, who has entered the real estate business with Pen Properties. One of the biggest projects of the area is the development of about 400 housing plots in 56 acres lying adjacent to the airport.
Calling it Pen Airport Village Nedumbassery, Mr. Iyyampally, believes that by the time the property is fully developed, the cost of the land is likely to go up several times. The cost of the land here is at Rs.75,000 a cent, because the direct access from the main road leading to the airport is yet to become a reality. A small bridge connecting the land to the airport road, now separated by a canal, would push up the land value several times.
G. Krishna Kumar, who is familiar with the land transaction patterns in the area, feels that the boom in land value is felt in a bigger radius beyond Nedumbassery.
Rising value
While the land lying near to the airport has appreciated nearly 500 per cent over the last one year, remote areas have gone up by even 400-500 times the price that was prevailing a year ago.
Land at Athani Junction (from where the road to airport takes a turn away from the highway) and the near by areas is as much as Rs.4 lakhs to Rs.4.5 lakhs a cent.
The price of land here had hovered around Rs 90,000 per cent a year ago. Price of land on VIP Road has gone up from Rs.40,000 to Rs.1.5 lakhs a cent.
The real estate brokers play a vital role in upping the land value too.
There is speculation. There are many around the area who have left their existing job to take up real-estate business, said a broker.
However, the speculation is not without substance. There are real buyers, unlike the property boom earlier.
Housing plots have been developed and sold by many real estate developers here. Most of the investment here has come from he non-resident Indians.
Two-pronged
The developments here are two pronged, says Mr. Krishna Kumar. One is the airport-related development and the other is the tourism-related development. As for the first reason, the growth of the area is fuelled by the demand created by the staff attached to people in the airport. Housing demand is the prime reason.
Another is tourism. Two four-star hotels are coming up at M.C. Road in Kalady and one on the Airport to Kalady road. Kalady, famous for its association with saint Adi Sankaracharya, is considered a pilgrim centre.
Close to the place, about 10 km, lies Malayattoor, the place which has been granted international pilgrimage status because of its association with St. Thomas. Now these places have gained more visibility because of the airport's proximity.
Infrastructure
Accessibility to the places has increased thanks to the other developments related to infrastructure.
A lot of basic infrastructure is being developed here. What used to be a two-lane main road to Kalady town, is now a four-lane road. Increasing road traffic necessitated the development.
All the housing plots being developed here would definitely bring in construction majors. There would build shopping malls and other basic facilities to serve the population.
A school too would increase the land value, said Mr. Krishna Kumar.
When the basic facilities such as school, college and hospital come up in the area, the land value is bound to rise, he said. Nedumbassery and its surrounding has been marked well by many who will be taking up its development.
http://www.hindu.com/pp/2006/04/22/stories/2006042200580100.htm
Cochin Chamber welcome Budget proposals Tourism and IT find special mention
Trade, industry welcome Budget proposals
Staff Reporter
Tourism and IT find special mention in the budget
KOCHI: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has helped dispel certain ‘myths’ about Kerala economy and its performance through the Budget 2008, said Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry here in its reaction to the Budget proposals by the Finance Minister.
Chamber President Jose Dominic said that Kerala had always been known for its achievements in the social sector and welcomed the initiatives and emphasis by the government on the social sector.
Following the Union Budget 2008, the State Budget too has emphasised agriculture.
The State has also focussed on traditional sectors such as coir, cashew, fisheries and handloom.
The government’s intention to promote infrastructure development in the State and the sectors focussed on are welcome, said Mr. Dominic in his statement.
However, he said that much more needed to be done if “we are to keep pace with the times.”
Tourism and Information Technology find special mention in the Budget and they hold tremendous hopes for the State, he added.
While there is a need for taking care of the environment in Kerala, the Budget should have given greater importance to “sustainable and green growth pattern of Kerala.”
The Chamber welcomed the development package for North Kerala and expressed surprise at the “silence” on the development of Kochi, barring a passing reference to the metro rail project.
Reforms
The Cochin Chamber also welcomed the government’s move for administrative reforms, which were long overdue. Cochin Oil Merchants’ Association (COMA) has welcomed the Budget proposal for tax exemption to coconut-based units.
M.J. Kuriakose, president of COMA said here in a statement here on Thursday that the proposal would help coconut farmers realise higher prize for their produce.
The Association also said that the relief on tax arrear collection would go a long way in helping industrial units that are sick.
Land bank
Kerala State Small Industries Association welcomed the Budget proposal for forming a land bank to make available sufficient land for industrial purposes.
A.P.M. Abdul Rahim, president of the association also welcomed the Budget proposal for one-time settlement of tax arrears.
The Association welcomed the move to exempt paper bags from the purview of taxes but said that the proposal to raise tax on plastic carry bags to 12.5 per cent would affect the business and that this would prompt merchants to bring in plastic bags from other States by paying two per cent CST.
The proposal to simplify the provision for compounding for works contracts, to extend benefits to dealers who voluntarily come forward to take registration, reduction of tax on aviation fuel, and so on, are welcome steps in the State Budget 2008, said the Indian Chamber of Commerce in a statement here.
The Chamber also welcomed the proposal for continuing Grand Kerala Shopping Festival to promote trade and tourism and to protect and expand commercial centres, including Fort Kochi.
Amnesty scheme
The Finance Minister had also responded positively to a suggestion to introduce an amnesty scheme for disposing of arrears of all taxes to be collected by the Commercial Tax Department under the Kerala Government Sales Tax Act, said the statement. It also expressed hope that fiscal deficit would be fully under control by 2010-2011.
Ernakulam Merchants’ Union has said that the Budget 2008 had not taken into consideration any of the suggestions put forward by traders. A statement from the Union described the Budget as disappointing.
The Budget had no proposal for resisting the big players in the retail sector and that the Finance Minister had disappointed the small retailers.The Merchants’ Union welcomed the proposal for one-time settlement of tax arrears as it also called for mechanisms to settle the disputes on the tax arrears.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/08/stories/2008030856302100.htm
Staff Reporter
Tourism and IT find special mention in the budget
KOCHI: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac has helped dispel certain ‘myths’ about Kerala economy and its performance through the Budget 2008, said Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry here in its reaction to the Budget proposals by the Finance Minister.
Chamber President Jose Dominic said that Kerala had always been known for its achievements in the social sector and welcomed the initiatives and emphasis by the government on the social sector.
Following the Union Budget 2008, the State Budget too has emphasised agriculture.
The State has also focussed on traditional sectors such as coir, cashew, fisheries and handloom.
The government’s intention to promote infrastructure development in the State and the sectors focussed on are welcome, said Mr. Dominic in his statement.
However, he said that much more needed to be done if “we are to keep pace with the times.”
Tourism and Information Technology find special mention in the Budget and they hold tremendous hopes for the State, he added.
While there is a need for taking care of the environment in Kerala, the Budget should have given greater importance to “sustainable and green growth pattern of Kerala.”
The Chamber welcomed the development package for North Kerala and expressed surprise at the “silence” on the development of Kochi, barring a passing reference to the metro rail project.
Reforms
The Cochin Chamber also welcomed the government’s move for administrative reforms, which were long overdue. Cochin Oil Merchants’ Association (COMA) has welcomed the Budget proposal for tax exemption to coconut-based units.
M.J. Kuriakose, president of COMA said here in a statement here on Thursday that the proposal would help coconut farmers realise higher prize for their produce.
The Association also said that the relief on tax arrear collection would go a long way in helping industrial units that are sick.
Land bank
Kerala State Small Industries Association welcomed the Budget proposal for forming a land bank to make available sufficient land for industrial purposes.
A.P.M. Abdul Rahim, president of the association also welcomed the Budget proposal for one-time settlement of tax arrears.
The Association welcomed the move to exempt paper bags from the purview of taxes but said that the proposal to raise tax on plastic carry bags to 12.5 per cent would affect the business and that this would prompt merchants to bring in plastic bags from other States by paying two per cent CST.
The proposal to simplify the provision for compounding for works contracts, to extend benefits to dealers who voluntarily come forward to take registration, reduction of tax on aviation fuel, and so on, are welcome steps in the State Budget 2008, said the Indian Chamber of Commerce in a statement here.
The Chamber also welcomed the proposal for continuing Grand Kerala Shopping Festival to promote trade and tourism and to protect and expand commercial centres, including Fort Kochi.
Amnesty scheme
The Finance Minister had also responded positively to a suggestion to introduce an amnesty scheme for disposing of arrears of all taxes to be collected by the Commercial Tax Department under the Kerala Government Sales Tax Act, said the statement. It also expressed hope that fiscal deficit would be fully under control by 2010-2011.
Ernakulam Merchants’ Union has said that the Budget 2008 had not taken into consideration any of the suggestions put forward by traders. A statement from the Union described the Budget as disappointing.
The Budget had no proposal for resisting the big players in the retail sector and that the Finance Minister had disappointed the small retailers.The Merchants’ Union welcomed the proposal for one-time settlement of tax arrears as it also called for mechanisms to settle the disputes on the tax arrears.
http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/08/stories/2008030856302100.htm
InKel Attracts Investors, NRKs(Non Resident Keralites)
Kerala’s Minister of Industries Elamaram Kareem, (sixth from the right), members of his delegation, and Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed with Indian businessmen and other dignitaries in Jeddah. (AN photo
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News
JEDDAH, 5 May 2007 — The south Indian state of Kerala offers an investor-friendly climate not only for NRIs (non-resident Indians) but also for global investors, Elamaram Kareem, the state’s minister for industries, said while addressing a group of Indian businessmen here.
The minister was in Jeddah to promote InKel (Infrastructures Kerala Ltd.), a government sponsored company designed to undertake the state’s development plans in the industrial and business sectors.
“We have started attracting a large number of global investors who feel their investment is safe and secure in Kerala with promising returns since the state offers expert human resources at comparatively cheaper rate,” said Kareem, who left the Kingdom Thursday night after visiting Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam as part of his Gulf tour.
The Kerala government has splendid schemes in the pipeline such as the container transshipment facility at Kochi and Vizhinjam, he said. The Info Park project at Kochi has been finalized with Dubai Tcom. Several info parks, rubber parks, tourism villages, medical cities, etc are on the cards. Kannur has been tipped as a textile city, Kollam as cashew nut valley and Idikki as a spices park, he pointed out.
“Any entrepreneur, individual or collective, can get single window clearance instantly and proceed with their project with full government support,” Kareem told the meeting, which was organized by the Indian Consulate in Jeddah and the World Malayalee Council. Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed presided over the function.
The work force in Kerala is now well-disciplined, the minister said playing down negative propaganda about labor militancy in the state. “Some industrialists who left the state previously such as Gwalior Rayons have expressed their interest to return to the state now. The atmosphere is definitely congenial to them; otherwise they wouldn’t have returned,” the minister asserted.
“While unveiling the details of the offer, the minister clarified that his team’s main objective was to spread the message that the investment climate in Kerala had been upgraded and modernized to facilitate every kind of industry,” said George Tharakan, coordinator of the business meet.
The minister’s delegation consisted of John Mathai, managing director of InKel, T. Radhakrishnan, principal secretary at the Industries Ministry and N. Sasidharan Nair, private secretary to the minister.
Mathai gave a presentation highlighting the company’s features and prospects. Radhakrishnan spoke on the industrial situation in the state. He also underlined the historical trade relations between India and Arabian Gulf countries.
InKel’s equity stands at Rs.1 billion of which the Kerala government will have a 26 percent stake. The remaining 74 percent has been offered to public. Government will have four directors in the board whereas the shareholders can select eight members.
According to the minister, major investing companies and mutual fund managers have already offered to take the 74 percent stake in the company. But, Kareem said the government is inclined to favor small investors, especially non-resident Keralites (NRKs) in the Gulf who can buy up to 50 shares, each valuing Rs.10,000.
Kareem announced that the government has already transferred its share of Rs.260 million to the InKel’s bank account. Prospective investors can apply directly through InKel’s bankers — State of Bank of India and State Bank of Travancore. Every branch of these banks will accept deposits till the end of May. Representatives of the banks Purushothaman and Ranjit Thomas, who were in the minister’s delegation, distributed share application forms.
Kareem and his team arrived in the Kingdom after visiting Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. They will leave for the UAE after meeting businessmen in Bahrain.
Dignitaries who attended the Jeddah meeting included: K.M. Kurian, regional manager of Air-India, Western Region, Mohammed Alungal and Samad of Al-Abeer Medical Group, Abdul Salam K.P. of Alpha Cargo, M.V. Saleem of Dauhat Al-Uloom International School, Seiko Hamza of Al-Yasmin Polyclinic, V.K. Samad of Rabeeh Al-Jazeera Polyclinic, Mansur Koroth of E-peace, and Shuhaib of Al-Ryan Polyclinic. World Malayalee Council hosted a dinner in honor of the delegation and participants.
Some participants complained that they were not given time to ask questions related to the project. “It’s a good project as it offers shares to the public, especially NRKs in the Gulf. But we want to get assurance that it would not be affected by the change of governments in the state,” said Salah Karadan, a member of the managing committee of the International Indian School, Jeddah.
One businessman said he believed that the capital was meager and would not be enough to carry out big infrastructure projects. Despite the minister’s assurance many businessmen feared labor militancy would put their investment in jeopardy.
InKel has already identified locations in capital Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and other places, where it would set up basic infrastructure for investors interested in starting sunrise industries.
The new company registered two months ago will be formed as a public-private partnership and will be different from the state-owned Kerala State Industrial Infrastructure Ltd and Kerala State Industrial Development Corp.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=95804&d=5&m=5&y=2007
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News
JEDDAH, 5 May 2007 — The south Indian state of Kerala offers an investor-friendly climate not only for NRIs (non-resident Indians) but also for global investors, Elamaram Kareem, the state’s minister for industries, said while addressing a group of Indian businessmen here.
The minister was in Jeddah to promote InKel (Infrastructures Kerala Ltd.), a government sponsored company designed to undertake the state’s development plans in the industrial and business sectors.
“We have started attracting a large number of global investors who feel their investment is safe and secure in Kerala with promising returns since the state offers expert human resources at comparatively cheaper rate,” said Kareem, who left the Kingdom Thursday night after visiting Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam as part of his Gulf tour.
The Kerala government has splendid schemes in the pipeline such as the container transshipment facility at Kochi and Vizhinjam, he said. The Info Park project at Kochi has been finalized with Dubai Tcom. Several info parks, rubber parks, tourism villages, medical cities, etc are on the cards. Kannur has been tipped as a textile city, Kollam as cashew nut valley and Idikki as a spices park, he pointed out.
“Any entrepreneur, individual or collective, can get single window clearance instantly and proceed with their project with full government support,” Kareem told the meeting, which was organized by the Indian Consulate in Jeddah and the World Malayalee Council. Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed presided over the function.
The work force in Kerala is now well-disciplined, the minister said playing down negative propaganda about labor militancy in the state. “Some industrialists who left the state previously such as Gwalior Rayons have expressed their interest to return to the state now. The atmosphere is definitely congenial to them; otherwise they wouldn’t have returned,” the minister asserted.
“While unveiling the details of the offer, the minister clarified that his team’s main objective was to spread the message that the investment climate in Kerala had been upgraded and modernized to facilitate every kind of industry,” said George Tharakan, coordinator of the business meet.
The minister’s delegation consisted of John Mathai, managing director of InKel, T. Radhakrishnan, principal secretary at the Industries Ministry and N. Sasidharan Nair, private secretary to the minister.
Mathai gave a presentation highlighting the company’s features and prospects. Radhakrishnan spoke on the industrial situation in the state. He also underlined the historical trade relations between India and Arabian Gulf countries.
InKel’s equity stands at Rs.1 billion of which the Kerala government will have a 26 percent stake. The remaining 74 percent has been offered to public. Government will have four directors in the board whereas the shareholders can select eight members.
According to the minister, major investing companies and mutual fund managers have already offered to take the 74 percent stake in the company. But, Kareem said the government is inclined to favor small investors, especially non-resident Keralites (NRKs) in the Gulf who can buy up to 50 shares, each valuing Rs.10,000.
Kareem announced that the government has already transferred its share of Rs.260 million to the InKel’s bank account. Prospective investors can apply directly through InKel’s bankers — State of Bank of India and State Bank of Travancore. Every branch of these banks will accept deposits till the end of May. Representatives of the banks Purushothaman and Ranjit Thomas, who were in the minister’s delegation, distributed share application forms.
Kareem and his team arrived in the Kingdom after visiting Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. They will leave for the UAE after meeting businessmen in Bahrain.
Dignitaries who attended the Jeddah meeting included: K.M. Kurian, regional manager of Air-India, Western Region, Mohammed Alungal and Samad of Al-Abeer Medical Group, Abdul Salam K.P. of Alpha Cargo, M.V. Saleem of Dauhat Al-Uloom International School, Seiko Hamza of Al-Yasmin Polyclinic, V.K. Samad of Rabeeh Al-Jazeera Polyclinic, Mansur Koroth of E-peace, and Shuhaib of Al-Ryan Polyclinic. World Malayalee Council hosted a dinner in honor of the delegation and participants.
Some participants complained that they were not given time to ask questions related to the project. “It’s a good project as it offers shares to the public, especially NRKs in the Gulf. But we want to get assurance that it would not be affected by the change of governments in the state,” said Salah Karadan, a member of the managing committee of the International Indian School, Jeddah.
One businessman said he believed that the capital was meager and would not be enough to carry out big infrastructure projects. Despite the minister’s assurance many businessmen feared labor militancy would put their investment in jeopardy.
InKel has already identified locations in capital Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and other places, where it would set up basic infrastructure for investors interested in starting sunrise industries.
The new company registered two months ago will be formed as a public-private partnership and will be different from the state-owned Kerala State Industrial Infrastructure Ltd and Kerala State Industrial Development Corp.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=95804&d=5&m=5&y=2007
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
GREEN METROPOLIS by Mir Realtors in COCHIN,KERALA,INDIA
Mir Realtors COCHIN(Kochi)
This is new project of 6 acres with
villas of different sizes and flats and is situated 3 kms away from the proposed Smart City
COCHIN(KOCHI)
Corporate film:Lakeshore Hospital Kochi
The film is aimed to attract investors and shareholders to the hospital project. So while conceiving and making the video, the director focused on project the infrastructure and business potential instead of its contribution in health care and treatments.
.
Project: Lakeshore Hospital COCHIN (Kochi)
Direction: Ram Mohan
Editor: Joseph MC
Shot on Beta Cam.
Email:kgrammohan@gmail.com (less)
Monday, March 3, 2008
Sharjah company wins Kochi marina contract
By Ashraf Padanna
By Ashraf Padanna
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A United Arab Emirates company has won the contract to build India’s first marina in Kerala’s port city of Kochi.
Gulf Marinas is based in Sharjah’s Hamriyah Free Zone.
On Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan laid the foundation for the marina to be built between Kochi’s Bolgatty Island and Marine Drive, with a capacity to house 50 luxury yachts at a time. It will be the world’s only marina with a golf course.
“The first phase of the project will be completed in less than a year at a cost Rs80mn, half which will be provided by the federal government,†Cheriyan Phillip, chairman of the state-owned Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), which is building the marina, said.
The KTDC has floated a subsidiary, Tourists Resorts Kerala Limited, to implement the project. The consultants were picked up through a competitive bidding process.
There will be two-dozen state-of-the-art rooms and recreation facilities built along with the marina to accommodate seafarers who make Kochi a stopover between the Middle East and the Far East.
Currently, at least 60 yachts call at the Kerala port city during the tourist season and remain berthed there for periods ranging from two weeks to six months despite poor berthing facilities.
The marina will accommodate fuel stations, restaurants, health clubs and a car-parking area and a boardwalk — a wooden structure protruding into the backwaters. The marina is expected to provide job opportunities to hundreds of people who are skilled in repairing boats and communication equipment such as GPS, sonar and VHF radio sets.
Currently, there are no intermediate berthing facilities for the yachts leaving Dubai until they reach their destinations in the Far East. Situated just 11 nautical miles away from the international maritime route, Kochi has one of he best natural ports in Asia where Dubai Ports World is building an international container transshipment terminal. The Cochin Port Trust is also building a cruise terminal on nearby Willington Island.
The construction of a two-lane road connecting the Bolghatty Palace and Goshree Island is already underway. The KTDC plans to complete the first phase before the Volvo Ocean Race in December.
“One completed, Kochi would emerge as the gateway of India’s tourism. Since tourists who travel by the sea are on the rise, the Kochi marina will boost the tourism prospects of the state,†Philip said.
Most of the yachters arriving in Kochi, many of them aged couple, have been from European countries such as the UK, Finland and Norway apart from New Zealand and Australia.
“Kerala has already become a high-quality destination like the Maldives, where hotels are priced very high, and not Goa and Sri Lanka where cheaper hotel rooms are available. The marina would give further boost to this segment,†Philip said.
The Kerala Tourism authorities feel the Kochi marina could well become what Florida is to the US where lifestyle tourists converge. The idea is to make them fly down to Kochi, take a cruise in yachts berthed here and fly back to their city, Philip said.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=205157&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22
By Ashraf Padanna
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A United Arab Emirates company has won the contract to build India’s first marina in Kerala’s port city of Kochi.
Gulf Marinas is based in Sharjah’s Hamriyah Free Zone.
On Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan laid the foundation for the marina to be built between Kochi’s Bolgatty Island and Marine Drive, with a capacity to house 50 luxury yachts at a time. It will be the world’s only marina with a golf course.
“The first phase of the project will be completed in less than a year at a cost Rs80mn, half which will be provided by the federal government,†Cheriyan Phillip, chairman of the state-owned Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), which is building the marina, said.
The KTDC has floated a subsidiary, Tourists Resorts Kerala Limited, to implement the project. The consultants were picked up through a competitive bidding process.
There will be two-dozen state-of-the-art rooms and recreation facilities built along with the marina to accommodate seafarers who make Kochi a stopover between the Middle East and the Far East.
Currently, at least 60 yachts call at the Kerala port city during the tourist season and remain berthed there for periods ranging from two weeks to six months despite poor berthing facilities.
The marina will accommodate fuel stations, restaurants, health clubs and a car-parking area and a boardwalk — a wooden structure protruding into the backwaters. The marina is expected to provide job opportunities to hundreds of people who are skilled in repairing boats and communication equipment such as GPS, sonar and VHF radio sets.
Currently, there are no intermediate berthing facilities for the yachts leaving Dubai until they reach their destinations in the Far East. Situated just 11 nautical miles away from the international maritime route, Kochi has one of he best natural ports in Asia where Dubai Ports World is building an international container transshipment terminal. The Cochin Port Trust is also building a cruise terminal on nearby Willington Island.
The construction of a two-lane road connecting the Bolghatty Palace and Goshree Island is already underway. The KTDC plans to complete the first phase before the Volvo Ocean Race in December.
“One completed, Kochi would emerge as the gateway of India’s tourism. Since tourists who travel by the sea are on the rise, the Kochi marina will boost the tourism prospects of the state,†Philip said.
Most of the yachters arriving in Kochi, many of them aged couple, have been from European countries such as the UK, Finland and Norway apart from New Zealand and Australia.
“Kerala has already become a high-quality destination like the Maldives, where hotels are priced very high, and not Goa and Sri Lanka where cheaper hotel rooms are available. The marina would give further boost to this segment,†Philip said.
The Kerala Tourism authorities feel the Kochi marina could well become what Florida is to the US where lifestyle tourists converge. The idea is to make them fly down to Kochi, take a cruise in yachts berthed here and fly back to their city, Philip said.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=205157&version=1&template_id=40&parent_id=22
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Invest in Realty Booming IT city, COCHIN(KOCHI)Malayalee NRIs from across the globe are starting to invest in Kochi
Invest in Realty Booming IT city, Kochi
Sunday, Nov 4, 2007
This small town on the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India by the Portuguese, way back in 1503. Kochi (Cochin) was occupied by the Dutch as well as the British. Some of that colonial heritage still lives on in its buildings.
Lately, however, this sleepy trading town has woken up. Dubai Port International, in a joint venture with the Cochin Port Trust, is handling the Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam.
There is an international bunkering terminal, a ship repair facility, a CNG terminal as well as an international cruise ship terminal at Kochi port. Kochi was also the first city in India to have an international airport built under public-private partnership.
Today, Kochi is a growing centre for information technology, tourism and international trade. All of these factors have fuelled the demand for more accommodation, office space, retail space as well as hospitality services.
Which is the best city in India? Tell us
According to Knight Frank Research, there is a demand for 50,000 apartments, which should be met in the next 2-3 years. There are various residential projects, some under construction and others at planning stage. Most major national players are already in Kochi.
This includes the likes of Puravankara Projects, Sobha Developers, Prestige Group, Emaar-MGF and Brigade Group, apart from several local players like Abad, Skyline Builders, Mather, JCB Estates, Great India Estates. Sahara Infrastructure & Housing and Unitech have both acquired land in the city but have revealed no fixed plans.
The city is seeing many new developments. A new ring road, a coastal highway and the new airport-seaport road are some of the developments that Srinivas Anikipatti, regional director, Colliers International talked about.
The poshest area in Kochi is its Marine Drive, some parts of MG Road, which is also the retail and hospitality hub of the city, Chittoor Road and Shanmugham Road.
The off-prime locations are Thevara Junction, Panampally Nagar, Edapally Junction and Palarivattam Junction. A lot of new residential activity is happening in the emerging areas of Kakkanad, Kelamassery Road, the NH-47 bypass, Thirupunithura and Mardu Junction.
Some of the very high-end properties are coming up on Marine Drive. Puravankara Projects has the Grand Bay at Marine Drive where the rates are already Rs 4,000-4,500 per sq ft and apartments cost Rs 80 lakh upwards.
"These are large units with marble flooring, a suspended pool on the fifth floor, a triple height lobby and huge balconies to enjoy the sea," says Naina Cariappa, VP, sales and marketing, Puravankara Projects.
They have another project planned at Marine Drive called Oceania. Other areas where they have residential projects are Kakkanad and Edapally. "At Kakkanad, the cost is about Rs 1,800-1,900 per sq ft," she says.
Others on Marine Drive include the Bangalore-based Prestige Group, which has a project called Neptune Courtyard, and the Abad Group.
Local player Skyline Builders too is in the high-end game. Their project at Kaloor called the Imperial Garden has 300 apartments, which cost between Rs 1,700-2,600 per sq ft (roughly Rs 40-60 lakh for 3-4 bedroom apartments).
Great India Estates is also planning 4-bedroom apartments of over 3,000 sq ft space at Kakkanad. "These will be priced at over Rs 3,000 per sq ft," informs managing director E M Najeeb.
There is rising demand for new houses from NRIs. Malayalee NRIs from across the globe are starting to invest in Kochi. Abdul Azeez, MD Skyline Builders, informs that about 60 per cent of all their projects has been booked by NRIs.
At Puravankara, the figure is even higher. "Eighty per cent of our bookings are coming from NRI clients who are either looking at investing here or getting their second home," informs Cariappa.
Kochi currently has no malls; however, by 2009, the city is expected to have six malls covering a built-up area of 1.60 million sq ft, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Malls like Forum (expected to have 1 million+ sq ft of space), Lulu Mall, Aerens Gold Souk, Abad Mall, Metro One, Mall O, The Summit (to be spread over 12 floors) and Kalyan Mall are being planned. There have been reports that DLF too is looking at a mall-cum-hotel project in the city, near Marine Drive.
One can only hope that developers will not turn parts of Kochi into replicas of Gurgaon, what with all these malls and apartment complexes being developed in the city.
1. Flair Water Face : River View luxury Villas facing Ernakulam - Perumbavoor main Road, Kochi from Flair Homes
Features : Starting price Rs.5610000 for 1870 square feet 3 Bed room Villas
Flair Waterface offers a good opportunity for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, yet want to be close enough to the city. A river at one side and a mountain across adds to the beauty of the site and to the cool and serene atmosphere of your villas - makes you feel away from the hot and sultry days. Flair Homes provides unique villas which worths your choice and suits your status in a multifaceted residential township and a hygienic, pollution free zone 4.5 Km east of Ernakulam Collectorate.
Prominent institutions
Civil Station, CEPZ, NPOL, AIR, Doordarshan, IMG, Info Park, KINFRA, Export processing Zone Italian Fasion City, Export Promotinal, Cochin international airport, Veega Amusement Park - the largest amusement park and holiday place in Kerala.
Prominent housing projects
Central Excise & Customs Quarters, Central Govt. Staff Quarters,NGO Quarters, GCDA Housing Complex and many private housing projects.
Educational Institutions
Bharathmatha College, Model Engineering College, St. Paul's College, Vidyodaya School, Marthoma Public School, Kalabhavan Talent School, Carmel School, Press Academy, Cochin University and Cochin Medical College
Amenities :
* Swimming pool * Riverside park * Club House * Boat Club * Health Club * Gymnasium * Own water treater plant
* Indoor Shuttle court * Shop Rooms * 24 hour security * Fishing deck
2. Tedros, Luxury apartments from Flair Homes in Kakkanad, Kochi :
Features : 1480 square feet 3-bed room luxury flat starting price : Rs.44,00,000(inlcuding all taxes and registration charges)
Flair Homes is giving shape to Tedros at the most sophisticated residential enclave of the city at Kakkanad. Location-wise, you will be right in the middle of all happening places. On comfort levels, you'll have luxurious facilities to pamper your lifestyle
For further details and other ongoing projects, please call 09963355667 or visit www.freewebs.com/kochirealestateproperties
06:31 AM (UTC -5)
http://www.freewebs.com/kochirealestateproperties/investinkochi.htm?blogentryid=2467544
Sunday, Nov 4, 2007
This small town on the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India by the Portuguese, way back in 1503. Kochi (Cochin) was occupied by the Dutch as well as the British. Some of that colonial heritage still lives on in its buildings.
Lately, however, this sleepy trading town has woken up. Dubai Port International, in a joint venture with the Cochin Port Trust, is handling the Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam.
There is an international bunkering terminal, a ship repair facility, a CNG terminal as well as an international cruise ship terminal at Kochi port. Kochi was also the first city in India to have an international airport built under public-private partnership.
Today, Kochi is a growing centre for information technology, tourism and international trade. All of these factors have fuelled the demand for more accommodation, office space, retail space as well as hospitality services.
Which is the best city in India? Tell us
According to Knight Frank Research, there is a demand for 50,000 apartments, which should be met in the next 2-3 years. There are various residential projects, some under construction and others at planning stage. Most major national players are already in Kochi.
This includes the likes of Puravankara Projects, Sobha Developers, Prestige Group, Emaar-MGF and Brigade Group, apart from several local players like Abad, Skyline Builders, Mather, JCB Estates, Great India Estates. Sahara Infrastructure & Housing and Unitech have both acquired land in the city but have revealed no fixed plans.
The city is seeing many new developments. A new ring road, a coastal highway and the new airport-seaport road are some of the developments that Srinivas Anikipatti, regional director, Colliers International talked about.
The poshest area in Kochi is its Marine Drive, some parts of MG Road, which is also the retail and hospitality hub of the city, Chittoor Road and Shanmugham Road.
The off-prime locations are Thevara Junction, Panampally Nagar, Edapally Junction and Palarivattam Junction. A lot of new residential activity is happening in the emerging areas of Kakkanad, Kelamassery Road, the NH-47 bypass, Thirupunithura and Mardu Junction.
Some of the very high-end properties are coming up on Marine Drive. Puravankara Projects has the Grand Bay at Marine Drive where the rates are already Rs 4,000-4,500 per sq ft and apartments cost Rs 80 lakh upwards.
"These are large units with marble flooring, a suspended pool on the fifth floor, a triple height lobby and huge balconies to enjoy the sea," says Naina Cariappa, VP, sales and marketing, Puravankara Projects.
They have another project planned at Marine Drive called Oceania. Other areas where they have residential projects are Kakkanad and Edapally. "At Kakkanad, the cost is about Rs 1,800-1,900 per sq ft," she says.
Others on Marine Drive include the Bangalore-based Prestige Group, which has a project called Neptune Courtyard, and the Abad Group.
Local player Skyline Builders too is in the high-end game. Their project at Kaloor called the Imperial Garden has 300 apartments, which cost between Rs 1,700-2,600 per sq ft (roughly Rs 40-60 lakh for 3-4 bedroom apartments).
Great India Estates is also planning 4-bedroom apartments of over 3,000 sq ft space at Kakkanad. "These will be priced at over Rs 3,000 per sq ft," informs managing director E M Najeeb.
There is rising demand for new houses from NRIs. Malayalee NRIs from across the globe are starting to invest in Kochi. Abdul Azeez, MD Skyline Builders, informs that about 60 per cent of all their projects has been booked by NRIs.
At Puravankara, the figure is even higher. "Eighty per cent of our bookings are coming from NRI clients who are either looking at investing here or getting their second home," informs Cariappa.
Kochi currently has no malls; however, by 2009, the city is expected to have six malls covering a built-up area of 1.60 million sq ft, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Malls like Forum (expected to have 1 million+ sq ft of space), Lulu Mall, Aerens Gold Souk, Abad Mall, Metro One, Mall O, The Summit (to be spread over 12 floors) and Kalyan Mall are being planned. There have been reports that DLF too is looking at a mall-cum-hotel project in the city, near Marine Drive.
One can only hope that developers will not turn parts of Kochi into replicas of Gurgaon, what with all these malls and apartment complexes being developed in the city.
1. Flair Water Face : River View luxury Villas facing Ernakulam - Perumbavoor main Road, Kochi from Flair Homes
Features : Starting price Rs.5610000 for 1870 square feet 3 Bed room Villas
Flair Waterface offers a good opportunity for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, yet want to be close enough to the city. A river at one side and a mountain across adds to the beauty of the site and to the cool and serene atmosphere of your villas - makes you feel away from the hot and sultry days. Flair Homes provides unique villas which worths your choice and suits your status in a multifaceted residential township and a hygienic, pollution free zone 4.5 Km east of Ernakulam Collectorate.
Prominent institutions
Civil Station, CEPZ, NPOL, AIR, Doordarshan, IMG, Info Park, KINFRA, Export processing Zone Italian Fasion City, Export Promotinal, Cochin international airport, Veega Amusement Park - the largest amusement park and holiday place in Kerala.
Prominent housing projects
Central Excise & Customs Quarters, Central Govt. Staff Quarters,NGO Quarters, GCDA Housing Complex and many private housing projects.
Educational Institutions
Bharathmatha College, Model Engineering College, St. Paul's College, Vidyodaya School, Marthoma Public School, Kalabhavan Talent School, Carmel School, Press Academy, Cochin University and Cochin Medical College
Amenities :
* Swimming pool * Riverside park * Club House * Boat Club * Health Club * Gymnasium * Own water treater plant
* Indoor Shuttle court * Shop Rooms * 24 hour security * Fishing deck
2. Tedros, Luxury apartments from Flair Homes in Kakkanad, Kochi :
Features : 1480 square feet 3-bed room luxury flat starting price : Rs.44,00,000(inlcuding all taxes and registration charges)
Flair Homes is giving shape to Tedros at the most sophisticated residential enclave of the city at Kakkanad. Location-wise, you will be right in the middle of all happening places. On comfort levels, you'll have luxurious facilities to pamper your lifestyle
For further details and other ongoing projects, please call 09963355667 or visit www.freewebs.com/kochirealestateproperties
06:31 AM (UTC -5)
http://www.freewebs.com/kochirealestateproperties/investinkochi.htm?blogentryid=2467544
Manipal group to buy 40% in stake and management control in Kochi-based Lakeshore Hospital for Rs 100 cr
Manipal group to buy 40% in Kerala hospital for Rs 100 cr
3 Mar, 2008, 0029 hrs IST,Boby Kurian, TNN
BANGALORE: The Manipal group is close to acquiring a substantial stake and management control in Kochi-based Lakeshore Hospital, a super-specialty medical centre and a pioneer in medical tourism initiatives.
Sources said Manipal is likely to pick up around 40% stake for about Rs 100 crore, thus putting up a tough fight against Thailand’s healthcare tourism major Bumrungrad and at least two private equity players.
The deal is yet to be ratified by the board of Lakeshore Hospital, which was originally conceived almost a decade ago by a group of senior medical professionals. It is believed that Manipal Health Systems, a part of Manipal
Education and Medical Group (MEMG) which operates a chain of tertiary- and secondary-care hospitals, has emerged as the front-runner to acquire the stake in Lakeshore. Nevertheless, interest from Bangkok-based and public-listed
Bumrungrad International shows the growing importance of South India on the medical tourism map.
The multi-specialty Lakeshore is one of the few hospitals to have air, water and surface ambulance services.
The hospital’s roof-top helipad is pressed into service to help critically-ill patients while water ambulance service caters to people living in islands around Kochi.
Manipal’s likely stake buy may see it taking over administration and management duties of the hospital, which also has investments from NRI investor and promoter of Dubai-based Lulu Group, MA Yousaf Ali.
Sources said some of the original medical professionals who conceived the project may exit as shareholders.
Dr Ranjan Pai, CEO of MEMG, declined to comment on the impending transaction at this point of time. When queried on the possibility of a takeover by Manipal, Lakeshore Hospital finance director AJ Pai said the board of directors had not taken any decision.
Sources said Manipal may have offered Rs 53 per share, which was below the asking price of Rs 60/65 per share. But what could have tilted the deal in its favour may be the fact that it did not insist on a majority stake straightway, like Bumrungrad or PE investors such as India Value Fund or IVEN Medicare.
MEMG runs a chain of at least 12 hospitals in South India both in the tertiary- and secondary-care segments, with Manipal Hospital, Bangalore, being the flagship. It has two more hospitals in Bangalore, besides some primary care facilities.
M&A action has been seeing a spurt in South India, with a spate of deals involving strategic players as well as private equity funds.
Fortis recently snapped up Malar Hospital in Chennai; IVEN Medicare, part of ICICI Ventures, invested over Rs 100 crore in Mysore-based Vikram Hospitals and India Value Fund infused around Rs 200 crore into Kochi-based DM Healthcare, which plans to set up a network of hospitals nationally.
--------- http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Healthcare/Manipal_group_to_buy_40_in_Kerala_hospital_for_Rs_100_cr/articleshow/2831781.cms
3 Mar, 2008, 0029 hrs IST,Boby Kurian, TNN
BANGALORE: The Manipal group is close to acquiring a substantial stake and management control in Kochi-based Lakeshore Hospital, a super-specialty medical centre and a pioneer in medical tourism initiatives.
Sources said Manipal is likely to pick up around 40% stake for about Rs 100 crore, thus putting up a tough fight against Thailand’s healthcare tourism major Bumrungrad and at least two private equity players.
The deal is yet to be ratified by the board of Lakeshore Hospital, which was originally conceived almost a decade ago by a group of senior medical professionals. It is believed that Manipal Health Systems, a part of Manipal
Education and Medical Group (MEMG) which operates a chain of tertiary- and secondary-care hospitals, has emerged as the front-runner to acquire the stake in Lakeshore. Nevertheless, interest from Bangkok-based and public-listed
Bumrungrad International shows the growing importance of South India on the medical tourism map.
The multi-specialty Lakeshore is one of the few hospitals to have air, water and surface ambulance services.
The hospital’s roof-top helipad is pressed into service to help critically-ill patients while water ambulance service caters to people living in islands around Kochi.
Manipal’s likely stake buy may see it taking over administration and management duties of the hospital, which also has investments from NRI investor and promoter of Dubai-based Lulu Group, MA Yousaf Ali.
Sources said some of the original medical professionals who conceived the project may exit as shareholders.
Dr Ranjan Pai, CEO of MEMG, declined to comment on the impending transaction at this point of time. When queried on the possibility of a takeover by Manipal, Lakeshore Hospital finance director AJ Pai said the board of directors had not taken any decision.
Sources said Manipal may have offered Rs 53 per share, which was below the asking price of Rs 60/65 per share. But what could have tilted the deal in its favour may be the fact that it did not insist on a majority stake straightway, like Bumrungrad or PE investors such as India Value Fund or IVEN Medicare.
MEMG runs a chain of at least 12 hospitals in South India both in the tertiary- and secondary-care segments, with Manipal Hospital, Bangalore, being the flagship. It has two more hospitals in Bangalore, besides some primary care facilities.
M&A action has been seeing a spurt in South India, with a spate of deals involving strategic players as well as private equity funds.
Fortis recently snapped up Malar Hospital in Chennai; IVEN Medicare, part of ICICI Ventures, invested over Rs 100 crore in Mysore-based Vikram Hospitals and India Value Fund infused around Rs 200 crore into Kochi-based DM Healthcare, which plans to set up a network of hospitals nationally.
--------- http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Healthcare/Manipal_group_to_buy_40_in_Kerala_hospital_for_Rs_100_cr/articleshow/2831781.cms
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