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Kochi, March 11 The multi-crore Smart City project in Kochi has received a shot in the arm with the Smart City headquarters in Dubai confirming that they had invited Indian and international master planning companies to submit proposals for the project’s master plan.

This step comes after the foundation stone unveiling in November last year.

The Smart City Executive Director, Mr Fareed Abdulrahman, said in a statement that “we are happy to announce the beginning of the next phase.

The master plan is one of the most fundamental steps towards translating our dream into reality. We have shortlisted four eminent international and national master planners and have invited them to submit their proposals for the project,” he said.

The master planner selection phase comes as good news to the State and all those involved with Smart City Kochi as it enters a tangible stage. During the Smart City Kochi board meeting in December 2007, it was mentioned that the work on the master plan process for the project would start by the first quarter of 2008.

Smart City Kochi is a self-sustained industry township for knowledge-based companies. To be developed by Dubai-based Smart City, the joint venture company promoted by TECOM Investments and Sama Dubai, in partnership with the Kerala Government, Smart City Kochi will be one of India’s largest business parks.

Based on the successful models of Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Knowledge Village, Smart City Kochi will provide an infrastructure, environment and support systems to promote the growth of knowledge-based industry companies.

Apart from a modern business-community infrastructure, Smart City Kochi will offer a host of business support services as well as residential, hospitality, retail and recreational facilities. The project has an employment generation potential of over 90,000 jobs. Multiplier effects are expected to bring several other benefits to the economy.

Smart City Kochi, along with Smart City Malta, are the first two projects to be part of the global network of knowledge-based industry townships that Smart City seeks to develop.

This global network will foster productive linkages and tap synergies between knowledge-industry centres worldwide, thereby contributing to economic development, the statement added.

More Stories on : Infrastructure | Kerala

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