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Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Governor, Mr Ahmad Humaid Al Tayer, is visiting Kerala in a last-ditch attempt to salvage the Smart City Kochi project, a news report has said.
In a meeting held with UAE-based Indian businessman, Mr M.A. Yusuf Ali, who was recently appointed by Kerala as its mediator on the project on Sunday evening, Mr Al Tayer is said to have discussed the agenda for the crucial meeting that the Kerala Government is scheduled to hold on Wednesday, the Emirates 24/7 report said.
The Smart City Project, which was initially agreed to in 2003, has been delayed ever since due to various disagreements. The latest stumbling block is the dispute over freehold rights over 12 per cent of the land under the project.
However, this appears to have now been resolved, according to reports, as an understanding is said to have been reached between Dubai’s Tecom Investments and the Kerala Government to allow freehold rights over 12 per cent of the land earmarked for the project.
While Tecom has been demanding freehold rights for 12 per cent of the land outside the Special Economic Zone, Kerala is opposed to this.
“The team will be flying out to Kerala on Tuesday in a special chartered flight. The meeting with the Governor was very constructive and we are all very hopeful that all the disputes will be sorted in Wednesday’s meeting,” Mr Ali said.
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