Overseas Keralites Investment and Holding (OKIH) has signed an agreement with Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) to develop ‘RestStop’ wayside amenities at 30 locations across Kerala with a projected investment of ₹1,000 crore.

RestStop is the first initiative of OKIH, a government enterprise formed to open avenues for non-resident Keralites to gainfully invest and for returning NRIs to beneficially deploy their skills and expertise for the State’s transformation.

Baju George, Managing Director, OKIH and SJ Vijayadas, Chief of Projects, KIIFB signed the agreement in the presence of KM Abraham, CEO, KIIFB.

OKIH’s domain expertise

KIIFB will utilise OKIH’s domain expertise for efficient project management and development within the prescribed time limit and cost while adhering to the global standards, an official spokesman said here. A board meeting of OKIH under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has given clearance to start development of the RestStop centres at Chertalai and Thalappadi.

The authorised capital of the company has been increased to ₹45 crore to facilitate rapid development, the spokesman said. RestStop is soon to be a chain of wayside amenities along the highways of Kerala at par with global standards, and making road commutation safer and pleasurable.

Wayside amenities along the highways in each district will improve not only the comfort of the travelling public, but also set up a benchmark for the private sector to emulate.

Each centre will be a modern and comfortable place to take a break, with ideal facilities and landscaped grounds. It will also act as a local community centre and will have a Village Mall.

Host of facilities

Each RestStop will lie at an important point on the highways to cater to leisure, business, and tourism traffic purposes. The intention is to create an amenities area that works round-the-clock and located within an hour’s distance of each other, the spokesman explained.

Each centre is expected to come up in about five acres’ plot with ideal facilities and designs that integrate seamlessly to ensure efficient travel experience. The design will adopt the most appropriate and cost-efficient digital innovations, technologies, and opportunities. Tapping solar power is one of the areas of the green initiatives.

RestStop will have a dedicated point of entry and exit from highways with clear signage and circulation loops to provide logical and safe separation between different users. Parking will be arranged into clear zones with easy access to different facilities.

Dining and shopping services will be provided in an integrated area where the visitors can relax. Access to the retail forecourt will be via pedestrian routes from the parking area, designed for safe and easy access.

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