Following recent negotiations between interested parties, the development of SmartCity, a project established by Dubai's Tecom Investments in Kerala, looks to be back on track after being in discussion for some two years.
In an effort to accelerate the project, Tecom Investments outlined its position on the issues in a letter to Chief Minister of Kerala V.S. Achuthanandan, according to Gulf News. Tecom Investments officials said they are now looking forward to an official reply from Achuthanandan.
Talks on the SmartCity project began in 2004 after Tecom Investments submitted a proposal to the Government of Kerala on establishing a business campus for knowledge-based industries in Kochi in order to tap in to the city’s potential to develop into a hub for knowledge-related industries like IT, media and biotechnology.
The effort seems to have paid off, as those involved expressed optimism over the recent developments regarding the proposed project.
“We had a very positive round of talks during which, we discussed the entire range of issues related to the SmartCity project,” said Fareed Abdul Rahman, Executive Director of Tecom International, part of Tecom Investments.
“We have conveyed our position on key aspects of the project to the Kerala Government and hope that we will be able to reach a clear understanding on taking the SmartCity project forward," Abdul Rahman added.
