Dubai: The Phase 1 inauguration and the launch of Phase 2 of the SmartCity Kochi, a project in the southern Indian state of Kerala by Dubai Holding, will be held on February 20, 2015, a top official said.
Dr Baju George, Interim CEO at SmartCity Kochi, said that 27 IT companies have already leased out 75 per cent of the leasable space in the first IT tower and many of them have already started to fit-out their offices. “We are expecting them to be fully functional within the next three to four months. We are holding on to an entire floor for an IT major, decision on which is expected in the coming days,” Baju said.
Once fully operational, he said that the Phase 1 can generate a minimum of 5,000 job opportunities in one shift. This may go up as many of the companies may run more than one shift here.
The project will be inaugurated by in the presence of Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister; Mohammad Al Gargawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, UAE and Chairman of Dubai Holding; Ahmad Binbyat, Vice-Chairman and MD, Dubai Holding; P.K. Kunhalikutty, Minister for Industries and IT and Chairman of SmartCity Kochi; Yousuf Ali M.A., Special Invitee to the Board of SmartCity; Sunny Varkey, Chairman, GEMS group; Jaber Bin Hafez, Vice-Chairman, SmartCity Kochi, among others.
Jiji Thomson, Chief Secretary of Kerala, said that almost all of the pending issues pertaining to the Phase 1 have been solved except a couple of land-encroachment issues, which are awaiting judicial decisions.
