A year after, Smart City Kochi has only 8 companies, 1000 jobs
- After inaugurating the first phase of the Smart City in February 2016, Oommen Chandy, the then Chief Minister of Kerala, announced that 27 companies would start operations soon.
- But only 8 companies have started operations in the sprawling campus.
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A year after the inauguration of Kochi Smart City, Kerala's flagship IT Park project aimed at creating one lakh jobs by 2020, is yet to win the confidence of investors and IT Companies. Out of the 27 companies promised to start at the sprawling 246-acre campus developed jointly by Kerala Government and Dubai Holdings at a projected cost of Rs. 5,000 crores, only eight have started operations now. Only 1,000 jobs have been created so far.
After inaugurating the first phase of the Smart City Kochi in February 2016, Oommen Chandy, the then Chief Minister of Kerala, announced that 27 companies would start operations soon. The Smart City officials hope that more foreign companies would come to Kochi once US President Donald Trump made his policies categorically clear.
Inauguration of Smart City Kochi
Nine companies have started spadework for starting their offices in Smart City Kochi while five more companies have inked papers with the IT park authorities. Five American companies have booked space in the campus, but they have decided to keep a close watch on the next moves of Trump before starting their projects in Smart City.
Out of the 6.5 lakh square feet built in space in the Smart City, 70% has been sold out, the officials said. Once completed, the project will have a total are of 88 lakh sq.ft out of which 67 lakh sq.ft would be earmarked for non-IT needs.
