SmartCity Dubai contradicts Kerala CM on Kochi project

Kochi: Contradicting Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's statement in the assembly, SmartCity Dubai has clarified that its project in Kochi is very much on its agenda and would be taken up as soon as the state government completes the procedural formalities relating to it.

The chief minister had stated that the work on the Rs 1500 crore SmartCity project has not started as the global financial meltdown has affected the Dubai-based company. In a teletalk with ET, Mr Fareed Abdulrahman, CEO of SmartCity and director of the Kochi project said that he does not know 'on what basis the Chief Minister made the statement'. He said that 'the financial meltdown has not affected the project'.

'We are very much into the project', he said adding that the groundwork and design of project are progressing well. When asked about the chief minister’s statement that the lease agreement has lapsed he said that he does not know under what circumstances the statement was made.

He said that the delay in both registration and obtaining the SEZ notification is not helping the project. 'We hope the government will solve the procedural delays with regard to the project', he added.

The next Board Meeting of the project has been fixed on March 16. Mr Fareed Abdulrahman listed the possession of the land, its registration and the speedy clearance of SEZ notification as the three important formalities to be completed for the work to start.