Smart city in limbo over land ownership

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 6 (UNI) The Smart City project, envisaged to make Kerala an Information Technology hub, is still in a limbo as the state government and the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority (TECOM), the developers of the project, are engaged in a tug of war over the issue of land ownership.

According to sources in the IT Department, the TECOM, in its Board meeting, stood firm on the ownership issue whereas the state government had not budged from its earlier stand of not giving freehold for the land. They had demanded that the ownership of the land after the lease period should be entrusted with the joint venture company, in which the state government would also be a party.

And now with almost all the contentious issues like the land- lease cost, Chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the joint venture company, duration of the lease sorted out between the government and the TECOM representatives, the agreement hangs on the status of the land after the expiry of the lease, the sources added.

Though Chief Minister V S Achutanandan after his discussion with TECOM representatives last week had expressed confidence that the agreement would be signed before the Assembly session, which began on March 2, the agreement seems to be dragging on with the TECOM insisting on certain issues like the ownership of the land after the lease period of 25 years.

Now, the issue will come up before the CPI(M), which heads the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front, which had proposed the Rs 1,500 crore Smart City, had already raised its voice over the delay. It had asked the government to come clear on the issue.

After a marathon discussion last week with the government officials and the Chief Minister, TECOM International Executive Director Farid Abdul Rahaman and its senior manager Baju George, had expressed confidence and said the deal would be signed soon.

Mr Achuthanandan also said Kerala would not lose the Smart City.

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