Plans for development projects for Kochi

Kochi, March 26: 

 

The Greater Cochin Development Authority will adopt a pro-active approach for catering the development needs of Kochi city and adjoining areas. The new Chairman of GCDA, Mr N. Venugopal, told reporters here that Kochi is fast evolving as a metro city and there should be matching development efforts in areas outside the city limits.

The authority will chart projects that will be implemented in a time-bound manner to ensure overall development, he said. He said that steps will be taken to set up a permanent international exhibition centre on the lines of the one at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from the land owned by GCDA at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium. The authority will also create a land bank.

Ruling out BOT mode for development projects, Mr Venugopal said the GCDA would revoke all such projects which were passed earlier. He said that projects for the Bund Road and coastal roads are in the priority list. A land bank will be created by the authority through which it will procure land, which can be utilised for various developmental projects. A meeting of the officials of GCDA, Federation of International Football Association and Sports Ministry will be held on April 9 to discuss the development of the Ambedkar Stadium.

FIFA had offered to support the development of the stadium. He also said that funds would not be a constraint for the development activities of GCDA. The financial support of various national and state agencies will be available for the projects, he said, adding that the authority has Rs 102 crore as fixed deposit in various banks.