The Kochi Smart City's first phase was inaugurated in February this year.
Kerala's signature IT project - Kochi Smart City - will be fully operational in 2020, said a top official today.
Jaber Bin Hafeez, representing Dubai Smart City, partners of the ambitious project, said today that there need be no apprehension about the project and everything is going according to schedule.
"This project is between the Kerala and Dubai governments. The first phase has already been commissioned and very soon 5,500 people will be working in it. The project will become fully operational by 2020," said Mr Hafeez.
The Kochi Smart City's first phase - 6.5 lakh square feet space -- was inaugurated in February this year by the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
On Thursday, the first director board meeting of the reconstituted director board of Kochi Smart City was held.
In May this year after the new Pinarayi Vijayan government assumed office, the Chief Minister was elected as the chairman of Kochi Smart City. On Thursday, he chaired the meeting alongside officials from the Dubai Smart City, the partner of the project along with the Kerala government.
Coming up in 246 acres at Kochi, when fully operational there will be one lakh jobs and the total area earmarked for IT operations will be 67 lakh square feet and 21 lakh sq ft for non-IT needs.
The project was conceived at a casual discussion that began in 2004 in Dubai which led to inking of the MoU in November 2005 under the then Chandy government.
Following the change in government in 2006, the framework agreement was signed in 2007 by the VS Achuthanandan government and it was taken forward again only in 2011 after the Chandy government assumed office.