KOCHI – After a three-year hiatus, the ambitious Global City project in Ayyampuzha is finally gaining momentum. Local authorities have given the green light for land acquisition, with a formal announcement from the revenue department expected imminently, marking a significant step forward for the development.
The project’s journey has been fraught with challenges. Originally envisioned as “Kochi Gift City,” it was intended to be a shared venture between central and state governments within an industrial corridor. However, the “Gift City” designation was ultimately reserved for Gujarat, forcing a rebranding to “Global City.” Despite the chief minister’s appeals for central inclusion in the industrial corridor, Delhi maintained that the project’s predominantly residential and real estate focus, rather than industrial, rendered it ineligible under existing regulations.
This divergence placed the Global City project, slated for 358 acres in Ayyampuzha, in limbo. It stood in stark contrast to its counterpart, the industrial manufacturing cluster (IMC) in Palakkad – another key component of the Kochi-Bangalore Industrial Corridor (KBIC) – which received cabinet committee approval six months ago, with 325.26 acres already transferred by the state government.
Undeterred by the Centre’s reservations, the Kerala government opted to proceed with the Ayyampuzha project independently. Industry Minister P. Rajeeve recently visited the proposed site, engaging in detailed discussions with revenue officials concerning land purchasing procedures. As a direct result, a committee comprising the district collector, local MLA, and grama panchayat president has been formed to shepherd the next phases of land acquisition.
Kinfra, the agency tasked with implementation, confirmed that the acquisition will employ a “negotiated settlement” approach. This deviates from the usual government land acquisition process under the Land Acquisition Act, allowing direct purchases from landowners after mutual agreement. This method, often reserved for urgent situations, is expected to expedite the process by circumventing potential delays. “The district collector has already cleared our request; we are now awaiting the final order from the revenue department to commence acquisition procedures,” a senior Kinfra official stated.
The initial plan called for acquiring 500 acres with an allocation of Rs 500 crore. However, the project’s scope has since been scaled down to 358 acres. While Kinfra has already received Rs 849 crore from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for land acquisition, only 215 acres of the final 358 will be earmarked for industrial ventures. This reduced industrial footprint is likely to drive up land costs for prospective entrepreneurs. The minister indicated that these financial implications would be thoroughly reviewed, with ongoing efforts to strategize the Global City’s long-term profitability.
