The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : KITCO keen on spreading wings to Gulf countries

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

KITCO keen on spreading wings to Gulf countries

R. Ramabhadran Pillai

The company is bidding for airport work in Oman

KOCHI: KITCO, the technical consultants, funded by the Kerala Government and IDBI, is poised to extend its operations to the Gulf countries. The company is vying for a massive engineering contract for design and execution of a modern airport at Sohar, 260 km off Muscat, Oman. KITCO is participating in the international bid, the result of which will be known within two months.

This is the first time that the Kerala-based company is taking part in an international bid, according to company Managing Director A.X. Joseph. He said there are good chances for the company to bag the contract. While KITCO will conduct a study and prepare a design for the project, the construction will be taken up by an overseas company, in association with KITCO. The entire project is estimated at Rs.600 crores.

Mr. Joseph said the company possesses wide experience in designing airports. The Cochin international airport and the airports at Aurangabad, Visakhapatnam and Ahmedabad were designed by the company. The aircraft maintenance hangar at Nedumbasserry, which is under construction, has also been designed by KITCO.

Vallarpadam rail link

One of the key projects undertaken by the company is the design and preparation of the project report of the rail link from Vallarpadam. The project covers areas on land and water. The proposed railway line will pass through the Eloor industrial area where major industries such as FACT and Travancore Cochin Chemicals are situated.

The project report is to be submitted to the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited by June-end. The rail connectivity project is worth Rs.300 crores and KITCO is undertaking study and preparing the design for a fee of Rs.55 lakhs.

The project has to be completed in a time-bound manner as it is essential for the Dubai-based company, Dubai Ports Worldwide, to continue its ongoing works at the Vallarpadam container terminal.

KITCO is also undertaking various training courses and certification programmes for technical workers.

The company is giving more focus on skill certification to engineering diploma holders and those who have passed courses in various trades such as hotel management and instrumentation.

Another key activity planned by the company is the placement cell in the human resources wing.

The company's credibility and the association with various companies would be helpful for the venture, according to Mr. Joseph.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail