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Smart City: foundations to be laid tomorrow

Photo: Vipinchandran

Last-ditch bid: Arrangements on at the venue of the stone-laying function of the Smart City project in Kochi on Wednesday. The ‘pandal’ being set up here can accommodate up to 10,000 persons.

KOCHI: Tecom, the Dubai-based promoters of the Smart City project, has fully taken over the preparations being made at the venue of the stone-laying function.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Executive Chairman of Tecom Ahammed Bin Byath will jointly lay the stone on Friday at 11 a.m.

Top officials of Tecom, including Farid Abdul Rahman, Director Smart City, Kochi, Baju George, Director (Planning and Strategy), and Jazia Mohammed, Marketing Director, are camping in the city to supervise the work.

They visited the venue on Wednesday and assessed the progress of the work. Work on the stage and temporary bridge towards the venue is in the final stages.

The registration of the lease deed of the land to be handed over to Tecom would be completed by Thursday, District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish said. As against the earlier announcement, there is a possibility of handing over the lease agreement a day ahead of the function.

However it is yet to be confirmed, the Collector, who would handover the agreement on behalf of the State government, said.

He also invited people from all sections of society to participate in the function.

Jolly Mathew, Executive Engineer, PWD (Buildings), examined the fitness of the stage and made some suggestions. A second round examination will be undertaken on Thursday, the Collector said.

Earlier in the day, Inspector General (Ernakulam Range) Vinson M. Paul and City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham inspected the security arrangements at the venue.

Security in the area has been tightened. The venue and the road leading up to the venue have been fully taken over by the police, Mr. Abraham said.

“Anti-sabotage checks have been carried out and continuous monitoring is in place,” he said.

Spots for putting up barricades have been identified. “More than 500 police personnel armed with metal detectors and other security gadgets will be deployed at the venue on Friday,” Mr. Abraham said.

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