Kerala - Kochi   

Festive mood as Smart City takes off

Photo: Vipinchandran

HI-TECH: The acrylic foundation stone of SmartCity Kochi that was unveiled by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and SmartCity executive director Fareed Abdul Rahman on Friday.

KOCHI: All roads led to Smart City on Friday. There was a festive air in Kochi. The large crowds who had gathered to witness the unveiling ceremony were in for a surprise when Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and Fareed Abdul Rahman, executive director of Smart City, moved towards a laptop kept at the edge of the stage. They jointly pressed a key and the dome on the back of the stage, which till then appeared just an extension of the stage decorations, opened.

The music in the background reached a feverish pitch and an unusual looking, stylish acrylic plaque was pushed to the fore.

SmartCity Kochi was born marking the beginning of a city’s pursuit of becoming smart.

Banners announcing the “network of opportunities” in store for the city dotted the lanes in the city, setting the mood early in the day.

The audience reserved the biggest cheer for Mr. Achuthanandan when he was welcomed to the function.

Mr. Rahman presented the Chief Minister a special memento.

Then came the announcement that the promoters planned to set up the project in an environment-friendly way, intertwining traditional and modern building methods.

As if to drive home this point, the dignitaries on the dais were given a sapling each.

These would be planted in various parts of the sprawling SmartCity Kochi campus, it was announced.

Even as a festive atmosphere prevailed at the venue, just metres away, a group of people on whose six acres the massive stage was set observed a day of mourning. They were observed a hunger strike on the day, which they called the Black Friday in their lives.

They were protesting against the acquisition of their land for allegedly negligible sums.

Even a bicycle would cost more than what they had given us for a cent of our land. Where do they expect us to find alternative land in this district with that kind of money, a lady asked.

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