Govt.’s progress report flags key projects in capital

78-km-long road from Vizhinjam to Navayikulam to attract big investments

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s progress report for the year 2021-22 unveiled by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Thursday promises to implement the Capital City Regional Development programme involving the construction of a 78-km-long road on the eastern side of the district from Vizhinjam to Navayikulam along with the creation of infrastructure facilities to attract big investments.

The project envisages the creation of knowledge hubs, industrial parks, tourist centres and townships on 10,000 acres on both sides of the six-lane road. The report says the company to be set up for the project would procure the land at market price from those willing to sell their property. The price would be given as land bond or in cash.

Those unwilling to sell their land can be part of a land pooling mechanism under which they will be assured of a four-fold increase in land value in 10 years. The company will provide basic infrastructure in the land acquired and hand it over to investors. According to the progress report, the project is expected to attract ₹25,000 crore investment and create 2.5 lakh direct employment opportunities.

The report says the proposal for the 80-km-long Thiruvananthapuram outer ring road from Vizhinjam to Paripally had been approved by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The project to be jointly developed by the State government and NHAI includes the construction of service roads on both sides and a median along the 45-metre road.

The progress report says moves were on to hand over 16 acres of land on the Technocity campus to Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd. to set up a Space Park in collaboration with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Simultaneously, 10 acres of land on the campus had been earmarked for small and medium enterprises to set up units focusing on new age technologies. Besides, the construction of 2,00,000 sq ft had been completed and would be handed over to companies on lease.

It announces the creation of centres of excellence in emerging areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, internet of things, machine learning, big data analytics, gaming, agmente/virtual reality, digital security systems, geospatial systems, quantum technology and applications, space technologies, advanced materials and edge computing.