KOCHI: Authorities announced that the planned Infopark Phase III campus, anticipated to draw Rs 25,000 crore in investment, will be completed by 2030.
During a joint press conference on Tuesday, Infopark CEO Susanth Kurunthil and Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) chairman K Chandran Pillai stated that a notification regarding the pooling of 300 acres in Kizhakkambalam panchayat would be issued soon, with the project’s master plan expected within a year.
The new campus, envisioned as a world-class ‘Integrated AI Township,’ is projected to create 200,000 direct jobs and over 400,000 indirect jobs, driving Kerala’s development and transitioning it into a knowledge economy.
The Phase III initiative is a collaborative effort between GCDA and Infopark, marked by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday. The MoU assigns GCDA the task of identifying land suitable for the project via land-pooling.
Infopark will focus on developing infrastructure to establish an integrated AI township designed for high-tech companies, paired with sustainable housing.
According to the MoU, feasibility studies, consultations with stakeholders, initial surveys, master planning, and the creation of a detailed project report will be carried out. GCDA will manage the land-pooling process while retaining project ownership with Infopark. Upon completion of land-pooling, both parties will jointly submit a detailed report to the government within a year.
Infopark’s responsibilities will include space master planning, attracting IT/ITeS firms, and investment efforts. Additionally, Infopark will cover the costs associated with land-pooling and related amenities to GCDA.
Alongside IT facilities, Phase III will incorporate residential amenities, educational institutions, sports and cultural venues, shopping malls featuring an array of Indian and international brands, an amphitheater, a hospital, multi-story parking, lakes, and open spaces. The project will advance only after securing consent from 75% of the landowners as outlined in Kerala’s land pooling regulations. GCDA has begun dialogues with landowners to communicate the advantages of the land pooling model.
Kurunthil stated that the township aims to act as an ‘urban city brain,’ utilizing a centralized digital platform to coordinate city activities and address issues through real-time data analysis, with AI being leveraged across sectors including residential, commercial, retail, healthcare, education, and agriculture.
