Government issues order approving third phase expansion of Infopark

Decks have been cleared for the third-phase expansion of Infopark Kochi, with an order issued by the Electronics and Information Technology department giving in-principle approval to Infopark to proceed with the third phase, consisting of 300-plus acres to create an integrated township.

The order said that Infopark shall enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) to begin initial preparatory activities for identifying 300 acres through land pooling, including initial activities like feasibility studies, stakeholder consultations, preliminary surveys, master planning, and the preparation of detailed project reports.

Earlier this month, the GCDA had deployed a team of dedicated officials to initiate formalities towards land pooling. The government, in an order last year, had designated the GCDA as the appropriate authority for the proposed land pooling.

In a Facebook post announcing the development, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the third phase had been conceived as an artificial intelligence-driven integrated IT township. The township will feature 20 million sq. ft. of IT space, educational institutions, healthcare institutes, and modern waste management facilities. The third phase of Infopark is expected to generate two lakh jobs. Steps for land acquisition for the fourth phase are also under way, Mr. Vijayan said in his post.

The approval for the third phase has not come a day too soon, with Infopark having exhausted its first two phases, with over 100 companies in the queue awaiting allocation of space. The GCDA and Infopark shall jointly submit a detailed proposal to the government within one year after completing the formalities of land pooling for the project.

Infopark shall urgently complete the process of bylaw amendment and conversion into a company. The new corporate structure as a company will legally enable it to own, develop, and manage such a large-scale commercial project and enter into the necessary contractual agreements for the land pooling scheme.