Taking into consideration the importance of the SmartCity project and the need for speedy decisions, the project monitoring committee decided to induct Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy as a special invitee to the SmartCity Kochi board of directors.
Kerala ports & excise minister K Babu and Dubai-based NRI businessman MA Yusufali have also been made special invitees.
The decision was taken at the project monitoring committee meeting of SmartCity Kochi held in Dubai on Sunday. The meeting was chaired by Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, member of supreme fiscal committee of Dubai government, and attended by Abdul Latheef Al Mulla, vice chairman, SmartCity, and group CEO Tecom, M A Yusuffali, vice chairman of Norka Roots, government of Kerala, and Baju George, managing director, SmartCity, among others.
It also reviewed the progress of the project and set a timeline for the first year's activities and allotted the required funds for the same.
The work on the Pavilion of SmartCity Kochi, designed to showcase various technological advancements, will begin on September 29. This would also have the office of the administrative and project management team of the project.
"As per our project plan, the work of the headquarters building will commence of November 19 and the rest of the work would be implemented in a time-bound manner," said Abdul Latheef Al Mulla, vice chairman, SmartCity, and Group CEO Tecom, Dubai.
"The decisions taken are very important and will further boost the effective implementation of the project in a mutually beneficial manner," said Baju George.
"I am sure, with the inclusion of Kerala CM and fixing of dateline for various activities, the project is going in the right direction and we can soon see the positive impact of this in the economic scenario of Kerala," said Yusufali.