THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Work on the much-delayed Kochi Smart City IT project will begin September-end, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Sunday.Speaking to IANS, Chandy said that he has been told that the decision was taken at a meeting of the Smart City Dubai board in the emirate Sunday."Yes, things are moving fast and work would begin next month according to our time table that we have drawn up when they were here after we took over. All the hitches are over and it is going to be on the fast track," said Chandy.Incidentally it was Chandy who had first finalised the proposed mega IT project in his previous tenure. The succeeding Left Democratic Front, headed by V.S. Achuthanandan, laid the foundation stone for the project but nothing else happened during its rule."We have got the news that they have included me, (state minister) K.Babu and (Middle East businessman) M.A.Yusuf Ali as special invitees on the board," added Chandy.The road map for the mega project, which is expected to come up on a 250 acre plot in Kochi, is expected to provide close to 100,000 jobs.The roadmap that has been prepared indicates that the first phase would be commissioned before Oct 31, 2012.Incidentally it was Ali, who was largely instrumental in reviving the project.The Dubai meeting also gave directions for the necessary fund allotment.
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