Emke group to invest Rs 600 cr in Kerala

Abu Dhabi-based Emke group will invest Rs 600 crore to set up a convention centre and hotel in Kerala.

The convention centre and hotel complex is coming up in 26 acre land nearby Bolghatty.

"Talks are on with three International hotel chains -- Ritz Carlton, Hyatt and Hilton group for the (RPT) hotel complex," Chairman M A Yusuf Ali told at a press conference organised by the Ernakulam Press club here.

"Within a month, we will finalise it and by April, the work would start," he said.

About 4,000 people would get direct employment once the hotel-cum-convention centre is completed.

Kerala is a investment-friendly state, he said, besides the Rs 600 crore project, work on the Rs 1,500-crore shopping mall, claimed to be the biggest in the country, is also fast coming up here.

Eighty per cent of the work in the mall has been completed and by January next, the work is expected to start in full swing, he said.

Yusuf Ali, who has been appointed by the state government to iron out differences with the Dubai-based Tecom, promoters of the Kochi Smart city project, said he was happy that he could convince the Dubai government about the feasiblity of the Rs 1,500-crore IT infrastructure project.

Being an elected member of Abu Dhabi chamber of commerce, which is a government body, he could get appointments with the Dubai government officials for talks regarding the smart city project, he said.

When asked why Kochi Smart city CEO Fareed Abdul Rehman was not called for yesterday's talks with the state government, Yusuf Ali said it is Dubai government's decision on who should or should not come for talks.

He parried off further questions on the project saying he was not a politician.

Yusuf Ali also said his hyper mall in Egypt and its 41 staffs were safe.