'First phase of SmartCity project to be completed in 2 yrs'

Speaking at a workshop on the project at nearby Nedumbassery, Chandy said all efforts would be made to get environmental clearance for the same within 45 days.

Admitting that the project had been delayed by over six years, he said basic infrastructure facilities in the city would be improved. The final master plan will be ready within 45 days.

Baju George, SmartCity Managing Director, said that in a bid to attract more IT companies to the project, marketing would be taken up in a big way.

The project, a joint venture between Dubai's Telecom Investments and Kerala Government, is expected to create 90,000 job opportunities in Kerala and aims to attract the best

of knowledge based industries across the globe to set up operations here.

The Centre had recently accepted the state's plea to make the entire project under single Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

SmartCity Kochi is one of the first two projects of Smartcity's vision to build a large network of knowledge based industry townships across the world. The other is SmartCity Malta.