Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 (IANS) In a major push to establish Kerala as a manufacturing hub, the state government will begin marketing the Palakkad Smart City project to domestic and international investors from December, with land allotment for large industrial units expected to commence in early 2027.
The move marks the first major investment outreach for the flagship industrial township under the new government, which is looking to fast-track industrialisation through the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.
The Kerala Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (KICDC), the project’s implementing agency, plans to launch a series of promotional campaigns to attract anchor investors even as infrastructure work gathers pace.
In the first phase, industries requiring more than 50 acres will be offered land, paving the way for large manufacturing units to establish operations.
Government sources said the objective is to synchronise infrastructure creation with industrial investments so that companies can begin setting up facilities without waiting for the project to be fully completed.
Construction, which began in October last year, remains on schedule for completion by April 2029.
The project is being monitored through monthly review meetings chaired by senior officials, including Industries Department Additional Chief Secretary A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, the Palakkad District Collector and representatives of the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).
Kerala has emerged as the first state to complete tendering and begin infrastructure development among the 12 Industrial Smart Cities being developed under the National Industrial Corridor Programme, giving it a potential early-mover advantage in attracting investments.
Of the 1,450 acres acquired by the state government at a cost of Rs 1,489 crore, 889 acres have been transferred to KICDC, helping secure Central assistance of Rs 934.46 crore for infrastructure development. An EPC contract covering the township’s design, construction and maintenance has already been awarded.
An Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract has been awarded for the integrated development of the township, covering design, construction and maintenance. Infrastructure works are progressing in phases, with subgrade work on nearly 20 km of internal roads already completed.
IIT Palakkad and NIT Tiruchirappalli are providing technical support, while KICDC — a joint venture between KINFRA and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) — is overseeing implementation.
With investor outreach set to begin in December and the first land allotments expected in early 2027, the government is betting that the Palakkad Smart City will become the state’s biggest industrial investment destination and a catalyst for manufacturing-led economic growth.
–IANS
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