GIFT City plan: Govt finalizes compensation

Kochi: The GIFT City project has moved a step closer as revenue authorities have finalized the compensation amount for land acquisition for the project.The price for the land at Ayyampuzha, Manjapra and Malayattoor villages has been finalized and the distribution procedures would begin soon. The 11(1) notification for land acquisition for the project was issued on October 4, 2021.It was in October 2021 that the government issued gazette notification regarding land acquisition of the project which is part of the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. The GIFT City is proposed on 145 hectares of land that lies behind the region from Amalapuram to Uppukallu Junction, and includes in 8th, 6th and 9th wards of Ayyampuzha panchayat which is located near the forestland under Malayattoor forest division. A total 145.03 hectares is going to be acquired for the project. Initially the project had witnessed strong objection from local residents, majority of whom are farmers. The social impact assessment (SIA) report prepared by the Rajagiri outreach had favoured the project, though the report admits that there is heavy tree cover in the proposed project site.