KOCHI: As a first step against disbanding BOT system, the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) has written to the state government to do away with the proposal for infrastructure development at Manappattiparambu on BOT basis. A day after assuming charge as the chairman of the GCDA, N Venugopal wrote a letter to the local body secretary in this regard. Talking to City Express, he said the executive meet to be held on Friday would take a final decision in this regard. “The BOT cell of the government has not yet decided on the proposal submitted by the GCDA officials. I have already talked to the secretary of the local bodies and other officials concerned,” Venugopal said. He added that instead of BOT, the GCDA would come up with a proposal on the lines of PPP, in which the GCDA would have a major share.“There was a proposal to build a convention centre at Manappattiparambu on a BOT basis on the two-and-a-half acres of land left with the authority. The remaining two acres of land is now being used by the Kerala Metro Rail Limited,” he said. As per the present proposal forwarded to the BOT cell, the constructors would have the right for about 35 years and after that it would be handed over to the GCDA, he said and added that it would only bring loss to the Authority. Moreover, the condition as per the present proposal was that an amount of `50 lakh would be given to the GCDA for 35 years which meant that the Authority would be getting `17 crores for the whole period. Pointing out that the land at Manappattiparambu is valued at `80 crore to `100 crore, he said the GCDA would be at a loss if the present proposal was agreed upon. “Though the proposal was for constructing 2.50 lakh square feet of building, we can build 10 lakh square feet of building which means more space,” he said.
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