POPULAR HANGOUTS IN COCHIN

KOCHI MAY be a happening place, but it was yet to imbibe the hangout culture that had caught up in a big way in similar cities across India. The restrictions put by the police after fall of dusk and the nuisance created by flashers, way-side Romeos, drug addicts are just some of the issues that people face. But things are changing abruptly. The mushrooming of ice-cream parlous, eat-outs, the Hill Palace Museum, Horticultural, and Internet kiosks with cabins are increasingly becoming the hangouts for the young crowd. The scenario is on a change mode as big malls are going to open soon. Bay Pride mall was the only real small mall, but now the Oberon mall supposed to be launched by August 2008 will be a big boost. Also other malls will be launched by 2009 such as Lulu mall (suppossed to be biggest mall in India), Forum Mall in Maradu, Gold Souk in Vytilla, Abad mall in MG road etc. (still a lot I dont remember).

Going by the metro meter there's good reason to believe that Kochiites are under the spell of fast foods.

The increasing crowds at the fast food joint like Pizza Hut, Chic King, Hot Breads et al are a testimony to this fact. Natty and neat, Chick King has literally revolutionised the fried chicken industry in the city! The crunchy chicken, the French fries, the bun and the coleslaw salad truly makes it the divine combination. Forget about what the health freaks tell you. (0)

KR Bakers is popular for its sweets and its fast version of slow food. In spite of being a bakery, it serves all the dishes that would constitute a full meal. Their USP is that since the food is always ready, it is served quickly and therefore is ‘fast food’. Its menu features parathas, chapatis, various vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, fresh juices and aerated drinks. You can also check out the pastries and confectionary items here.

Tandav is more a nightclub than a bar and has a dance floor. It's become quite a popular hang-out in Cochin. Tandav is a place to chill out. Some will call it a fun place; some may call it a pub. For others it can be a nightclub and for some a discotheque. It is basically a place for people to have fun. The DJ and the bouncers are the final authority at the place and there are two types of membership, one by invitation and the other though open will be thoroughly scrutinised

The other pubs or kind of place for night life are Formula 1 DJ pub - First and Best Dj pub of Kerala featuring the resident Djs, Experience the House, rave, Hip-Hop and all... The one and only real Hang-out of Kerala. It is located at MG road sputh end near Medical Trust. It is owned by swedish nationals. Its part of True wealth Hotels (P) Ltd.

Youth feel that the potential offered by the romantic backwaters, the shimmering beaches and the public parks should be better utilized. Kochi lacks a lovers' enclosure, a place where couples and pairs can spend some time together. There are whole lot of places to hangout in Kochi, but we have to provide an environment for people to come out.

At Fort Kochi, there is Kashi Art Café, where couples can chat amidst a good ambience, savoring snacks and lunch, while taking a look at the exhibition of paintings. Some hotels there serve food in the jetties jutting into the backwaters.

Hmm so far we never talked about the most popular hangout in Kerala - The Marine Drive.

Major fast food joints, including Marrybrown, DiMark, Barista, Coffee Bar are present along the walkway. The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the Vembanad Lake has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi.Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings. The walkway starts from the High Court Junction and continues until the Rajendra Maidan. There are also several boat jetties along the walkway.

Here are the list of popular hangout in city -

1) Marine Drive

2) Subhash Bose park

3) Durbar Hall grounds

4) Pizza hut

5) Chick King, Baskin Robbins

6) Bimbis

7) Avenue Regent

8) FortKochi beach, Chinese fishing nets, walkway

9) Mattancherry - synagogue, art galleries

10) Wellington Island park

11) Bolghatty island

Also areas like Vpeen walkway, Cherai beach, Hill palace in Tripunithura with deer park, Childrens park near subhash bose park, Veega land for whole day fun, Puthuvype beach and light house, Boat ride in Vembanad lake near Marine drive, also parks in Maradu. Then the suburban areas like Ezhattumukham etc. But by the launch of malls all life style is going to change.

When you consider the other cities in Kerala or south India, Kochi stands out. Trivandrum doesn't even have a great hangout other than Kovalam beach. Now a days Shanghumugham beach is also on upfront. The city of Trivandrum does not have a reputation for being a place that is youth friendly. It is also the only capital city in South India that has not taken to the mall, multiplex and Mocha (a Coffee shop chain) concept. Youngsters don’t have many choices when it comes to places where they can hangout with their friends. (no hangouts in Trivandrum)

SEE IT OUT ALL.

Again at last finishing of with another snap of marine drive.

Awaiting you comments.

Regards,

Vivek Shenoy P

07.45 PM

05-07-08

VOLVO OCEAN RACE IN COCHIN

The Indian stopover will come at the end of the second leg of the race from Cape Town, South Africa. Kochi will be the first of three new ports in Asia.

The seven yachts participating in the race will arrive in Kochi in December 2008 and will stay for 10 days, before starting leg three to Sentosa Island in Singapore. A race village spread over 2.5 acres will be set up near the BTP berth at Willingdon Island.

The booming shipping port on the Malabar Coast is one of India’s foremost tourist destinations and the race stopover is expected to bring thousands of additional visitors to both Kochi and the State of Kerala. The Kerala State Tourism Department envisages the event will bring significant visibility as well as economic benefit to the region.

Kochi’s selection was confirmed at an official ceremony at the Abad Plaza. Andy Hindley, Race Director, signed the port agreement along with Mr. N. Ramachandran, Chairman, Cochin Port Trust and Mr. KG Mohanlal, Managing Director, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.

Kochi certainly holds the key to the Asian leg. It is best located for the race route. As Mr. Ramachandran points out, “Choosing any other Indian port would mean a major deviation in the whole route that has now been planned.” The organisers expect the event to draw approximately 250,000 people to Kochi and generate around 50 million dollars in economic impact. There will be a lot of activity while the boats are in. The boats will be taken out of the water, be given full checks and an extensive maintenance and repair programme will be undertaken. The race sailors will do official media conferences and interviews when they arrive.

The Yachting Association of India (YAI), an active advocate of the race coming to India, sees the hosting of a stopover as a key component in India’s ongoing campaign to establish itself as a venue for hosting major sporting events following its successful bid to stage the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010.

“Hosting one of the world's top three sailing events will obviously boost any future bid to host major sailing as well as other sports events in India," said Commander Ajay Narang, Honorary Joint Secretary-General, YAI. “It will also be a tremendous fillip for local sailing,” he added.

In underlining the importance of the Indian stopover to the evolution of the race, Glenn Bourke, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, said: “It has always been part of our vision to take the race to different and wider audiences and we are delighted that Kochi has become part of that vision.

100 FLOORED INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE AND DEVELOPMENTS NEAR AIRPORT

Kochi, the Queen of Arabian Sea, which has been a shadow of its past for a long time, is now in the limelight as one of the most actively emerging cities not only in India but in South Asia.

Way back in 1999, Cochin International Airport was the first airport project in the country implemented under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model. Currently, it ranks as the 4th largest airport in India in terms of international passenger traffic—after Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai—and the 7th largest airport in terms of domestic passenger traffic. Cochin International Airport Ltd, the airport developer and operator, is now looking at replicating the successful model in other states and countries. It also wants to develop an Aerotropolis around the airport.(Read the interview)

Area in and around the International Airport is developing at a fast rate. The projects coming up and under various stages are Aerotropolis, which means an Airport city that includes 18 holed Golf Course of International standards, Two Five star hotels and few budget hotels, trde and cultural village, exhibition and convention centres, amusement parks, food courts, multiplexes, shopping malls. Also it will include an IT park, BPO park and Biotech park.

Airport authorities held talks with Cochin University of Science and Technology for establishing an aviation academy and also in talks with IIMs for a programme in aviation management.

Interestingly Airport is planning is to have a flying school. Flying School would like to use the old Cochin airport runway for a few hours a day and offer revenue share to the Indian Navy. Old Cochin airport is situated in Naval Enclave in Wellington Island area opposite to Vathuruthy.

Airport is setting up a Rs 60-crore centre for perishable cargo with a Rs 15-crore grant from the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, which will handle 30,000 mt of export-import cargo a year and held talks with airlines like Etihad and Emirates to start a dedicated cargo service from Cochin. They have started constructing an exclusive cargo bay for this centre.

The local panchayat, Nedumbassery is one of the highest revenue earners in the State in terms of collection local taxes / other taxes levied by the State and Central Govts. It is developing at fast rate to become perhaps into a town.

Two Four star hotels are coming up in MC road, One at Kalady and the other near Airport.

These developments are coming up only in Airport area alone even making Kochi city to feel shy. The mammoth developments in Airport vicinity is unimaginable for any other airport in the world, as Kochi has strong base in Tourism. No other airport in Kerala has even a percent of the majesty that this airport has! The passenger traffic has heavily declined in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airport once the International airport started functioning.

100 FLOORED INTERNATIONL TRADE CENTRE:

The Board of Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) has appointed Mumbai-based Zoom Developers to provide full design consultancy services for the proposed International Exhibition and Trade Centre at Kalamasserry near Kochi. The trade centre is planned in the prestigious Kinfra Hi-tech Park cluster and is expected to be operational in three years.

The project is coming up on 40 acres of Kinfra land at Kalamasserry, 25 km from Cochin International Airport and 26 km from the seaport. The trade centre is to have world-class facilities and will be built in Kerala style of architecture, according to Kinfra officials. The exhibition hall and the convention centre are expected to have an area of 5.6 million sq. ft. The convention centre will be designed to be used as a theatre, if required.
The project will also include a 5-star hotel of 31 floors providing 400 rooms, a 100-storey office tower which will be one of its kind in India, and a shopping mall spread on six floors. The trade centre is coming up in a five-storey building. Other amenities include a club house, service apartments, restaurants, ATM centres, a post office, Internet café and multilevel car parking.

It is great to see that all these developments are coming up in Kochi. Now what Kochi needs is basic infrastructure developments. Projects are going ahead to cope up during monsoon. Usually in the past years during the rainy seasons Ernakulam used to drown! But now its level is low and conditions improved. Recently East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram was in news as the area get fully drenched even if it rains for few minutes. Ernakulam doesn't have to face such shame now.

The Kochi area also needs to be expended from the present meagre area. It should be expanded up to Kodungaloor, Cherthala etc and should comprise of many other areas like Perumbavur, Chalakuddy, Pallipuram(Cherai area) etc.

HOPING FOR A BRIGHTER KOCHI!!

BEST WISHES

VIVEK SHENOY P
14.15 HOURS

RADIO MANGO IN KOCHI

Radio mango will be functional by May 10 as per reports. They consider the launch of Kochi station as a challenge.(again there are all chances for delay)

As Kochi is been considered as a Metro city, there shouldn't be any discrepancies and the programs must be the best. They are reviewing how it works in smaller cities like Calicut, kannur etc.

From all these they will take out points to be cared for and then launch....

KOCHI RADIO MANGO FM WILL THE BEST FM IN KERALA....

WATCH OUT FOR IT...

QUEEN VICTORIA IN KOCHI

March 26, 2008:
The Cruise Liner "QUEEN VICTORIA" which is the most luxurious liner in the world called at KOCHI Port on 26th March, 2008 in the morning. The luxury cruise liner arrived on schedule at 7 a.m from Chennai with 1,798 tourists and 1,008 crew . It was the 40the cruise liner to arrive at Kochi Port since April 2007. Kochi port is Number 1 in India in terms of arrival of Cuise Ships. The tourists were given traditional welcome at the port with a rousing reception complete with caparisoned elephants, kavadiyattam and traditional chendamelam.
They visited places of interest in and around the city, in buses and boats.

Captain Subash Kumar, Deputy Chairman and senior officers of Cochin Port Trust greeted the Captain of the ship, Christopher Rynd and exchanged plaques to mark the maiden visit of Queen Victoria to Kochi.

During the ceremony the Captain said that Kochi was the most beautiful port in this part of the world and appreciated the efforts made by the Port Trust for a hassle-free visit by the vessel and its tourists. (Picture on right: ship arrives FortKochi as people gathered in mass)

Queen Victoria Left Kochi at 6 pm on the same day to Mumbai. Tw more Cruise ships will arrive in Kochi this month.

Scores of people assembled at FortKochi to view the majestic ships leaving the city. It was indeed a memorable site to see QUEEN VICTORIA leaving Kochi.

Kochi expects 8 cruise ships in April.

VIVEK SHENOY P
7.30 PM

RANKING OF KOCHI?

Here is an assortment of some of the solid facts regarding the City of Kochi which have come recently in news. Many of us neglect these facts and thus stand way back in knowledge about our city and state as a whole.

1) HVS International is an Indian hospitality industry. HVS conducted a survey to find out top eight markets in South Asia. Managing director of HVS released the survey results according to which the following are the top eight emerging markets in India:

1) Lahore

2) Islamabad

3) Ahmedabad

4) Pune

5) Vizag (Vishakapattanam)

6)KOCHI(COCHIN/ ERNAKULAM)

7) Chandigarh

8) Bhubaneswar and Mysore

The rating was done on the following basis such as rate potential, demand growth, product orientation, infrastructure, site availability, replacement costs, induced demand and new supply risks.

Among the top eight markets in India included Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, Jaipur, Bangalore and Kolkata.

It is really great news as far as Kochi is considered where state government does little to improve infrastructure though it is the most developed and biggest of the cities in Kerala.

2) Knight Frank studies on emerging cities were released in June 2007. It rates Goa highest in terms of infrastructure.

The study rates KOCHI as an important transport and investment hub.

Also Kochi gets benefits due to its location. It rates Kochi as the major tourist destination in Kerala due to presence of top tourist locales in and around Kochi. The study drew attention as it was published in The Times of India.

3) Many of us aware of the fact the Kochi was chosen as the best place to live in India. The parameters used were health, education, environment, safety, public facilities and entertainment. Kozhikodewas placed second after Kochi and then the Capital city Thiruvananthapuram in number 4 spot. Interestingly Thrissur and Kannur were in 7^th and 9^th position. It was a boost to overall tourism sector in Kerala.

4) Air Ticket sale: Around 40% of airline ticket sales on the internet in India come from the four main South markets of Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi according to latest reports from online travel portal cleartrip.com published in The Times of India(Jan 21, 2008). Of the 40% of share from South these are the % from the following cities:

1) Bangalore 40.42 %

2) Chennai 24%

3) Hyderabad 24%

4) KOCHI 10%

The main advantage of Bangalore is that it has highest percentage of techies in India. Look at Kochi where it is coming up only and still ranks among the top cities in India. The techies are less in Kochi even when compared to Thiruvananthapuram or probably Coimbatore.

IT boom in Kochi is not fallacious, it is really happening in Kochi. Infopark is undergoing expansion. Recently the CM of Kerala inaugurated Tejomaya building at Infopark. He also laid foundation stone of Signature tower which will be completed in 2009. It will have twin towers of 21 floors. It will become new landmark in IT industry in Kerala. Unlike in Thiruvananthapuram where only state government IT Park is expanding, in Kochi the scenario is different where private players are investing for IT parks. Smart City project which is in limbo now when materialized will turn Kochi into IT hub of Kerala and in turn India.

5) As a matter of fact Ernakulam division of LIC retained its top slot among 105 divisions in India.

5) The below given are the words of Kerala IT secretary Ajay Kumar:

“We may not have big cities except for Kochi, but the State as a whole has superior facilities than other smaller towns in the country. That is where our opportunity lies”.

He was presenting the vision of the State in providing impetus to the growth of the IT industry at a meeting organized by the Kerala Information Technology Alliance (KITA), a non-profit, non-political global organization formed to bring Malayali IT professionals across the globe on a common platform, at Infopark on January 07, 2008.

6) Cochin International Airport is FOURTH in India in terms of International flight operations.

7) Cochin International Airport Limited(CIAL) is ranked third in the world in terms of balance between investment and profit, Cochin International Airport Ltd. is regarded as the most successful investment venture of the State and has the biggest duty free shop of the country.

Kochi is been thoroughly spotted and it is a strong contender to be a metro. Today Kochi is the only Metro City of Kerala. The government needs to concentrate more on Kochi. It doesn’t mean that the government should focus only on Kochi.

Kochi is the arguably the ideal starting point for exploring the unfathomable diversity and beauty of Kerala, rated in the top three tourist destinations by the World Travel & Tourism Council and featured in National Geographic Traveler's '50 greatest places of a lifetime'.

The beauty of Kochi lies in its backwaters. Although it locks the city, it adds to the glamour of this bustling city. The skyline of Kochi across the Marine Drive is famous and not to forget the WORLD FAMOUS CHINESE FISHING NETS AT FORTKOCHI, which is shown as sign of Kerala abroad.

All efforts should be taken to enhance the developments in Kochi. Not to mention about the vital developments going to take place in Thiruvananthapuram.

While Thiruvananthapuram is a step ahead of Kochi in terms of number of research based institutes, Kochi is far ahead of the capital city Thiruvananthapuram in terms of industries, shopping, night life, tourism, entertainment, sports etc, while both the cities are competing in terms of IT.

But reports make it clear that Kochi is their favorite IT destination. So government needs to expand the present facilities in IT sector in Kochi so that the IT companies can settle in their desired destination rather than the given place by the government of Kerala.

ALL THE BEST WISHES TO KOCHI, THE QUEEN OF ARABIAN SEA…

VIVEK SHENOY P

MARCH 20, 2008

9.25 PM