Housing Board goes ahead with Marine Drive project

Expressions of interest invited from consultants to conduct site and market assessment of projects

The Kerala State Housing Board (KSHB) has invited expressions of interest from consultants to conduct site assessment and preliminary market assessment of projects that can come up on about 18 acres of land owned by the Board close to Marine Drive in Kochi.

The Housing Board plan is to make an assessment of the suitability of the site close to the city’s commercial hub for development of feasible projects on a public-private partnership basis.

The KSHB plans to select a technical and financial consultant, who will prepare a report in accordance with the terms of reference set by the Board. The consultant will assess the project site as well as make a preliminary market assessment and a prepare a feasibility report on the projects.

The KSHB was constituted in 1971 to improve housing in the State and address the problem of housing shortage, with emphasis on providing affordable houses. It is also into project management and construction work for various agencies, including the State government.

Over the years, the KSHB has tried to utilise its land bank to revive its fortunes. The land holding near the Goshree bridges, close to Marine Drive, is a prime property owned by the Board. The plan to set up a world-class convention centre took firm shape in 2019, with the announcement of a project, then estimated to cost over ₹3,000 crore. It suffered a setback with the COVID-19-related lockdown.

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