I was sleeping blissfully as it was Sunday but the phone call woke me up. A friend who was my juinor in school was on the other end.
Din, important question – where is New Cochin ?
Now I am confused. I was in half sleep plus I never heard of a place New Cochin. I am just 18kms away from Cochin city, and familiar with most of the place names in and around Cochin. I told him I do not know and went back to sleep. No, it didn’t end there.
On Monday morning, another friend buzzed me in Yahoo messenger. The same question
Din, where is New Cochin ?
I asked him what is the matter. So here is the story. As many IT ventures are coming up in Cochin including Smart City the land price went too high. Flats, Villas and even small houses cost a lot in Cochin now. And the real estate guys are taking maximum advantage of the name – Cochin. Classifieds ads here in Cochin reads – Plot for sale, only 40kms away from Smart City ! House for sale, near Smart City. The Smart City is a venture that yet to become a reality, but what is wrong in giving the name in advertisement and lure more and more people ?
Going a step further, the builders Apple A Day Properties is planning to build villas and apartments in Alappuzha district where cost of land is less compared to that in Cochin. But how to attract the people ? Simple, make a new place name – New Cochin – and put that name in all advertisement. And if people want to see a demo flat ? Set up a single demo flat in Cochin and show that !
In Kerala (may be in other parts of India too?) there is a trend. Someone working in a hotel quit one day and starts a new hotel opposite to the one or near to the one with the same name, but a New added to it. Hotel kairaliĀ turns to Hotel New Kairali. But using the same thing in real estate field ..
What an idea sirjeee !!!
So all those who were wondering where is New Cochin – it is not in Cochin and not even in Ernakulam District. It is in Alappuzha.
What next ? New Smart City may be ?