Dubai-based KEF Holdings gets started on Rs. 800 crore 'clinical wellness' resort project in Kerala
Dubai-based engineering venture KEF Holding is all set to take up a Rs. 811 crore integrated clinical wellness resort project in Kerala which is touted to be first-of-its-kind clinic in South Indian State. The company has acquired 30 acres in Calicut District to develop this project.
According to a report published in Gulf News, the KEF will have the ground-breaking for the project next month and the first phase is scheduled for completion in March 2023. Second phase will be delivered in 2024.
"The emphasis is on the ‘clinical wellness’, and we will integrate Ayurveda, Tibetan healing, natural and Western processes,” said Faisal Kottikollon, founder of KEF Holdings. “This will be quite different from the ‘wellness’ concepts that are being used so frequently these days.” he was further quoted as saying by Gulf News.
What KEF is trying to do is be the first-to-market with an integrated clinical wellness offering. Until now, most ventures have focussed on a particular aspect, such as Ayurveda, for instance. The Rs. 800 crore (Dh400 million) project will also try and leverage Kerala’s return as a tourism destination after being undone by two years of COVID-19 and a devastating flood that ravaged the state.
Keeping it all sustainable
The resort will be built as per the latest sustainability concepts, with the intention of being a “net-zero” carbon emitter. For future water needs, the project is ‘harvesting’ rainwater in tanks totalling 10 million litres in capacity. “The plan is to collect 40 million litres each year, retain 10 million and use the rest for the organic farm that is part of the development,” said Kottikollon.
Hotel and hospital
The resort will have a 130-room hotel component, which will be managed by KEF. These details are yet to be worked out. “Wellness is about holistic integration of body, mind, and spirit,” said Shabana Kottikollon, Director at KEF Holdings. Shabana hails from Mangalore and is daughter of wellknown entrepreneur and philanthropist Late B. Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen of BA Group.
400 jobs
Recruitments are on for the various positions that will be created in future at the resort. This will include a core team of doctors and associated staff as well as personnel for the hospitality element. “The plan is to be a 400-strong workforce by the time of the second phase completion,” said Faisal Kottikollon.
“The resort, which is 15 minutes from Calicut airport, will also have close links with the premium Meitra Hospital that we own and operate. It’s about KEF playing a part in element of a person’s need for physical and mental wellbeing” added Faisal.
About KEF Group
Dubai based KEF Holdings first came to limelight when its unit Emirates Technocasting ( ETC), was sold to the engineering giant Tyco in 2012 for $400 Million. Faisal and Shabana, then set up a foundation which took over a government school in Kerala as part of a transformation project. The School was rebuilt in 90 days using prefab technology. The model was then replicated in over 900 schools covering 2 million students. It lead to the setting up of KEF Infra at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, which became the largest prefab factory in India. It was later acquired by Katerra in 2018.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
