IANS

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 21: State-run Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corp (Kinfra) Wednesday said it will set up a state-of-the-art footwear park in Malappuram district in north Kerala.

The park will come up on 120 acres in Vazhakkad, Malappuram, Kinfra said in a release.

"The park would be ready in two years and would have facilities for manufacturing footwear and raw materials needed for the industry," an official at Kinfra told IANS.

According to him, the park would emerge as a big support for around 200 footwear manufacturing units in north Kerala, he added.

The project is expected to cost Rs.17.5 crore excluding the land cost. In Kinfra's assessment, footwear units in the state were able to exploit only half of the Rs.600-crore footwear market.

"The thrust areas of the park would be non-leather footwear, footwear component manufacture, leather footwear, safety footwear and sportsmen's footwear," the statement said.

Kinfra's aim is to promote use of new technology in footwear sector and generate employment.

The project is expected to provide direct employment to 3,250 people and indirect employment to 6,500, it added.

Cloth and leather-based industrial units will also start operations from the park.