Thursday, February 05, 2009

STATE TO GET A FILLIP IN IT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

M.P. Praveen, Kochi
The Hindu

Kerala is all set to get a fillip in its efforts to develop infrastructure for promoting information technology sector. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan will lay foundation stones for two IT parks in Alappuzha district—one at Ambalapuzha and the other at Cherthala—on February 15 and 22, respectively.

Infopark, Kochi, will develop and manage both the IT parks.

A meeting will be held in Cherthala on Wednesday to form a reception committee for the function. The IT park at Cherthala is to be developed on 100 acres, and will have a built-up space of 2 lakh sq.ft. in the first phase at an estimated cost of Rs.75 crore. The master plan for the project has been approved.

The Kerala industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO) are the engineering consultants, and the Kochi-based Ajith Associates will be the master developers. The construction work of the building at Cherthala will begin by April and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Out of the 100 acres, 40 acres will be allotted for IT companies and co-developers.

The objective is to develop the park as a self-contained commercial centre including malls and other commercial establishments, sources said.

The proposed IT park at Ambalapuzha will have a unique design. As per the master plan approved for the park, out of the 100 acres, 60 acres would be developed for the park while the remaining 40 acres would be left for water bodies.

The construction of the building would start after the completion of land development works and a consultant is appointed, sources said. The park would be developed as a comprehensive township in due course.

Both the parks will have space available in Special Economic Zone and non-SEZ areas. Many large companies interested in opening their own campuses have evinced interest in the parks and have visited the areas.

It is pointed out that these parks would be perfect for companies involved in business process outsourcing (BPO) operations. Many BPO companies operating from Infopark have employees coming from Alappuzha. Setting a shop in the neighbouring district itself would help these companies to cut cost on various heads.

Besides, it would enable small and medium IT and IT-enabled service companies to utilise state-of-the-art infrastructure, as they could not possibly aspire for space available at Infopark at a premium.

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