Meltdown, Satyam fiasco have not hit IT parks

Many fiirms have started developing their plots

Land allotment proposal for Tiruchi park forwarded to the government

Neither the global meltdown nor the Satyam fiasco has adversely impacted the development of the IT parks-cum-special economic zones in Tier II cities. “In fact, the response to these projects has not diminished a bit,” says Santhosh Babu, Managing Director, Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, and Director of e-Governance.

Talking to reporters after inspecting the IT park site here on Tuesday, Mr. Babu allayed the fears about the prospects of these parks. Many players, including big companies, had agreed to set up shop and started developing their plots. “After all, the overhead expenditure for the cash-strapped industry is lesser [in Tier II cities] than in metros like Chennai.”

The development of the Sholinganallur park had almost been completed, and the Coimbatore park would be completed by December, he said. Land had been handed over at Elanthakulam and Vadapalanchi in Madurai. While the land allotment proposal for the Tiruchi park had been forwarded to the government, a plan for Salem would be prepared shortly. The Salem park would be developed in two phases: the first on 45 acres in the total area of 164 acres, for which the expression of interest would be called for; and the rest would be improved in Phase II.

Asked whether the ‘window period’ for the developers would be extended in view of the recession, Mr. Santosh Babu said the Chief Minister alone could take a decision.

On the legal dispute with Burn Standard, a public sector unit, over land allotment, he said Collector J. Chandrakumar had resolved it by allotting 120 acres to the company for mining. The site earmarked for the Salem park had been leased out to the company.

“To monitor and expedite the IT projects in Tier II cities, steering committees have been formed, ” he said.

As for e-governance, Mr. Santosh Babu said 208 locations had been identified for the Tamil Nadu State Wide Area Network, which would connect government offices. The work was under way to establish 800 common service centres, through which the people could access go welfare aids and documents.