Infopark Kochi is upbeat about the sustained growth it has been managing over the years since its inception in 2004.
The software export figures for the first three quarters of the ongoing fiscal have only added to the overall buoyant mood. Infopark feels the fact that the highest return had been registered in the third quarter under not so conducive economic atmosphere across the world was an achievement on its own.
Besides, the encouraging trends will serve as further incentive for the premier Information Technology Park of the State to stick on to the time schedule charted out for its massive second phase expansion on the cards.
Infopark is planning to develop 160-odd acres in Puthencruz and Kunnathunadu villages.
“We have already started the construction work on the second phase and the first IT building with an estimated built-up space of five lakh sq.ft will be ready by December next year,” Infopark Chief Executive Officer Gigo Joseph told The Hindu .
Already, 97 acres of the second phase has received Special Economic Zone status. By the time the entire area is developed by 2020, the second phase alone will manage to generate 80,000 jobs. It is also expected to take the software export returns of Infopark to an altogether different league. “Our software exports will jump by five to six folds compared to the returns from the existing campus,” Mr. Joseph said.
He has no doubt that the entire area will be grabbed like hot cakes.
Already a multi-national IT company has sought land to develop an extensive campus in the second phase. The built-up space of 80 lakh combined with the 88 lakh sq.ft in the proposed SmartCity Kochi is expected to propel Kochi as a top league investment destination.
Apart from that, Infopark has more to offer in its spokes in Cherthala and Koratty.
At present, Cherthala Infopark offers 2.50 lakh sq.ft while its optimum potential is 15 lakh sq.ft where as in Koratty it is 70,000 sq.ft and 10 lakh sq.ft respectively.
Meanwhile, landowners of 35 acres spread over Kunnathunadu and Puthencruz villages had declined to accept the land value fixed by the State Level Purchase Committee based on which the rest of the land had been acquired. They had approached the Supreme Court objecting to the land acquisition where the matter is pending.
In a meeting of the landowners concerned, revenue officials, and the Infopark authorities held recently, the landowners had demanded two sets of price of Rs. 7 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh for different categories of land.
This was a steep rise from the value of over Rs. 2 lakh fixed by the SLPC. Landowners also conveyed the willingness for an out of the court settlement if their demands were met.
While district administration officials said that response of Infopark was being awaited on the demand, Infopark sources said that it was for the State government to decide whether to pay a price different from the one paid to others.
Besides, the issue was pending before the court, they said.
