With consultation process being on, the blueprint for construction of Signature Tower at Rushikonda is expected to be finalised shortly.
Sources in the Department of IT told The Hindu that to give a push to IT investments in Visakhapatnam and its periphery, a regional directorate will be set up soon. “Once the design and funding pattern of the Signature Tower to be built with green technology is finalised, the government will seek global tenders to take up the construction,” the sources said.
An area of 21.16 acres on Hill No. 3, which has been taken back from Kennexa by APIIC for not fulfilling land allocation norms, is identified for construction of the iconic tower.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who cleared the proposal during his visit to address CEO’s conclave in September, had said that the tower would be a landmark and it would be planned in such a way by using latest designs that it would be more attractive than the Cyber Towers built at Madhapur in Hyderabad.
Sources said the proposal for developing IT Investment Region (ITIR), for which Ernst & Young has conducted a feasibility study, is now pending for approval by the Centre. ITIR is planned in an area of 12,000 acres.
Visakhapatnam, the largest city in Andhra Pradesh has an IT turnover of Rs.1500 crore with major players Tech Mahindra, Wipro, HSBC and IBM employing a large number of locals. Due to loss suffered by Hudhud, the turnover is expected to be hit to some extent this year. On an average, the industry is recording a growth of 15 to 20 per cent.
“The city with its picturesque locales and excellent logistic advantage has tremendous scope to emerge as an IT hub,” said NASSCOM Vice President and Executive Director of Sector Skills Council Sandhya Chintala.
