The government has cleared the decks for the launch of the Technocity project at Mangalapuram, near here, signalling the State’s first step towards the creation of an ecosystem for emerging technologies.
One portion of the project (300 acres) will be set aside for IT and IT-enabled services and the other dedicated to a Knowledge City for research and development in future technologies such as mobile applications, Internet of Things, financial technologies, cybersecurity, and e-mobility.
Spread over 100 acres of land, the Knowledge City will have academic partners to promote research in new technologies and encourage start-ups.
The Technocity campus and the Knowledge City project are expected to be launched in October.
Tendered
“Most of the infrastructure, including power, water supply, and roads, is in place and the work on the signature building has been tendered,” says Hrishikesh Nair, CEO, IT Parks, Kerala.
The 2,00,000-sq-ft building spread over four floors is scheduled to be completed in 18 months, providing additional space for Technopark-based IT companies seeking to expand their operations.
The ₹105-crore project will be funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board.
Game changer
But it is the Knowledge City that is expected to become a game changer for the State.
“By setting up centres of excellence to promote research and development, we hope to gain early lead in emerging technologies and become a major hub in this area,” Mr. Nair says.
“The focus will be on technology-based products.”
A high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary recently decided to construct a grade separator to the Technocity campus from the national highway to avoid traffic bottlenecks on the stretch.
Connectivity
Officials said the Light Metro project that would improve connectivity to the Technocity campus was also back on track after clearing the initial hurdles.
Meanwhile, work on the residential campus of the IIITM-K at Technocity is nearing completion.
Home-grown IT product firm SunTec has unveiled plans for a modern campus and TCS and KASE have been allotted land for new buildings in the proposed facility.
