Nestled in green-capped hills with the panoramic view of the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Madhurawada Special Economic Zone, located at Rushikonda, of late has turned into a ‘must visit’ place in the itinerary of visitors to the city. It has become a part of the smart city, but still lacks basic amenities, and the IT players are facing some inconvenience.
Touted as Cyber Hills, the area very often is described as the IT hub of Sunrise Andhra Pradesh. Home to about 20 companies, mostly started by local entrepreneurs, it can now boast a workforce of 3,000. Once Conduent, the $6 billion mutli-national business process services company, which started its operations with 200 employees sometime ago, moves to Millennium Tower, in advance stage of construction by the State Government in the zone, it will turn into a 5,000-seater company — the largest IT employer in the State.
The Sunrise Incubation Hub (erstwhile Sunrise Startup Village) with a built-up area of 50,000 sq. ft houses the NASSCOM Warehouse, Drone manufacturing unit of AP Innovation Society and Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre of the National Research Development Corporation.
Symbiosys Technologies, Miracle Software, IBM and several other leading companies have their campuses spread over the three hills. Fintech Tower, which functions from leased out premises, is home to several startups.
Realising the importance of taking care of the civic amenities and public facilities in the three hills, APIIC-IALA (Industrial Area Local Authority) was formed in October, 2014.
Funds for maintenance
The objective is to collect the property tax and spend the amount in common amenities in the area, according to IALA Commissioner V. Krishna Prasad. Now IALA is being given 50% of the collections by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, which the stakeholders say is very meagre. If the full amount is allocated or the government gives a substantial amount at its disposal, the area could get a facelift, many feel.
IALA is mandated to look after avenue plantation, garbage collection, drainage, street lights and road cleaning. The security is being provided by the APIIC, which developed the zone.
The area is set to become a big landmark soon. Anyone coming to the city with investment proposal will not return without having a look at the zone. In the fringe areas also, a lot of projects are in the pipeline for development in IT. For instance, close to Rushikonda in Madhurawada area, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority has finalised a project to develop an IT city in 20 acres. A world-class IT city is being developed by the government in an area of 158 acres in phases at nearby Kapulauppada.
Amenities absent
At present, out of ₹1.20 crore on an average being collected towards property tax by the IT companies, 50% of it is being allotted to IALA. The end-result is most of the streets lights are not functioning. Though so many employees, most of them from low income groups frequent the area to their workstations as well as to attend interviews, there is not a single bus shelter.
MP K. Haribabu has promised to release funds under MPLAD for construction of two bus shelters each costing ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh. Lokam Prasad of Miracle Software has also agreed to sponsor the expenses of two more bus shelters.
For full-fledged drainage, LED and solar lighting and CCTV footage a lot of funds are required. There has been a demand for a long time to develop a big park for the employees and others to spend sometime. For the better upkeep of avenue plantation more funds are required.
At a recent meeting, the stakeholders were told by the IALA on estimates made for the current financial year. The estimates reveal that for internal road maintenance, there is a requirement of ₹17 lakh and for avenue plantation ₹17.5 lakh, street lights on Hill No. 2 and 3 ₹9.6 lakh, operation and maintenance of water supply scheme ₹12 lakh (excluding power charges), supply and fixing of 46 LED lights on double armed poles ₹7.2 lakh.
