Hi-tech City in the making

Hi-tech City in the making
The BDA is in the process of allotting land to the IT and BT sectors in this corridor.
The Times of India

The 8.5 km Hi-tech City corridor between Airport and Electronic City that will be linked to the Outer Ring Road is in the allotment process. Plots in dimensions of one, two, five, 10, 25 and 50 acres will be allotted to applicants based on recommendations of a committee set up for the purpose. "While the rate is yet to be finalised by the BDA Board, it will not be lesser than Rs 1 crore per acre", says the BDA Commissioner, M N Vidyashankar.

Two committees have been put in place to go into the applications being received from the IT and BT sectors. Land here will be allotted only to organisations from these two sectors. According to the BDA, one committee headed by the Minister for Large and Medium Industries along with the Principal Secretaries of the departments of Industries, Urban Development, Forest, Environment, and also comprising the heads of Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board, BESCOM, Bangalore Development Authority and BWSSB, with some other members, will make allotments to organisations with an investment of Rs 50 crores or less. Another committee headed by the Chief Minister along with Principal Secretaries and heads of civic agencies will allot plots to organisations with an investment of over Rs 50 crores.

All organisations looking for plots in this belt will need to apply on prescribed forms being issued by the Department of Industries. Details of the organisation such as turnover, core competence etc need to be furnished with the application. The organisations can apply for the dimension they need. The final allotment will be made on the basis of an assessment made by the Karnataka Udyog Mitra. The Karnataka Udyog Mitra will go into the project planned and submit a report to the committee concerned for a final decision on the allotment.
"We will be providing state-of-the-art infrastructure in this corridor. Just the 8.5 km six-lane highway and two 'mobile flyovers' that will come up over two tanks in the locality will be costing us Rs 114 crores", says Vidyashankar. "Major IT organisations from here and multinationals have evinced a keen interest in Hi-tech City. There is no other such dedicated belt just for them", he adds.

The BDA is making this project a self-contained IT/BT hub with all civic amenities and infrastructure. Educational institutions, shopping, recreation, residential options within the plots allotted, apart from dual water lines and adequate power form part of the corridor's facilities. "It will not be necessary for anyone living and working in the corridor to come into the city for any regular requirements. From star hotels to convention center and shopping facilities, the idea is to make it completely self-contained", the BDA Commissioner explains.
In the first phase of this project the BDA is allotting 660 acres of land to organisations. These 660 acres is part of a total of 997 acres (the remaining 337 acres will go towards civic amenities). The Hi-tech City in total is spread over 5,000 acres. Subsequent phases will be developed contiguous to the first phase that is under development now. "This belt will be a center of knowledge and development. All infrastructure will be in position by the year 2006, says Vidyashankar.

"The city has to grow horizontally now. This concept is the future of commercial development", says C B Raghunandan, General Manager, Wipro Technologies. "It will increase productivity as an integrated township will be conducive to more efficient working. It makes it possible to work out better timings, reduces stress of traffic congestion and so on. We can even think of common access-controlled facilitates for staff from the different organisations in the locality", adds S Hemkumar, Senior Manager, Novell India. "The Government should offer options to the organisations while allotting plots as there may be instances where one organisation may not want a particular location due to proximity to a competitor", he adds.

A well-planned belt for specific industries will translate into the growth and development of the sector, and lead to a healthier economy.