Three mega IT plans hinge on HC verdict

Three mega IT plans hinge on HC verdict
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Even as the future of Hi-Tech city hinges on the outcome of the High Court verdict, the State Government has approved three mega IT investment proposals with a total investment of Rs 1,200 crore.

The High- Level Clearance Committee (HLCC) head by Chief Minister Dharam Singh on June 6 cleared 14 mega projects, including three of IT major Wipro, Sasken and I-flex solutions.

The HLCC has allotted 50 acres each to the three projects at the proposed Hi-Tech city. ‘‘The approval is subject to the final decision of the court,’’ an official of the industries department told this website's newspaper.

The Hi-Tech city project, based on a Bandra-Kurla commercial complex in Mumbai, has been challenged in the High Court by a section of farmers whose lands have been acquired.

‘‘The court has directed the BDA to go ahead with the project without disturbing any buildings,’’ a BDA official said, adding that the authority has almost put the project on halt. ‘‘Though the high court has given its approval, we do not want to take risk and attract contempt,’’ they added.

Though the project was conceived by the previous Congress government, its implementation was deferred due to general polls last year. The project was almost put on hold until IT czars from the city complained to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after the coalition government came into being. Following this, Singh on November 1 had announced that work on the project would commence from November 15.

The proposed Rs 390-crore Hi-Tech city to come up along the 8.5 km stretch between Electronics City and Sarjapur envisages an integrated township with office space, residential complexes, commercial establishments and educational institutions, among other facilities besides housing the who’s-who of IT and BT.