Devanahalli aero SEZ on fast-track

Devanahalli aero SEZ on fast-track
R Jayaprakash | TNN

Bangalore: The ambitious aviation SEZ at Devanahalli, a dedicated zone for aircraft component manufacturing companies, appears set for take-off.
Udyog Mitra, the government's single-window committee to screen and clear industrial projects to be housed in this SEZ, recently cleared projects worth Rs 6,000 crore. The government is aggressively promoting the Aero SEZ to pre-empt investors from going to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Hyderabad whose international airport will become functional before the one in Bangalore.
The state government will allocate 1,000 acres for the aviation sector right behind the international airport. The KIADB issued the preliminary notification for land acquisition in January. Of the 1,000-acre aero zone, 500 acres are being allocated to Aero SEZ and 500 acres for domestic tariff area. Once the aero SEZ opens up, it'll bring in investments worth $25 billion.
The industries department is doing its bit too -- even printing brochures in Japanese and German. Officials there told TOI: "The government has instructed us to speed up scrutinising applications of companies seeking to set up aviation units in Bangalore. It wants the list of companies and proposals before the high-level committee meeting in May first week. The chief minister will chair the committee along with ministries concerned and the chief secretary.'' Udyog Mitra processed applications of eight companies, including that of a leading US firm which produces aero structures for commercial and military markets. The US aviation major has proposed pumping in $1 billion.
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS), a global leader in aerospace, has started working on its blueprint. The industries department sanctioned its software development project and R&D unit and allotted 25 acres land near the international airport area (aerotropolis). The presence of ISRO, HAL, NAL, ADA, LRDE and other defence laboratories persuades investors to look at Bangalore as the first option. The city is home to over 100 firms directly involved in manufacturing aerospace-related components with tie-ups with leaders in aviation such as Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Roll Royce and Safran.
A few dozen companies are chipping in with IT-related services for the sector. The recent Aero-India show also saw some Indian majors inking deals with aviation majors on maintenancerepair-overhauling (MRO) and R&D. COMPANIES ON TARMAC A US aviation major into civil and military aviation — Rs 3,100 crore Sobha Nadathur Aerospace Pvt Ltd, Bangalore — Rs 200 crore EADS — Initial investment Rs 94 crore, total investment $2 billion Dynamatic Technologies — Rs 466 crore