DLF readies Bhubaneswar project for commercial ops

DLF Cybercity already houses Maruti Suzuki's Nexa outet and a BPO unit; major IT/ITeS firms to also take up space

Real estate major DLF said it has readied the first phase of its DLF Cybercity project for commercial operations.

The project, coming up on a sprawling 54-acre campus on the city's outskirts, is estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore.

"The tower One at DLF Cybercity, Bhubaneswar is ready and we have received necessary approvals and OC (occupancy certificate) for the tower. The building has an area of 0.54 million sq ft. and houses retail at lower ground and ground floors and offices from 1st to 11th floors", Rajeev Talwar, chief executive officer, DLF Ltd

DLF Cybercity would house some of the major IT/ITes companies like Mindfire, IN2IT Technologies and Luminous Infoways. A Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) unit is already functional at the tower and another large BPO is expected to be running its operations in a month's time. The tower also houses the Nexa outlet of Maruti Suzuki.

Once the first tower is fully occupied, nearly 5000 people would be engaged.

Talwar said, the Tower Two is in design stage and DLF is looking forward to receive necessary approvals to launch it which is proposed to have G+14 floors.

"The entire land has mixed development components including hotel, shopping mall, club house, service apartments and accommodation. DLF Cybercity is planned as an integrated township, which would have mixed development and provide' walk to work-live-entertain-shop-leisure' within the same area", he added.

DLF announced its foray into Odisha in 2009, months ahead of the general elections.

The project, however, was marred by delay as lack of demand in IT space forced DLF to hold back construction work.

DLF also got it into a face off with the state owned land acquisition agency- Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) over keeping idle a substantial chunk of land.

Idco had alloted 54 acres of land to DLF at a prime location on the city's outskirts.

Idco in May last year, had warned of stringent action against DLF for keeping a large chunk of land idle meant for developing its Rs 1000-crore Infopark project. Of the 54 acres allotted to DLF for the project, only seven acres have been utilised till date.

But DLF shot back, terming the Idco missive 'wrongful and illegal'.

Stating the project requires phased development, DLF pointed out that first high rise 12-storied building with over 550,000 sq ft office space is virtually complete. It had entered into agreement for nearly 300 units with reputed companies and handing over of space is under commencement.