IT sector seeks better access to Technopark

Group of Technology Companies (GTech), the industry body of IT/ITeS companies in Kerala, has sought urgent steps for comprehensive upgradation of transportation infrastructure around Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, to support the ongoing development projects and also to stay competitive among the other leading IT destinations in the country.

A delegation led by GTech, joined by representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Chambers of Commerce of Industry met Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy to seek his intervention in expediting key transport infrastructure development projects in the state.

The delegation has apprised the chief minister on the need to include flyovers and underpasses along the stretch from Kazhakkuttam to Aakkulam Bridge, and to route the ongoing metro rail to cover Technopark phase I, II and III, extending to Kochuveli Rail Terminal and T'puram International airport, to solve the transportation woes in the area.

In a representation to the chief minister, the delegation had pointed out the ongoing four-laning project for the NH-66 does not include flyovers or underpasses. "This will result in massive traffic congestion as most of the vehicular traffic will have to take hardship at multiple locations to enter and leave the various campuses within the Technopark. Also, the proposed four-lane width of the NH-66 is likely to be inadequate to handle huge traffic along the stretch. Flyovers, underpasses and MRTS would be the key to decongest the route," said Anoop P Ambika, secretary of GTech.

Technopark Phase I, II and III, campuses of UST Global, Infosys, VSSC and the proposed site for the downtown Technopark project of Taurus Investment Holdings lie on the 4.5-km stretch from the Kazhakkuttom junction.

This area constitutes a combined workforce of 50,000 IT professionals and 5,000 staff of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC). Moreover, the ongoing business expansion of technology companies and associated development along this stretch is expected to add large numbers to the peak traffic load.

He added it was critical to develop sufficient transportation infrastructure not only to ease the congestion, but more importantly to stay competitive.

Top IT destinations like Bangalore and Gurgaon, and even the tier-II locations like Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam and Jaipur have better transportation infrastructure with metro systems and flyovers, he noted.