Technopark Phase-3 expansion to get under way

Technopark’s strides towards becoming Asia’s biggest information technology park will take yet another step forward this week with work set to begin on the Phase-3 expansion.

Talking to Business Standard, N Radhakrishnan Nair, CEO, Technopark, said “the Phase -3 expansion would be undertaken on 92 acres and implemented as an IT/ITeS Special Economic Zone (SEZ).”

Towards this, the foundation for a 110-kv power substation would be laid on September 4 by chief minister VS Achuthanandan at the proposed site at Kulathoor close to the main campus.

Adding that most of the land registration process was over, Nair said PwC and Mahindra Consulting had been roped in as master planners.

The SEZ, to be developed in private participation, would be undertaken under the aegis of Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd and involve an investment of above Rs 3,500 crore.

The expansion work is expected to be completed in 2012. It would create 4 million sft space and around 40,000 jobs. On completion of the third phase, the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark will be among the leading technology hubs in the world with a built-up space of 10 million sft and a 100,000 workforce, Nair said.

Meanwhile, the Phase -2 expansion will see campuses of tech majors Infosys Technologies and UST Global occupy the total 86 acres of land earmarked as the SEZ, Nair said.