The supply of office space for IT & ITeS sector companies in Kerala is set to get a big boost once the second phase of Infopark Kochi is completed. It will have an area of eight million sft with a capacity to house 80,000-90,000 professionals.
The total investment in this phase is estimated to be Rs 2,500 crore, of which the state government will invest Rs 500 crore. Leading IT companies and builders are expected to invest Rs 2,000 crore for developing around 7 million sft of space. The government will construct three to four buildings, and the work on the first would start soon.
Talking to Business Standard, Gigo Joseph, CEO, Infopark, said that three companies including leading multinationals had already acquired land for constructing buildings. About 15 acres has been alloted to one while two other companies would get five acres each. A formal announcement on the tie-up would be made soon.
Joseph said four buildings with an area of 1 million sft were completed in phase -1 of the project. When completed, this phase will have a total area of 3 million sft. The combined area of the two phases of the project would come to around 11 million sft.
The board of governors of Infoparks Kerala has approved the award of work for the first IT building complex in the second phase. A Letter of Intent (LoI) was issued to Chennai-based East Cost Construction Industries (ECCI) for the piling, civil, structural, plumbing, interior fit-out of common areas and fire fighting.
The first building would have a total area of 400,000 sft and will house over 4,000 professionals. The foundation stone for this building complex was laid in February this year. The total cost of the first building, which is expected to be functional in 15 months, is estimated at Rs 80 crore. Chennai-based Pithavadian and Partners are the architects and detailed engineering consultant for the project.
The second phase is being developed on 160 acres of land at the Kunnathunadu and Puthencuruz villages, near Kochi. The master plan undertaken by Cannon Design, USA, envisages a green IT township on the banks of Kadamprayar river. It will have all state-of-the-art facilities including shopping arcades, town centre plaza, convention centre, women’s hostel, guest house, facilities for rest and recreation and a boat club.
The Union government has formally approved the plan to set up a sector-specific IT/ITeS Special Economic Zone on 31 acres under the Phase 2.
Joseph said, “The work the second phase is moving at a fast pace. We have already begun developing the basic infrastructure facilities such as substation, power distribution, internal road system, water intake, treatment and storage, data & communication connectivity. By the time the first building is ready to be commissioned, the entire park will also be ready with all the necessary amenities."
According to Joseph, the second phase has already generated a lot of interest, and enquiries have been pouring in for space from various companies based in India and abroad.
Infopark currently hosts over 13,500 IT professionals working in companies like OPI Global, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, ACS, US Technologies and IBS. Spokes of the park in the nearby areas like Koratty, Cherthala and Ambalapuzha were inaugurated along with ramp up of co-developer projects including L&T, Leela group and Brigade.
