MEGAPROJECT: Technocity Trivandrum | 20 Mn Sq Ft SEZ

[praanthan_chaannaan]

Kannan/Sathya, I think the issues for a phased approach for Technocity are

• Financial/project planning is done for the entire chunk of the project. And the costs are calculated based on the whole.
• Kerala Govt will require private, institutional and foreign investors' funds for this big a project. The bigger the scope of project, the easier for bigger funds to do research and make a decision to invest
• When they do it in stages, due to the burst in economic activity caused by the firms that come up in the first phase, the adjacent area's price shoots up like crazy and probably run into multiples of the original cost/acre. This might also cause the govt's area masterplan to be affected by unplanned private realestate developmental activities. With the current approach of getting all land in bulk, nobody can jack up the price easily - the place is still an idyllic rural area with relatively minimal commercial value

Ajay/Sudheesh, you guys are the gurus of this topic, please enlighten

[Ajaypp]

- Lol, if only our administrators were that smart. Even in the case of Technopark Phase III, the delay has been caused mainly due to the acquisition of the last few acres. Good that it has now been completed.

In the case of Technocity, there is another reason for the Govt. to wait for complete acquisition, which is that one of the possible options for developing the mega-project is to give it to one big developer or a consortium who would manage the entire project. To interest a giant like Mahindras, Reliance, Emaar and so, many of who have already expressed interest in Kerala's largest IT project, a certain critical mass of land is necessary. Maybe, this is also on the Government's mind.

[praanthan_chaannaan]

Hey a typo by self

Instead of "I think the issues for a phased approach for Technocity are" I meant "I think the issues against a phased approach for Technocity are"

Ajay, your point about a single firm handling the whole deal is what I implied by my second bullet point. Also wasn't there some Saudi infrastructure major who was also bidding?

[sudheeshnairs]

As you may be aware Technopark had called Consultants for preparing the blue print of the Third phase in 100 acres as well as Technocity in 500 acres. In the case of TP third phase, things are much clear. But Technocity we I don't have much idea about the status of land acquisitions.

We can expect something from the side of Govt regarding this during the inauguration of Thejaswini. The invitation literature says
''It marks the beginning of one of the most remarkable growth phases-100 acres being added and a 500 acre IT township Technocity being developed".

As I am told by the senior management of Technopark, the Technocity would be extending from Kaniyapuram Bus Depot to Pallipuram CRPF camp, on the right side of NH 47, as we go north. There land is available, and I feel lot of china clay mines also.

The land prices have much shot up. My company had scouted for some land in the 7-8 km stretch from Kazhakuttom to Thonnakkal. Land with good connection to NH are in the range of 4 lakhs per cent.

BTW Embassy group, Ascendas, Raheja's etc had held discussions with Technopark. We can look forward to something concrete very soon.

[Ajaypp]

- You can add Emaar-MGF to that list, Sudheesh. Top officials of the world's largest developer held discussions with Technopark management recently.

As I had mentioned on the Technopark II thread, the authorities had invited top consultants for masterplanning and marketing Technopark Phase III and Technocity, as well as creating a strategy for setting up IT parks in smaller cities like Kozhikode and Thrissur. The selected consultant is expected to commence work in the next couple of weeks.

[lloydsagar]

You guys are doing a great job on updating the status of all these projects..
Its glad to all these developments at home..

Thanks Satheesh and Ajay.. Expecting more when there is one !

[Kannan46]

I thank everyone for answering my question on the pros and cons of phased development of the technocity project. There is no denying that
it is always good to go for some experienced developer who will take a comprehensive view of the whole project not only in terms of IT facilities but also other supports such as markets, schools , housing, recreation , greenery, roads etc. Since land is at a premium in Kerala we may have to think of underground parking and tall buildings with all facilities.
But it is to be ensured that the land acquisition does not drag on for years. Today I saw a newspaper report on Kerala kaumudi online that there were some issues of protests and dharna when the Tahsildar went for the land acquisition for Technopark. The problem relates to the price to be paid for the land.

Cheers!!!

[Ajaypp]

- Appreciate your view, Kannan. With special focus by the CM himself, land survey and acquisition is slated to be complete by the end of this year. Hopefully, the GoK/Technopark will then invite global EoIs for development of Technocity.

One positive development is that the Technocity project is being retained as Technopark Phase IV and will be managed by Technopark, not by KSIDC. Technopark has already held discussions with top consultants to prepare a masterplan for the project and to help market it.

[praanthan_chaannaan]

Originally Posted by Ajaypp

One positive development is that the Technocity project is being retained as Technopark Phase IV and will be managed by Technopark, not by KSIDC. Technopark has already held discussions with top consultants to prepare a masterplan for the project and to help market it.

Ajay, that is great news, for several reasons.

[Kannan46]

Originally Posted by Ajaypp

- Appreciate your view, Kannan. With special focus by the CM himself, land survey and acquisition is slated to be complete by the end of this year. Hopefully, the GoK/Technopark will then invite global EoIs for development of Technocity.

Thanks Ajay for explaining the matter in a very lucid manner. This very well removes the concerns associated at least for the time being.

Cheers!!!

[godman]

Thiruvananthapuram, March 5: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Kerala government Monday said it would soon set up a Technocity here, a project it had opposed when in the opposition.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan informed the Kerala Assembly that the Technocity would come up near the Technopark campus.

An attempt of the previous Oommen Chandy government to give a push to the project failed at the outset when the youth wing of the CPI-M, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), went on a rampage during a meeting called to discuss the Rs.50 billion Technocity campus. The project was shelved thereafter.

Achuthanandan Monday told the assembly that the master plan for Technocity was ready and the project would come up in an area of 507 acres.
"This has been taken up in the fast-track project and when completed it would provide 100,000 jobs directly and 300,000 jobs indirectly," said Achuthanandan.

In the proposed Technocity, IT, bio-technology companies, residential complexes and schools are planned.

[Ajaypp]

- Superb news!

[wcgokul]

finally....!!!

[hkaran07]

HOW FAR IS SFS CYBERPALMS FROM THE TECHNOCITY ? ANY UPDATE ON VIZHINJAM? ANY MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN KOLLAM IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

[sudheeshnairs]

Originally Posted by hkaran07

HOW FAR IS SFS CYBERPALMS FROM THE TECHNOCITY ? ANY UPDATE ON VIZHINJAM? ANY MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS LIKELY TO HAPPEN IN KOLLAM IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

SFS Cyber Palms would be at a distance of 7 km from Technocity.

Trivandrum is at present growing in the north direction, until Attingal (which is a part of Trivandrum Capital Region( TCR). Technocity would be at a distance of around 45 kms from Kollam. Rather than any major development in Kollam, what I foresee is Kollam becoming a sister city or suburb of TVM. Southern Railway had recently approved of starting suburban MEMU services for TVM, which would be from Kollam to Neyyatinkara. The MEMU base would be at Kollam.

Kollam may see more investments in Tourism, along the Paravur as well as Ashtamudi circuit. Houseboat tourism have good scope in Ashtamudi. So it will also become a part of Kovalam-Poovar-Ponmudi circuits.

[Kannan46]

Technocity again in news
--------------------------------
Source:http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanhe...4820200757.asp

DH News Service Thiruvananthapuram:
“Fast track land acquisition is going on. Formalities have already been completed for 200 acres. We expect the acquisition to be over by the year-end. Together with Technopark, the project will generate two lakh jobs by 2012,’’ Technopark CEO N Radhakrishnan Nair...

Buoyed by its unexpected success in clinching the Smartcity project in Kochi, the Achuthanandan government is now planning to tap the job generation potential of information technology in a big way.

Besides setting up IT parks in small towns, the government is also going for the third and fourth phase expansions of the Technopark which it fully owns here. While phase III will be an extension of the existing Technopark on 100 acres, phase IV called Technocity will be a big one. It will be an integrated city with residential apartments, office complexes, hospital, entertainment avenues, cinemas et al.

The project will come up on a 507-acre plot at Pallipuram near the existing park with public-private participation. “Fast track land acquisition is going on. Formalities have already been completed for 200 acres. We expect the acquisition to be over by the year-end. Together with Technopark, the project will generate two lakh jobs by 2012,’’ Technopark CEO N Radhakrishnan Nair told Deccan Herald here.

The government expects $1 billion worth of investment in Technocity where efforts are also being made to rope in at least one multinational IT giant.

Growing interest

Technopark officials believe that this is the time for a lift-off. Gone are the days when Kerala had to rely on roadshows to market the destination. Today, more companies have been keen on coming to the state as manifested by the Smartcity project being promoted by Dubai-based Technology, Electronics, Commerce and Media Free Zone (TECOM).

Air and road connectivity have improved by leaps and bounds from Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram which figure among Nasscom’s top 10 tier-two IT cities in the country. Last month, the CM opened one of the single largest IT buildings, Tejaswini, which has a built-up area of 8.5 lakh sq ft. The space had been sold out in advance.

The Technopark itself has an ideal mix of big and small companies like Infosys, TCS, McKensey, Ernst & Young and Alliance Cornhill rubbing shoulders with homegrown companies like IBS and SunTec. In all, 120 companies operate in Technopark from 3.2 million sq ft of built-up space.

Companies like Infosys are developing their individual campuses outside Technopark.

Cheers!!!

[shafi]

JUST UPDATING

[Kannan46]

Hi Shafi,
Many thanks for the update on the technocity in terms of what is in plan for the mega project.
I wish to have sky scraper buildings for residence , parking and offices so that it can leave a lot of soace for greenery and amusement parks etc - since space is a constraint in this area.
Also since technopark is adjacent , it will be better to think about having a small airfield so that executives landing in Tvm international do not have to depend upon the road particularly when there is a strike , accidents or other problems like road repair which will delay their journey resulting in the loss of valuable time.
Alternatively they can think about having helpads above high rise buildings of big companies.
I hope an airfield will be better with a good ground control system.

Cheers!!!

[sudheeshnairs]

Originally Posted by Kannan46

Also since technopark is adjacent , it will be better to think about having a small airfield so that executives landing in Tvm international do not have to depend upon the road particularly when there is a strike , accidents or other problems like road repair which will delay their journey resulting in the loss of valuable time.
Cheers!!!

Be practical and realistic. The new terminal on the chakka side by the bypass would be just 10 kms from Technopark and 15 kms from Technocity. I don't take more than 10-15 mins to reach Technopark from Chakka. And the highway would be developing in to a fully divided carriageway 45 m wide.

[sudheeshnairs]

..

Originally Posted by shafi

News came on Hindu News paper in Cochin edition about the plan by OAKRIDGE to set up their self sufficient 50 Acre campus in Technocity (4th phase technopark)...