Cancellation to give fillip to govt's IT layout

VISAKHAPATNAM: The cancellation of 1,750 acres allotted to Unitech Limited by the AP government for the Integrated Vizag Knowledge City is expected give a boost to the exclusive IT layout being planned by the AP government in an area of around 300 acres at Kapuluppada.
According to IT department sources, the AP government wants to develop the 300-acre IT layout in three phases.The land identified for the layout incidentally is to be carved out of the 1750 acres allotted to Unitech for the knowledge city that was mooted way back in 2007.
In the first phase, the IT layout will be developed on an area of 100 acres, subsequent to which the remaining land will be developed in two phases.
With the cancellation of the project after a period of nearly eight years, IT department sources said that the government is keen on developing the IT layout in order to attract small, medium and large IT companies to the Port City.
Sources said that APIIC has already conducted the survey of the land, which is expected to be provided to the IT department for inviting major technology players into the Port City. As part of the plan, the layout will have smaller plots of around one acre for the small and medium enterprises as well as larger plots for the bigger IT players.
"Many of the entrepreneurs hailing from AP, particularly Vizag, are keen on investing in the city. If the AP government provides land for companies, then many of them will want to open their offices here as the city already has sufficient technological talent," said an IT industry executive. "The government also needs to ensure that broadband connectivity as well as transport connectivity for potential employees is made available at the earliest," he added.
Meanwhile, IT department sources said that with the developer for the Signature Tower project expected to be finalised in the next one week and the second phase of the incubation tower planned at Rushikonda on an area of two acres, all these projects will give a fillip to the IT sector in the Port City.
"The signature tower along with the second phase of incubation centre and the IT layout will give the much needed focus to Vizag. We are also pursuing the electronics manufacturing cluster at Pendurthy and once it is approved, Vizag will be able to realise its true potential in IT and electronics," said an IT department official.