Technopark Kerala, India, the preferred IT park destination for over 140 companies
The number of IT parks across India is increasing day by day, but Technopark Kerala continues to expand and lead as a leading IT park in India after over a decade of operation. Launched in 1990, Technopark located at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, started its operations in 1995. In 2007, with the opening of its ‘Tejaswini’ building, comprising of 850,000 square feet, Technopark was promoted to the status of single largest (in terms of area) IT park in India. Technopark Kerala also has the credit for the highest rate of IT exports (70%).
Technopark Campus - Phase I, home to IT/ITES companies from the U.S, Europe, India and elsewhere
Spread across 300 acres of land, Technopark has a space of 3.5 million square feet for over 140 companies functioning from the campus. The companies functioning here include CMM Level 5, CMM Level 3 and several ISO 9001 certified companies. Several global majors including Infosys, TCS, Ernst & Young, Tata Elxsi and Mc Kinsey function from the Technopark campus in Thiruvananthapuram. Technopark has buildings named Nila, Bhavani, Gayatri, Chandragiri, Pampa, Periyar and Tejaswini apart from the buildings owned by IT companies.
During Technopark’s first year 1994-95, there were only five companies employing 5,000 professionals and occupying with 70,963 square feet. The growth rate has since multiplied in little over a decade to 17,000.
When the construction of another 1.20 million square feet is complete, an additional 15, 000 professionals will join the Technopark campus, bringing the total workforce in the IT Park to around 32,000.
Expansion on roll at Technopark - Phase II & III
In the second construction phase at Technopark Kerala, 50 acres are allotted to Infosys and 36 acres to UST Global. Infosys’s proposed 2.5 million square feet of office space will accommodate 15,000 professionals.
UST Global is creating a 1,600,000 square foot campus, scheduled to be completed by 2011; of which 600,000 square feet will be completed within a year. The first phase of UST Global will accommodate 5,000 professionals; the second and third phases will have a seating capacity to accommodate 3,000 and 2,000 professionals respectively.
The land acquisition for the third phase comprising of 100 acres land is close to completion and Larsen & Turbo and Rahejas are planning major property developments within and around Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram.
With the completion of the second phase and third phase, total employment is expected to be 35,000.
Technocity - Phase IV of Technopark Campus
Known as the 4th phase of Technopark Kerala is Technocity, a 500-acre campus, four kilometers away from Technopark. The proposed full-fledged township will accommodate IT/ITES, biotechnology and nanotechnology industrial units.
M.Vasudevan, Senior Manager of Business Development at Technopark Kerala points out that Technocity will function as a knowledge base, which will house multiplex, commercial space and residential apartments, educational institutions, banking facilities.
Technocity will open employment opportunities for around 200,000 people. As per current estimates, the expected investment is close to Indian Rupees 6,000 Crores (Over US$ 1.5 billion). Completion of land acquisition of Technocity will bring Technopark Kerala to a total of over 850 acres, turning the IT Park into one of India’s largest IT satellite townships.
The factors that make Technopark Kerala stay in the lead
Multiple factors contribute to the reason for Technopark’s success story. In a recent survey, Thiruvananthapuram was rated as the best 2nd tier metro with IT/ITES infrastructure in India. And the city is second in terms of availability of human talent.
Close proximity to several colleges including both engineering and non-engineering colleges makes Technopark Kerala a strategic location to set up business and thereby recruit employees from nearby localities. And Kerala’s 100% literacy rate adds even more value! What’s more, Technopark is also referred to as the greenest IT park in India.
Entrepreneur Kenney Jacob, Co-founder, Torque (functioning from Technopark)/ MobME, cites, Quiet working environment, very cooperative officials, easy access to airport and close proximity to National Highway 47, rich talent pool, low costs (compared to cities like Kochi and Bangalore) as the main reasons to why one should chose Technopark Kerala for setting up business.
Witnessing the growth Technopark has seen over the years one has to agree that this is definitely one of the best IT parks in India. And the ongoing and upcoming developments in the various phases of Technopark are a goldmine of opportunities for those looking for a sound property investment in India.
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