Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 12: The Karnataka government will open bids on December 15 for the construction of a new IT Park with commercial office spaces in Mangaluru. The tenders were issued in late October under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said the government is working to boost IT/BT investments across regions including Mangaluru, Udupi and Manipal. He added that tender guidelines may be revised if necessary, based on inputs from local MLAs.

Estimated at Rs 135 crore, the project is part of the state’s ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative. The tender, floated by the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS), offers government land on a 30-year lease under the Design–Build–Finance–Operate–Transfer (DBFOT) model, with an option to extend for another 30 years. The IT Park will come up on a 3.2-acre plot near Blueberry Hills Road in Derebail, less than a kilometre from National Highway 66.

The government has assured firms setting up operations in the park of support through skill training, registration assistance, exposure at tech summits and global branding platforms.

Kharge expressed confidence that companies will invest in the proposed Tech Park and noted that a Denmark-based Global Capability Center is already operating in Mangaluru. He said the city is well positioned to emerge as a major IT/BT destination. Plans are also being explored for similar PPP-based IT/BT parks in Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Ballari and Kalaburagi as part of the state’s wider growth strategy.