With input from Indian Express

Mangalore, April 9: The commissioning of the Mangalore international airport and increased rail connectivity through the Konkan and via a doubled-track to down south has motivated many an industrial giant to spread their wings to the coastal town of Mangalore.

The Karnataka Industrial Development Board (KIDB) is working overtime to meet an unprecedented demand from the industry majors which plan to replicate or relocate their establishments in the port city of Mangalore, sooner than later.

The work on the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at Ganjimatta is fast progressing and is expected to commission in a few months time from now. The civil work in the 205-acre land, a section of which has already been allotted, is being completed on a war-footing basis.

The preliminary work on the 600-acre land in Konaje, identified to be developed as an IT Park, is under way. In fact, few of the IT majors have already taken land in the park. They include Infosys (311 acres) and Wipro (25 acres).

The new IT destination of Mangalore in Konaje, which would have a four-land road, sooner than later, is around 25 kms away from the Bajpe international airport, the Mangalore sea port and the railway stations of Mangalore and Kankanady.

According to P.S.Ravi, deputy development officer, KIDB, the work on road and water supply is under way in the EPIB for which they have started getting enquiries for occupation. The IT park would also become a reality by the turn of the year, hoped he.

The land acquisition and other formalities are underway for establishing the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). “A Special Purpose Vehicle, comprising beneficiaries and bureaucrats, has also been constituted to monitor and expedite the work.

“We are monitoring the progress closely besides acting as catalysts to the prospective industrialists,” said S Rajaiah, deputy director, Industries & Commerce department.

The Software Technology Park of India (STPI) here is running at its full capacity and at a profit. “Presently four companies are occupying our park. We would be complimenting the efforts of the KIDB with regard to the proposed IT Park,” said STPI officer-in-charge Ganesh Nayak.

“We pin our hopes high on the proposed SEZ which will be spread over Kalavar, Dharmaje and Bajpe.

The industrial giants like the MRPL and ONGC alone require 1,800 acres in the multi-purpose SEZ which is being developed in association with the KIDB“, the Kannara Chamber of Commerce and Industries president A Srinivas Rao said adding that the chamber is optimistic and positive too about an industrial revolution of the port city in the next couple of years.