Conversion of polytechnic, ITI campus into IT park urged

Vijayawada, June 27: Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry president M. Rajaiah has urged Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to convert the Government Polytechnic and Industrial Technical Institute (ITI) campus into an Information Technology (IT) Park in phases.
In a letter to the Chief Minister on Thursday, a copy of which was released to the media on Friday, Mr. Rajaiah wanted the IT Park to be developed as a special economic zone by shifting the Government Polytechnic and ITI in phases. He reminded the Chief Minister of the promise the latter made to develop Vijayawada on the lines of Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam into an IT hub.
Mr. Rajaiah noted that the several IT projects that were in the pipeline, like the proposed IT Park to be developed by the L&T at Kesarapalli opposite Gannavaram airport, an IT SEZ at Mangalagiri on a 40-acre land proposed by the Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTM-UDA) and another SEZ by a private company between Vijayawada and Guntur, were taking too long to materialise. The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) too proposed to construct an ‘incubation centre’ with an area of 1 lakh sq. ft. in the city, but there was no movement in this regard so far.

Location importance

Against this backdrop, he said, it was necessary to convert the Government Polytechnic and ITI campus spreading over 35 acres in the heart of the city into an IT Park.
When these two institutions were set up at the present location long ago, the areas were far away from the main city and were found to be ideal for education.
However, the location now had become the heart of the city and acquired much commercial importance.
Mr. Rajaiah said that two acres of land had already been given to the STPI, and the remaining 33 acres could be developed into an IT SEZ with 4 million sq. ft. of area.
As many as 21 towers (each consisting of 10 to 12 floors), with 20 for IT and ITES activities and one as a corporate business tower, could be constructed.
He felt that the land required for shifting the ITI and the Government Polytechnic could be easily found in the nearby villages.
(Source : The Hindu)