Vizag IT complex plans fuel growth hopes in AP

Visakhapatnam: CAPTAINS of IT industry have reposed faith that the announcement of Andhra Pradesh government to explore developing a mega IT complex near the iconic Millennium Tower-I and II, if materialises, will pave the way for transforming Visakhapatnam into a prominent IT hub.

AP Industries and IT Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy on Friday directed the official machinery to explore developing a huge complex at Rushikonda, where an IT Special Economic Zone exists, on the lines of Raheja Mindspace in Hyderabad.

Vacant site belonging to APIIC is available near the Millennium Towers after an IT company surrendered its unused land to the State during the Telugu Desam Party rule. Rushikonda, which has several green-capped hillocks, is located close to the Bay of Bengal and Buddhist site of Thotlakonda. After the decision to develop Visakhapatnam as the Executive Capital, several government offices are expected to come up at Rushikonda and its vicinity.

"We welcome the decision to develop an integrated IT complex at Rushikonda which is a long-awaited need," IT Association of Andhra Pradesh (ITAAP) Sridhar Kosaraju told Bizz Buzz.

Going by previous experience, the government should adopt a time-bound initiative to develop a park like Raheja Mindspace. "This was a long awaited requirement to give a big push to the growth of IT in Visakhapatnam, which is a world-class city with lot of social infrastructure, ready availability of talent pool, affordable housing and cosmopolitan culture," Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA) vice-president O Naresh Kumar, said.

Visakhapatnam at present has an estimated turnover of Rs 2500 crore from IT sector, the highest in AP, a lion's share of which is from business process management units.

Though several IT towers were conceived earlier, nothing has been grounded barring the Millennium Towers so far due to several reasons. Incidentally, the foundation stone for two iconic towers was laid separately by Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nirmala Sitharaman.

One tower supposed to come up at Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone-Duvvada at a cost of Rs 40 crore and another Boeing-shaped tower was sanctioned at Siripuram by Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) and Software Technology Parks of India as a joint venture for providing plug and play facility to MSME investors in domain-specific marine, petroleum and power sectors Both the projects have hit a roadblock.

The Naidu Government had wanted to develop what it termed Signature Tower either on the beach road or Rushikonda-bigger than the Cyber Towers of Madhapur. The project which did not get any response from developers under the PPP mode was later shelved.

VMRDA had also talked about developing an integrated IT complex in an area of 20 acres at Madhurawada by inviting private investors. The project for which land was earmarked has also remained only on paper.