land acquisition/sez & displacement – 2011 - Indian Social Institute

KOCHI, December 17, 2011: Infopark Kochi, which is on a growth trajectory, is expected to create morethan five times the number of existing jobs in the next seven years. The park, which was set up in 2004,now houses 104 IT and related companies in IT complexes spread over 34 lakh sq.ft. “The jobopportunities offered by the park will go up from the existing 15,000 to more than 80,000 by 2018,”Infopark Kochi chief executive officer Gigo Joseph said. Infopark has registered almost a four-fold growthin software exports during the last five years. The increase in returns through exports from Rs.247.05crore in 2007-08 fiscal to Rs.900 crore during the last fiscal stands testimony to this growth. Also, the totalbuilt-up space offered by IT buildings leapfrogged from 5.30 lakh sq.ft to 34 lakh sq.ft, noted Mr. Joseph.The first phase of Infopark in 82 acres and 32 acres in the upcoming second phase had received SpecialEconomic Zone (SEZ) status. SEZ notification for 67 acres in the second phase is expected soon. TheCherthala Infopark, set up under the hub and spoke model development of Infopark Kochi, already had its60 acres declared as SEZ. Two-third of the existing built-up space of Infopark was developed withsupport from co-developers. In the next three years, the built-up space will be enhanced to 50 lakh sq.ft,which would create 40,000 jobs. Out of the 160 acres identified for the second phase development ofInfopark in Puthencruz and Kunnathunadu villages, land acquisition formalities of 125 acres had beenalready been completed. Once the second phase development projects are completed in the next sevenyears at an estimated cost of Rs.2,500 crore, the total space offered by Infopark will go up to 80 lakhsq.ft. This will include an IT complex of 12 lakh sq.ft to be set up with the financial assistance to the tuneof Rs.260 crore during the 12th five year plan. Apart from investments worth Rs.450 crore by the Stategovernment, developers are expected to chip in with Rs.2,050 crore. The development projects havebeen planned in a manner that will benefit small and medium IT companies as well. At CherthalaInfopark, which was commissioned in January this year, 1,000 jobs were created in the first phase. Apartfrom land value, an investment to the tune of Rs.75 crore was made there. It has a building complex witha built-up space of 2.40 lakh sq.ft. In the Koratty Infopark, another spoke of Infopark Kochi, 50,000 sq.fthad been readied with 400 persons being employed with 24 companies. “Steps for securing SEZ statusfor the Koratty park will be taken after acquiring another 15 acres,” Mr. Joseph said. (The Hindu 17/12/11)TCS to set up Rs 600 cr campus in Nagpur (4)MUMBAI: The country's largest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services today said it will build a newsoftware development unit in Maharashtra at an initial investment of Rs 600 crore, creating jobs for over8,200 professionals. The campus will be located at Nagpur, Maharashtra, in the Mihan Special EconomicZone ( SEZ), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said in a filing to the BSE. "Nagpur has the potential tobecome the next big hub for knowledge-based industries like IT and engineering with its strong ecosystemof universities, talented people and infrastructure," TCS CEO and MD N Chandrasekaran said.The TCS Nagpur campus will be build in two phases, the first of which will contain 8,200 seats for ITSEservices and BPO services. The second phase will be of similar scope, it said. Once the project iscompleted, the campus will accommodate 16,000 associates, the filing added. Shares of TCS weretrading at Rs 1,120.25 apiece on the BSE today, down 2.03 per cent from their previous close. (Times ofIndia 19/12/11)Land acquisition the main hurdle for infrastructure projects (4)CHENNAI: Problems in acquiring land are the biggest impediment to infrastructure projects in the state.Of the 600 hectares needed for the 224 projects in the state, the highways department has managed toacquire just 77 hectares. In Greater Chennai, there are 80 projects requiring 276 hectares but a mere 45hectares have been acquired. "Any project we take up invariably ends up in land acquisition cases. Thisis the biggest reason for delays," said a highways official. In Chennai, the worst-affected are the flyoversat Porur, Tirumangalam and Moolakadai. At Porur, where 9,600 sq m of land had to be acquired from 126people, there has been no work "since March. Land acquisition was completed in July, but now utilityagencies not cooperating," said a highways official. "We took over two years to convince everyone to partwith their land," he said. "If everything goes smoothly, the process should not take more than a year," headded. "It should have been completed in August 2011 but only 10% has been finished." Land acquisitioneats up most the cost. "Of the total of Rs 35 crore, Rs 19 crore has been set aside for compensating landowners," said an official. Such delays, contractors say, increase their expenditure. "While submitting thetenders, we quote the price taking into account the current market rates of material. With these delays,our costs have already increased," said a contractor. At Moolakadai, "we notified the owners in June 2009but haven't acquired any land so far," said an official. "Only 5.15% of the project is complete and the