ELCOT now looks for land partners

Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) now looks at partnering with individual landholders here to develop Information Technology parks.

According to ELCOT Managing Director C. Umashankar, landholders can retain a portion of the land, letting the Corporation develop an IT Park in the other portion. "Non-availability of land with us hampers development of IT parks here," he says.

Pricing depends on the area and it can be negotiated. "We need at least 1,000 acres for a full park," says Mr. Umashankar. Since such a large area may not be available with one individual, a group of landholders can form a consortium and partner with ELCOT to develop an IT park.

Comprehensive development of a park requires vast stretches of land.

This should be located in the outskirts of the city and within 20 or 25 km from the city limits, preferably close to the highways.

"We want to have a land bank as we have to create the whole ecosystem," he adds. Though a number of Information Technology companies want to start operations in Coimbatore, ELCOT does not have adequate land here. So, it will have to concentrate on other cities, he says.

Currently, ELCOT has acquired 29 acres near Coimbatore Medical College for a Tidel Park and will also alienate a portion of the land to Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services for development of their facilities.

The health department has agreed to hand over another 27 acres, a contiguous site.

However, with demand soaring to about 2,000 acres, ELCOT would like to acquire more land in and around Coimbatore for development of the IT and ITES sectors.