Coimbatore needs to improve it's IT eco system

Coimbatore, which is yet to see the anticipated growth in the Information Technology sector, needs a host of initiatives to improve the IT eco system here.

The city currently has just a handful of large-scale IT players. Though the existing companies are expanding rapidly, as they grow they face problems related to catering, transport, entertainment, etc. And, new companies that want to start operations in Coimbatore are seeking better facilities.

Software companies focus on their core business and hence outsource most of their other needs. The options in the areas of associated and house keeping services, which include laundry, transport and providing business lunch, are limited here. For the middle-level managers in IT companies, mobility is important. Hence, they need more schools with CBSE syllabus for their children, says the former chairman of the Coimbatore chapter of Confederation of Indian Industry K. Thangaraj. The IT infrastructure here is improving. But, the growth of many of these services depends on demand. The service provider looks for a critical mass to launch or scale up and the critical mass is expected to come with the Tidel Park, adds Mr. Thangaraj.

KG Information System's Vice-President for Corporate Relations Jayamurali Balagurusamy says the Government should improve the basic infrastructure related to power, water and public transport. Some of the services are expensive compared to those in Chennai and Bangalore.

Soft skills of students should be developed at schools itself to increase their employability. “It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to give the best to the city,” Mr. Balagurusamy says.

“When an IT or IT Enabled Services company looks at tier-two cities, Coimbatore is thought of. The city has visibility. What turns down people here is mainly the cost,” according to the chairman of the Rathinam Group Madan A. Sendhil.

Coimbatore should start attracting the next level of IT and ITES companies. It should also develop local leaders in the sector as on the manufacturing front. The city should start focusing on the peripheral areas. The cost has to come down, Mr. Sendhil says. It is also important to brand Coimbatore as an IT destination, he adds.