The Hindu Business Line : Hinjewadi Phase III set to get SEZ status

THE Maharashtra Government is laying out the red carpet for potential IT investors inviting them to set up shop at its flagship software technology park at Hinjewadi, near Pune. The State Industries Secretary, Mr V.K. Jairath, told a gathering of the city's top industrialists recently that the State Government was committed to developing Pune as the IT destination of the future.

Brand Maharashtra is happening in a big way and Hinjewadi is a brand by itself, Mr Jairath said pointing out that a proposal by the State Government to the Centre, seeking Special Economic Zone status for Phase III of the Hinjewadi park, was expected to be through by the end of this week.

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation's (MIDC) Hinjewadi technology park is already home to IT biggies such as Infosys and Wipro. A top-level delegation from the State Government recently led a delegation to the US, where, among others, it was hosted by Microsoft, leading to the buzz that the corporation is now eyeing Pune as its next destination.

The Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh's open offer to Infosys chief, Mr Narayana Murthy, to assist in developing Pune as an IT destination is part of the strategy to catapult the city into the big league.

While Phase I and II of the Hinjewadi technology park, totalling about 330 hectares, are already taken up, the MIDC is claiming unprecedented demand for its proposed Phase III admeasuring 350 hectares. Planning is already on for Phase IV for which 461 hectares have been earmarked for acquisition.

"Phase IV of Hinjewadi will be given only to hard ore IT companies and will be developed as a self contained city that can be replicated in MIDC's industrial parks elsewhere,'' the MIDC Chairperson, Mr Satish Gavai, said.

"If Hinjewadi is to create 2,00,000 jobs in the coming years, it is wise to ensure that those working there live in the vicinity so that there is no extra strain on the city's infrastructure," Mr Jairath added.

Meanwhile, MIDC has other things up its sleeve in addition to developing facilities for industry. Mr Jairath said the corporation would take on other responsibilities as well. For instance, in addition to starting off the group captive power plant for Pune's industry, it has identified vendors to develop six other corridors across the city for similar projects.

It is also foraying into gas transmission beginning with a Rs 150-crore, 50 km stretch of pipeline between Talasari and Tarapur.

Mr Gavai said a feasibility report for this has been done and the corporation is in the process of registering a company for gas-based power generation and distribution. "We are getting feelers from large companies to join us in this venture," he said.

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