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Nicholas DeSantis, a US-based artist, had coined the term aerotropolis in 1930s to explain the futuristic urban hubs that would sprout around international airports. In 1990s, we witnessed the phenomenon called IT metropolis that has changed the way our cities look.
Information technology has completely redesigned the landscape of cities, putting some listless, nondescript villages such as Madhapur, Gachibowli, Hinjewadi, Magarpatta and Hadapsar on the global map. Even Hubli, an important trading centre during the Vijayanagara Empire but now a tier-2 town, too has emerged an IT hub as it contributes 30 per cent of IT exports from Karnataka.
Industry body Nasscom expects the IT revolution to percolate deeper into the hinterland, piggybacking on the robust optical fibre network.
Rise from obscurity
Legend has it that the Nizams used the lands in villages to grow grass to feed their vast stable.
No one even ventured to go to these villages for a leisurely ride about 20 years ago. These villages now are home to the biggest multi-national companies in the world.
The twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad soon earned yet another sobriquet – Cyberabad.
The mammoth building Cyber Pearl, built by L&T, has become the new mascot of Andhra Pradesh after the 400-year-old Chariminar.
“There is not a single economic activity that has not been influenced directly or indirectly by the IT industry. It helped the real-estate, aviation industry, telecom, education (by promoting international schools), infrastructure and travel industries to grow,” J.A. Chowdary, the first STPI Director of Hyderabad, said.
About 15 years ago in Chennai, a person would not dare cross Adyar towards the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) after 6 pm. The area around Taramani was full of tall bushes. The infrequent buses to Taramani were the only way to commute on this stretch .
But, the opening of Tidel Park, the IT hub, in 2000 not only changed the landscape of Taramani, but a 30-km stretch of the OMR starting from Madhya Kailash in Adyar to Siruseri Information Technology Park to the south.
The OMR made way for Tamil Nadu’s first Information Technology Corridor, which also became a toll road . And, there was no looking back.
Beyond Taramani, OMR suburbs such as Perungudi, Sholinganallur, Thoraipakkam and Siruseri flourished at a rapid pace.
The tall bushes and huge trees made way for high-rise buildings to house top software companies, including Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Cognizant, Wipro and HCL Technologies.
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