Tecom wanted government to transfer ownership of Infopark to them; how VS Achuthanandan saved IT hub

Saturday 07 December, 2024 | 3:02 AM READ MALAYALAM VERSION

KOCHI: Tecom, which tried to dominate the IT sector by taking over Infopark, is now exiting after failing to fulfil its promises in the SmartCity project. It was due to the firm stance of then-Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan that Infopark could be retained in the government sector.

Tecom expressed interest in establishing SmartCity in 2004. On April 27, 2005, the Tecom team visited the site, and during discussions held on April 29, they demanded land at a specific price. Instead of allowing the government to participate in the project, they insisted on transferring Infopark to them. They also demanded that no other IT parks be promoted anywhere in the district. On September 9, 2005, the Oommen Chandy government signed a memorandum of understanding. The LDF, then in opposition, opposed the transfer of Infopark.

Although it was decided to sign the contract on March 7, 2007, the Election Commission ordered a postponement until after the elections. later, the VS government held discussions with Tecom, during which VS Achuthanandan firmly stated that Infopark would not be handed over and the condition of not promoting other IT parks would not be accepted. Tecom agreed to these terms and signed the contract. IT industry insiders point out that had the government accepted Tecom's demands, Infopark's development would have stagnated.

At that time, Infopark had only two buildings and 5,000 employees. Today, Infopark has achieved global recognition, and even multinational companies are waiting for space there. Having undergone massive development in two phases, there is now a strong demand to allocate land from SmartCity to Infopark. The IT employees' organization, Pratidhwani, had submitted reports to the government for this purpose. Infopark is currently looking for land for its third phase of development. If it gets an additional 246 acres of land from Smart City, in addition to its existing 260 acres, Infopark will become one of the largest IT hubs in the country.

Infopark