Thiruvananthapuram/Kozhikode, Oct 5 (IANS) Kerala’s IT sector is poised for a major expansion, with fresh investments and new office infrastructure coming up from the state capital in the south to Malabar in the north, signalling a wider push to position the state as a leading technology and innovation destination.
The expansion is being driven by large private investments in Kozhikode and new capacity being added at the established Technopark campus in Thiruvananthapuram.
A major step in this direction is the Rs 600 crore tower coming up at Cyberpark, Kozhikode. Spread across 2.5 acres with nine lakh sq ft of built-up space, the Grade-A IT hub is designed to accommodate multinational companies, high-growth start-ups and research and development centres.
The project is expected to create more than 10,000 direct IT jobs and is scheduled for completion within two years. It forms part of a private group’s larger plan to develop 12 million sq ft of office space in the state over the next few years.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, who performed the groundbreaking ceremony, said the government wanted Kozhikode to emerge as a major IT destination alongside Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
He said projects covering around 50 million sq ft were expected to be completed by 2030, potentially generating about two lakh jobs.
Industries, IT and AI Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty said Kozhikode was poised to follow the path of Technopark and Infopark and emerge as a major technology hub.
At the southern end of the state, Technopark is preparing to add another two lakh sq ft of IT office space at its Phase III campus. It has invited e-tenders for the design and construction of a prefabricated IT office building on a design-and-build basis.
The project has a 15-month completion period and will add to the capacity of a campus spread over 90.02 acres.
Technopark Phase III currently houses 540 companies and provides employment to around 84,000 professionals, with 13.147 million sq ft of IT built-up space.
The simultaneous expansion at Technopark and Cyberpark points to a broader shift in Kerala’s IT landscape from concentration around a few established centres to the creation of multiple technology hubs across the state.
With Grade-A infrastructure, private investment, start-ups and R&D facilities emerging alongside established IT ecosystems, Kerala is seeking to create not just more office space but a larger technology-driven employment base.
The emerging Kozhikode hub, in particular, could give Malabar a new economic engine while strengthening Kerala’s claim to be a competitive destination for technology companies and skilled professionals.
–IANS
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