Krishnachand K By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As a major development push for Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, multinational IT firms are eyeing the site to start research and development centres after Bengaluru in the country. The launch of the first digital hub in the country by Japanese automotive major Nissan Corporation in Technopark Phase III seems to have brought fortune to the IT park in terms of development.

Companies have already started discussions with authorities concerned to start their offices in Phase III and upcoming Technocity campus at Pallipuram. Tech Mahindra, one of the IT majors, functions at Technopark. Japanese automotive company Fujistu and Hitachi Limited and a Japanese multinational conglomerate company will commence operations from the park soon.

Recently, Byju’s, the online learning platform, announced the opening of a development centre each at Technopark and Infopark. Allianz has also shown interest to expand its operations to Technocity. “Thiruvananthapuram is getting to the top of Tier-II cities in terms of IT investments, thanks to big names like Oracle, Allianz, Nissan, EY, H&R Block and other MNCs setting up facilities here. The liveability quotient of the city is very high and it attracts more talents to the ecosystem here. We can create a world-class technology ecosystem with planned development.

We need to focus on that now,” said Robin Alex Panicker, Chief Product Officer of Finotes, a Bengaluru-based IT firm. Besides, Embassy Taurus World Technology Centre is setting up a five-million-square-foot facility at Technopark Phase III due to high demand for leasing space. The proposed centre will expand its space to attract more companies, sources said. Technopark CEO Hrishikesh Nair told Express said due to the infrastructure provided by the government, Technopark currently provides a positive climate which attracts new companies.

“In addition to IT companies, Bengaluru-based real estate major Brigade group will start its World Trade Centre at Technocity. Fujitsu and Hitachi are in discussion with us to start operations. So the entire area of Kulathoor to Pallipuram will turn into a major IT hub with premium IT companies,” Nair said. The Technopark authorities have also started developing physical infrastructure inside the campus as roads here have been damaged for a long time. The quarterly GTech-Technopark Consultative Forum meeting, held recently, decided to repair the damaged roads in front of Amstor, Amigo Car Wash, Carnival, and QuEST Towers as these roads are accident-prone.