Date:09/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/09/stories/2007060921740100.htm

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16 foreign firms want place in Bangalore BT Park

B.S. Satish Kumar

First phase of project has come up at a cost of Rs. 11 cr.

BANGALORE: Even before its inauguration, Bangalore Helix — the Biotechnology Park of Bangalore — has started attracting foreign biotechnology (BT) companies. This has bolstered the confidence of the Karnataka BT sector, as other States which have already gone ahead with biotechnology parks are reportedly still struggling to rope in foreign firms.

As many as 16 foreign companies made enquiries about the proposed BT Park with the State authorities concerned on the very first day of the country's three-day biotechnology show Bangalore Bio-2007, which commenced on June 7, State IT & BT Secretary M.N. Vidyashankar told The Hindu

These companies were curious to know when the BT Park, which is located at the Electronics City, would be ready for occupation. The number of enquiries is expected to increase by the time the BT show comes to an end.

According to Mr. Vidyashankar, the first phase of the Bangalore Helix was expected to be inaugurated tentatively in the first week of July. The first-phase of the project has come up on six acres of land at a cost of Rs. 11 crore. The park will house the Centre for Human Genetics which will concentrate on research aspects; and the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) that will train quality manpower in BT. The institute, which is already operating near Whitefield, will shift to the BT park, he said.

In the second phase, the park will get an additional 100 acres of land. The second phase will have nearly 80 lakh square feet of built up space. This phase will have instrumentation centre, veterinary laboratories, incubation centres, animal house and green houses. The second phase of work is expected to be completed in about two years.

In the third phase, the Bangalore Helix will have 50 lakh square feet of built up space. The third phase is expected to be ready in about five years from now.

Mr. Vidyashankar said the State, which was leading the country's BT sector, was now trying to further strengthen and also expand its hold in the global BT segments of bio-pharma, agri-bio and bio-informatics. The aim was to become a global leader in these key segments of the BT sector.

He expressed confidence that the proposed Bangalore Helix would go a long way in making Karnataka and Bangalore a global leader in biotechnology.

This year's BT show, which is the seventh edition in the series, had seen participation of official delegations from 12 countries as against that of three countries in the previous year. Similarly, official delegations from 12 States were taking part in the BT show as against three last year. In all, about 70 firms were participating in the show, Mr Vidyashankar said and termed this as an indicator to the growing strength of Karnataka and Bangalore in the field of biotechnology.