Date:31/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/31/stories/2008073151820300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Lack of amenities puts software industries in a fix

Santosh Patnaik

VISAKHAPATNAM: Software units, which launched their operations at Rushikonda IT Park, are in a quandary for want of basic amenities like quality power, roads and bus service. Brimming with confidence, they were the first to take the initiative to kick off their operations while a few others occupied the site allotted to them with an eye on real estate boom to appreciate further. “In the process, we are paying a heavy price despite the fact small teething problems are inevitable,” Managing Director of Symbiosys Technologies, Naresh Kumar, told The Hindu.

The IT Park was developed on Hill No. 2 and 3 where Mahati Software, Sankya, Colour Chip, Navayuga, Asian Info, Infotech and others are setting up their units. On Hill No. 1, Miracle and Rama Naidu Film City are coming up.

Kennexa Corp. of the US was the first to start its operations. Later, Symbiosys followed suit. Right now, reaching to these units has emerged as a big problem, as APSRTC is yet to introduce IT-specific bus service despite a promise by the units to give committed clientele. The regular buses stop at Gitam or the road point leading to their units – a distance of one and half kilometres to reach the hills overlooking the sea. The managements are making their own arrangement to transport the their staff.

Distant dream

Quality power is a distant dream. Frequent voltage fluctuation led to burning out a 50-tonne AC in one of the units recently. The VUDA which developed the layout, is being accused of not planning properly as EPDCL is insisting on payment by all the 12 companies, which were allotted land. As of now, one of the companies has gone for Reliance bandwidth and managing the show with a 200 kv generator. “Unless there is a pro-active initiative, how will it be possible to showcase Visakhapatnam as a tier-II destination for software development and IT-enabled services,” asked a software engineer. Fifty small and medium units in around the city had a turnover of Rs.150 crores during 2007-08, which went up from Rs.109 crores in 2006-07 and Rs.70 crores in the previous year.