The ongoing Bangalore metro rail project could see an extension beyond the city limits, with plans to link up the international airport and the proposed Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) in Devanahalli.

Both the state and Centre governments have orally agreed on this proposal and the Planning Commission will soon be studying its feasibility, said Ashok Kumar Manoli, principal secretary, IT, Karnataka. The planned ITIR, which has the approval of the state legislature, will be spread over 40 sq km or 12,000 acres. It will be an integrated township dedicated to software services, BPO and hardware industry. The metro will connect the ITIR and international airport, which are 13 km apart. The metro will also connect to the proposed High-Speed Rail Link (HSRL) linking Bangalore city to the airport, the official said.

The Bangalore metro project, during its phase-I one, will stretch over 42.3 km, with the first line to be commissioned in December 2010. The entire network is scheduled to be completed by 2013. In the second phase, the government plans to extend metro connectivity by another 51 km. The Karnataka government is actively looking at promoting the IT industry in the northern parts of Bangalore, besides developing other industrial hubs. Estimates are that over two million jobs will be created in the Devanahalli region, with an aerospace zone and a financial hub in the works.

ITIR is part of the Centre's initiative to promote the technology industry in the country. Under this, the state government would ensure all the physical infrastructure and utilities while the Centre facilitates development of national highways, airport and rail links to the ITIRs. The state has already notified for the acquisition of 2,081 acres of land for ITIR and is in the process of selecting a developer for the project. Mr Manoli said that the state has already received investment proposals from 58 companies, seeking 917 acres, to set up their operations in the ITIR.

Some of these companies include Infosys, Wipro, Tejas Networks and Cognizant. According to the IT secretary, Karnataka is the first state to roll out the process of setting up the ITIR. He added that state would continue with its current dominance of contributing 33-35% of the country's IT exports.

Source: Economic Times