Red tape blocks Hubli tech park

Red tape blocks Hubli tech park

Vincent D’Souza | TNN

Hubli: Aryabhata Tech Park launched with much fanfare four years ago has failed to realize IT dreams of Hubli as expected. It is said red tape has come in the way. Of the seven companies to which land was allotted in 28 acres in Rayapur, only N S Infotech has started its operations, while Sankalp Semiconductors will start functioning soon.
The other five companies which include Diksha Technologies, one of the top 50 fastest growing IT companies in the country, C2Silicon Software Solutions, Auriole Technologies, Mahaveer Infoway, Pen Arbor InfoTech and Abel Design Engineering Services have not been able to start operations allegedly because of red tape.
North Karnataka IT Developers Association president Sridhar Pujar said unnecessary delay in paperwork in government offices has been a major stumbling block. The civic authorities are not working in coordination which discourages investors, he said.
He said in the case of Diksha Technologies which was sandwiched between two portions of land belonging to Karnataka State Law University, the authorities asked the company to part with land allotted to it for the university but did not show any alternative land. When the authorities did not respond positively for alternative land, the company set up their unit in the land allotted to it earlier. Likewise, in the case of Intent Info which wanted to set up a company with 200 jobs, its papers got stuck in the municipal corporation for more than three months which finally led to the company to move out of state. Bangalore based engineering software services company Quest backed out due to delay in land allotment and settled in Belgaum.
Santosh Hurlikoppi of N S Infotech said the Hescom has been delaying permanent power connection to his unit and he is shelling out over Rs 60,000 every month which is double for the power he uses. Even the BSNL has so far not been allotted land in the Park for broadband facility.
However, HDMC commissioner K V Trilokchandra said the corporation has given needed permission to the firms.
NO SMOOTH RIDE
North Karnataka IT Developers Association says delay in paperwork in government offices hampering work, discouraging investors
Infrastructure problems also plague Aryabhata park.