Big metros choking, says Kerala industry minister as Bengaluru battles infra woes

Kerala’s industries & law minister P Rajeeve has said many top-notch services companies are reviewing their presence in the congested metros in the light of issues related to traffic, water and pollution, while urging them to consider the southern coastal state for expansion.

Kerala is emerging as an attractive alternative, offering a unique combination of excellent connectivity, sustainable infrastructure, and a high quality of life. The state is well-connected through National Highways, metro systems, inland waterways, and four international airports, promising logistics, business travel, and supply chain efficiency, the minister said in a social media post. He, however, did not take the name of any big city.

Rajeeve’s invitation to companies to invest in his state come close on the heels of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s terse criticism of the Karnataka government over its neglect of roads in Bengaluru and airing concerns that industries were migrating to neighbouring states. Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh too invited a Bengaluru-based startup BlackBuck to Vizag after its CEO expressed his frustration over the condition of the outer ring road (ORR) in Bengaluru.


Rajeeve, who famously wrote to some of the country’s top IT companies to invest in Kerala as Bengaluru battled a severe water crisis in March, last year, said his state’s IT and knowledge based industrial ecosystems had been growing, with Infopark, Technopark, and Cyber Park expanding through Phase 3 and Phase 4, and the upcoming Global City providing advanced urban facilities.

Strategic upcoming IT corridors such as Trivandrum (Technopark) to Kollam, Ernakulam (Infopark) to Koratty, Ernakulam (Infopark) to Cherthala, and Kozhikode (Cyber Park) to Kannur will further strengthen regional connectivity. Specialized hubs like the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster in Kakkanad support advanced manufacturing and technology-driven industries, Rajeeve added.

REVERSE MIGRATION

The LinkedIn Talent Insights Report, the minister said, showed Kerala’s professional talent pool had grown 172% over five years, with over 40,000 skilled professionals returning last year. “This reverse migration is driven by the bigger opportunities now available in Kerala - from global companies setting up operations to the state’s expanding industrial and technology ecosystem. Kerala is becoming a hub of innovation and opportunity. The real numbers, he added, were far higher, showcasing the true scale of Kerala’s growing talent advantage.

The Invest Kerala Global Summit saw 400 companies pledging investments of over ₹1.75 lakh crore. About a fourth of these companies have either started operations or preliminary work on their projects, the minister said.