Groundwork begins for 1,200-crore industrial park

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s premier infrastructure development agency, DSIIDC, has started groundwork for setting up of a knowledgebased industrial park in South West Delhi at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore. The park, which will be developed over an area of 77 acres, is expected to provide direct employment to nearly one lakh people and indirect employment to another 2 lakh. DSIIDC chief managing director Chetan Sanghi said the the park’s design had been approved by the government, and the MCD was currently considering the building plans. “The design of Knowledge Park has been approved.

The DDA has approved the land use change. The MCD is considering the building plans. The work should start by June,” Sanghi said. In developing the IT park, the government is following the model of the Nokia SEZ in Chennai where setting up of the Nokia plant led to various vendors such as Salcomp, Aspocomp, Foxconn and Wintek establishing their manufacturing units. Asked about the plan to redevelop the industrial estates, he said the work on improving infrastructure in Narela and Bawana industrial estates had been awarded to private entities under a PPP model.

The private entities would also maintain the two estates for next 15 years. “Work has started on the ground in Narela and Bawana. Patparganj and Okhla industrial estates also will be given on PPP mode in the next three months,” Sanghi, who is also Secretary of Industries Department of Delhi government, said. Delhi has 29 industrial estates whose maintenance has been handed over to DSIIDC as per provision of a new legislation — Delhi Estate Industrial Development Operation and Maintenance Act, 2010.

The MCD and the DDA, which are running some of the industrial estates , are expected to hand over administrative control of the estates to the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (DSIIDC) in next few months. “The MCD has been directed by the Lt Governor to do so and the MCD has agreed. The DDA has also agreed to transfer the lease administration ,” he said. Asked whether Industries department has sought amendment in land use norms in the Master Plan of Delhi 2021, he said government was of the opinion that service industries should be allowed in industrial estates. MPB DEP SPC Sanghi said the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act of the Central government does not permit services industries in the industrial estates of Delhi. “We believe it should be a permissible activity,” he said.

The MPD, implemented in 2007, is set to be revised next year, and the city government has sent a series of recommendations to the DDA and the Union Urban Development Ministry seeking easing of restrictions on land use in industrial clusters . The city government sought lifting of current cap of 26 metres for height of a building in industrial areas and said such restrictions result in an inefficient use of ground space.

The government has also asked for allowing a single entity or group of landowners to pool their land in industrial areas as per specific guidelines to develop land. “The transferable development rights, height restrictions of industrial buildings and housing needs of industrial estates should also be integrated with development of industrial estates. This is what we have recommended to the Government of India and DDA,” said Sanghi.

Asked about priorities in the year 2012, he said DSIIDC would also focus skill development building efforts for the youths. “That is why we encouraged new skill development courses and also have promoted efforts for proficiency testing in skills through our subsidiary ICSIL,” he said.