The Hindu : Front Page : Chamber seeks land from MK University to establish `IT Park'

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Sunday, Jan 01, 2006

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Chamber seeks land from MK University to establish `IT Park'

Shastry V Mallady

We will seek State Government's permission, says Vice-Chancellor

MADURAI : The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has sought allotment of 25 acres of land from Madurai Kamaraj University for establishing an `Information Technology Park' here.

While forming a committee to examine the proposal, MKU authorities said the matter would be referred to the Syndicate and the State Government for approval.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, P. Maruthamuthu, the committee had held preliminary talks with chamber representatives. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology had asked the chamber to identity the site for setting up the park. Dr. Mauthamuthu told The Hindu on Saturday that the chamber had requested the MKU to lease out its land "and we will take up the matter with the Syndicate and State Government for their clearance."

The chamber had sought the university land (vacant land opposite the main buildings) considering the logistics involved and access to airport and highlighted subsequent benefits to the university and its students.

According to PR. Athappan, Dean, Industrial Consultancy, the university already possessed several strengths in its Computer Science department "and if partnership in the park materialises, it will benefit the university too." He said the issue was expected to come up in the next Syndicate meeting for approval.

S. Rethinavelu, chamber president, said the university land was ideally suited to set up software companies, owing to its accessibility. He said that he would request the authorities to clear it. Meanwhile, a Syndicate member said the issue had to be looked at in detail since the university recently gave a piece of land for a `Pharma park' and National Cadet Corps.

"But since the `IT park' is beneficial to the region, we will take steps to give shape to it as long as university interests are protected."

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