AUXILIARY ASSISTANCE: The IT and ITES companies outsource most of the allied services such as transport. — Photo: K. Ananthan

COIMBATORE: With the State Government planning to set up a Tidel Park and a couple of private IT parks also on the drawing board, the city will soon see Information Technology and IT Enabled Services take off on a large scale.

This will mean having a large number of IT professionals in the city, mostly in the 25-27 age group, who will need better facilities and allied services, starting from laundry and crèche maintenance to more flights, schools and larger townships, with convenient transport.

"Even before they come to the city, these professionals check out if these facilities are available here," points out K. Thangaraj, vice-chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Coimbatore. Further, the IT and ITES companies outsource most of the secondary services like transport, security and catering. The availability of service providers here cannot obviously be compared to the metros.

"But it should come with demand," says Suresh Nair, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Spheris India Limited, which started its operations here last October.

Taking the hint from other IT centres in the country, discussions have started here to prepare the city for the boom on the cards.

"Can we have development without the pains of growth? Can we learn from the experience of the metros and avoid the pitfalls? This is what we should look at now. It is for the city planners and all stakeholders here to seize this opportunity," Mr. Thangaraj says.

He points out that middle-level managers of these companies, who have four to eight years experience and are a "mobile population", will need more schools with CBSE syllabus for their children. Further, a "distributed development," connected with ring roads, can help avoid the infrastructure bursting at its seams. Self-contained townships with a mix of dwelling places, shopping malls, schools and clinics should be developed. The major issues that the city is likely to face when the influx starts are entertainment and infrastructure. Broadband connectivity becomes imperative even on the outskirts. Much better air connectivity is needed to Bangalore, the IT hub of the country, adds Mr.Nair.

"There is an urgent need for a forum for a planned Coimbatore. And, the stake holders should meet regularly," says Mr. Thangaraj. The question is who will take the initiative and prepare the textile city to also turn into an IT hub.

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