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KOCHI: The work on the Biotechnology Incubation Centre (BTIC) at Kalamassery, being developed by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra), is in progress. The incubation centre is expected to be functional by year-end.

The BTIC is being established in the Kinfra Hi-tech Park within its 50-acre biotechnology zone.

Hi-tech park

The hi-tech park, spread over an area of 240 acres, will also accommodate a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for Electronics, SEZ for Gem and Jewellery and an International Exhibition and Trade Centre. The hi-tech park will be fully operational in the next two to three years.

Kinfra Managing Director A.S. Suresh Babu said the Union Department of Biotechnology had sanctioned a financial assistance of Rs.11 crore for the biotechnology centre. The BTIC will have common facilities such as greenhouse, tissue-culture centre, quality-control laboratories, bioinformatics centre and a patent facilitation centre.

Mr. Suresh Babu said Kinfra had selected TCG Urban Infrastructure Holdings Limited as the private partner for the joint development of the biotech park. Land will be leased out for 90 years for developing the park.

International fair

The international exhibition and trade centre will also be developed with private participation. Zoom Developers Private Limited, Mumbai, has been selected as the developer for the project. The project will have two halls with an area of 70,000 square feet each.

The SEZ for Electronics will be spread over 30 acres. The Ministry of Commerce has already accorded formal approval for the project. Kinfra has sought expression of interest from prospective companies for selecting a co-developer for the project. Mr. Suresh Babu said SFO Technologies, a NEST Group company, had expressed interest and would have to present its business plan before a selection committee for approval.

The gem and jewellery park will be set up in 33 acres within the hi-tech park. It will be a joint venture of Kinfra and the World Gold Council, with the participation of private partners.

Gem and jewellery park

The gem and jewellery park is aimed at investors in the area of processing of gold and gems.

Expression of interest from prospective partners had been invited and four companies had expressed interest in the project. Based on the eligibility criteria, two firms out of the four have been asked to submit the business plan.

Mr. Suresh Babu said Kinfra had entered into a memorandum of understanding with Sutherland Global Services for setting up an ITES unit.

The company will establish a BPO centre in 25 acres of land in the hi-tech park.

He said Kinfra, established in 1993, had developed 12 theme-based industrial parks in the State.

These include an apparel park and a film and video park in Thiruvananthapuram, a food processing industrial park at Malappuram, a rubber park at Kochi and a seafood processing park at Alappuzha.

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