KOLLAM:
Technopark Phase V (Kollam), India’s first lake-side IT park, is working on plans to become a prime ‘workcation’ destination by coalescing business and leisure on its sylvan campus with state-of-the-art facilities.
Situated on the banks of Ashtamudi lake at Kundara near here, Technopark Phase V is awaiting concurrence from the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) division under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Commerce, Govt. of India, to promote the facility as a ‘workcation’ (working-vacation) hub while continuing to host in-house companies.
Technopark is planning to add more amenities and new features in collaboration with Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited (KTIL), aimed at tapping into the potential of the panoramic and eco-friendly campus to lure techies from across the globe to stay and work in a leisurely ambiance.
“The ‘workcation’ model is a perfect blend of work and leisure for which Technopark Phase V is the most ideal spot,” said Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), CEO, Technopark. Besides the beauty of the locale and a healthy ambiance, Technopark Phase V campus has strategic advantages such as close connectivity to road, rail, air, and waterway.
“The built-up area at the park, named as ‘Ashtamudi,’ has around one lakh sq.ft of office space. The ‘workcation’ concept will add more vibrancy to the space, and companies can spend leisure time here as well as work to come up with innovative ideas and solutions,” Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd) said.
The plans will position the park as a ‘workcation’ IT destination, where IT/ITeS companies not based out of Technopark Kollam’s campus could opt to take on rent the campus facility for a stipulated period, allowing their employees to combine holidaying with remote work.
“Development projects at the campus include building an amphitheater, playground, guest house, ladies hostel, and clubhouse to promote work-life balance at the facility,” said Vasanth Varada, AGM, Customer Relationships, Technopark.
Apart from the 20,000 sq.ft space in warm shell condition, seven Plug and Play modules ranging from 8- seater to 25- seater modules are available in the Park for leasing out.
“The park operates within the IT Special Economic Zone (IT SEZ) and is reserved for companies engaged in 100% IT/ITeS exports, in accordance with SEZ operating guidelines,” he said.
Sharing their experience on the Phase V campus, Shri Praveen, CEO of Entregar Solutions, expressed satisfaction with the support and facilities provided by the authorities for operating night shifts. He mentioned that his company is currently exploring expansion opportunities.
Commenting that new-generation employees and entrepreneurs are looking for the ‘workcation’ model, Nayana, HR Manager, Incredible Visibility Solutions, said her company had incredible years at the park.
Sananth, CEO of Websorbz, said the company has recently occupied space in the Park, and they find the infrastructure highly useful for startups to scale up their business.
Technopark Kollam, located at Kundara, has acquired 4.44 acres of land from KSITIL. The IT Park obtained SEZ co-developer status in 2015 for 4.44 acres (1.80 hectares).
Technopark Phase V, also known and Technopark Kollam, includes a LEED Gold-certified building named Ashtamudi, covering 1 lakh sq ft. The IT building accommodates 15 IT/ITeS companies with approximately 350 employees working on the campus.
The first, second, and third floors are furnished as plug-and-play facilities, offering 27 Smart Business Centres (SBC) modules ranging from 8 seats to 25 seats. The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors are in warm shell (bare shell) condition, and the seventh floor is designated for recreation, restaurants, and dining purposes.
Incredible Visibility Solutions, a company that initially occupied 806 sq. ft. in 2017, expanded to 10,573 sq. ft. Entregar Solutions, which commenced operations in 2016 with 2656 sq ft, now has over 32 employees and continues growing.
