Kozhikode all set to become major IT destination

Kochi, Feb 25: The ancient commercial city of Kozhikode in Kerala is all set to become a major IT destination with the inauguration of Rs 600 crore ultra-modern Cyber Park by President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday.

Interestingly, unlike the state-backed IT parks in capital Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, the cyber park in Kozhikode is sponsored by a daily labourers' co-operative society- Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS Ltd)- which has over the decades diversified into different areas.

The society, founded by a renowned reformer Guru Vagbhatananda of north Malabar in 1925, started as a collective of daily wage earners, taking up small works like building rural roads and minor bridges. Its dream IT project- UL Cyberpark- is built in 14 acres owned by the society in Nellikkunnu village near Kozhikode city.

"With a perfect blend of social, academic and entrepreneurship facilities that create an ideal eco-system for the growth of IT, ITES and other knowledge-based sectors, Kozhikode is shaping up its infrastructural facilities in tune with the Kerala Governments vision to translate the state into a major IT Hub in the country," the society said in a release here.

It said UL Cyber Park is an ambitious project of ULCCS Ltd, by creating an IT/ITES SEZ Park with a total built-up area of 2.7 million sq ft based on the master plan prepared by world's leading architect Nikken Sikki from Japan.

Acknowledging efforts of the society, the Kerala government has approved it as an accredited agency towards undertaking infrastructure projects in Kerala.

Recently, acknowledging the contribution of ULCCS in sustainable rural development, the United Nations had endorsed ULCCS as a unique model in the area of sustainable rural development and sponsored a study tour for the leadership team of ULCCS Ltd towards visiting global cooperatives in Europe.

PTI