Mangaluru Set to Rise as Karnataka’s Second IT Powerhouse with New Tech Park
The state government has approved a long-awaited IT park project in Derebail, paving the way for the coastal city's growth in the technology sector.
MANGALURU: Mangaluru is on track to become the next major Information Technology (IT) hub in Karnataka after Bengaluru. The state cabinet has given the green light to a proposal for a new IT park, turning a long-held dream for the region into a reality.
This move is expected to create new opportunities for tech professionals and boost the local economy.
The new commercial tech park will be developed on 3.285 acres of government-owned land at Blueberry Hills in Derebail. The project will be a public-private partnership (PPP) built on a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model. This means a private investor will handle the entire process, operating the park on a 60-year lease (an initial 30 years, with an option to extend for another 30).
Kionics, the state’s electronics development corporation that owns the land, will soon invite companies to bid for the project.
Why Mangaluru is the Perfect Fit
For years, Mangaluru has been seen as an ideal location for IT expansion. The city has several advantages:
- Strong Infrastructure: It is well-connected by air, rail, national highways, and the New Mangalore Port.
- Lower Costs: The cost of land is about 20 percent cheaper than in Bengaluru.
- Talent Pool: Over 12,000 engineers and 40,000 other graduates pass out from colleges in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts every year.
- Existing IT Scene: Mangaluru is already home to more than 250 IT companies, including big names like Infosys, Mphasis, and Cognizant. These firms employ over 17,000 professionals and generate an annual turnover of around Rs 5,000 crore.
The plan for an IT park in Mangaluru has been discussed for a long time but faced delays. With this new approval from the cabinet, the project has received a fresh start, promising a bright future for the city’s tech industry.
