Kazhakootam, which houses Technopark -- India’s first information technology park -- is around 14 kilometres away from the capital city. A 15-minute drive gets you to the state’s most developing location, popularly known as the IT hub of Kerala. But it took 45 minutes to get to the Phase I campus of Technopark as a serpentine queue of vehicles reduced traffic to a crawl. Reason: work on the elevated highway along the busy stretch has left a narrow passage for vehicles.
Kazhakootam junction has been facing heavy congestion for a while, turning travel through the stretch a nightmare. Once built, the highway will ease the traffic woes near Technopark and make the commute smooth for passengers arriving from the direction of Kollam. The IT park has completed an eventful 30 years that has seen the state capital positioned firmly as a major technology hub attracting global and Indian companies to set up business here.
Home to 450 IT and IT-enabled companies that together provide direct employment to 62,000 professionals, Technopark is now remarkably calm. For only a small number of employees are arriving here with a majority of the companies entertaining work-from-home culture in the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak. While the techies are eager to regain the positive campus vibes, the fear of the pandemic continues to linger.
“Kerala has the potential for higher growth in the IT sector because of the availability of qualified human resource and good infrastructure,” said Vineeth Chandran, who is working with Polus Software.
“We expect the next government to invite more multinational companies to our state. The arrival of global giants like Nissan, after Oracle in 2012, is a remarkable step in that regard.”
Vineeth -- who is also the secretary of Prathidhwani, a welfare organisation of IT professionals that was in the forefront of negotiations for the IT Welfare Fund Board set up recently by the government — wants prominence to be given to artificial intelligence. “Kerala has set an example for other states by constituting a welfare fund for IT employees. There are insurance schemes for the sector in countries like Germany, Denmark and the UK. The welfare fund will ensure pension for those working in the sector, education benefits for their children, and maternity and medical benefits,” he said.Initiatives should be taken to provide housing schemes, women’s hostel, better transportation facilities and stops for more trains at the Kazhakootam railway station, Vineeth added.
Prashanthi Pramod, an employee of Guidehouse, echoes the sentiment. “The government has said that a women’s hostel would be set up under the Social Justice Department for working women at Kazhakootam. If that materialises, newly-appointed girls can get secure accommodation at an affordable rate. Currently, the monthly rent for hostels in the area is above Rs 6000,” she pointed out.Though a high-decibel political campaign is yet to commence in the capital city, the poll fever is slowly setting in and Technopark is no exception.
The LDF has already switched to election mode by declaring its candidate in Kazhakootam. Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, the sitting MLA, will seek people’s mandate again from his home turf. The constituency had gained attention last time following a three-cornered fight. This time, the Congress and the BJP are planning to field strong candidates to wrest the seat. Watching the developments closely, the techies are inclined to favour the development brought in by the current government.
Infosys employee Muhammed Jiyadh pointed out that IT is the only sector which somehow managed to escape the clutches of the pandemic. “No extensive job loss has occurred in the sector, a major relief,” he said. Roshin Roy, of Polus Software, wants the expansion of the proposed techno city -- coming up at Pallippuram -- to be completed quickly.
“The new government should also start more IT parks in the state,” she said.Others, like Vysakh Vysakhy (Muthoot Technologies), Ranjith Jayaraman (Infosys) and Ajin Thomas (Polus Software), that TNIE spoke to are of the view that working from office is always better than the work-from-home system. The IT professionals feel the sector is set for a bright future once the pandemic ends.
Meanwhile, the scene is entirely different in front of the Secretariat as a section of job aspirants figuring in the Public Service Commission rank list for the post of civil police officer (CPO) have been on an indefinite sit-in protest. Renjith, a native of Sreekrishnapuram in Palakkad, said their anger against the government will reflect in the polls.