Hinjewadi Industries Association (HIA) has claimed that 37 IT companies have moved out from the Hinjewadi Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in the last ten years due to the deteriorating conditions of the infrastructure and traffic congestion in the locality. However, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) lacks precise data on this migration.
Hinjewadi IT Park, established 25 years ago, now faces inadequate infrastructure, including roads, high rent costs, lack of water supply, waste management, and electricity. Despite recent expansions to accommodate 139 companies, the infrastructure has not kept pace. The roads are narrow and in poor condition, leading to frequent traffic jams. As per the HIA’s claim, many companies are relocating to other parts of the state or even outside the state.
Lt Col (Retd) Yogesh Joshi, Secretary of the HIA, said that they have been requesting infrastructure improvements for the past decade without any response. “The poor road conditions, especially during monsoons, increase the risk of accidents and the lack of sidewalks force pedestrians to walk with extreme caution. Despite repeated follow-ups with government agencies, there has been no action,” he said.
Yaibhav, a mechanical engineer from Jalna, Marathwada, has been working with Tata Consultancy Services for the past three months. “It’s a new city for me, so I can’t provide detailed information, but based on my experience, traffic and electricity are major issues in this locality. I’m not aware of other issues, but I had trouble finding accommodation. I pay seven thousand for a shared room, including electricity expenses, but the power goes out for at least six hours a day, five days a week,” he said.
Similarly, M. Suresh, from Tamil Nadu. Who have been working in Hella Automotive company for the last 2 years shared his experience about the electricity bills and accommodation. “I pay around 14,000 rupees for rent where I stay, which is quite high compared to Chennai and Bangalore. Another issue is travel expenses; although the company provides travel expenses, it still poses a challenge for me. Additionally, electricity reliability has been a major issue I have encountered here,” he said.
Suresh further added that this could be a major concern but there is a need to consider the government’s data if it becomes available. Vishal Lakhera from Nagpur who works with Tech Mahindra complained about the traffic during peak hours, when employees leave. He said that Shivaji Chowk is a highly crowded spot which creates havoc during peak times. “I stay in Phase 1 but my office is in Phase 3. To cut down my expenses, I travel through PMPML. However, the traffic sometimes increases my travel time,” he said.
Joshi added that the economic impact of this crisis is significant. Traffic jams in Hinjewadi IT Park cause a half-hour journey to take an hour and a half, resulting in employees wasting an hour daily. He said that the IT employees are billed at around $25 per hour, this translates to a daily loss of $25 per employee.
“Both member and non-member companies have left the park in large numbers over the decade. Immediate action is required to address the infrastructure issues in the IT Park,” said Joshi.
According to the MIDC official, Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park has a total of 139 companies with manpower of around 2,17,412.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 31-05-2024 at 23:05 IST