The City
Home to over a hundred large and medium scale industries, and almost fifteen hundred small scale enterprises, Indore is the powerhouse of the state of Madhya Pradesh, along with its satellite towns Dewas and Pithampur. Pursuing a dynamic industrial policy, the state government has won over heavy investments from major automobile, pharmaceutical and textile corporations to this vibrant industrial corridor.
Embarking on an ambitious strategy to bring information technology to the state, investments in Indore’s infrastructure were made to bring home companies like the Computer Science Corporation (CSC), Impetus Infotech (India), SUVI Information Systems and Webdunia.com. The city’s potential as an emerging IT hub was recognised by Sun Microsystems early this year when it launched its operations in a tie-up with Wipro. Though still in its infancy, Indore’s IT industry has had a bearing on the city’s heady real estate market.
IT apart, more employment opportunities are in the offing with the Rs 5,000 crore auto testing track at Pithampur for ground breaking research and development. Adding to Indore’s industrial matrix are the soya bean processing and handloom and handicraft industries. AThe Electronic Complex, Ready Garments Complex, Software Technology Park, Air Cargo Complex, Gold Jewellery Export Park and the Inland Container Depot support business and trade in Indore.
Infrastructure and Facilities
The City Development Plan for Indore seeks to improve the city’s existing infrastructure with “minimum basic services to the underprivileged” to ensure functional, sustainable development and further growth towards becoming a “world class commercial city”.
Keeping long-term growth in perspective, the City Development Plan has devised strategies to provide the city’s entire population with round-the clock water supply by 2010 and efficient solid waste management using modern and scientific systems by 2011. The CDP also envisages a well-organized public transport system which would include a metro rail, flyovers and elevated road intersections by 2012, and an environment friendly Indore by 2021.
The 24 acre Crystal IT Park at Khandwa Road is a landmark facility for the IT industry in Indore. The SEZ Indore spans 2,565 acres near Pithampur and Kheda, and is India’s first Greenfield integrated economic zone to be notified by the Central Government.
Upcoming SEZs in Indore include the Medicaps IT Park on 11.936 hectares, and the state sponsored M.P.Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam IT SEZ on 8 hectares. Developers like K Raheja and Unitech are understood to have been allotted land in the proposed IT SEZ.
Another IT and ITes SEZ covering 30.98 hectares has been allotted to Parsvnath Developers who will invest Rs.1,400 crore in the project