Toyota Group Company, the first investor
GMR Urban Infrastructure of Bangalore, traditionally known for its world-class technology for airports and highways as well as its energy business efficiency, has now embarked on a massive project for developing a Special Investment Region known as GKSIR covering an extensive area of 4,300 acres near Hosur in Krishnagiri district. The project is coming up on the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor, 290 km from the Chennai port and 2 hours’ drive from the Bangalore airport.
The presence of world-renowned auto majors like TVS Motors, Ashok Leyland, Caterpillar and AV Tech, and a large number of ancillary and support industries in Hosur ensure that a vast pool of suppliers/vendors and skilled labour is available within a radius of 25 km.
The project has a network of national and State highways with an excellent connectivity with Chennai, Bangalore and other major industrial and urban clusters. Shovel ready plots with all infrastructural facilities like roads, water supply, drainage-sewerage, electrical & digital basics, solid waste management, and common WTP & STP will all be available up to the plot boundary in all industrial clusters within the complex.
Giving out these details at an informal discussion in Chennai, Mr. Arun Bhagat, Chief Operating Officer, GMR Krishnagiri SEZ Ltd., told MOTORINDIA Editor R. Natarajan that the project covering a total area of 4,300 acres would accommodate three categories – electronic manufacturing units, auto and auto component industries, and Defence& aerospace sector. Spread over 527 acres, the largest private Greenfield electronic manufacturing cluster (EMC) would be engaged in the design and manufacturing of electronics and nano electronic products and their accessories. An area of 850 acres is devoted for auto and auto components manufacturing. All the necessary infrastructure facilities would be provided for both the projects. The aerospace and Defence zone has an extensive area of 500 acres with quality infrastructure and world-class connectivity.
Referring to the regular flow of enquires from industries, Mr. Bhagat said that, with the commencement of work on the project in 2007, a lot of companies came forward to set up units in the complex for their expansion in south India. Of late, more companies from the eastern region are keen to set up auto electronic units, for which they need smaller space but high-standard infrastructural facilities. In fact, the project has already succeeded in roping in Toyota Boshuko as the first investor. The GKSIR project is expected to be completed in the next two years.
Among the GMR Group proposals for future expansion are its plan to set up a 15 MW solar project in Krishnagiri. The Group operates two national highway projects in Tamil Nadu besides the Chennai Outer Ring Road, he added.