Visakhapatnam: After learning lessons from the devastation caused by Hudhud, local IT entrepreneurs are pitching for setting up a STPI -Bandwidth and data recovery centre at Vizag. They have also come out with various suggestions and recommendations to put Vizag back on track.
They want STPI to establish another base station with satellite connectivity in IT hills at Rushikonda to improve bandwidth availability and also have a disaster recovery centre established quickly where companies can back up their data for free storage and recover at will. Each company can also operate emergency services from here in any eventuality for at least 10 to 20 people on emergency mode.
This comes after most of the IT companies have faced the wrath of Hudhud and had to suspend operations for more than a week at the risk of losing projects from overseas clients. Some companies have shifted their base temporarily to either Rajahmundry or Hyderabad during that one week.
“Operations are fully restored at Vizag. Due to the severe beating we have taken due to state bifurcation, Hudhud cyclone, intense competition from other states, global slow down and also the fact that no new company has started in Vizag or land allotted for IT in last three years, we need to take drastic steps to make Vizag as the first choice of investors,” opined Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA) vice-president O. Naresh Kumar. He suggested that Brand Vizag as new smart city with 24/7 power and tax incentives as first choice in Asia for IT industry and tourism and infrastructure investments, should be promoted. Providing bandwidth at 50 per cent subsidy by state government with best tariff in Asia can also be looked into along with STPI to provide 10 mbps free bandwidth for all new companies for 2 years. “Vizag’s EPDCL, which is number one discom in our region with lowest losses in country, should have variable tariff based on losses and thus lowest tariff in the country and state based on losses and efficiency. Half acre plots on sale basis can be allotted for IT companies,” said Mr Naresh.
