Kamal Ghorui
Pune: The state govt on Friday said a new IT park would be set up near the proposed greenfield international airport in Purandar taluka.The IT sector welcomed the move, after state industries minister Uday Samant made the announcement in the assembly. Experts cautioned the govt against repeating the infrastructure mistakes of Hinjewadi IT park in Purandar facility, though.The new IT park in Purandar was in discussions for the past couple of years. Samant announced the project in the assembly after the finalisation of its land.He said, “The land for the project is yet to be transferred from the revenue department to the MIDC, but we are announcing that the IT park will be indeed set up in Purandar. The land transfer process would be expedited following the next cabinet meeting.”The first meeting to discuss the feasibility of an IT park in Purandar was held on July 24, 2024, when Eknath Shinde was the chief minister. The district administration was told to survey the area to identify land for the project. Another meeting chaired by the industries minister was held on October 3, 2025. The land belonging to the revenue department was proposed for the project then.Minister of state for industries Indranil Naik said in the assembly the proposal for requirement of the land had been sent to the revenue department. “We have written to the revenue department on Feb 27 about our requirement. Since the land belongs to the revenue department, it will save the govt’s funds usually required for land acquisition. The revenue department will have to submit a proposal in the cabinet meeting for the transfer of the land. After the cabinet’s nod, the work for the project can start,” he said.Purandar’s Shiv Sena MLA Vijay Shivtare had raised the IT park issue in the assembly. He said, “Some IT companies are moving out of Hinjewadi IT park because of traffic and other infrastructure issues. If an IT park is developed in Purandar, these companies may prefer to move to a new location within the district. The proposed site is only 3-4km away from the proposed international airport. Once it is ready, the IT park will have good connectivity and can generate nearly one lakh jobs.“IT experts welcomed the decision and stressed on world-class infrastructure at Purandar IT park. Pavanjit Mane, the head of the state Forum for IT Employees, said, “While developing the infrastructureat the new site, the govt will have to outsmart the other states in competition with Maharashtra to attract IT companies. The govt should ensure that they rectify the mistakes they made while setting up the Hinjewadi IT park. Along with the industrial infrastructure, the govt will have to ensure civic amenities in and around the new IT park.”Experts stressed that instead of looking to shift some IT companies from the existing IT parks to the proposed one, the govt should try to attract new companies to Purandar IT park for more investment and job opportunities in the state.
