Google decides to set up campus in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Internet search giant Google Inc has reaffirmed its commitment to set up its first campus outside the US in Telangana, while TCS, the country's largest software services exporter, will set up a 25,000-seat facility at Adibatla, KT Rama Rao, Minister for IT & Communication, said.

Google already employs 3,000 at its Hyderabad facility. Typically, a campus will be based on walk-to-work concept and will have several recreational facilities.

Stating that California-based Google's executives during their recent visit had reiterated interest in setting up a campus, Rao said, 'There are some issues with the land allocation. We are sorting it out.' He added several other existing IT companies such as HSBC will expand their operations in the city.

The then State government in 2007 had allotted Google 20 acres at Kokapet but it ran into legal trouble. Similarly, online retail giant Amazon was given 10.57 acres at Nanakramguda in 2005 to build a 1.6 million square feet facility, touted as its biggest facility outside its headquarters in the US.

The project is yet yo take off. Amazon currently employs 4,000 at its leased facility in Hyderabad. Interacting with media after signing pacts with three institutions to get his marquee initiative -- Telangana Hub (T-Hub) -- off the ground, Rao said the first phase will be ready in six months and house 700-800 start-ups and later 1,500 or more.

The three institutions namely IIIT-Hyderabad, Indian School of Business (ISB) and National Academy of Legal Studies and Research are jointly working with the government on the T-Hub, which promotes entrepreneurship and aims at building a startup ecosystem in the State.

'The incubation centre will be a top class facility, not just for Telangana but also the world,' said Rao. The first phase will operate in six months from an 80,000 sft facility at IIIT-Hyderabad. Gradually, it will move into a standalone unit with 3 lakh sft in two years. 'We have already started looking for a possible site,' he said

Rao will be meeting the Union IT Minister on September 15 to get a perspective on the Centre's plans on ITIR. The IT department will soon issue a request for proposal from service providers for the proposed wi-fi connecitivty project.

Meanwhile, two companies -- one each from the UK and Japan -- have shown interest in setting up units at the electronic manufacturing clusters.