The Hindu 21.07.2009
KIADB to use GIS to map 126 industrial units in State
Shankar Bennur
| Mapping of Peenya, Dobbespet industrial areas to be taken up on pilot basis |
‘The maps will incorporate all the information prospective industrialists and investors want’
The KIADB has also proposed computerisation of all its activities
THE HINDU— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM 
Hebbal industrial area in Mysore will be covered under the GIS mapping project in the State. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM
MYSORE: The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has embarked on a novel project.
In its attempt to ensure orderly development of industrial areas and attract more foreign investment to the State, the KIADB proposes to map 126 individual industrial units (single unit complexes) using the Geographical Information System (GIS) to enable investors to know the status of occupancy, availability of plots and implementation of projects by allottees, and other information.
Computerisation
In addition, it proposes to computerise all its activities, including acquisition and development and allotment of land, as well as linking the headquarters with field-level officers for better governance.
Before launching the GIS mapping project in the State, the board will map the Peenya Industrial Area in Bangalore (a fully developed industrial unit) and Dobbespet Industrial Area on the Bangalore-Pune Highway (which is undergoing development as another important industrial unit) on a pilot basis.
“On completion of the pilot project, mapping of the remaining industrial units will be taken up. The pilot project will help us understand the project and make improvements,” said Chief Development Officer, KIADB, Prabhakara Chenni.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Chenni said that GIS mapping was useful for explaining the profile of industrial units since the maps would incorporate all the information prospective industrialists and investors wanted. “The maps give us complete data such as vacant plots, water supply lines and drainage. Besides giving the existing extent of the industrial unit, it also gives inputs on the proposed expansion of the industrial unit,” he said.
Since its inception, the KIADB has developed 126 industrial units covering an area of about 40,000 acres in the State.
Peenya, Electronics City and the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) in Bangalore; Hebbal in Mysore; Baikampady in Mangalore; Tarihal in Dharwad; Kakati in Belgaum; and the Auto Complex in Shimoga are among the prominent industrial areas developed by the KIADB.
With Karnataka being promoted as a premier destination for industrial ventures, the onus is on the KIADB to ensure balanced industrial development in all regions of the State. According to KIADB, firms having experience in handling large GIS base-mapping, survey, software development and implementation of customised Web-based GIS applications have been invited to submit proposals for implementing the project.
A team of professionals who have handled similar projects will execute and monitor the project in the beginning, it said.
As the maps have to be periodically updated, the KIADB has asked interested agencies to train its officers in this regard.
Technical Consultancy Services Organisation of Karnataka (TECSOK) has been authorised to collect expressions of interest from interested organisations and consortiums.