Centre approves two Punjab SEZs

Chandigarh IT-SEZ gets formal approval, Ludhiana engineering SEZ gets in-principle nod.

Formal approval has been given to Chandigarh-based Sukhm Infrastructure (P) Ltd's IT SEZ, spread over 16.86 hectares with a proposed investment of Rs 745 crore.

Malhotra Land Developers & Colonisers (P) Ltd has been granted in-principle approval by the Centre for developing an engineering special economic zone (SEZ) in Ludhiana with a project cost of about Rs 250 crore. The proposed SEZ, which will be spread over 121.41 hectares, will have medium- and large-scale industries.

With these two new approvals, the number of SEZs (including notified, formal and in-principle approvals) in Punjab has touched 12. Of the 12, two are notified and five each have got formal and in-principle approval.

Speaking to Business Standard, officials of the industry department said Malhotra Land Developers & Colonisers had got in-principle approval, while Chandigarh-based Sukhm Infrastructure had got formal approval from the Centre on January 2.

While the former has to arrange the land, the latter has already arranged land required for the project.

Besides, Mohali-based A-Tech IT City with a proposed investment of Rs 205 crore and spread over 57.89 hectares is waiting for in-principle approval from the Centre for developing IT SEZ at Mohali. Ansal Properties & Infrastructure Ltd and Ishan Developers & Infrastructure Ltd have also applied to the Punjab government for developing SEZ at Mohali (IT SEZ) and Amritsar(Integrated Textile Park) respectively.

The IT SEZ park by Quarkcity India (P) Ltd (promoted by Fred Ebrahimi and Mary Wilkie Ebrahimi with a project cost of Rs. 500 crore) and SEZ for pharmaceutical industry to be developed by Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd with a proposed investment of Rs 265 crore, both at Mohali, had been notified by the Centre earlier. Both the companies have land in possession for their projects.

Earlier, formal approval had been given to four SEZ projects "" Rs 772.5-crore project of Vividha Infrastructure (P) Ltd and Rs 897.5-crore project of Mridul Infrastructure (P) Ltd both at Rajpura in Patiala district, Rs 719.74-crore project of Sukhmani Towers (P) Ltd at Derabassi, and Rs 540.16-crore project of Lark Projects Pvt Ltd at Mohali. Lark projects has arranged 11 hectares and is in negotiations for remaining for remaining 1.14 hectares, while the other three companies have arranged land for their projects.

Rockman Projects Ltd, which is setting up a textile SEZ on 100 hectares at Ludhiana with an investment of Rs 250 crore, had been granted in-principle approval last year.

Also, Shipra Estate Ltd, a Delhi-based company, has also been granted in-principle approval by the Centre to set up an IT SEZ at Mohali over 20.24 hectares which will entail an investment of Rs 360 crore. Rockman has arranged 60.72 hectares while Shipra estate has arranged the entire land.

However, uncertainty remains over the proposed multi product SEZ (engineering, textile, food processing and free tradeware housing) by DLF at Amritsar.

As the promoter is yet to acquire land and has requested to extend the validity of in-principle approval by one year.(the letter was recommended to centre on January 12, 07 and is awaited.).

The proposed SEZ was to come up in Amritsar spread over 485 hectares with an investment of Rs 453 crore. DLF is yet to acquire land for its proposed multi-product SEZ at Ludhiana where it needs over 1,012 hectares of land and intends to invest Rs 1,800 crore.