GIDC Vapi estate to get Rs 65 crore facelift

The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation's (GIDC) estate at Vapi would get a facelift worth Rs 65 crore by December 2006.

According to the plan, the Vapi GIDC would get a centre for excellence, enhanced technology for common effluent treatment plant and strengthened road network.

Under the Central government plan of the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Schemes (IIUS), the Vapi Waste and Effluent Management Company Ltd (VWEMC) has been identified as a special purpose vehicle to carry forward the infrastructure development programme.

Of the Rs 65 crore, 25 per cent has been mobilised by the members of VWEMC and rest from IIUS.

"The projects undertaken by VWEMC are likely to be completed by December 2006. We believe that the enhanced infrastructure at Vapi will lure investors to Vapi. At the same time, the existing industrial houses would prefer to expand their capacities at the present locations only," said Manoj Oza, managing director, VWEMC.

The centre will house laboratories for research & development in the fields of pigments, dyes, paper and packaging. It will also house the training centre and digital library.

VWEMC is planning to network the centre for excellence with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bangalore, and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), for knowledge exchange.

The existing capacity of the CETP will be enhanced by over 55 per cent with technology upgradation.

Similarly, existing landfill capacity will be augmented from 1,10,000 metric tonne to 7,50,000 metric tonne as required under the guidelines of the ministry of environment and forest.

"Along with the development of CETP and creation of centre for excellence, we are enhancing the internal road network too. The roads will be widened with provisions for cabling and pipe work for various utilities.

"The new road network within the industrial area will supplement the developing express road network that is enabling the movements of heavy vehicles," said Oza.

"Along with the implementation of the plans, we are focusing on keeping our operations profitable as the contribution under IIUS will only one time," added Oza.