More land likely for Genome Valley

The 1,000-acre Genome Valley set up by the Andhra Pradesh government is almost fully booked, and enthused by the interest the state government is now scouting for more land.

Announcing this on the inaugural day of the three-day Bio-Asia summit in the city, state industries and commerce secretary B P Acharya said that the land initially taken up in the Genome Valley, for accommodating facilities of pharma and biotechnology companies was close to being fully booked. "The industries department is negotiating with the Ranga Reddy district collectorate for more land," Acharya said.

It may be noted that the state had earmarked an area of approximately 600 sq km in the mandals of Shamirpet, Medchal, Keesra and Uppal in Ranga Reddy district around Hyderabad as the Genome Valley in which biotech activities were proposed to be encouraged and promoted.

The project is one of the key features of the Andhra Pradesh Biotechnology Policy announced in 2001. It is the first state-of-the-art biotech cluster in India for life sciences research, training and manufacturing activities.

D Nalini Mohan, state additional secretary (industries & commerce) said that of the 1,000 acre area, Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Biotech Park was allotted 500 acres.

The biotech park which acquired 300 acres in the first phase and the rest in the second phase was nearly occupied, he said.

The industries department had also allotted 200 acres to the ICICI Knowledge Park. A request by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for 200 acres could not be met and the department could provide only 100 acres.

In the remaining area, around 10 companies had set up their facilities, leaving no more space for prospective entrepreneurs, he said.

Mohan said that 18 companies had established their units at SP Biotech Park. Earlier, ICICI Knowledge Park chief executive officer Deepanwita Chattopadhyay told Business Standard that 13 companies had been allotted modular laboratories, while three more were provided with customised developed land for R&D facilities at the ICICI Knowledge Park.

Over the last three years, Genome Valley has developed as a cluster of biotech research, training and manufacturing facilities.

Among the major institutions that located their R&D units in the area are SP Biotech Park, ICICI Knowledge Park and Bharat Biotech, Medi Citi, Shanta Biotech, Godrej Plant Biotech and Metchinikoff Biosystems, Satyam, Forest Research Centre, Nuzeevedu Seed Company, the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, National Institute of Nutrition, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics and Osmania University in Uppal.