Uttaranchal Pharma City takes off today

Uttaranchal's first pharma city, developed by the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttaranchal Ltd (SIDCUL) on the outskirts of Dehra Dun, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister N D Tiwari tomorrow.

Spread over 50 acres of land at the industrial estate of Selaqui, SIDCUL is hoping to attract an investment of Rs 175 crore in the city, the contract for which has been given to UP Tubewell Projects Ltd. The cost of the project was Rs 12.2 crore, SIDCUL officials told Business Standard.

Forty plots have been allotted to 36 pharma companies, ranging from small to big size ones. On average each of the companies would invest more than Rs 3 crore, the officials said.

The pharma companies will be manufacturing life-saving drugs in the form of tablets, syrup, ointment, etc. Herbal formulations will be also carried out in Pharma City. Around 20 units have started construction at the site and in 3-4 months some of them will start commercial production.

Other units are in various stages of implementation and will start civil construction soon.

In order to facilitate the industry, SIDCUL is also developing a commercial centre that will meet service requirements of the industry and also house common lab facilities, the officials said.

"The basic idea is to attract non-polluting units in Dehra Dun, which is considered to be environmental-fragile zone," a SIDCUL official said.

The companies that have been allotted land are Sami Labs Limited, Lactose(India) Limited, Household Pharmaceuticals Ltd, ABCO India, Stepan Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., India Glycols Limited, Sangfroid Industries (P) Limited, Panjon Pharma Ltd., Natco Pharma Ltd., HAB Pharmaceuticals & Research Ltd., Modhike Pvt. Ltd., Innova Lifesciences, Hema Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Dexter Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., DWD Pharmaceuticals Limited, Mepromax Lifesciences P. Ltd., Qualicare Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Coral Labroatories Limited, East African (India) Overseas, East African (India) Overseas Plot-8, San-Dee Madicare, ISH Medicos Pvt Ltd., Sidmak Laboratories (India) Pvt. Ltd., Uni Medilab Pvt Ltd., Premier Nutraceuticals Pvt. Ltd., Timetech Formulations Ltd., Himalaya Meditek (P) Ltd., Themis Laboratories Pvt Ltd., M.G. Shahani & Co. (Delhi) Ltd., Eurolife Healthcare P. Ltd., Supermax Laboratories, Karnani Pharmaceuticals (P) Ltd., Suncare Formulations Pvt. Ltd.

Natco Pharma Ltd, a Hyderabad-based firm, would be the biggest investor in the upcoming pharma city with an investment of Rs 10 crores. It would be followed by companies like India Glycols Ltd which would be investing something around Rs 7-8 crore.

The concept of new pharma city is being seen as yet another feather in the cap for SIDCUL which is already in the process of finalizing its integrated industrial estates of Haridwar and Pant Nagar which have attracted nearly 800 proposals with investments ranging between Rs 5000 to Rs 6000 crores. Besides this, SIDCUL is also developing IT Parks in Dehra Dun and Pantnagar, Growth Centre in Pauri and another industrial estate at Sitarganj.

SIDCUL is also developing some more industrial estates in private sector participation.