There was a time when a park meant a large area filled with trees, a pond or a fountain, and lots of walking space with benches at regular interval.
Today, the concept of a park has been influenced by the domineering IT sector to form technology parks.
How do you exactly define a technology park? Simply put, it’s a property with a cluster of business corporations in a park-like setting.
The concept of a technology park, or IT park as it’s more commonly known, arose in the US a few decades ago. But in India, it is a more recent development that occurred with the IT sector in the 1990s and 2000s.
Well-planned IT parks are generally laid out like self-sufficient communities with coffee shops, food courts, small convenience stores, and gyms inside or at least within its immediate vicinity.
It’s no different in Chennai. Here are the top 5 IT parks that you could make a note of if you are looking for a job in Chennai.
TIDEL Park
Set up in the year 2000, TIDEL Park is a portmanteau of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT).
It is one of the biggest IT parks in India and is spread over 128 million sq ft.
Located on Rajiv Gandhi Salai, a six-lane road in Taramani, TIDEL Park has 13 stories with business facilities like a 130-seater conference hall, an auditorium that can hold 650 people, and a multi-cuisine food court that is around 16,000 sq ft. The ground floor has shops, health clubs, banks, and restaurants.
TIDEL Park houses IT/ITes, finance, real estate, and telecommunications companies among others.
With the Thiruvanmiyur MRT station right opposite, TIDEL Park is a very convenient location to work in. Also, being in the centre of the IT corridor that is OMR, employees working in TIDEL Park should be able to find housing quite easily. Investing in real estate here is also highly recommended for receiving guaranteed long-term returns.
SIPCOT IT Park
The IT Park was set up by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) in 1998 by the government to boost economic and development activities.
Located on OMR between Navalur and Kelambakkam, the IT park is around 25km away from the city centre.
It is sprawled over 1,000 acres of land and has a separate bus station, a power station for uninterrupted power supply, and a separate telephone exchange.
In addition to TCS, which owns 70 acres of land in the campus, and provides employment to more than 20,000 IT professionals, there are multiple financial and IT companies in SIPCOT IT park.
Real estate options in Siruseri are aplenty. Siruseri is located in OMR, and the area offers good connectivity. Affordability is also a major factor that drives the real estate in this area.
ITPC
The International Tech Park Chennai (ITPC), or Ascendas as it is popularly known, is located in Taramani, similar to TIDEL Park.
That’s because the ITPC is also a joint venture between TIDCO and Ascendas, a real estate company based in Singapore.
ITPC is spread over 15 acres and employs more than 22,000 professionals. Over 45 IT and ITes companies occupy its space.
ITPC has guest accommodation numbering 54 rooms, ATMs, gift shops, forex management facilities, pharmacies, banks, and travel agencies all set up within the complex.
Similar to TIDEL Park, housing near ITPC is affordable and is considered the right place to make an investment for long-term returns.
Olympia Tech Park
Olympia Tech Park is one of the oldest in Chennai and is second only to TIDEL Park in terms of desirability of location and popularity.
Located near the Inner Ring Road, near Kathipara Junction, in Guindy, it comprises three towers.
Set up in 2006, Olympia is relatively new but it has gained popularity due to its location and facilities. The international airport is just 5km away, making it very easy for business visitors to reach, and the Guindy Bus Station and MRTS are just 1.2km away.
Five-star hotels like Le Meridian and Trident Hilton are practically next door while being in close proximity to prime neighbourhoods like Anna Nagar and Boat Club Road.
Guindy is a prestigious neighbourhood comprising well-known landmarks like the Guindy National Park, Raj Bhavan, IIT Madras, and Guindy Race Course among others. It is home to vast lung spaces in the city, an unheard of phenomenon, and also a very important industrial hub. But over the years, it has also become an attractive residential area offering housing that ranges from affordable to luxury.
One India Bulls Park
The One Indiabulls Park is located in Ambattur and is the first skyscraper to come up in the neighbourhood.
Built on a campus spread over 10 acres, the One Indiabulls Park is a building 17 stories high and was constructed by India Land and Properties, which is a part of Americorp.
In 2014, the complex was bought over by Indiabulls Distribution Services, a subsidiary of Indiabulls Securities.
The building is mostly occupied by financial, IT, and retail corporations like the Royal Bank of Scotland, Britannia Industries, and others.
Ambattur is a prime commercial neighbourhood housing at least four to five IT parks due to which it has also grown into an attractive residential market. Affordable housing is its biggest draw along with plenty of employment opportunities.