Can a consumer hope to get seasonal fruits from far off production centres sooner than he does now, that too at a relatively lower cost?
That possibility appears imminent as the low cost domestic airliner, Air Deccan which set a trend in introducing the `no-frills' air travel three years ago is planning a repeat, this time in offering low cost cargo services by taking advantage of its fast growing network of air services linking regional airports.
The Bangalore-based airline is poised to enter into domestic cargo services shortly. To facilitate this the board of Air Deccan has already approved floating a new subsidiary that would run a low cost domestic air cargo services, according to Air Deccan officials.
Indications are that the new service from the airline will take off within a month or so.
"We are actively strategising to begin low cost cargo operations with the conviction that transporting apples from Kashmir to Chennai at a lowest possible cost will give a much needed boost to our primary economy,' an Air Deccan communication has said.
Air Deccan's proposed entry into freight service is backed by the projected market outlook, as the growth for dedicated air freight service, as projected by Airbus Industries' survey, is expected to go up from the present eight to 165 services a day by 2026. Going by the demand surge for air cargo service, the Civil Aviation Ministry itself has estimated the country's need for dedicated cargo plane to touch 500 in 10 years' time.
In the meantime, the low cost airlines' agenda of widening its air network to cover more tier-2 cities of economic and historic/cultural importance is expected to get further boost as Air Deccan is to soon launch flights linking Bodhgaya and Jamshedpur to Kolkata, Ludhiana and Kangra to Delhi and new long sector flight connectivity between Chennai and Jammu (via Madurai) and Kolkata and Jaipur (via Delhi). The airline is also planning to link Salem in Tamil Nadu with Bangalore, the closest metro airport, which can happen much before its proposal to run flight service from Chennai to Salem.
Coimbatore, among the earliest regional airports to attract Air Deccan has turned out to be its strong forte with the airline flying approximately 35,000 passengers to and from the city every month and it runs 15 flights daily. Its daily flights linking Coimbatore with Mumbai and Chennai run with a passenger complements at 80 per cent and above.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Spheris India may double headcount in Coimbatore
`Currently hiring is the biggest challenge for the industry'
Aiming high
Spheris India is preparing itself to emerge as the largest player in the medical transcription space within the next 3 to 5 years.
The company is scouting to establish its presence in a third location, preferably in a tier II city next year.
Spheris India Pvt Ltd is preparing itself to emerge as the largest player in the medical transcription space within the next three to five years.
The company works with over 400 hospitals in the US. "While the medical transcription business volume is growing at 10 per cent, the number of medical transcriptionists in the US is falling by 10 per cent every year. There is, therefore, a dire need for the US to look to outsourcing this service. The industry is witnessing a 50 per cent year-on-year growth in India," said the CEO and Managing Director of Spheris, Mr Suresh Nair.
Doubling headcount
With about 2,500 people on its rolls at its locations in Bangalore (2,000) and Coimbatore (500), Spheris India transcribes about 300 million lines every year. The company is planning to double its headcount in Coimbatore by 2007.
Mr Nair was in the city to witness the employee outreach programme — `Spheris Family Day' — a get-together of the 500-plus Spherians and their family, celebrated for the first time in Coimbatore on Sunday. The company expends close to Rs 1 crore every year on such events to motivate its employees, their kith and kin.
In an informal chat with media persons, he said, "We are in a capacity-driven market. There is no shortage of work, but only capacity. We are seriously looking to build our capacity in India," he said.
Besides doubling its headcount here, the company is also scouting to establish its presence in a third location, preferably in a tier II city next year. "We intend to widen our reach by adding a centre every year over the next two years," he said.
Cash rich
And the company is not looking at strengthening its presence in India alone. "We are evaluating the Phillippines too, but it is still early," Mr Nair added.
The establishment cost of a unit has been put at $2.5 million and according to Mr Nair, the company is cash rich at this juncture.
He, however, conceded that currently hiring is the biggest challenge for the industry. "While the opportunities are huge, the conversion rate is pathetic. It is just about 6 per cent and the industry attrition rate is about 15 per cent," said Mr Surya V. Ciryam, Vice-President (Human Resources).
To bridge the gap, the company has initiated discussions with colleges in Bangalore and Coimbatore for running medical transcription training programmes. "We would possibly tie-up with two colleges (one in each of the cities) for imparting the necessary training. The colleges would give the necessary training with our support."
The company wants to ramp up at least 1,000 people out of such programmes every year.
Aiming high
Spheris India is preparing itself to emerge as the largest player in the medical transcription space within the next 3 to 5 years.
The company is scouting to establish its presence in a third location, preferably in a tier II city next year.
Spheris India Pvt Ltd is preparing itself to emerge as the largest player in the medical transcription space within the next three to five years.
The company works with over 400 hospitals in the US. "While the medical transcription business volume is growing at 10 per cent, the number of medical transcriptionists in the US is falling by 10 per cent every year. There is, therefore, a dire need for the US to look to outsourcing this service. The industry is witnessing a 50 per cent year-on-year growth in India," said the CEO and Managing Director of Spheris, Mr Suresh Nair.
Doubling headcount
With about 2,500 people on its rolls at its locations in Bangalore (2,000) and Coimbatore (500), Spheris India transcribes about 300 million lines every year. The company is planning to double its headcount in Coimbatore by 2007.
Mr Nair was in the city to witness the employee outreach programme — `Spheris Family Day' — a get-together of the 500-plus Spherians and their family, celebrated for the first time in Coimbatore on Sunday. The company expends close to Rs 1 crore every year on such events to motivate its employees, their kith and kin.
In an informal chat with media persons, he said, "We are in a capacity-driven market. There is no shortage of work, but only capacity. We are seriously looking to build our capacity in India," he said.
Besides doubling its headcount here, the company is also scouting to establish its presence in a third location, preferably in a tier II city next year. "We intend to widen our reach by adding a centre every year over the next two years," he said.
Cash rich
And the company is not looking at strengthening its presence in India alone. "We are evaluating the Phillippines too, but it is still early," Mr Nair added.
The establishment cost of a unit has been put at $2.5 million and according to Mr Nair, the company is cash rich at this juncture.
He, however, conceded that currently hiring is the biggest challenge for the industry. "While the opportunities are huge, the conversion rate is pathetic. It is just about 6 per cent and the industry attrition rate is about 15 per cent," said Mr Surya V. Ciryam, Vice-President (Human Resources).
To bridge the gap, the company has initiated discussions with colleges in Bangalore and Coimbatore for running medical transcription training programmes. "We would possibly tie-up with two colleges (one in each of the cities) for imparting the necessary training. The colleges would give the necessary training with our support."
The company wants to ramp up at least 1,000 people out of such programmes every year.
Coimbatore airport to have parallel taxi trac
Will reduce runway occupancy time and enable more landings
The number of daily flights operated through Coimbatore Peelamedu airport has gone up by 100% in the last one year.
Coimbatore March 19 The rise in number of flights has forced Coimbatore airport authorities to plan for a parallel taxi tract that will cut down runway occupancy, especially during peak hour operations.
The Airports Authority of India has approved the Peelamedu airport administration's plan. The projected outlay for laying the taxi tract has been estimated at about Rs 30 crore, according to Ms Hemalatha, Airport Director, Coimbatore, AAI.
The airport of late is facing occasional flight hold-ups due to peak hour runway congestion causing bunching of flights in the evening hours, though such occurrences are few and far. But, the growth in air-passenger traffic here has sent out strong signals for the AAI Coimbatore on the need for another taxi tract, which besides reducing the runway occupancy time will also enable more landings.
Boom time
Thanks to the booming business, trade travel and the rise in flight frequency between Coimbatore and Chennai; Coimbatore and Bangalore, the number of daily flights operated through Coimbatore Peelamedu airport has gone up by 100 per cent in the last one year. As against some 14, today the daily flights to and from Coimbatore is 27, though bulk of them is from budget airlines.
The highest number of flights is between Coimbatore and Chennai, four by Paramount Airways, two each by Air Deccan and Jet Airways.
The proposed parallel taxi tract is part of the preparedness of the AAI Coimbatore to meet the potential passenger growth anticipated in the coming months. Besides the domestic passenger traffic, an increase in the flow of international passenger traffic via Coimbatore is also expected.
More flights
"Coimbatore may see introduction of at least one or two new flights in its summer schedule shortly," said the airport director.
According to Ms Sathya Suresh, Head of Travel division of Precol Travels, the leisure travel is gaining ground to and from Coimbatore airport and nearly 40 per cent of the people travelling through Coimbatore are from this category.
The rise in number of both business and leisure travellers to Singapore, Korea and China, from Coimbatore points to potential demand for a direct international connectivity from the city, she pointed out.
The number of daily flights operated through Coimbatore Peelamedu airport has gone up by 100% in the last one year.
Coimbatore March 19 The rise in number of flights has forced Coimbatore airport authorities to plan for a parallel taxi tract that will cut down runway occupancy, especially during peak hour operations.
The Airports Authority of India has approved the Peelamedu airport administration's plan. The projected outlay for laying the taxi tract has been estimated at about Rs 30 crore, according to Ms Hemalatha, Airport Director, Coimbatore, AAI.
The airport of late is facing occasional flight hold-ups due to peak hour runway congestion causing bunching of flights in the evening hours, though such occurrences are few and far. But, the growth in air-passenger traffic here has sent out strong signals for the AAI Coimbatore on the need for another taxi tract, which besides reducing the runway occupancy time will also enable more landings.
Boom time
Thanks to the booming business, trade travel and the rise in flight frequency between Coimbatore and Chennai; Coimbatore and Bangalore, the number of daily flights operated through Coimbatore Peelamedu airport has gone up by 100 per cent in the last one year. As against some 14, today the daily flights to and from Coimbatore is 27, though bulk of them is from budget airlines.
The highest number of flights is between Coimbatore and Chennai, four by Paramount Airways, two each by Air Deccan and Jet Airways.
The proposed parallel taxi tract is part of the preparedness of the AAI Coimbatore to meet the potential passenger growth anticipated in the coming months. Besides the domestic passenger traffic, an increase in the flow of international passenger traffic via Coimbatore is also expected.
More flights
"Coimbatore may see introduction of at least one or two new flights in its summer schedule shortly," said the airport director.
According to Ms Sathya Suresh, Head of Travel division of Precol Travels, the leisure travel is gaining ground to and from Coimbatore airport and nearly 40 per cent of the people travelling through Coimbatore are from this category.
The rise in number of both business and leisure travellers to Singapore, Korea and China, from Coimbatore points to potential demand for a direct international connectivity from the city, she pointed out.
L&T`s inaugurates values and switchgear manufacturing facilities at Coimbatore
Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Thursday, announced the inauguration of its first two facilities at the company`s 300 acre campus in Coimbatore. These facilities will manufacture high end industrial valves and switchboards, and will cater to domestic and international markets.
A M Naik, chairman & MD of the company, said, ``The new facilities signal L&T`s commitment to strengthening high end manufacturing capability within the country. They are building blocks in our larger strategic goal of enhancing capacities to meet global demand for high precision manufacturing. This is in addition to L&T`s well established world class capabilities in execution of large projects and heavy engineering. The facilities will help L&T consolidate its leadership position in the high technology manufacturing space.``
The valves facility is the fourth manufacturing unit of Audco India (AIL), a joint venture company. The additional capacities being created at
The facility will have CNC machines for precision and critical operations, automatic welding machines for plasma, sub-arc and MIG processes.
The switchboards manufacturing facility at Coimbatore will augment the capability of the company – India`s largest manufacturer of low tension switchgear. The facility will soon become the largest single unit for manufacture of switchboards in the country. Manufacturing capability of 7,000 panels ar year will be increased to 13,000 panels by 2009 and to 17,000 panels by 2010. The Coimbatore facility is the company`s fourth switchgear manufacturing centre - in addition to Powai (Mumbai), Faridabad (near Delhi) and Ahmednagar (Maharashtra).
The shares of the company were last trading at Rs 1,563.90, down Rs 16.45, or 1.04%. The total volume of shares traded at the BSE was 97,774. (01.52 pm, Thursday)
Land prices hit Coimbatore's future
Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) plans to establish an information technology park here on 29 acres. Foundation has been laid for a Tidel Park on the site and works have commenced.
It plans to expand this project further and is in the process of getting 26 acres more, adjacent to the site. Faced with overwhelming demand for land from IT companies, the Corporation has started looking for larger areas to develop more IT parks here.
For over six months, it is trying to identify at least 250 acres. Since the ELCOT is looking at developing social infrastructure too at the parks along with space allocation to the IT companies, it needs a minimum of 100 to 200 acres for a park. However, the spiralling land prices here are a matter of concern to the ELCOT now.
Coimbatore does not have huge chunks of Government land suitable for IT parks to take over or develop. In the case of private lands, sky-rocketing prices put Coimbatore at a disadvantage, says an ELCOT official.
"Since it is difficult to progress with such rates, we are now looking at development of only the 55 acres," the official says.
The Corporation plans IT parks in about 260 acres in Madurai and the entire space has been booked. In Tiruchi it originally proposed an IT park on 135 acres. Since the demand has shot up, it now plans to expand on another 100 acres. In these places availability of Government or Government-controlled land has helped, he adds. "Madurai and Tiruchi are certainly taking off with added advantages such as international air connectivity," he says.
In Madurai land will be allotted in one park to the IT companies to develop their own campus with housing facilities too. It will also earmark land for a school. Tidel Parks are proposed in Salem, Tirunelveli and Hosur too. In all these centres, 100 acres of land form the minimum for a park, he points out. In Coimbatore the Corporation is open to joint venture proposals too. However, the "artificial prices" have made the going tough and the IT companies will look at other centres if this continues, he says.
Hiranandani eyeing Madurai, Coimbatore
Hiranandani Constructions, which last week launched a residential township in Chennai, is likely to launch housing projects in
The company will also soon launch another project in Chennai, for the mass-market segment "hopefully within one year'', he said.
Its first project in Chennai, Hiranandani Upscale, targeted the `upper middle segment' with prices in excess of Rs 4,100 a sq. ft.
The next project, would be for the lower end and relatively more affordable.
The company is examining opportunities for acquiring land. It sees a huge potential for housing in Chennai.
Another township
The Hiranandani Group is also setting up another township project,
This project is promoted by Hirco, a group company listed on the LSE AIM.
This will be a township on the `live-work-play' concept with a mix of residential, office, commercial, entertainment, school and healthcare space.
Other places
The company is studying the market in these cities. It is also launching a housing project in Hosur.
Hiranandani Constructions, till recently a Mumbai-based developer, is now looking at a wider distribution of its projects. Its focus is now on
In
Taken from Business Line
Set up Coimbatore Development Authority
Having emerged as the second important city in the State, Coimbatore now demands not just better infrastructure but also a planned development to attract more investments and avoid haphazard development.
While the demand for better roads, bridges and other facilities continue, some of the voluntary organisations are seeking Government help to improve awareness on building rules and simplification of procedures for building approvals.
The Resident Awareness Association of Coimbatore, in association with Citizens Alliance for Sustainable Living, has prepared a draft of Development Management Guidelines. It has submitted to the State Government two lakh signatures collected by it demanding efforts to improve infrastructure.A draft of the guidelines has been prepared since the existing development control regulations are archaic and need to be changed according to the growing needs of the city, says C.R. Swaminathan, president of the association.
The former chairman of the Builders' Association of India, Coimbatore Centre, G. Ramamoorthi, says that awareness on compliance to building rules has increased. However, the process of approval needs to be speeded up and a Coimbatore Development Authority should be established at the earliest.
Minister reviews development schemes in Coimbatore
Minister for Information, Town Planning and Urban Development Parithi Illamvazhuthi reviewed here on Sunday various development works taken up by the planning authorities in the western region of the State.
The Minister specifically reviewed a detailed plan for the Coimbatore Local Planning Authority areas. The authority has prepared a final report on the plan, incorporating the views of the general public and representatives from various other fields such as engineers, builders and development experts.
A press release from the district administration said that the land use pattern and schemes had been designed taking into account a population of 20 lakh.
Inner and outer ring roads, overbridges, beautification of Sanganur Canal, a truck terminal and a technology park were some of the developments envisaged in the plan.
The Minister said that orders would be issued soon to facilitate devolution of powers to the local bodies to grant plan approval in new townships being developed at Kurichi.
Development works were being taken up in Tirupur on the basis of a plan that was being implemented from December last year. More than 60 development projects had been planned for Tirupur, it was said at the meeting.
The raise of Coimbatore
Mega townships to come up in Coimbatore, Kancheepuram
THINKING BIG: Khater Massaad, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority(extreme right), exchanges documents with S. Ramasundaram, CMD, TIDCO, to promote mega townships in Coimbatore and Kancheepuram, in the presence of Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi at the Secretariat in Chennai on Saturday.
| MoU for Rs. 20,000-cr. project inked with Government of Ras al Khaimah The Coimbatore township is expected to generate employment for 50,000 persons |
THINKING BIG: Khater Massaad, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority(extreme right), exchanges documents with S. Ramasundaram, CMD, TIDCO, to promote mega townships in Coimbatore and Kancheepuram, in the presence of Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi at the Secretariat in Chennai on Saturday.
Two mega townships with world-class facilities will be set up in Coimbatore and Kancheepuram at an estimated cost of Rs. 20,000 crore.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by S. Ramasundaram, TIDCO Chairman and Managing Director, on behalf of the State, and Khater Massaad, Chief Executive Officer of the Ras al Khaimah Investment Authority, on behalf of the Government of Ras al Khaimah (UAE), in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi here on Saturday.
Golf course
The Coimbatore project will come up on 1000 acres and will have an Information Technology Special Economic Zone supported by an integrated feeder township. The township will also have a golf course, shopping malls, resort hotel, health spa and single and multiple family homes matching up to international standards.
The township, expected to be completed in five years, will have about 5 million sq.ft of IT space and is expected to generate employment for over 50,000 persons.
Marina project
The 500-acre Kadalur Marina project in Kancheepuram district will have water sports, leisure entertainment, high-end residential facilities and a world-class golf course. It will provide employment to over 15,000 people. Land for projects is being purchased directly by the promoters.
Electricity Minister N. Veerasamy, Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathi, Finance Secretary K. Gnanadesikan, and Industries Secretary Shaktikanta Das were present.
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