The effect of the panic selling in the stock market on the fortunes of information technology (IT) companies is well documented. However, one of the less considered factors is that infrastructure at the local level can have a significant bearing on the productivity of these IT firms. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area is known for the terrible condition of its roads since many years, and driving through them during the monsoons is a nightmare. What's more, the productivity of companies may actually drop during this season.

KR Vaidyanathan, director (sales and marketing ) Rolta India, which has an office in MIDC, "There is difficulty in reaching office during the monsoons. I live in Lokhandwalla Andheri, and it takes me one-and-a half hour to reach my workplace. Prospective customers also face these problems and this can cause a setback for business. You can never keep time for appointments unless you start early from the office, which again wastes time. The MIDC road conditions are always causing a problem, but during the monsoons, the situation worsens. The pothole filling is washed off in the first showers, and after that it becomes a great problem to drive from here to anywhere and vice-versa." Gracie Thottan, a staffer at Zenith Computers complained of the suffering that people in MIDC undergo due to the bad road conditions. "It takes people 45 minutes to reach from Chakala to their office. Many staffers have to even suffer a cut of half a month's salary because of lack of productivity due to the monsoons."

However not everyone thinks that the roads at MIDC are a big problem. Harish Mehta, chairman and MD, Onward Novell feels that road conditions in MIDC are not as bad as made out to be. He said, "The road was dug up by number of utilities and proper repair work was not done. The condition of the road isn't too bad. It's just as bad as other roads in Mumbai except that because of the digging, people are more troubled than before."

MIDC officials state that they are trying to improve the situation Surendrakumar Bagade, deputy executive officer, (IT) MIDC, said, "The BMC and MIDC officials are working together to create a master plan for the industrial area to improve the infrastructure, including the roads."

It may be recalled that the MIDC had announced a SEEPZ ++ initative and have invited tenders to improve road conditions in Marol and Andheri in January this year. It was reported that this was the result of the complaints made by software companies at SEEPZ to the BMC, which resulted in the intervention of then chief secretary Arun Bongiwar.

Date :19/06/2001.
Courtesy: Bombay Times.