Only non-polluting industries will come up on former Travancore Rayons land, says Kerala Industries Minister

Only non-polluting industries will be established in the industrial park proposed on the land that formerly belonged to Travancore Rayons in Perumbavoor near Kochi, Industries Minister P. Rajeeve has said. An electronics park is among the facilities planned on the site, which has remained unused since Travancore Rayons was officially wound up about three decades ago.

“Development of the Rayons land into an industrial park will change the face of Kerala,” said the Minister, who visited the site last week after the government-owned development agency Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) took it over.

Travancore Rayons, established in 1945, had its glorious days in the early 1980s and earlier, as the first manufacturer of cellulose-based viscose filament yarn in the country. It was shut down in 1984, though it briefly reopened after the initial closure, the unit has not been revived since.

At present, 30 acres of the total 68 acres have been transferred to Kinfra for development. Construction work will begin once government approval is received and the tendering process for the work is completed.

The development of the industrial park will have to adhere to regulations that require a buffer zone, as the land is located close to the Periyar. Around 18 acres will be available for industrial development after provisions are made for infrastructure such as roads.

Consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, robotics, Ayurvedic products, and food processing will be the key units in Phase I. It is estimated that establishing the first phase will involve an expenditure of around ₹22 crore. The second phase of the industrial park will include research centres, incubation centres for start-ups, plug-and-play setups, nanotechnology-based units, and consumer electronics, among other facilities.

The master plan for the entire park is ready, based on the availability of around 44.17 acres of the total land in the old Rayons complex. The Minister said that the land in the complex could not be allocated for any other purpose. Investors who participated in the Invest Kerala Global Summit had also expressed interest in utilising the land available for the proposed complex, he added.