DP World Vice President, Economic Zones, India Subcontinent and MENA,
Ranjit Ray, said Chennai also has strategic advantages since it is connected to
South Asia, Africa, Australia via the sea route. ”Tamil Nadu is one of the best
states in the country for an economic zone. We just started business and now have
15 per cent occupancy in six months,” he said.
DP World’s Chennai economic zone is spread over 6 lakh sq ft with a
potential to grow to 2 million sq ft. Tamil
Nadu has been one of the most industrialised states in the country for the last
40-50 years, Ray said. DP World’s Integrated Chennai Business Park (ICBP)
economic zone is located within a 40-km radius of key ports, including
Kattupalli (15 km), Ennore (11 km), and Chennai (27 km), streamlining cargo
transportation to and from the city.
In India, Ray said DP World has three economic zones — in Chennai spread
over 125 acres, the second one is 85 acres in Mumbai JNPA, and at Cochin that
will be operational soon. Economic zones in India are also called free trade
zones or free trade warehousing zones. They are considered deemed foreign
territory within the country borders where goods may be imported, handled,
assembled, consolidated, re-exported or cleared into domestic area in a
hassle-free manner. The new economic
zone in Chennai will cater to several sectors, including auto, electronics, IT,
telecom, healthcare, chemicals, and petrochemicals by providing them with a
strategic base in the Indian subcontinent.