Ritchie Street welcomes 'AIIMS of South India'

The IT dealers in the Ritchie Street have welcomed the government's announcement of constructing a multisuper specialty medical college cum hospital in the place of the new building constructed for assembly-secretariat by the previous DMK government at Omandurar government estate in Chennai. The DMK government constructed a new secretariat building at the Omandurar government estate and shifted the assembly to the building from Fort St George. As soon as AIADMK came to power, the party supremo J Jayalalithaa announced that the secretariat and assembly would be retained back to Fort St George. Recently, the Chief Minister announced that the government will construct a multi-super specialty hospital-cummedical college in the place of the recently constructed building.

Announcing the same in the Assembly, Jayalalithaa said that the hospital will be state-ofthe- art, super-specialty hospital-cum-medical college on the lines of All India Medical Sciences (AIIMS). It is also said that the hospital will be the 'AIIMS of South India'.

IT TRADE TO BOOM
Ritchie street, one of the biggest electronics and IT hub in the state, is very close to the building. "The hospital-cum-college would help the IT business, especially the mobile, computer, laptops and accessories as the student community seeks the latest models for any product." says NJ Sai Murali, a dealer in Ritchie Street. He also added that any nonpolitical activity in the building will boost the IT business in the Ritchie Street. "Be it a medical college or anyother institution, the computer and computer-related products become inevitable in everyone's life. We whole-heartedly welcome the new project, and we are sure that the new plan will boost up the business," says MC Jain, another dealer.

NEED FOR AN IT PARK
Some partners also feel that the building, located in Anna Salai (Mount Road), one of the busiest vicinity and easily accessible from any part of Chennai and nearer to the Ritchie Street, has to house an IT segment in it. "Since the IT business is growing, it will be a good strategy by the government to house a small IT park inside Chennai. Since many IT companies are fi nding place only in the outskirts, a place inside the city will help in getting more investments for the state," said H Chandalia, president, Chennai Electronics and IT Dealers Association. He further added that since another government hospital is just a kilometer away from the building, some of the proposed operations can be shifted to the existing hospital paving space for the IT park. Since the land is owned by the government, an IT park will be a profitable measure for the government also.

TENSIONS REDUCED
Another dealer, on condition of anonymity says, "When the secretariat was functioning here for few days in the previous regime, due to security reasons the materials will not reach our offi ces on time and many disturbances from people representing political parties were there. However, now we are doing a peaceful business." Whatsoever, some dealers in the street are strategizing new plans to develop their business while some are already prepared to grab the best opportunities.