Kongu Engineering College to build 40 lakh sq ft research park with ₹100 crore investment

The Kongu Vellalar Institute of Technology Trust will develop a 40 lakh square foot research park named 'Arivukoodam' on the Kongu Engineering College campus at Perundurai, deploying ₹100 crore to create satellite R&D centres for at least 10 industries and technology hubs across five verticals.

Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan will lay the foundation stone on August 29 for the facility, which Trust president C. Devarajan said will be modelled on the IIT Madras research park.

Five-Vertical Focus After Industry Survey

The Trust surveyed over 100 industries across western Tamil Nadu and received responses from more than 80, using their requirements to select five focus areas including 5G, electrification, and mobility. The park will host satellite research and development centres for 10 companies ranging from Roots and Lotte India to Danfoss.

Modern equipment will absorb nearly ₹35 crore of the total outlay. The facility will integrate the Technology Incubation Centre currently running at Kongu Engineering College, a tinkering lab, centres of excellence for various engineering streams, and industrial research centres.

Operational Timeline and Regional Impact

Arivukoodam is expected to become operational by the end of next year or early 2028. Devarajan told The Hindu on Wednesday that the project aims to promote industry-driven research and development, deliver deep tech solutions to industries in the western districts, attract technology research experts to the region, and give students and faculty real-time exposure to sectoral industry challenges.

"This is the actual industry-institute interaction that we have been advocating in various forums," Devarajan said. The Kongu Vellalar Institute of Technology Trust operates six higher education institutions and one school at Perundurai, located about 85 km from Coimbatore city.

Source: The Hindu