September 7, 2025

Panaji is buzzing with big plans! The Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) is all set to supercharge its upcoming IT Park called ‘Hello World’ located in the Verna industrial estate. How? By doubling the allowable building space—or Floor Area Ratio (FAR)—from 150 to 300. This upgrade, of course, needs government approval first. The ‘Hello World’ IT Park is huge, spreading over 4 lakh square meters (98 acres) at the end of phase IV of Verna estate. GIDC has set aside seven massive plots, each about 25,000 square meters, just for IT companies. These seven plots will cover roughly 3 lakh square meters. The remaining 1 lakh square meters will be used for a business hotel, hostel, and essential utility services. This plan was hotly discussed during the 398th GIDC board meeting on Thursday. The board gave the green light to the managing director to start all required steps for this boost. The main aim? To make the project more financially rewarding and practical for developers, while matching the current market vibes. Guess what? The layout plan is already cleared by the 37B committee. It neatly divides the space between the IT plots and staff housing. This move shows a major shift for GIDC—from focusing on general manufacturing to zeroing in on the booming IT industry. GIDC officials are not shy to say why Verna is perfect: "Verna is a natural fit for the IT sector," they say, thanks to its strong infrastructure, steady industrial scene, smooth connectivity, and its closeness to Goa International Airport, Dabolim. Earlier, in the 396th board meeting, GIDC had given the thumbs up for a special scheme to develop the IT Park in Verna. The project is crafted to encourage vertical growth, create tons of jobs in IT, and use land smarter. The big proposal to double FAR from 150 to 300 is stamped by the new Goa land development and building construction (amendment) regulations, 2024. These rules allow GIDC to ease restrictions on FAR, setbacks, parking, and building coverage, once the government approves. Once this FAR relaxation is official, the ‘Hello World’ IT Park could become Goa's largest tech hub, welcoming many tech companies and related services under one roof. But Goa’s IT journey has had its share of bumps. In 2006, the government aimed to build the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat on 90 acres at Dona Paula, but it stalled for 18 years without a real start. Then, in 2015, an electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) park began at Tuem but is still waiting to kick off manufacturing. Another IT Park plan at Chimbel on 4.5 lakh square meters of government land at Kadamba plateau is also in the pipeline. Now with the exciting new ‘Hello World’ project gearing up, Goa looks ready to finally make a big mark on the IT map. Stay tuned for more updates as this tech revolution takes off!

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Tags: Goa industrial development corporation, Hello world it park, Verna industrial estate, Far increase, It sector, Goa airport,