Kavre, April 6

Finally after a decade-long wait, the Information and Technology Park based in Kavre is all set to come into operation.

The facility constructed way back in 2005 has largely remained idle ever since.

The facility built in Dhaneshwor, however, is now bracing to come into use after the Information Technology Department of the government struck an agreement with Kathmandu University, Cloud Himalaya Pvt Ltd and SoftTech Foundation, Dillibazaar today.

The department’s Director General Birendra Kumar Mishra, Kathmandu University Registrar Bhola Thapa, Cloud Himalaya chairperson Ramesh Kumar Shrestha and SoftTech Foundation Managing Director Ambika Prasad Luintel signed an agreement to this effect today.

The agreement shall be valid for 10 years.

According to Thapa, one of the signatories of the agreement, the university is planning to run an incubation centre meant for IT-based industries and a finishing school from the park. “As per our plan to set up the facilities from two business units of the park, work will start from tomorrow,” he said.

Similarly, SoftTech Foundation will occupy a unit of the business complex of the park to carry out its works related to software development. “Similarly, Cloud Himalaya will run a data centre from the park,” informed DG Mishra, who also informed about the department’s preparation to shift to Kathmandu. It has been operating from the park so far.

The facility whose construction had started from 2000 was completed in 2005 and then handed over to the government. The government had brought the concept of the park in 1997. Developed in 257 ropani land in Banepa and Panauti, the facility allows as many as 144 computer engineers to work at the same time.

Following completion of the park, Javra Software, a Netherland company, was the first to operate from here but operating just for six months from here it shifted to the Capital, citing problem with internet connectivity. The company has blamed Nepal Telecom for the poor connectivity, saying the latter had failed to provide quality service despite taking the responsibility for the same.

Meanwhile, experts have also pointed out policy related matters for the dismal fate of the park.

“The park is a single entity but there are three ministries that are responsible for the park’s operation, for matters related to communication and development of the park as an industry. And as there is lack of good cooperation among these ministries, it has hampered the smooth running and development of the park, experts said.

Though the park has business, administrative and residential structures built and V-Sat system installed, it lacks the facilities of eatery, school, bank and recreation centres. In view of the idle state of the facility for so long, the government this year itself had decided to introduce IT Park Directives 2015.