Thiruvananthapuram: Work at the countrys first infotainment industry park, Kinfra Film and Video Park here, is at full swing to meet the March deadline. Notwithstanding the work in progress at the 75-acre park, investors have started building their own facilities to kickstart their ventures as soon as possible.

Its managing director A S Suresh Babu is upbeat about the parks progress and investors response. Already the Chennai-based Prasad Productions, one of Asias largest postproduction houses, is putting up a Rs 3-crore processing facility in the park. Prasad Productions is expected to start operations from January onwards, ahead of the parks formal inauguration.

Currently, a major portion of Malayalam films postproduction work is done in Chennai, and a major portion of that at Prasad Productions. Once Prasad Productions starts their operations here, the whole postproduction work relating to the Malayalam filmdom will shift to Thiruvananthapuram, says Babu. The Malayalam film industry annually produces 60 films. The number has come down in the recent times from 160-plus films that were produced couple of years back.

We are not building this park just to cater the film industry - that will not be economically viable. The satellite television channel industry is also growing and we expect TV serial producers and postproduction units to set up their operations here, says Babu. Next to Tamil, the Malayalam language has the most number of satellite television channels. At the last count there are five channels that are on air and two more are on the anvil.

The other investors who have taken space in the park are actor-producer Suresh Gopi, magician Gopinath Muthukad and Network Televisions. The park is also expected to attract computer animation, recording studios, multimedia units and entertainment companies, apart from those relating to the film and video industry.

Promoted by the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra), the park is being constructed in two phases. The first phase is expected to cost around Rs 12.5 crore. Detailing about the basic infrastructure that will be provided for the investors, Babu says the park will have two dedicated 110 KV power sources. Talks are on with VSNL to provide high-speed Internet connectivity.

Set up in the midst of coconut groves with the Western Ghats in the background, the park will also offer shooting locale. An artificial pond is also built for that purpose. The other investment opportunities are: setting up of a visual media institute, food court, crche and guesthouses.

Talking about the revenue sources for the park, Babu says apart from lease rentals, the company will also earn from renting out the open-air theatre and business centres that are under construction. According to him a 435.62 sq ft plot in the park would cost around Rs 15,000 and is leased for 90 years.