JAMMU: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday reviewed a comprehensive roadmap for establishing future-ready IT Parks in Jammu and Kashmir in a phased manner to strengthen the Union Territory’s technology ecosystem, generate employment opportunities and build institutional capacity to address emerging technological challenges.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary, IT; Divisional Commissioner Jammu; CEO of Jammu and Kashmir e-Governance Agency (JaKeGA) and other senior officers of the department.
While reviewing the proposal, the Chief Secretary stressed the need to lay a strong foundation for successfully implementing such initiatives in the Union Territory. He observed that technology would play a crucial role in shaping the future economy and emphasized the importance of investing in skilled human resources, modern technology infrastructure and robust institutional mechanisms.
Dulloo noted that the initiative would open new employment avenues for youth, strengthen the start-up ecosystem and attract technology companies to the region, helping position Jammu and Kashmir as an emerging hub for innovation and digital growth. He directed the concerned departments to work closely with Indian Institute of Technology Jammu to ensure timely implementation of the proposed phases and development of a supportive ecosystem for technology-driven growth.
Earlier, Secretary Information Technology Dr. Piyush Singla presented an overview of the initiative and highlighted progress made towards establishing technology-driven innovation infrastructure in the Union Territory.
During the meeting, Prof. Arvind from Indian Institute of Technology Jammu presented a detailed proposal for setting up an Innovation and Research Park, beginning at the IIT Jammu campus and later expanding to other locations across the UT.
Officials informed that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the initiative had been approved by the Board of Governors of IIT Jammu on January 5, 2026, while the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has granted in-principle approval for collaboration.
The project envisages a phased development strategy to gradually build a robust IT and innovation ecosystem in the region. Under Phase-I, scheduled to begin during May–June 2026, around 50,000 square feet of existing built-up space within the IIT Jammu campus will be upgraded to initiate operations of the proposed IT and innovation park.
Phase-II will involve construction of nearly 120,000 square feet of additional infrastructure, with work expected to begin in 2026 and targeted for completion by 2028. Phase-III proposes expansion of the IT Park outside the campus to facilitate larger industry participation and technology-led growth.
During the meeting, it was also informed that land has been identified in the Kashmir division for future expansion of the park. Additionally, land is proposed to be identified in Jammu near the IIT campus for further development.
The proposed Innovation Research Park at IIT Jammu will have a built-up area of over 11,000 square metres, comprising multiple functional floors designed to accommodate innovation labs, technology companies, start-ups and research collaborations, thereby promoting industry-academia partnerships and technology incubation.
