Kochi’s Infopark Phase II has just seen something unusual — an 11-storey IT building, spread across one lakh square feet, completed in just 80 days. Normally, such a superstructure would take over 18 months. So, what made it possible?
The answer lies in the use of precast concrete technology — a method where most of the components (nearly 90%) are manufactured in factories and then assembled at the site, like a massive Lego build.
Two firms teamed up for the job: Steelion Prefab Infra Solutions, based in Kochi, and Teemage Precast from Tamil Nadu. The structure forms the second IT tower by Caspian Tech Parks within the Infopark Phase II campus.
Since the superstructure is already done, the full building is now expected to be ready in 300 days.
According to Thomas Chacko, managing director of Caspian Tech Parks, the decision to go with precast technology was driven by the need to offer IT space quickly. He pointed out that when IT firms consider investing in Kerala, the lack of available workspaces often causes them to look elsewhere — a missed opportunity for the state’s growth.
He added that the construction was also guided by a push for environmentally conscious methods.
Using precast concrete isn’t cheap. Compared to traditional methods, the cost is about 10–15% higher, said Kiran Tenni, CEO of Steelion Infra. But what it loses in cost, it possibly makes up for in time saved and quality control.