City Spotlight: Investing in India’s Hyderabad

Source: November 11, 2016  India Briefing

By Melissa Cyrill

Hyderabad is the capital of the south Indian state of Telengana and the de jure capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Telengana is the newest of the 29 states in India and was awarded independent statehood from the larger state of Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014. Hyderabad will be joint capital for both states for a period of ten years till 2025.

Located along the banks of the Musi River and covering an area of 250 square miles, Hyderabad is home to a population of about 6.7 million and a metropolitan population of about 7.75 million, making it the fourth most populous city and sixth most populous urban agglomeration in India. At an average altitude of 1,778 feet, much of the city is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes.

Hyderabad was established in 1591 under the Qutub Shahi dynasty and subsequently expanded by the Nizam rulers who followed. The city has a rich historical legacy that is reflected in its arts and architecture, forts, museums, cuisine, and traditional bazaars (markets), making for a thriving tourist economy. Adding to the city's cultural appeal is the fact that it is the center of the Telegu film industry, which is India's second-largest producer of motion pictures. Hyderabad is also historically known to be a pearl and diamond trading center and continues to enjoy the moniker 'City of Pearls'.

RELATED: Pre-Investment, Market Entry Strategy Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Administration

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), formed in 2008, merged the following entities – Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA), Hyderabad Airport Development, Authority (HADA), Cyber Abad Development Authority (CDA), and Buddha Poornima Project Authority (BPPA). HMDA coordinates the development activities of the municipal corporations, municipalities, and other local authorities like the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board. It also manages the Hyderabad Management Development Fund, which allocates finances for the plans and programs of local bodies undertaking the development of amenities and infrastructure facilities.

Education

Hyderabad's educational infrastructure attracts students from all over India and internationally (especially students from Africa and the Middle East). The city hosts two central universities, three deemed universities, and six state universities – Osmania University; University of Hyderabad; Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad; International Institute of Information Technology; Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad; Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani), Hyderabad. Other institutions include the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, the Institute of Public Enterprise, and the National Academy of Legal Studies & Research (NALSAR). Hyderabad is also home to the Maulana Azad National Urdu University and the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University.

Economy

In 2012, Hyderabad became the fifth largest contributor to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) with a total output of US$ 74 billion. A huge push towards industrialization during the twentieth century led to major Indian manufacturing, research, and financial institutions getting established in Hyderabad, such as the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), the National Geophysical Research Institute, and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. The city's strategic location in south central India additionally resulted in the establishment of pharmaceutical and electronic industries in the 1970s, and subsequently, the development of the information technology and biotechnology sectors.

Key Sectors for Investment

IT Sector:

Hyderabad's IT sector is renowned for being the world's leading center for information technology. Hyderabad's IT sector includes IT-enabled services (ITeS), business process outsourcing (BPO), entertainment industries, and financial services. Collectively, the city's IT and ITeS exports crossed US$ 11.13 billion (Rs 750 billion) in 2015-2016, growing by 13.26 percent over the previous financial year. 22 percent of NASSCOM's (National Association of Software and Services Companies) total membership is based here.

Major multinational IT, ITeS, and financial services firms located in Hyderabad are Microsoft (the largest R&D campus outside the U.S.), Google, Amazon, IBM, Oracle Corporation, Yahoo!, Dell, Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, Facebook, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Apple, Deloitte, Franklin Templeton Investments, GE Capital, Accenture, HSBC, S&P Capital IQ, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Capgemini, and Genpact, among many others.

The Hyderabad Information Technology and Engineering Consultancy City (HITECH City), also known as the technology township Cyberabad, is spread across 200 acres of land – covering the suburbs of Madhapur, Gachibowli, Kondapur, Manikonda, and Nanakramguda. This township is one of the premier IT, Engineering, Health Informatics, and Bioinformatics hubs situated in the country. Newer investments in Hyderabad's digital and related economic infrastructure includes the upcoming IT investment region jointly being developed by the Government of India and Government of Telangana – along the model of the Shenzhen SEZ in China – called the Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR). ITIR aims to attract the IT, ITeS, and electronic hardware manufacturing sectors, and will be spread over 50,000 acres in and around Hyderabad. It will include SEZs, industrial parks, free trade zones, warehousing zones, and export-oriented units in three separate corridors.

Bio-pharmaceutical Industry:

Hyderabad is a key pharmaceutical and biotechnology hub and is called the country's pharmaceutical capital and "Genome Valley of India". The incorporation of the Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL) in 1961 provided the foundation of the city's pharmaceutical industry, and later in the 1990's the industry's expansion was facilitated by the formation of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and National Institute of Nutrition along with other regional institutions in the bio-pharma sector. In 2008-2009, the bio-pharma industry's exports reached US$ 3.1 billion. Top bio-pharma companies based in Hyderabad include Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd., Divis Laboratories Ltd., Granules India Ltd., Suven Life Sciences Ltd., BioGenex Life Sciences Pvt Ltd., and Lonza India Pvt Ltd., among others.

The Genome Valley, 'Fab City', and the 'Nano Technology Park' offer the infrastructure for Hyderabad's bio-technology sector, which has attracted regional companies and MNCs to set up their offices, warehouses, and establish R&D centers. The Genome Valley itself (spread across 231.66 square miles) has developed as a cluster for biomedical research, training, and manufacturing. The Genome Valley covers the suburbs of Shamirpet, Medchal, Uppal, Patancheru, Jeedimetla, Gachibowli, and Keesara. It also includes the IKP Knowledge Park (200 acres) and the Alexandria Knowledge Park (300 acres), which provide innovation corridors (for laboratories), multi-tenanted research buildings, incubation facilities, build-to-suit blocks, and industrial plots.

Real Estate Sector:

The commercial market structure of Hyderabad is defined into 4 sectors—The Central Business Districts (CBD), the sub-central business centers, the neighborhood business centers, and local business centers. According to a 2016 report by ICICI Property Services, Hyderabad is witnessing fast-paced growth in residential real estate and an increase in off-take of office supply space. There has also been 'a rise in the consumption of apartments in multi-storeyed buildings by buyers moving into Hyderabad from other cities', due in most part to a sizable migrant population working as IT/ITeS professionals. The report's survey notes that the maximum supply and absorption in Hyderabad's residential market falls in the price bracket of US$ 29.68 (Rs 2000) per sq. ft. to US$ 44.52 (Rs 3000) per sq. ft. primarily comprising of units developed by local developers, with the most preferred segment being three bedrooms-one hall-one kitchen (or 3 BHK) apartments. The suburbs of Gachibowli, Kukatpally, HITEC City, and Madhapur have witnessed the highest activity with the majority of their new real estate projects belonging to the price range of US$ 59,365 (Rs 4 million) to US$ 74,206 (Rs 6 million).

RELATED: India's Rankings in the World Bank's Doing Business Report 2017

Doing Business in Hyderabad

The World Bank ranks Hyderabad second after Ludhiana in its estimation of the top 17 cities in India for ease of doing business in 2016; this performance has been consistent since 2009. The latest ranking is complemented by the state-wise assessment spearheaded by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), which puts Telengana and Andhra Pradesh states jointly at the top. Hyderabad's ease of doing business ranking is based on parameters such as starting a business, dealing with construction permits, registering property, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency. These parameters also figure in the World Bank's annual Doing Business Report, although India's ranking quantifies only New Delhi and Mumbai's ease of doing business scores.

Observations

Hyderabad is both a historically and culturally vibrant city as well as the beneficiary of an early industrialized landscape and sophisticated educational infrastructure. It enjoys easy connectivity by road, rail, and air, which will further be boosted by the upcoming metro rail network. High performing sectors in the city include tourism, IT, bio-pharmaceuticals, electronics manufacturing, education, and real estate. The city's impressive investment prospects are greatly cemented by its pro-business regulatory environment, infrastructure, and economic diversity, which continue to attract the confidence of multinational and regional enterprises.

New Police Stations, Outposts To Be Set Up Along Hyderabad Metro Rail Route

Source: www.sakshipost.com, PTI  Dt: 26.10.2016

Hyderabad: Seventeen police stations and 48 outposts have been proposed along the Hyderabad Metro Rail Corridor here with state-of-the-art equipment and gadgets to ensure safety and security of people.

Decision in this regard was taken on Tuesday at a meeting, wherein Telangana DGP Anurag Sharma reviewed the security arrangements for the Metro Rail Project. The meeting was attended by senior police and Metro Rail officers.

"All the requirements were discussed threadbare and it was decided to deploy trained manpower for the security of the project. It was proposed to have five 'A' Category Police Stations, 12 'B' Category Police Stations and 48 Outposts along the Metro corridor," an official release said.

The 72-km elevated project, being developed by L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH), will have three corridors and 66 stations. It is the world's largest public-private partnership project (PPP) in the sector

Additional Director General of Police, (Railways and Road Safety) Krishna Prasad, gave a presentation on the security implications of the Metro Rail Project.

Officers who attended the meeting included HMRL Managing Director NVS Reddy, Hyderabad City Commissioner of Police M Mahender Reddy among others.

The 72-km elevated project, being developed by L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH), will have three corridors and 66 stations. It is the world's largest public-private partnership project (PPP) in the sector.

The project was initially scheduled to be completed by July 2017, but delays like changes in alignment, land acquisition and other issues have resulted in the project overshooting the deadline and all the three Metro Rail corridors, including the one passing through the old city would be completed by December 2018, authorities had earlier said.

Recognition for Hyderabad Cycling Project at UN meet

Source: The Hindu   Dt: 10.11.2016

The United Nations Habitat III conference has recognised Hyderabad Cycling Project amongst the 20 best social projects in the world, a cycling club official said on Tuesday. Hyderabad Bicycling Club and All India Bicycling Federation Chairman D.V Manohar and Hyderabad Metro Rail Director NVS Reddy told reporters here that the Hyderabad Cycling Project got this recognition at the conference at Quito, Ecuador. The conference finalised world's urban agenda for the next 20 years — 2016 to 2036.

Manohar, also a board member of World Cycling Alliance, Brussels said it was a matter of great pride for Hyderabad and Telangana. He said HBC stations as first and last mile connectivity for Metro rail will help Hyderabad in reducing pollution. All 63 Metro stations will have two bicycle stations each and there will be 300 bicycle stations in the city. Hyderabad Cycling Project is expected to clock 20 mn cycling trips per annum. "We want to accelerate the project in Hyderabad and replicate it in other cities, to avoid the grave situation being faced by cities like Delhi," Manohar said.IANS

Two stretches of Hyderabad Metro may open next year

Source: ET Realty   Dt:9.11.2016

HYDERABAD: Two stretches of Hyderabad Metro Rail are expected to be thrown open to people in March or June next year.

Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy told reporters on Tuesday that eight km long stretch between Nagole and Mettuguda and 12 km between Miyapur and SR Nagar may commence commercial operations either on 'Ugadi' or June 2, Telangana state formation day.

He said the two stretches in two different corridors were ready for operations.

Asked about the delay in launching the commercial operations, he said opening two small stretches in two different corridors was not considered advisable.

Reddy said some people were deliberately spreading rumours about the project.

The official said 70 percent of the 72 km elevated project had completed. He said they were trying to sort out certain issues related to land with the railways.

Construction major Larsen & Toubro, which is developing the metro project, had last month stated that it remained committed to the project and was making all efforts to complete it expeditiously.

The developer clarified that it is sticking to its deadline of making the project fully operational by December 2018.

As per the concession agreement signed with the then government of united Andhra Pradesh in 2010, the project should have been completed by July 2017.

The concession agreement for Rs 14,132 crore project, said to be the largest metro project in the world in public-private partnership, was signed in September 2010 but the work commenced in July 2012.

LTMRHL in 2011 had achieved financial closure for Rs 16,375 crore - Rs 14,132 crore for the metro rail system and Rs 2,243 crore for the first phase of real estate development.

Admitting in May this year that there has been cost escalation, the company did not share the figures, saying they are "dynamic".

___________________________

HMDA Approved Plots

www.hmdaplots.blogspot.in

___________________________ 

Hyderabad has huge potential for modern retail: Knight Frank

Source: The Hans India  9.9.2016

~ 4th largest market in the country after MMR, NCR & Bengaluru ~

Hyderabad: Knight Frank India  launched the first edition of its report on Hyderabad retail sector titled – Hyderabad Retail: Unlocking the Potential. The report looks into the emerging trends in multi-channel retailing, shopping centers and new formats. As part of the city-level analysis, the report estimates the size of the retail market and the growth opportunity for modern retail in apparel, F&B, Entertainment and Daily Needs (supermarket/hypermarkets).

Key Highlights:
•    The city's annual consumption expenditure stands at INR 1,251 bn, making it the fourth largest market in the country after the MMR, NCR and Bengaluru.

•    Hyderabadis far ahead of Pune and Chennai in terms of retail expenditure, which includes spending on apparel and footwear, F&B, home and lifestyle, electronics, watches and jewellery, entertainment and daily needs. In 2015, the annual consumer spending on these retail categories stood at INR 384 bn.

•    Despite having a sizeable customer base with high consumption and retail expenditure, modern retail penetration in Hyderabad stands at a meager 9%- the lowest among top seven cities in the country. This reflects a big opportunity for the growth of modern retail in the city. Hyderabad lags behind in modern retail expenditure, which stands at INR 36 bn.

•    Modern retail in Hyderabad expected to grow at a CAGR of 23% between 2015 and 2019 from Rs.36 bn to Rs. 86 bn.

•    It is estimated that by the year 2040, modern retail penetration in Hyderabad will increase to 50% from the current 9%, with both brick-and-mortar and e-tail formats contributing significantly to the growth.

•    Locations like Abids, Punjagutta, and Begumpet in Central zone offer the highest opportunity for modern retail across all product categories. Uppal in the East is a location that is likely to experience modern retail growth.

Dr. Samantak Das, Chief Economist &National Director of Research, Knight Frank India said, "Hyderabad at 9% has the least penetration of modern retail compared to the top seven cities in India. This in itself is a big opportunity for retailers and real estate developers and we estimate that modern retail in the city is expected to grow at a CAGR of 23% between 2015 and 2019 from Rs.36 bn to Rs. 86 bn. The manifestation of modern retail can be accelerated by new mall development, transformation of existing traditional high street shops into modern outlets and increasing e-tailing activities."

Aditya Sachdeva, Director, Retail, Knight Frank India said, "The modern retail growth in Hyderabad will be propelled by both brick-and-mortar and e-tail formats and we have estimated the modern retail penetration to 50% from the current 9% by 2040."

As per Vasudevan Iyer, Director, Knight Frank, Hyderabad, "Hyderabad has been witnessing a sizeable customer base and that drives the success of retail developments in Hyderabad. It has emerged as a sought-after retail market in the last couple of years, with a number of national and international giants like IKEA desiring to set up stores in the city.While there is great potential for the overall growth in the brick and mortar retailing methods, proper implementation of state level policies is a must to make retail business conducive."

ZF to open India's first tech development center in Hyderabad

Source: Economic Times 9.9.2016

The facility will be operational by January 2017 and will house 2,500 engineers by 2020. It will develop electronics embedded software and mechanical engineering.

HYDERABAD: ZF Group, an automotive software technology provider, will open India's first technology center in Hyderabad, a senior official said on Thursday.

Talking to journalists in Hyderabad on Thursday, Mamatha Chamarthi, ZF senior vice-president and head for India Technology Center, said, "We will be setting up this center at a one-lakh square feet facility in Gachibowli and will be spending close to 20-30 million Euros (approximately US$23-34 million)."

The facility will be operational by January 2017 and will house 2,500 engineers by 2020. It will develop electronics embedded software and mechanical engineering. TCS and Tech Mahindra are the knowledge partners for this center.

Telangana IT and Industries minister K. Taraka Rama Rao said, "Till now Hyderabad was the destination of only pure-tech companies. But with the entry of ZF, an automobile services company, we are bound to see traction in this segment."

The company already has manufacturing facilities in Pune and Coimbatore to serve the local requirements of of automotive and non-automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

"India offers a huge technologically competent talent pool which aligns with the growing demand from our customers for advanced software, electronics and mechanical engineering. Access to this diverse talent base coupled with a progressive local government and robust infrastructure has made Hyderabad favorable for setting up the first technology center for ZF in India," said Mamatha Chamarthi of ZF.

CGS Expands Its Operations in Hyderabad, India

NEW YORK, NY and HYDERABAD, INDIA--(Marketwired - Aug 12, 2016) -  CGS, a global provider of business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing services, today announced the expansion of its activities in India with a new office opening in Hyderabad. This expansion will support CGS's growing list of global clients.

Known as one of the premier technology destinations in India, Hyderabad offers CGS a direct link to the country's IT ecosystem. The new world-class office, which nearly doubles the company's capacity in the region, supports CGS's worldwide growth by adding new product lines for software development and support.

"We are delighted that CGS India has shown remarkable growth over the last many years, and is moving into its new facility. Hyderabad's prowess in information technology is now renowned the world over, and we see more and more marquee names choosing this city over others to set up their units here," said Jayesh Ranjan, Secretary to the Government of Telangana for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications. "CGS too is a marquee company serving the fashion/apparel vertical, and its significant presence in Hyderabad is a matter of pride for us. The Government of Telangana reiterates its commitment to fully support the growth of CGS India and have a long-lasting partnership with it."

"We have been operating in Hyderabad for more than a decade and, with our continued employee growth, this new facility offers us more than added space -- it brings us in close proximity to the heart of the high-tech city area," said Jithendra "Jithu" Rao Battu, country manager, CGS India. "We are expecting to leverage the domestic talent pool and grow our team multi-fold in the next 12 to 18 months to support our global growth."

The CGS Hyderabad team offers Application Development & Maintenance (ADM) and Software Quality Assurance (SQA) services for the BlueCherry suite of software solutions. The CGS India office also provides around-the-clock Remote Infrastructure Management Services to clients that host CGS solutions via the CGS private cloud or delivered through our Remote Monitoring and Management offering.

"With over 30 years of experience in delivering best-in-class applications, CGS prides itself on building strong client relationships by providing world-class services," said Phil Friedman, president and CEO, CGS. "We hire the best and the brightest software engineers who perform challenging and interesting software development using state-of-the-art tools and methodologies."

About CGS
For over 30 years, CGS has enabled global enterprises, regional companies and government agencies to drive breakthrough performance through business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing services. CGS is wholly focused on creating comprehensive solutions that meet clients' complex, multi-dimensional needs and support clients' most fundamental business activities. Headquartered in New York City, CGS has offices across North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. For more information, please visit www.cgsinc.com