Infosys gets 50 acres for Kolkata campus

In 2004, Infosys Technologies, the second largest information technology (IT) services provider in India, first expressed an interest in setting up a development centre in Kolkata. Six years later, with a history of prohibitive land prices and a Vedic Village land acquisition controversy behind it, Infosys has been allotted 50 acres in Rajarhat, at the outskirts of Kolkata.

The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) in an announcement said that Infosys sent a letter to the West Bengal government asking for land and within hours the company was allotted land.

“Infosys has agreed to pay Rs 75 crore for the land. Of this, 25 per cent will be paid in the next month, and the rest over the next six months”, said West Bengal state IT minister, Debesh Das.

The West Bengal government also been asked to ensure development of infrastructure surrounding the site of the campus over the six month period by Infosys, Das said. The centre, once operational, is expected to provide employment to 15, 000 IT professionals.

Infosys remained non-committal on future plans regarding the beginning of construction. “The state government has assured us of their support in this project. We have nothing additional to share on plans”, said a company spokesperson.

Sources within the IT department, however said that construction on the project will begin by end of the current fiscal. At present prices, Infosys has bought the land at Rs 1.5 crore an acre.

Wipro, Kolkata 2nd campus construction in March
Wipro Technologies, the third largest It service provider in India, which was also allotted 50 acres at Rajarhat, earlier this year is slated to begin construction by March 2011.

“Our plans have originally been to begin construction for the second campus by end of the current fiscal. This will be executed, subject market revival continues”, said Sambuddha Deb, Chief Global Delivery Officer, Wipro Technologies.