IT major Infosys which has recently been given 50 acres of land at Rajarhat New Town, said it did not foresee that political turbulence that has erupted in the satellite township on Kolkata’s periphery would pose any threat to its proposed project.
Infosys Technologies has proposed to set up a software development centre-cum-delivery centre at Rajarhat. The company’s CEO and managing director, S. Gopalakrishnan on Monday met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the Writers’ Buildings. At a time when the Trinamul Congress has intensified its movement against the alleged forcible land acquisition in Rajarhat, Infosys’ confidence assumes significance. Meanwhile, Azim Premji, the head of another software major Wipro which is setting up its second facility at Rajarhat will meet the chief minister on Wednesday.
Mr Gopalakrishnan said, “We need support from everybody, including the political parties and we don’t think we will face any problem in setting up our facility.” He was reacting to a specific question whether the company had apprehensions about the Trinamul Congress’ movement at Rajarhat.
Mr Gopalakrishnan, unlike Tatas in the case of Singur, made it clear that Infosys would not be a party in the ongoing political battle between the CPI(M) and the Trinamul Congress over the land issue.
“We don’t understand politics. We are not involved in politics. We are involved in development and creation of jobs. It will be our first campus in the city and we have plans to set up second and third campuses here,” he said.
Terming the discussions with the chief minister as satisfactory, the Infosys managing director hoped that the construction would start in six months’ time. “We will start construction as soon as the infrastructure is ready. This proposed facility will create 15,000 to 20,000 jobs,” he added. The company will invest around `1,000 crore.
Infosys had signed an agreement on November 23 with the HIDCO to take a 50-acres plot in Action Area-II at New Town at `1.5 crore per acre. The company has paid `19 crore as the first instalment and the remaining amount will be paid once the allied infrastructure is ready.
Mr Gopalakrishnan who visited the land on Monday, was reportedly happy about its location.