Pune to play a key role for Infosys

Pune is set to emerge as the largest centre for Infosys Technologies, overtaking Bangalore by the end of the current financial year. By March 2008, the Pune centre will have a total capacity of 23,581 as against Bangalore's 23,015.

Infosys is expanding rapidly in other cities, with land availability in Bangalore becoming difficult. At present, Bangalore, the largest centre for the company, has 20,715 seats. The Pune centre has 10,981 seats. While Bangalore will reach its full capacity of 23,015, the Pune capacity will be more than doubled from the existing 10,981 seats.

"In Bangalore, we are in the process of acquiring 300 acres near Sarjapur (off Electronics City, where the Infosys campus is located). We are negotiating with the land owners directly. It will take some time before we commence work on that campus," said T V Mohandas Pai, member of the board and VP-HR, Infosys.

He pointed out that other than West Bengal, where the company has been trying to acquire land, work on developing other centres was on.

However, the rapid rise in cement prices and the shortage of construction labourers had slowed down the pace. "The expansion of Mysore campus has been hit. Consequently, the offer letters to 2,500 new recruits, who have to undergo training at the Mysore campus, will be delayed by a month," he added.

At present, the Mysore development centre has 5,434 seats and another 350 will be added by year end. The Chennai development centre has 8,966 seats and another 5,000 will be added by year end. Chandigarh development centre will see the addition of another 2,100 seats, Mangalore 3,485 seats, Bhubaneswar 567 seats and Thiruvananthapuram 225 seats.

By the end of this financial year, the total number of seats across 9 centres in India and the data protection centre in Mauritius will touch 92,490 from the existing 65,863. The company has issued offer letters to 18,000 persons in campus recruitment for the next financial year. Last year, the company had offered letters to 13,000 students. During the current financial year, the company is looking at a net addition of 30,000 employees.