Bengal refuses IMT, Andhra offers land

Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad, is keen on setting up a campus in West Bengal, but land acquisition problems are delaying the project.

The institute plans to set up two full-time management institutes in the country, each spread over 50 acres, apart from the existing ones at Ghaziabad and Nagpur, within the next two years.

Apart from West Bengal, IMT is scouting for land in Andhra Pradesh.

In West Bengal, the state government refused to help and asked the institute to acquire the land privately.

In Andhra Pradesh, the state is helping IMT get land, according to Saroj Datta, head for the eastern region of IMT.

IMT had initially identified 50 acres for the campus on Durgapur Express Highway.

However, it was unable to get a consolidated piece of land due to the presence of diverse landowners.

"We are looking at other areas and are hopeful of acquiring the land privately. We would not like to have a campus spread over less than 50 acres of land. We approached the government departments in West Bengal but they suggest us to privately acquire the land" he said.

IMT is also planning to set up a campus abroad.

IMT at present has one foreign campus in Dubai, with a student capacity of 200.

"We would like to have one more foreign campus. We are exploring opportunities in the Middle East countries, Malaysia and Singapore," said Datta.

IMT on Thursday announced the formal launch of a distance-learning course on cyber-security. It is also planning to set up a 2000 sq.ft. study centre here.