Congnizant plans Rs 115cr expansion in Chennai

The Nasdaq-listed Cognizant Technology Solutions today announced an investment of Rs 115 crore in Chennai for setting up a training academy and two software development blocks to accomodate 3,500 employees.

Cognizant was also evaluating a plan to establish a development centre in Coimbatore that could employ 400 people during the first year of operations, president and CEO Lakshmi Narayanan said today.

"Cognizant is committed to investing $25.4 million (about Rs 115 crore) for the expansion," he said.

The company, which employs its maximum workforce in Chennai at 7,300 people, was committed to construct a fully-owned techno-complex in Siruseri on theoutskirts of Chennai. "This will be ready for occupancy in a phased manner starting December 2005," Narayanan said.

The first phase of the new facility will have a development centre spread over 2,00,000 sq ft of built-up space and will accomodate about 2,000 professionals.

Cognizant has signed up six acres of land adjacent to its existing techno-complex in Thoraipakkom. "This block will have a built up space of 1,50,000 sq ft, and will accomodate approximately 1,500 people when completed in December 2005," he said.

Narayanan said Cognizant was also constructing a dedicated training facility, Cognizant Academy, at its Siruseri facility. The facility, which will have 75 classrooms, with a space of 1,00,000 sq ft will be used to train about 1,800 professionals simultaenously, Narayanan said.