Land prices affecting Infosys plans: Mohandas Pai

Land prices affecting Infosys plans: Mohandas Pai
The Hindu

`The company is committed to city, but the real-estate market is overheated'

# Statements High land prices impeding the firm's plan to develop a new campus on Sarjapur Road
# The company may have to consider other cities for projects
# It is building campuses in Chennai and Hyderabad

Bangalore: Infosys Technologies Limited has said it is committed to take forward its future plans in Bangalore, but an "overheated" real-estate market is impeding a plan to develop a new campus on Sarjapur Road on the outskirts of the city.

"We want to be in Bangalore. We are committed to grow in Bangalore despite the infrastructure problems," T.V. Mohandas Pai, member of the board and head, human resource development, Infosys, told presspersons during the announcement of the first quarter financial results of the company.

He indicated that the company might have to consider other cities to implement its projects. Mr. Pai said the Government's high-level committee had cleared Infosys' proposal to build a new campus on Sarjapur Road, and the company was negotiating with landowners. "But the market is over-heated. We will have to see," he said.

Mr. Pai said Infosys was building big campuses in Chennai and Hyderabad and was waiting for a response from the West Bengal Government to a proposal to set up a campus in Kolkata.

`Blasts won't affect sector'

Nandan M. Nilekani, chief executive officer, president and managing director, Infosys, said Tuesday's blasts in Mumbai would not have an impact on the information technology industry.