Bangalore: Infosys Technologies, a consulting and information technology services company, would set up its first disaster recovery centre in the island of Mauritius, according to an official press release.

The centre, complete with infrastructure, network connections and telecommunication facilities as well as back up client data, will be on stand by to take over client projects from across the globe, in case of any emergency.

Serving as an alternate location in case of a disaster in other Infosys development centres, the disaster recovery centre will accommodate 1,500 people.

The proposed centre will be operational from January 2003 on a rented site and move to the company's premises in about three years. The Infosys campus will also house a global development centre to service its international clients.

Announcing the company's plans, S Gopalakrishnan chief operating officer and deputy managing director said, "Business continuity planning is an integral part of the project management processes at Infosys. The proposed disaster recovery centre at Mauritius will further our efforts in this direction".

Welcoming Infosys to Mauritius, the Minister for IT and Telecommunication Deelchand Jeeha said, "We are delighted that the technology giant, Infosys Technologies, is setting up its first disaster recovery centre in Mauritius. With the arrival of Infosys, we hope to develop the technological prowess of our country."