Bangalore: Infosys Technologies, the leading IT consulting and software services provider, on August 11 announced its plans to ramp up operations in Pune. The company, which already holds 25 acres of land at Pune Infotech Park, Hinjewadi, on August 11 acquired 100 acres of land in Phase II of the Infotech Park. Infosys plans to invest approximately Rs 250 crores in the facility over the next few years.

This expansion will enable the Infosys centre to house an additional 5,000 software professionals. The Pune centre currently employs 2,200 people and it generated revenues of Rs 380 crores for the year ending March 31, 2003. The Development Centre in Pune anchors Infosys' relationships with multimillion- Dollar clients from Canada, East coast of US, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.

Infosys was started in Pune in 1981 and later shifted to Bangalore. It re-established its connections with Pune in 1995 and subsequently set up a state-of-the-art facility in the Pune Infotech Park. Infosys has so far invested Rs 126 crores in its facilities in Pune.

Announcing the decision, Kris Gopalakrishnan, chief operating officer, Infosys Technologies Ltd said, "Infosys has followed a strategy of setting up world-class software development centers in places where there is rich local talent as well as the required infrastructure. Pune has provided us with both of these and we are happy to expand our operations in this city. The government of Maharashtra has been extremely co-operative and progressive in its IT initiatives and this has been an important factor in the growth of Infosys operations here."