Pune: Software major Wipro, which recently crossed the US $1 billion turnover, has acquired 50 acres of land worth Rs 11 crore from The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) at the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park at Hinjewad, located 10km from Pune to build a sophisticated campus as an expansion to their existing facility.

Wipro plans to build an advanced campus which will fit into its overall plans to be a global player in IT consulting services and the business process outsourcing (BPO) market. Wipro already has a 25-acre campus in the first phase of the Hinjewadi IT Park developed by MIDC. The new campus, located in the second phase of the park, will enable Wipro to expand their operations in Pune, making the city a crucial location for Wipro.

Out of around 400 acres of land earmarked for the infotech-biotech sector under the second phase of the expansion programme, 111 acres was purchased by Infosys. With the acquisition of 50 acres by Wipro, the allotment of land for the IT sector under this programme has been completed.

Wipro''s decision to invest further in Pune, on the heels of major expansion plans and property acquisition in the city by companies like Infosys, IBM, Amdocs, Persistent Systems and others, will help Pune refurbish its image as a prime location for the IT and knowledge-based industry.

According to Vidyadhar Kanade, CEO, MIDC, "Pune is slated to become a major knowledge hub in the country. We are confident that more and more IT and BPO companies will choose to locate their units in the city." MIDC has played a pioneering role by building three major IT parks in Pune.