Plot twist

Calcutta, May 18: E-commerce company mjunction has filed a fresh application with the state government to acquire land for building its headquarters in Calcutta.

The company, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Steel and Steel Authority of India Ltd, has sought 5 acres near the Vedic Village resort in Rajarhat .

It has been trying, without success so far, to get land in the state for the past two years. Managing director Viresh Oberoi recently said the company would relocate if the Bengal government did not provide land within six months.

mjunction , however, saw a silver lining a few weeks ago after Infosys and Wipro inked back-to-back pacts with the state government to set up campuses near Vedic Village. “We have made a fresh application for 5 acres. Our only wish is to set up the campus near other companies,” Oberoi said.

Observers said mjunction might not be entirely right in choosing the area around Vedic Village if it wanted a quick allotment.

The Bengal IT department has entered into a joint venture with Vedic Realty to develop 600 acres near the resort. But the land is yet to be acquired.

There are many companies seeking two to five acres to set up base. The IT department wants to give them ready plots with infrastructure facilities.

Bengal IT minister Debesh Das also said mjunction might not get land in the IT park. “We are fully aware of mjunction’s problem and trying our best to resolve it as quickly as possible,” he added.

However, he said the company did not have to make a fresh application.

“We will give them land wherever it is developed first, be it Vedic Village or Jagadishpur,” he said.

mjunction is mulling expansion as its business is projected to increase five-fold over the next five years.

Oberoi said the lack of space was hurting the company’s growth.

“We are working from four offices. There is a need to consolidate. Our requirement is not big. The company shifted its registered office from Delhi in 2006 with the expectation that it will get land,” he said.

The IT department, however, contested mjunction’s claim. According to department officials, the company was shown a 0.4-acre plot in Rajarjat. The plot formed part of a 30-acre land.

The officials said mjunction got back to them after a considerable time, saying the plot would not suffice.