Andhra Pradesh sanctions land to private B-schools

Premier private management schools are keen to set up campuses in Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Pradesh government is understood to have allotted land to three private B-schools to set up campuses in Hyderabad. The B-schools include the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad.

IMT, which already has a centre in Nagpur other than Ghaziabad, is planning to open its third centre in India. It has been allotted 30 acres of land near the new international airport in Shamshadabad. The institute intends to invest over Rs 35 crore in setting up its campus, which will be operational in 2010. The campus will start with a strength of about 120 students in each batch. The faculty number will be around 20.

Anwar Ali, director, IMT, Nagpur, said: "The Andhra Pradesh government had extended an invitation to many private B-schools in the state, following which we had evinced interest. We have got the land last week and will soon start building the required infrastructure for the campus." He said a centre in Hyderabad will give the institute a base in South India.

IMT also plans to open a campus in Karnataka. Considering the high real-estate prices in Bangalore, Mysore is being considered.

The investment required for the IMT Hyderabad campus will be funded by the institute from internal accruals. If required, the institute is also thinking of raising funds through bank loans. In 2004, IMT opened its second centre in India, in Nagpur. The centre, located in 26 acres, has intake capacity of 300 students.