TCS to use Chennai centre for e-passport service

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the country's largest IT services provider, will use the new data centre which was set up by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) in Chennai as a disaster recovery for its e-passport service.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of 'Connect 2009', an ICT event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), STPI Senior Director Omkar Rai said TCS has taken over the centre for seven years and this would generate an annual income of Rs 3 crore for STPI.

TCS will be the first corporate customer for STPI to use the data centre, Rai added. Business Standard had reported in June that TCS is planning to bid for e-passport pilot projects in a couple of countries.

TCS Executive Vice-President and head (advanced technology centre) M Vidyasagar said the company had already developed an integrated solution in this regard, including hardware.

"We will either implement the software or provide machines that support it, depending on the order placed by an airport authority," he told Business Standard.

An email for all

Meanwhile, STPI is also planning to use the Chennai data centre to promote various applications under the India.in initiative, which aims to provide an email identity for all Indian citizens. The portal will also act as a platform for information dissemination and knowledge sharing.

Rai also said STPI would set up two more data centres in Hyderabad and Delhi of about 6,000 square feet, following which a similar centre would be set up at Chandigarh.

"We have invited bids for these. They are going to be the future. In the case of the Chennai centre, we have spent Rs 30 crore. Investment for the other centres is currently in the planning stage only," added Rai.