Pune-based Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) is likely to tie up with the promoters of the Hinjewadi Biotech Park in developing core facilities in the park like common effluent treatment park, water treatment park, diagnostic labs, bioinformatics labs, labs for clinical trials, and other infrastructure facilities.

"There is every likelihood of a tie up between Agharkar Institute and Hinjewadi regarding the development of core facilities," said Aditya P. Sethi, senior marketing manager, MIDC. The Chatterjee Group (TCG) and MIDC are jointly promoting Hinjewadi Biotech Park, where the former holds 88 per cent stake in the park and 12 per cent by the latter.

The relationship will not be limited to the development of core facility as ARI is also keen on buying plot to set up a research facility at the park. ARI is currently negotiating with the promoters of the park for a 20-acre plot. "We are awaiting ARI's layout plan for the park as we want to ensure that every acre of the park bought by it is utilized for pharma biotech activity," said the MIDC official. According to him, as per the policy, the park will be allotted strictly for companies venturing into biotech activities. In order to encourage small enterprises and startups, the promoters are ready to sell the land lower than one acre, provided the credentials of the player is strong.

If the deal is through, the park will be left with about 60 acres of developable land as out of 110 acres, 15 acres will be occupied by Shreya Life sciences, 16 by Emcure and 20 by ARI.

ARI is an autonomous research institution fully funded by the Department of science and Technology (DST) of the government of India, since 1966. It operates under the overall umbrella of the Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science (MACS). The institute is committed to promotion of science and technology with emphasis on high standards of research and development activities for the benefit of the country. The current research activities of ARI encompass biological sciences and focus on three broad areas namely, animal Sciences, microbial sciences, and plant sciences.