480 to 601 Acres: Why the Sudden Hike?
In the matter of the Vizag Google Data Center, the government’s decisions themselves are giving rise to several doubts and controversies. From the beginning, this issue has been proceeding in the same manner. It is said that Google is setting up the data center in Vizag… but all the lands are being allotted in the name of Adani Group companies. When questioned about this, it was announced that along with Adani, a few other companies are also partners in this project. Even before four full months had passed since the government allotted land for the Vizag data center, changes have taken place. The state government initially allotted a total of 480 acres at three different locations for these data centers. Orders were also issued accordingly. This total has now been increased to 601 acres. That means there is a difference of 121 acres between the initial allotment and the current allotment.
It has now become crucial as to why companies like Google and Adani, without proper estimates, submitted DPRs and agreed to 480 acres initially, and why the total has now increased to 601 acres. At a time when the government’s land allotments to industrial organizations in Vizag are becoming controversial, increasing the land allocation for the Vizag data center project may create further uproar. In a cabinet meeting held a few days ago, a decision was taken to allot additional land for the Vizag data center. Accordingly, the Andhra government issued orders on Wednesday. These lands are now being transferred to the SPVs — Vizag Hyper Scale Data Center Park (Adavivaram–Mudasarlova), Vizag Mega Data Center Park Limited (Tharaluvaada), and Vizag Rambilli Data Center Park Limited (Rambilli).
As per the new G.O., the government is allotting 266 acres in Tharaluvaada, 160 acres in Adavivaram–Mudasarlova, and 174.8 acres in Rambilli. The locations have not changed, but the land allocated for these data centers has increased by 121 acres. This increase is mainly in the Tharaluvaada and Mudasarlova areas. As far as the Vizag data center is concerned, all concessions have been granted in the name of Raiden Company, which belongs to Google, while the lands have been allotted to an Adani company.
