Decks cleared for Adani Group's revised investment plan for Vizag

Visakhapatnam: After renegotiations, the Andhra Pradesh government has approved the revised proposal of Adani Enterprises Limited for investing Rs.14,634 crore in setting up an integrated data centre park, integrated IT/business park and a recreation centre in Visakhapatnam, brightening the scope for promotion of Brand Vizag.

"The data centre and investment in other associated projects will certainly enhance Brand Vizag.The focus of the State government is to encourage all those projects which generate employment opportunities to the locals," Srinath Reddy, IT Advisor to AP Government, told Bizz Buzz on Monday.

IT Association of AP (ITAAP) President Kosaraju Sridhar said Adani and other big ticket projects coming to Vizag would certainly make the city a big IT hub. There was a dearth of data centres in India, forcing many companies to use data parks in the US and Singapore, he said adding that there was bright scope for data centres for storage locally due to security reasons.

The government has allotted 130 acre at Madhurawada for the project viz. 82 acres for the integrated data centre park, including a 200-MW solar power plant, 28 acre for IT/business park, 11 acre for skill university and nine acre for a recreation centre.

After cancellation of the site allotted to UAE-based LuLu Group for the construction of an international convention centre, commercial complex and a five-star hotel in an area of 13.83 acre overlooking the sea with an investment of Rs 2,200 crore, doubts were cast over the fate of Adani's investment proposal. Incidentally, the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had laid the foundation stone just before the general elections for the construction of the data centre and technology park, a 5,000-MW of solar power plant at three locations with an investment of Rs 70,000 crore over a period of 20 years.

After change of guard, the YSRCP government held talks with the project proponent and convinced Adani Group to revise its investment plan. The State Investment Promotion Board headed by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cleared the revised plan in November, 2020, where in a special package of incentives was placed for discussion.

The government vide GO Ms. No. 3 issued by the Department of IT, Electronics and Communication on February 3, stated that to ease the process of administering incentives, the government has issued orders to create consolidated guidelines for transparent and efficient implementation.

The GO stated the project proponent has an overall commitment to invest Rs 14,634 crore with direct employment to about 25,000. The Revenue Department has been asked to hand over land, which is currently in possession of the Tourism Department, to APIIC, as per the rules in force. Departments concerned have been directed to give all clearances as soon as possible.