The land acquisition process for the Google Data Centre at Tarluvada encountered several legal and local challenges, with some farmers initially approaching the High Court. To resolve these issues, the state government, supported by local MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, significantly increased the compensation package. The payout was raised from ₹17 lakh to ₹40 lakh per acre, alongside additional benefits such as 20 cents of developed land, housing plots, and employment guarantees for the affected families. This proactive approach successfully persuaded the farming community to support the project.
The final breakthrough came when the last remaining farmer, Ganesh, agreed to provide his 1.94 acres of assigned land after meeting with officials. With all 520 farmers now on board, the revenue department has finalized the acquisition paperwork. Parallel to this, the government has increased the land allocation for Google’s subsidiary, Ryden Infotech, from 480 acres to 601.40 acres. This expansion is intended to accommodate a massive 1,000 MW AI Data Centre, which is expected to position Visakhapatnam as a premier destination for artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure.
The establishment of this data centre is viewed as a cornerstone of the state’s “AI City” vision. Beyond the immediate infrastructure, the project promises significant socio-economic benefits, including a shopping complex for local livelihood and specialized residential sites under the Banjar Land Development Scheme. With the land acquisition complete, the government is now coordinating with Google representatives to schedule the official groundbreaking ceremony, likely to take place in March 2026.
