Andhra Pradesh is gearing up to build an ambitious “Data City” near Visakhapatnam, aiming to establish a hub for data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. This project ties into the Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) promise of creating 20 lakh jobs within five years, reported The Economic Times.
Planned for Madhurawada, near Visakhapatnam, the Data City will span 500 acres and serve as a nucleus for IT companies offering diverse solutions. Modeled after Hyderabad’s renowned Hitec City, the project underscores Andhra Pradesh’s vision to become a leader in technology and innovation. Land acquisition is already underway, with major tech giants expressing interest.
Notably, Google has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government and will receive 80 acres for a data center. Similarly, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is set to expand its operations with a 30-acre allocation.
The brainchild of Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh, son of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Data City concept has gained momentum following key discussions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Lokesh engaged with leading firms, including Temasek Holdings and Cognizant, to bring data centers and AI hubs to the state.
Lokesh shared his vision, as quoted by The Economic Times “At Davos, we have seen tremendous interest from IT companies, data centres, Al and deep tech firms to enter Andhra Pradesh. We are now consolidating all these opportunities to locate them near Vizag. This will emerge as the hub for tech firms in India.”
Like Hitec City, which attracted global tech giants with Microsoft as the initial anchor, the success of Data City hinges on securing a flagship player. With Google’s involvement, industry insiders believe other major companies will soon follow suit.
In addition to creating a technology hub, the government plans to enhance the surrounding area with tourist attractions to further boost economic activity. Post-bifurcation, Andhra Pradesh has emphasised decentralising development, with the Data City project serving as a critical step toward economic revitalisation.
