The State government approved allotment of 91.38 acres at Kanamam village in Anandapuram mandal of Visakhapatnam district for a logistics and light industrial park to support warehousing and storage for Google’s proposed India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam. The land has been allotted to Ecobox Industrial Asset IV Private Limited at Rs 5.5 mn per acre. The project envisages an investment of Rs 10.08 billion (bn) and is expected to generate around 5,000 jobs.

The government said Google identified Ecobox, through Logicap Holdings, as its preferred development partner for the logistics infrastructure. Subject to final agreements Google will utilise the industrial park in phases to meet warehousing, logistics and service requirements of a proposed data centre campus. The order grants Google first right of refusal to purchase all or part of the site after facilities become operational, and Ecobox may lease or sell remaining space if subsequent phases are not required.

The government approved the use of about five to seven acres within the project for networking and connectivity infrastructure to support the broader data centre ecosystem. The proposed park will have a total built-up area of 1.945 million (mn) sq ft across 44.65 acres. It will comprise three warehouse blocks providing 1.468 mn sq ft together, a 0.242 mn sq ft light manufacturing block, a 0.190 mn sq ft data centre and allied activities facility, and a 45,000 sq ft administrative building.

The proposal received clearance from the State Investment Promotion Board following recommendations of the State Investment Promotion Committee. The government directed the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority to develop a 24-metre-wide master plan road to the site, while Ecobox will bear the proportionate cost if it opts to construct the proposed three-km peripheral road through APIIC. The logistics park forms part of the ecosystem for Google’s proposed $15 bn India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam.