MP moots land bank to cater to needs of various projects

Takes up the issue with the district administration. Finalisation of land banking assumes importance after bifurcation and in the backdrop of the announcement of IT Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy to make Visakhapatnam the IT Capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Underlining the need for land banking by identifying parcels of vacant land in and around the city, MP and State BJP president K. Haribabu has asked the district administration to earmark suitable land for construction of two IT towers, each with 50 lakh square ft.

In a letter to district Collector N. Yuvaraj, he said each tower would be needing 25 acres. He also referred to other projects awaiting land allotment, and sought information on survey numbers, proposed price for allotment, and prevailing market price in the area.

Finalisation of land banking assumes importance after bifurcation and in the backdrop of the announcement of IT Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy to make Visakhapatnam the IT Capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Welcoming the MP’s initiative, Vizag Development Council vice-president O. Naresh Kumar said land for various projects should be identified at the earliest. He said 200 acres was required for the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster, for which funds to the tune of Rs.100 crore were available.

The MP sought 160 acres for developing IT software cluster for new IT companies. Sixty acres should be earmarked for common amenities so that 100 acres would be left for plotting.

Mr. Haribabu, who held an interactive meet with IT entrepreneurs at Rushikonda to elicit their opinion for growth of IT sector, said model housing colonies should be developed with 10,000 flats, each with 1,200 sft, in an area of 150 acres.

He also suggested 10,000 row houses in an area of 500 acres, each in 150 square yards.

Referring to long-pending international convention centre mooted by the Tourism Department, he said the project was in need of 25 acres.

He wanted identification of 100 acres for new health city, schools with central sports complex in 100 acres, 200 to 500 acres for industrial park for allotment to the SME sector, and separate land for fruit and vegetable markets.

ITIR

Mr. Haribabu also referred to the land requirement of the IT Investment Region, multi-layer parking complexes, and premier educational institutions such as Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and Indian Institute of Packaging.