The flurry of activities between Tirupati and Srikalahasti after the State bifurcation has fuelled the demand for land, with many development plans are lined up for the area. A vast stretch of government land in an extent of 1,000 acres is available only in Renigunta, Yerpedu and Srikalahasti mandals, all falling under Srikalahasti constituency. According to the information furnished by district officials, this is the single largest tract available in the entire Chittoor district for setting up major institutions. Apart from this, with its proximity to the international airport, the institutions are naturally inclined to having their base in this region.
Since Union Minister for Human Resources Development Smriti Irani has laid the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Yerpedu mandal, the land prices in this area has seen a steady rise. Similarly, the progress of NTPC-BHEL Power Projects Limited (NBPPL) at Mannavaram and the Somasila-Swarnamukhi canal works have revived the hopes of industrial and agricultural growth here. The latest proposal to make Srikalahasti a railway junction as part of the new Srikalahasti-Nadikudi railway line project is likely to further push up land prices, realtors feel.
With the district administration getting down to identifying chunks scattered across the district to prepare a comprehensive land bank, even remote villages now resemble a beehive of activity. On the flip side, professional land sharks have entered the scene to grab vast tracts of land to create an artificial demand.
The Incubation Centre at the Renigunta IT SEZ is almost ready, but the IT Investment Region (ITIR) Project, mooted during the Kiran Kumar Reddy regime in Yerpedu mandal, is still on the papers. While Vizag ITIR reportedly got the go-ahead, the Tirupati project has not moved an inch for reasons known to the authorities. When realised, this project will further increase land value in this region.
(Reporting by
A.D. Rangarajan)
