AP To Allocate 2k Acres For Sri City’s Mega Expansion

Inaugurated way back in 2008 and spread over 8,000 acres now, Sri City emerged as an attractive investment destination over the years. Currently, it is home to as many as 220 companies, which employ over 62,000 people

Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government led by Nara Chandrababu Naidu is said to be gearing up to allocate an additional 2,000 acres for the mega expansion of Sri City, a Greenfield integrated business city in the backward region of Tirupati district in the State.

According to reliable sources, the AP government has decided to allocate additional land to Sri City as the current dispensation strongly believes that the integrated business city will play a key in generating large-scale employment opportunities in the State. The Naidu-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the State has promised in its election manifesto that it will create 20 lakh jobs over the next five years. That is a monumental task which can be a reality only if the State attracts large-scale investments across its geographies.

Inaugurated way back in 2008 and spread across8,000 acres now, Sri City emerged as an attractive investment destination over the years. Currently, it is home to as many as 220 companies, including those from as many as 30 countries, which cumulatively employ over 62,000 people.

Sri City,which comprises an export-oriented, highlysuccessful Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Domestic Tariff Zone, Free Trade Warehousing Zone and an Electronics Manufacturing Zone (EMC), attracted investments to the tune of $4.5 billion till date. Further, exports from Sri City-based units are on the rise. The cumulative exports from Sri City since its inception, have reached $4 billion.

In August this year, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visited Sri City and inaugurated 15 industrial units established with a total investment of Rs1,570 crore. During that visit, the Chief Minister is said to have asked district officials to focus on acquiring additional lands for the expansion of the integrated business city.

According to sources, nearly 1,000 acres of government land is available at Padirikuppam village in Varadaiahpalem mandal. As Sri City is spread across Satyavedu and Varadaiahpalem mandals in Tirupati district, these lands are in the close vicinity of Sri City and so are ideal for its expansion. The district administration is trying to sort out any issues related to these lands. Further, efforts are also underway to identify another 1,000 acres in the same locality. The government is exploring the possibility of allocating DKT lands located nearby. DKT lands, or Darakastu land, are government-owned wastelands that are given to poor people for cultivation free of cost. In the past, DKT lands were not allowed to be sold or mortgaged. But in July 2023, the then Jagan Mohan Reddy government amended the law to allow sale of these lands after 20 years of ownership.

After finalising lands suitable for Sri City’s expansion, the Tirupati district administration is expected to submit a report to the State government which will subsequently initiate measures to allocate additional land to Sri City.

Unlike in many other places where land acquisition for industrial development receives stiff opposition from local landowners, there is no such challenge when it comes to Sri City as it has gone for an inclusive development, offering plenty of employment and self-employment opportunities for locals. Over 95 per cent of employable local people are currently working in various industries in Sri City.