Google is building an AI data-center hub in and around Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. In a field report published on Oct. 11, 2026, CBC News describes construction advancing across three sites amid local debate over farmland, water and jobs.
Project location, partners and scale
Google announced that construction began at Tarluvada on April 28, 2026, and named AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel as development partners. Google’s data-center directory lists Andhra Pradesh as a location in development.
| Project detail | Reported information |
| Location | In and around Visakhapatnam; groundbreaking at Tarluvada |
| Groundbreaking | April 28, 2026 (Google’s announcement) |
| Development partners | AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel, named by Google |
| Scale | CBC describes a one-gigawatt hub across three sites covering more than 600 acres |
| Largest-site clearing | CBC reports more than 260 acres being cleared at the largest site |
| Reported investment | US$15 billion over five years, according to CBC |
| Planned operations | Parts scheduled for 2028; Data Centre Magazine reports a July 2028 commissioning target |
The hub’s reported scale has helped make land use a central local concern. CBC reports that a farmer, Bali Narasingha Rao, said he sold one acre for 17 lakh, which CBC put at about US$25,000. He described the land as his livelihood. Bali Charan Teja, a 23-year-old civil-engineering student, told CBC he had expected to inherit his family’s farmland and opposed the project.
Land, livelihoods and local opposition
Farmers’ accounts make the trade-off personal: land acquired for infrastructure can also be a family’s source of income and security. Community organizer Deeksha Vanguru criticized the land-intensive development model and argued that public services should take priority. Visakhapatnam MP Sribharat Mathukumilli, by contrast, argued that the hub could attract fintech companies, banks and AI startups.
Water, cooling and sound plans
CBC describes drought conditions, a weak monsoon, a receding reservoir and falling groundwater in the area. Visakhapatnam resident V. Jyothi welcomed the possibility of jobs but raised concerns about water shortages. The Andhra Pradesh government said residential water would not be diverted; residents interviewed by CBC were skeptical of that assurance.
Google told CBC it plans to use advanced air cooling instead of water cooling, with water use primarily for restrooms and kitchens. The company also said the facility is designed to keep sound at its boundary below 55 decibels.
Jobs, incentives and competing expectations
The Andhra Pradesh government’s estimates, as reported by CBC, are up to 150,000 indirect jobs in related technology industries and 4,000 construction jobs per year. Opponents told CBC that permanent staffing to operate the facilities could number in the hundreds, with many workers in facility-services roles. These figures describe different kinds of work: annual construction employment, indirect jobs across related industries and staffing for ongoing operations.
CBC reports that the state offered land discounts and concessions on water and electricity tariffs for 10 years. Software developer and entrepreneur Sudeep Pillarisetty hoped Google would provide subsidies to Indian startups developing their own AI models. Those potential business benefits are part of the case supporters make for the project, while residents and organizers have raised concerns about land, water and public priorities.
When the hub is expected to operate
CBC says parts of the hub are scheduled to begin operating in 2028. Data Centre Magazine reports July 2028 as a target commissioning date.
