THE Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), which plays a vital role in promoting industries in the State, has developed the AP Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) at Atchutapuram, about 50 km from Visakhapatnam, and is attracting massive investments.
After acquiring 9,287 acres and 70 cents in Atchutapuram and Rambilli mandals, the APIIC created facilities to make the area fit for the setting up of various units. The area, which is close to National Thermal Power Corporation Limited's Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited's Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, is fast emerging as an industrial hub. The establishment of the APSEZ has also led to development of several residential townships and layouts in the periphery.
An area of 2,115 acres and 40 cents has been allotted to the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), which is going to establish a modern centre with research and development facilities in the APSEZ. It will be the first time that BARC has such facilities outside Mumbai. The project will involve an investment of Rs.1,500 crore.
The APIIC has also allotted 1,000 acres to Brandix Lanka for its Brandix India Apparel City, which has been given SEZ status.
The government of India has notified 71 SEZs in Andhra Pradesh, of which 20 are owned by the APIIC. Some others have been assisted by the APIIC with land allotment. The APSEZ in Visakhapatnam is one among the SEZs notified and has been developed by the APIIC on 5,596 acres in the Atchutapuram and Rambilli mandals as a multi-product SEZ. The total cost of the APSEZ project is Rs.1,594 crore.
The infrastructure facilities developed by the APIIC at APSEZ include 36 kilometres of four-lane and two-lane roads, 100 megawatt capacity substations of 220/132/33 kilovolts, a water supply system with a capacity of 60 million litres per day (MLD), a compound wall and chain-link mesh fencing, storm water drains. The APSEZ expects investments to the tune of Rs.25,000 crore; so far Rs.1,200 crore has been invested. The APIIC provided the necessary infrastructure facilities at a cost of about Rs.800 crore, which includes the cost of acquisition.
Allotments were made to 17 units, covering an area of 2091.28 acres, and five units have already gone into commercial production – W.S. Industries, UniParts India, Pokarna Ltd, Southern Online Biotechnologies Ltd, and Confidence Petroleum India Ltd – providing employment to about 1,044 persons, including to members of project-affected families. The other units are in various stages of implementation.
More than Rs.75 crore was spent on the liberal rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) package that was offered to the families who were displaced by the APSEZ. They were resettled at Dibbapalem village where they were provided 4,100 plots with all the necessary infrastructure.
