Tarluvada, a village of 3,000 near Vizag, prepares for Google AI data centre foundation on April 28

Until a few months ago, Tarluvada was a name unfamiliar even to many residents of Visakhapatnam. Nestled amid scenic hillocks in Anandapuram mandal on the city’s outskirts, outside the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits, the once-quiet hamlet of 3,000 people is witnessing an unprecedented phase of change. Today, it is preparing for the global spotlight, as Google sets up its first hyperscale 1 GW AI data centre outside the United States here.

Preparations for the foundation stone laying ceremony for the project, estimated to cost over ₹1 lakh crore, scheduled for April 28, have begun and are progressing at a brisk pace. Spread over 260 acres, the data centre site is being levelled to make it ready for the ground-breaking ceremony. A stage is being set up for the main programme, and a helipad area is being prepared for VVIP arrivals. The foundation stone will be laid by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.