PNS|Vijayawada
The Andhra Pradesh Government has drawn sharp public and political scrutiny over its recent land allocations, particularly the sanction of land to TCS and Ursa Clusters Private Limited in Visakhapatnam. While TCS’s land grant was swiftly formalised, the allocation to Ursa Clusters has run into a cloud of controversy.
On Monday, the IT Department issued official orders granting 21.26 acres to the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) at IT Hill-3 in Visakhapatnam. The government approved the allocation at a throwaway lease rate of just 99 paise per acre, translating to an effective rate of 4.71 paise per square yard — a move that raised eyebrows.
TCS has promised an investment of Rs 1,370 crore and employment for 12,000 people over a five-to-six-year horizon through the development of a large-scale IT campus. However, what has stirred greater debate is the same-day Cabinet approval granted to Ursa Clusters Pvt Ltd, a relatively unknown company, for a massive 60-acre land parcel — 3.5 acres in IT Hill-3 SEZ Park and 56.36 acres in Kapuluppada.
Despite receiving Cabinet clearance alongside the TCS proposal, no GO has been issued for Ursa Clusters, amid widespread criticism over the scale of the allocation.
The crux of the criticism revolves around the company’s lack of a track record, with many questioning how a firm established barely two months ago could be entrusted with such high-value public land. While the government justified TCS’s allocation, citing its credibility and employment promise, no such defence has been made yet for Ursa Clusters.
Sources indicate that, given the media heat and public outcry, the government may be delaying the formal issuance of the GO in the case of Ursa Clusters. Whether it quietly clears the file in the coming days or shelves the proposal remains to be seen.
Critics point out that giving land to an unproven company at a time when tech giants are being offered land at negligible rates shows a stark contradiction in transparency and due diligence.
In Telangana too, Ursa Clusters came to the fore again with BRS spokesperson Krishan Manne stating, “We told you in January 2025. There is no company named Ursa Clusters. The Rs 5000 crore Telangana MoU is bogus and the 60-acre allocation in AP is also bogus.”
