Film industry pitches for land package in Visakhapatnam

HYDERABAD: With the Centre's decision to bifurcate the state, Tollywood producers demanded the government to speed up the process of land allocation and development of the industry in Vizag. A section of the industry wanted that those who have already availed land in Hyderabad be kept out of the process.
"We had already approached the authorities to grant land for the development of film industry in Vizag.Those who have availed the land benefit in Hyderabad be kept out of the process," said producer M Natti Kumar, who hails from Vizag.
It is learnt that some persons from the film industry have already applied for land to set up studio in Vizag. A decade ago, the government had issued a GO allocating 316 acres of land between Nidigattu and Bheemunipatnam near Vizag. Since the entire film industry was in Hyderabad, no one bothered to apply for the land at that time, as the price quoted by the government was also very high - Rs 25 lakh per acre. Even the land allocated seemed to be not suitable for the film industry.
"Land allocation for the film industry should be given as part of the Centre's package for Seemandhra. Ideally, it should be given free of cost," Natti Kumar said. If it is not free, then the price should be between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per acre, he said. Though Natti Kumar made such a demand, the market price of the land is now being quoted at Rs 50 lakh per acre. It has to be seen how the new government post-bifurcation will react to the demand for land at a concessional rate.
It is learnt that at least five acres of land is required to set up a studio and for individual housing 1,000 sq yards. At least 20 persons were said to have sought land for setting up studio in Vizag. Since some of them already have studios in Hyderabad, a section of the film industry is opposing allocation of land to them in Vizag.