8 data centre parks to turn into digital, AI hub

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is moving to position itself as a major digital and artificial intelligence hub, with plans to develop eight data centre parks across key cities, backed by investment proposals worth nearly Rs two lakh crore and a dedicated 900 MW power supply framework, an official spokesperson said on Monday."The proposed data centre parks will come up in Noida, Greater Noida, the Yamuna Expressway region, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and Agra as part of state govt's strategy to expand digital infrastructure and attract technology-led industries," officials said, adding that the initiative will strengthen UP's role in India's fast-growing digital economy and create a base for companies working in AI, cloud computing and digital services. Informing that the process of land identification and allocation has already made substantial progress in Noida, Greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway region, they further said that in some locations, land has already been allotted to companies, while in others, master planning and site identification are underway. A number of major domestic and global firms have shown interest in the projects. Among those that have submitted proposals are HCL Technologies, Adani Group, NTT Data, Yotta Infrastructure, Sterlite Technologies and Sify Technologies. Govt has received proposals amounting to nearly Rs two lakh crore, with memorandums of understanding signed for several projects and others moving toward the construction stage. Given the high energy needs of data centres, the state has drawn up plans to ensure around 900 MW of power for the sector. This will include setting up new substations, strengthening the transmission network and providing dedicated electricity supply to the parks. Govt is also encouraging the use of renewable energy to improve sustainability in data center operations. The projects are expected to generate around 50,000 direct jobs, besides a large number of indirect employment opportunities.