# Vizag police deny permission for rally against AI data centres

2026-08-09T17:48:09+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Visakhapatnam police denied permission to environmental NGO Green Visakha to hold a procession on Sunday against proposed hyperscale AI data centres in the city, citing location restrictions. The group had planned to gather at the Bhagat Singh statue at YMCA junction and proceed to RK Beach, but police said no protest was permitted on Beach Road. After discussions, officers allowed the group only to take a photograph before dispersing. The protest was against the $15 billion Google-Adani data centre project, which activists say will exacerbate water scarcity, groundwater depletion, and pollution. Police stated citizens must use the designated protest site near the Gandhi statue at the GVMC building. Green Visakha president Rajaramamohan Rai said the organisation would seek permission again. Human Rights Forum state secretary VS Krishna criticised the police action as a curb on democratic rights.

## Coverage

- thehindu.com <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/vizag-police-deny-rally-permission-for-green-visakhas-concerns-over-data-centres/article71325592.ece>
- deccanherald.com <https://www.deccanherald.com/india/andhra-pradesh/vizag-police-draws-flak-for-denying-permission-to-procession-against-data-centres-4105878>
- indianopinion.org <https://indianopinion.org/?p=52122>

Tags: data centre, environment, Green Visakha, police, protest, Vizag
Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/vizag-police-deny-rally-over-ai-data-centre-fears/
License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources.
Cite: https://indianopinion.org/vizag-police-deny-rally-over-ai-data-centre-fears/#story-in-brief

Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.