Visakhapatnam
Aug. 3: The city of destiny has now become one of the fastest growing metros of Asia.
Recently, the city drew the attention of entire world after the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and his wife, Ms Gursharan Kaur, launched the country’s first nuclear powered submarine INS Arihant on July 26.
Just a day before this event, the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) opened its laboratory, a prelude to opening its major facility at Atchyutapuram on a 2,800 acre site, which will be second only to Trombay. The first phase of the facility would be commissioned in three years.
The new BARC campus would also be home for Homi Bhabha National Institute, a deemed university offering graduate programmes in nuclear science.
Giving a further academic boost to the city, the “Innovative University” proposed in the Union Budget two years ago is also coming up on the outskirts of the city. The location is being finalised this week.
The courses of this university, with special focus on industries, would be designed as per the recommendations of the Prof. Yashpal committee.
There are major developments on the industrial front too. An extent of 5,449 acres in Achyutapuram has been allocated for development of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
About 12 companies have registered and five have started their units here. The government is expecting an investment of Rs 27,804 crore in the zone.
“We believe that the Vizag SEZ would become the Pudong of the Indian east coast,” said the APIIC commissioner, Mr B.P. Acharya.
The Pharma City being developed by Ramky group, Apparel Park by Brandix of Sri Lanka and IT SEZs coming up on the hillocks of the Beach Road would also be accelerating the development process of the city.
The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is also on an expansion mode with an investment of Rs 12,000 crore. Authorities believe that better air connectivity to important destinations, night landing facility and more international services would bring in more investment.
VIZAG TIMELINE
* 260 BCE: Ashoka conquers the Kalinga empire (of which Vizag was a part).
* 208: Chandra Sri Satakarni becomes the king of this region.
* 11th century: Simhachalam Temple is built by Kulottunga I.
* 13th century: Simhachalam Temple is renovated.
* 1515: Krishna Deva Raya’s rule begins.
* 1735: Dutch Colony is established.
* 1765: The territory of the Northern Circars, of which Vizag was a part, ceded to the British East India Company by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Following this, a British colony was established.
* 1902: Andhra Medical College is launched.
* 1904: Railway from Madras to Calcutta, passing through city.
* 1926: Andhra University is established.
* 1933: Vizag Port is established.
* 1942: Japanese war planes attack Vizag, killing 12 persons in the port area.
* 1947: Eastern Naval Command establishes its base. Before 1947 the Royal Navy had a base in HMIS Circars.
* 1949: Scindia Shipyard, later nationalised and called Hindustan Shipyard Limited, commissioned.
* 1953: The Boat Repair Shop expanded into a Base Repair Organisation.
* 1957: Opening of petroleum refinery, Caltex, currently owned by HPCL.
* 1965: Two survey ships, “Jumna” and “Investigator”, permanently deployed.
* 1971: INS Rajput destroys Pakistani submarine Ghazi off the Vizag coast
* 1977: Indira Gandhi Zoological Park established near Madhuravada.
* 1981: Visakhapatnam Steel Plant commences operations.
* 2008: Night landing operations at Vizag Airport begin.
* 2009: The Gangavaram Port, the second port in city and deepest in India, opens.
* 2009: Nuclear powered submarine is launched.
* 2009: Bhaba Atomic Research Centre opens laboratories.
