Visakhapatnam, popularly known as Vizag, is a port city located in the state of Andhra Pradesh and is situated on the southeast coast of India. It is the second-largest city in the state after Hyderabad. The city has many state-owned heavy industries and a steel plant.
It has one of India's largest seaports and the country's oldest shipyard. Visakhapatnam also has the only natural harbour on the east coast of the country.
Visakhapatnam is located 625 kilometres to the east of the state capital, Hyderabad. The city is the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. Visakhapatnam is also known as the ‘Goa of the east coast’. This is because like Goa on the west coast, it has attractive beaches, hillocks and a beautiful landscape.
Visakhapatnam is recognised as one of the fastest growing cities in India both demographically and economically. Several factors have contributed to its economic growth, including the natural harbour, its location on the east coast, access to NH5 and a developed network of railways.
The city has also transformed into a hub for heavy industry. Visakhapatnam Port, which is the largest in the country, is the key factor for the development of petroleum, steel and fertiliser industries in the city. The major names here are Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and Hindustan Petroleum; these two multi-billion-dollar industries have put the city on India’s industrial map. The city has two N.T.P.C. power plants and is also the headquarters of Dredging Corporation of India.
The city is a centre for iron ore and other mineral exports; ore from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh is transported here by rail and road. From the port, minerals are exported by ship to other countries. The city is also becoming a hub for ITES owing to the availability of English-speaking workforce. Companies in the ITES space that have a presence here include Encore India HSBC, IBM Daksh, Sutherland and Acclaris. The city has over a hundred small and medium software and call-centre companies.
National and international IT and banking firms like IBM, Mahindra Satyam, Kenexa, Infotech, Softsol, etc. have set up their offices in the city. The government has helped to establish an IT special economic zone (SEZ) in Rushikonda Hills in Visakhapatnam.
Visakhapatnam has the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) special economic zone.
The major industries here are WS Industries, Pokarna Limited, Uniparts, Confidence Petroleum, Southern Online Bio, Nagarjuna AgriChem, Anjaney Alloys and Maithon Alloys etc.
A railway line is being laid to connect the industrial zone with Gangavaram Port.
Outer Harbour Brandix Apparel City operating at Atchutapuram in the city is a textile-based SEZ that is projected to provide 60,000 jobs. Pilkington (an automotive-glass manufacturer) and Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City (JNPC) are also in Visakhapatnam. JNPC is the only pharmaceutical SEZ in India, with 38 pharmaceutical companies.
Aluminium refineries are developing here because of the bauxite reserves around the city. Other industries include Hindustan Zinc, GAIL, IOC Bottling Unit, BPCL Bottling Unit, Synergies Castings, Rain Calcining Limited, Coromandel Fertilisers, Hindustan Ship Yard, Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Limited (BHPV), Visakha Dairy, Essar Pellet Plant, Andhra Polymers (now LG Polymers), Andhra Cement, Andhra Petrochemicals and Andhra Ferroalloys.
The city’s significance in shipbuilding was demonstrated when India's first ship (Jala Usha) was launched here. Visakhapatnam is one of India's largest fishing ports and has a dedicated harbour for the fishing industry and handles a large percentage of India's seafood exports.
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has a centre here. Visakhapatnam also has offices of the National Institute of Oceanography and the Indian Meteorological Department. Due to the varied industries and businesses present in the city, people from all over the country have settled down here, giving the city a cosmopolitan outlook. The city is well connected to other parts of the country by rail, road and air.
The city’s rapid development has seen a boom in real estate in both residential and commercial sectors. The city offers career options in various areas and the cost of living here is reasonable. Entertainment options are plenty in the numerous malls and multiplexes located here.
Education options include reputed primary and high schools and colleges in the city. Visakhapatnam has the National Institute of Oceanography.
The city is also home to Andhra University which offers postgraduate and graduate courses in arts, commerce, science and technology, engineering, IT, business management, law and pharmacy. Also, there are reputed engineering and medical colleges in the city.
Visakhapatnam is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and a career here will provide you the right opportunities.
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