Vijayawada - Projects and Development

[India101]

Vijayawada (Telugu: విజయవాడ; formerly Bezawada) is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, with a population of around 1.6 million. Located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about 275 kilometres (171 mi) from the state capital Hyderabad.
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Post here updates, news, info and pictures of projects & development in Vijayawada.

[India101]

Star Hills - Mix use development







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[India101]

Pepe Jeans opens flagship store in Vijayawada

The leading denimwear brand, Pepe Jeans London has launched its biggest flagship store in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Located on Vijayawada's high street, the store is spread across 2200 sq.ft and offers a wide range of jeans and casual wear such as shirts, t-shirts, shorts, skirts, dresses and accessories for both men and women.



Speaking on the occasion, Chetan Shah, managing director (India), Pepe Jeans London, said, “With this launch, Pepe Jeans is set to breathe in an all new store layout at par with our international showroom ambiance to provide our consumers an exclusive shopping experience. The layout has been designed to act as a continuous fusion of quality fashion products and interactive environment.”

The vast retail area of the new outlet is divided into two zones - Bluez Lounge and Fashion Lounge - to create a unique shopping experience. The store provides its consumers with a highly personalised way to shop by the latest fit, finish and style.

The décor of the new showroom evolves around contemporary look from premium full length mirrors and the unfinished rugged look on the walls to give a lounge feel to its customer with pumping music playing in the background.

[India101]

A new mall

Ripples Mall, MG Road



Website

[sanjupalayat]

The projects looks cool, thanks India101 for coming up with this thread.

[jpratikra]

The Congress government in the state is adopting step-motherly attitude towards Vijayawada city by neglecting the development and not releasing funds. Many important projects including expansion of Gannavaram airport, construction of Machilipatnam port, flyovers in the city, development of the Krishna University are pending for a long time. The regrettable thing is that the state is also not releasing the grants sanctioned by the Central government for the JNNURM works.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is executing developmental works worth several hundreds of crores under the JNNURM. The Centre bears 50 per cent share while the state sanctions 20 per cent. The Union government released Rs 116 crore for the JNNURM works last month. The state government is not releasing it along with its matching grants of Rs 48 crore. As a result, the VMC is struggling to clear the pending bills to the contractors, who are not able to speed up the ongoing works.

According to official information, bills pending for housing works are Rs 126 crore, for sewage treatment plant works Rs 12 crore, water pipeline works Rs 8 crore, BRTS works Rs 27 crore and road restoration works Rs 17 crore. Besides, non-planning dues are pending to the tune of over Rs 50 crore. The municipal officials on Monday requested the minister for secondary education, Mr Kolusu Parthasara-dhi, to take the issue to the notice of the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, for the release of grants. The VMC is trying to secure another Rs 100 crore loan from a nationalised bank for payment of bills. The VMC has already taken Rs 50 crore from the Corporation Bank. The municipal commissioner, Mr G. Ravi Babu, said “We are trying to get grants released by the Central government to speed up the works.”
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chann...tate-funds-941

[SARAN R]

Any updates on vijayawada BRTS

[engineer.akash]

Vijayawada to go bicycle-friendly

G. VENKATARAMANA RAO
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Sooner the better:A dedicated bicycle track is proposed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg in Vijayawada.–Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar
The use of the eco-friendly bicycle is diminishing by the day. As the roads get more congested with motorised vehicles the cyclists are gradually disappearing.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation wants to reverse the trend by making the city roads more bicycle-friendly. Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu has asked the environmental engineering division to explore the possibility of establishing a dedicated cycling track on the wider roads of the city. The feasibility of establishing a cycling track on the new BRTS Road is being worked out.

Vijayawada has several firsts in the State to its credit with regard to environmental-friendly initiatives. The VMC was the first in the country to harness electricity from solid waste; to have a plant for converting municipal waste into compost.

It was also the first city in the State to convert its entire fleet of city buses and auto-rickshaws to the eco-friendly Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). And it will be the first city in the state to supply the piped cooking gas to its citizens.

The VMC Environmental Engineer Smitha Bhanu toldThe Hindu that the Commissioner had asked the Active Bicyclers Association (ABA) that promotes bicycling programmes in the city to prepare an action plan.

The plan is to have dedicated cycling tracks on all new roads, residential colonies and in Municipal School grounds on the lines of walking tracks that could be used for exercise.

There are 20 schools with grounds spacious enough to develop cycling tracks, Ms. Bhanu said. The ABA founder V. Satyanarayana said that using the bicycle was not just eco-friendly, it was also healthier.

The Hindu

[s.yogendra]

Renault launches ‘Fluence' in city
Hindu

VIJAYAWADA: Crazy about cars? Here's some good news. Renault has unveiled its first car in India, the luxury sedan-Fluence, besides inaugurating its first exclusive Renault dealership in the city, Renault Vijayawada. Deputy Managing Director of Renault India Sudhir Rao, unveiled the sleek luxury car at the company showroom. “Fluence is the first Renault car to be produced at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Chennai. India being one of the three key countries in Renault's international development strategy, we are confident of giving the Indian customer their first taste of what Renault is capable of brining to the Indian market,” Mr. Rao told a press conference. Sharing the company's plans for Indian market, he said starting with 14 dealers across the country, the company intended to expand base and have 40 dealers by the end of the current year. “We intend to roll out a full range of five cars and 100 dealerships by December 2012 . Speaking about a ‘Renault Complete Care' service package, which, he claimed, was globally benchmarked providing customers with a host of facilities like COTECH technicians (with 43 days training in Renault facilities in France) at each dealership, four years/80,000 km warranty, labour-free servicing at 2,000, 10,000 and 20,000 km, competitively priced parts and service and valet service. He said the new vehicle was launched in both petrol (Rs. 14.5 lakh) and diesel (Rs. 13.9 lakh) versions in Vijayawada.

Mr. Rao said Renault had a very strong presence in India with investments of about Rs. 5,000 crore in setting up an alliance Greenfield facility for manufacturing 400,000 cars per year, a global technology and procurement centre in Chennai, a full-fledged Renault DeSign Studio in Mumbai and a global logistics centre in Pune.

[jpratikra]

VIJAYAWADA: Fun-seekers, who scowled at not having a fun zone around to unwind, will soon be well placated.

The Vijayawada division of AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is gearing up to equip the Berm Park at Bhavanipuram with all the paraphernalia that can keep fun-lovers in good humour.

Proposals

“We propose to develop a swimming pool and a partying area to host pool side parties at the park,” J. Raghupathi Rao, Divisional Manager of the corporation told The Hindu on Tuesday.

“The vacant space abutting the vehicle parking area near the entrance will be put to use for this purpose,” he said, adding that proposals to this effect would be sent for approval of the departmental higher-ups this week.

Meanwhile, as part of its endeavour to develop a beach resort circuit, the APTDC is busy planning, executing, expanding, and renovating a string of its projects spread across the region.

Resort

The Kothapatnam beach resort, an APTDC property located nearly 15 km from Ongole, is nearing completion. The place has three cottages and a restaurant. Next in the beach resort circuit comes the Vodarevu project, where the corporation has acquired an additional three acres of land.

Visitors come across this place while on their way to Chirala from Ongole. Abutting the ancient lighthouse, the project currently comprises a couple of cottages.

The picturesque Suryalanka beach is a hot favourite of tourists. Overlooking the crystal blue waters of the Bay of Bengal, the place is nestled at 9 km from Bapatla town of Guntur district. In addition to the existing 10 individual cottages and a couple of dormitories besides a multi-cuisine restaurant, the corporation authorities have taken up construction of 10 more individual cottages that are nearing completion.

Conference hall

“We also propose to build a conference hall with all modern facilities and a bar to accommodate 30 persons,” said Mr. Rao.

The tourism corporation has also taken control of five acres of land at Manginapudi beach in Machilipatnam for grooming the place into a perfect tourist destination.

[India101]

Renault launches 'Fluence' in Vijayawada

Vijayawada, Jun 10 (PTI) French automaker Renault today launched its luxury, mid-size sedan `Fluence'' here in Andhra Pradesh.

The company also inaugurated its showroom in the city.

Ex-showroom price of `Fluence'' at Vijayawada is Rs 14.53 lakh (petrol) and Rs 13.09 lakh (diesel).

Talking to reporters after the launch, Sudhir Rao, Deputy Managing Director, Renault India, said the company was at present marketing only two models `Fluence'' (luxury) and `Koleos'' (compact SUV) through 14 dealers.

By the end of 2012, Renault will have a total of five models and a network of 100 dealers, he said.

Andhra Pradesh, considered the best market for cars, now has three Renault dealers - at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, Rao said.

The auto firm has a target to sell 50,000 Fluence models a year, he said, adding the company has invested Rs 5,000 crore to manufacture 4 lakh units of its cars a year.

On the impact of hike in petroleum prices and interest rates on sales, he said the effect would be only in the short term.

[India101]

SIFT opens second centre in Vijayawada

Samana Institute of Fashion Techonology (SIFT) has opened its second centre in Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh. The first SIFT centre is located near Benz Circle in the city.

On the occasion, several speakers stressed that there is a plenty of potential for growth in the fashion industry and by pursuing courses related to the industry, the young generation can improve their creative abilities.

Mr. K.K. Sharma, Deputy Director, Weavers’ Service Centre, Union Ministry of Textiles, said that there is considerable demand for designing and fashion technology.

SIFT Chief Executive Officer, Samana Moosavi, said that the scope for students pursuing fashion technology courses is immense.

Mr. Ramakrishna, Director of SIFT, said that the courses offered by SIFT at its centres are meant for those who are searching for better opportunities to learn new skills. These courses also indirectly contribute to personality development of the candidates, he added.

He further added that these courses would be of immense help, especially to housewives, as there is plenty of scope in fashion technology for putting creative ideas to use.

[India101]

Agrimart launched

The Agrimart outlet of Ratnagiri Impex Pvt Ltd which was inaugurated in Vijayawada on Sunday. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

The Bangalore based Ratnagiri Impex Pvt Ltd has launched its first outlet, Agrimart, in coastal districts on Eluru Road in Vijayawada. With this, the total number of outlets in the country touched 34 and third in the State.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, company Executive Director S.V. Anand said that they were planning to open 100 outlets by next March and 300 outlets in next three years. The company has a network of more than 500 dealers, including 30 in the State, across the country. The company is selling more than 50 types of agricultural equipment at the Agrimart. The farmers could not get equipment from Oleo-mac, Agrimate, Gulivar, Coima brands and also get after sales service for them here, he said.

AP State Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd Regional Manger D. Haribabu Chowdary, who inaugurated the Agrimart, said that the outlets of this kind would be helpful for farmers in meeting their requirements-sales, service-- at one stop.

Outlet franchisee Srinivasa Rao and others were present.

[s.yogendra]

Uda to launch ring road work

The Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali, Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (Uda) will lay the second phase of Ring Road in an extent of 2.1 kilometers 80-feet road from Gorantla village to JKC College Road at a cost of Rs 8 crore. The officials have already finalised tenders to lay the ring road. The officials are planning to start road-laying works soon. If the three kilometres road is laid, the vehicles from JKC College Road, Adavitakkellapadu areas will pass through Gorantla via Autongar and it will connect NH-5 near Autonagar.

Similarly, the vehicles coming from Pedakakani, Autonagar to JKC College area will pass through the bypass road. As a result, the traffic on the city roads is expected to come down. The Uda has already completed the first phase of the ring road. The railway officials have to shift the railway track at Gaddipadu village. If this road will come into operation, the vehicles coming from Amaravati to Pedakakani will pass through the ring road. At present, vehicles going from Pedakakani to Amaravati are going through Brodipet road in the city.

The Uda vice-chairman, Mr V.S.R.K.R. Vijay Kumar said, “We will enter into an agreement with the contractor to lay the second phase of ring road soon. Meanwhile, we will complete land acquisition.” The traffic DSP, M .Y.T. Naidu said, “If the first phase of the ring road comes into operation.

©deccanchronicle

[s.yogendra]

Discom to set up more sub-stations

The Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (SPDCL) will set up more sub-stations to tide over the overload problems in the city.

The SPDCL has chalked out plans to construct 33/11 KV sub-stations at Mutyalampadu, Durgapuram, Governorpet, and Brindavan Colony soon. The works are likely to commence in August.

The Irrigation Department has parted with some land for the sub-station at Brindavan Colony, and it is likely to ease overload on Bandar Road, a commercial hub.

The proposed new sub-stations will ease the problem temporarily only if the increasing demand is to be considered.

The SPDCL needs to add at least one sub-station every year in the city to meet the growing demand. But, the SPDCL could not take up any move in that direction for various reasons, including non-availability of land, officials say.
Demand increasing

The city requires at least 140 MW of power every day and the demand is ever increasing.

The existing five sub-stations, including the ones at indoor stadium and Mogalrajpuram, in the city are overloaded.

The problem is worse at Ring Road as the consumption is touching 850 amps, crossing the allocated 700 amps.

There is an urgent need for setting up two to three sub-stations to cater to the needs of Patamata and other nearby areas, officials say.

The overloading is leading to frequent tripping of supply and voltage fluctuations as the existing network cannot withstand the load.

The power supply trips automatically if the consumption crosses the permitted limit of 700 amps. But in some sub-stations, it is crossing 850 amps.

Existing network cannot take the load even if the supply matches demand. The city requires more sub-stations and transformers to avoid this kind of problems, officials say.

©Hindu

[s.yogendra]

The statue of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy coming up at the Police Control Room centre in Vijayawada. The gaigantic structure, with a replica of the Polavaram Project forming the base, blocks the view of traffic flow. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

©Hindu

[mv1973]

Nod for project expected any moment: NHAI official
Bypass roads to be provided to Gannavaram, Hanuman Junction
________________________________________
VIJAYAWADA: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) proposes to widen the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway (NH 5) to six lanes in the stretch from Vijayawada to Gundugolanu via Eluru and use the opportunity to form outer ring road to Vijayawada in a bid to take the highway traffic away from city limits.
Another road bridge would be constructed across Krishna river upstream of Prakasam barrage joining Surayapalem and Gollapudi villages as part of the outer ring road. The NHAI project director, CSN Murthi, said that they would begin work on the Rs. 1,600 crore project soon after getting clearance which is expected any moment. The work would be completed in three years.
The proposed outer ring road would take off from China Kakani, and run touching NRI hospital near Mangalagiri, Surayapalem, Gollapudi, Jakkampudi, Nunna and join the highway again at the medical college situated beyond Gannavaram.
When the road is completed, heavy vehicles moving from Chennai to Kolkata or Hyderabad or vehicles going from Hyderabad to Kolkata can skirt Vijayawada city limits. The outer ring road would help join NH 5 with Vijayawada-Hyderabad highway (NH 9) at Gollapudi. A flyover would be constructed at Gollapudi to separate the traffic moving on the two highways. The outer ring road would run over 46 km and increases the distance between Guntur and Eluru by eight kilometres.
Bypass roads
As part of widening NH 5 to six lanes, bypass roads would be provided to Gannavaram and Hanuman Junction, said Mr Murthi. The NHAI has already taken up widening of the highway to six lanes between Vijayawada and Nellore.
Asked about ham-handed widening of NH 9 to six lanes between Vijayawada and Nandigama, Mr Murthi admitted that there were problems. The NHAI acquired land for widening the highway to six lanes. But Kanchikacharla and Paritala villages opposed taking the road away from them and feared that it would hamper their development. In deference to their wishes, the NHAI laid only a two-lane bypass road and developed the existing two-lane road passing through the villages to highway standards.
So vehicles coming from Hyderabad to Vijayawada are expected to use the road passing through the villages and only those moving from Vijayawada to Hyderabad are expected to use the bypass road leading to lot of confusion. Unaware of this arrangement, many vehicles coming from Hyderabad enter the bypass road leading to accidents, particularly at night.
Mr Murthi said as land is available they can widen the bypass road to four lanes and avoid this problem if there is demand for the same.

[jpratikra]

The farmers of Buddhavaram and Davajigudem villages near Gannavaram are once again on the agitation path in protest against what they allege the unilateral move to acquire their lands for airport expansion, even as the district administration has begun the process initially with the verification of records of lands which are required to be acquired.

SUITABLE LAND

The farmers, who are likely to be affected in the land acquisition, have now come forward with the land-for-land demand. They say that in case their land is to be taken, they need to be compensated with equally valuable land presently lying unused on the western side of the airport. They say 350 acres of land is lying unused and this is being leased out for growing subabul plantations.

Another concern being expressed by farmer leaders is that the government is trying to acquire their lands offering very low rates when compared to the market rates, which they say is totally unjust. They claim that the present market rate being considered for acquisition would come to around Rs.40 lakh per acre while the rate being offered by the administration is just Rs.12 lakh to Rs.15 lakh.

Different rates are being fixed depending on the distance between land and the NH-5. As far as the district administration is concerned, it has not yet disclosed as to which lands are being considered for acquisition.

“It is too early to say. As of now, we are just verifying the records of various lands under consideration. It is still in the planning stage and we cannot say how much land is to be acquired now,” says Joint Collector Gaurav Uppal.

He told The Hindu that they were taking action regarding the acquisition process and additional land would be acquired for the purpose of further development of the airport. The revenue officials, surveyors, MROs, and the Revenue Divisional Officer concerned had been working on the details of the lands to be acquired in the past few weeks.

PROTEST

Meanwhile, under the leadership of CPI Gannavaram area secretary Konda Veeraswamy, the 40-odd small farmers launched their protest programmes seeking land-for-land as the only solution to the acquisition process.

“We will not allow the acquisition to happen if the government does not agree for land-for-land deal. Where is the problem for giving land lying unused with the Airports Authority?” asked Mr. Veeraswamy.

[jpratikra]

The city will soon get a coastal museum on the premises of the 124-year-old Victoria Jubilee Museum which would house the unique artefacts and other objects of historical importance from the district museums from Srikakulam to Nellore.

Speaking to The Hindu, Archaeology and Museum Department assistant director M. Chitti Babu said that a two-storied structure on the open space in the premises of the Victoria Jubilee Museum will be constructed by the Roads and Buildings Department to display the unique objects from all coastal districts. “The R & B officials had visited the site and after a meeting on August 3 they will call for the tenders. The museum building will be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs.4 crore,” he added. The new building would have the architectural features of the Victoria Jubilee Museum and the Kondalite slabs that were used for the construction of the monument (VJM) used, he said.

“The new project will profile the culture and traditions of the coastal people. Excavated material, inscriptions, paintings and textiles will be featured in the new museum,” Mr. Babu said. The department had sent estimates to the State Government. The proposed coastal museum is likely to be completed by 2013.

However, the present situation in the upkeep of the Victoria Jubilee Museum is not all that encouraging as the dearth of staff is affecting the daily routine. “We had a 50-member staff once but now it has got reduced to 17. There are no qualified guides and attenders are donning the role of a guide,” Mr. Babu bemoaned.

‘Poor sanitation'

He also said that poor sanitation and drainage was taking the sheen out of the monument that has carved a place in the history. Poor lighting both inside and outside the museum is a big concern. Owing to the fund crunch, the basic necessities are not looked after by the State Government. The monument which was built in 1887 by Robert Sewell, the then District Collector of Krishna District, is leaking and the rainwater is damaging the heritage structure

[s.yogendra]

Fire control room inaugurated

Secondary Education Minister K. Parthasarathy laid a foundation stone for a fire station near Police Control Room here on Wednesday. He also inaugurated a Fire Control Room at Arundalpet here, and class rooms at APJ Abdul Kalam Municipal Corporation Urdu School. The class rooms were constructed at a cost of Rs. 20 lakh.

On the occasion, he said that all the fire stations in the district were linked with a fire control room.

There were 23 fire stations in the district. Following requests, and keeping in view the several fire accidents, proposals were sent to set up stations at Kankipadu, Pamidimukkala, Challapalli, Chatrai, Mopidevi, Gudlavalleru, Pedana, Chandarlapadu in rural areas, and at Bhavanipuram, Benz Circle, Gunadala, Jakkampudi and Satyanarayanapuram in the city, he said, adding, the new fire stations would be set up shortly.

The government was taking initiatives to modernise and strengthen the fire stations across the State.

The government had earmarked Rs. 1 crore for the fire station to be constructed near the control room. Explaining about fire accidents in the district, he said as many as 123 major and 1,727 minor fire outbreaks took place in 2010 resulting in a loss of Rs. 7.53 crrore.

The timely response of fire services saved properties worth of Rs. 11.15 crore. While 27 people lost their lives, 91 people were saved, he said.

This year, 1,211 accidents took place incurring a loss of Rs. 8.87 crore.

The fire services saved properties worth of Rs. 19.42 crore, and 90 lives. However, 40 people lost their lives, he added.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle2395808.ece