Vizag Blues

Nimisha Tiwari Hota finds out about the remarkable metamorphosis of Visakhapatnam into a lively city

To a person who last visited Visakhapatnam five years ago, the city would be almost unrecognisable today. Where bare buildings stood, there are smart call centres or department stores sporting neon hoardings which has Katrina Kaif smiling down at you. Youngsters hang around at hep modern eateries like Coffee, Pastry n Conversation; Food Ex; Four Seasons; Rakris; La Ketchup which have mushroomed all around the city to cater to the growing neo-cosmopolitan crowd. Weekends herald an animated nightlife. "The Saturday night trends have caught on so well that we keep getting requests to extend the disco hours. It's a very metro culture and we have some surprisingly young crowd coming in," says Thomas Mathew, general manager, The Taj Residency. The Park, the only five-star in town, has a thematic disco joint. "We swing into action every day but Saturdays bring in the big crowds," says Jaydeep Biswas, joint sales manager at The Park. Business seems to have never been better, literally. And there is a fair amount of business travel, what with Visakhapatnam housing one of the largest steel manufacturing plants in our country, having a major international port and sporting the Visakhapatnam Export Promotion Zone (VEPZ). The district also boasts of a large shipbuilding yard - The Hindustan Shipyard plus there is a strong presence of many major commercial houses. It is a promising investment zone since resources and manpower come cheap in the city. Business meets here are however usually low-key and cater to niche segments.

As a business travel destination, Visakhapatnam or Vizag, as it is popularly referred to, has added many pluses to it. It has ample accommodation, much sightseeing and can be light on the pockets, if one is on a tight budget.

Sea city

It is a city dominated by the sea. One of the best places to frequent is the mouth of the harbour to watch civilian as well as naval vessels pass to and fro. One can even spot a submarine if you are lucky.

Another facet of the sea, the beaches, is also a great attraction. Visakhapatnam's shoreline is close to 10 kms long and the beaches are pristine. The Ramakrishna beach, Rushikonda beach, Gangavaram beach, Bhimli beach are all in a single stretch, different names for different areas. RK Beach sports a recent addition, a monument constructed as homage to soldiers of the 1971 war. Called 'Victory at Sea', the structure is in a park worth visiting. A few steps ahead is Asia's first submarine museum, created when the INS Kursura of the Eastern Naval Command was decommissioned and berthed on the shore.

Culture curry

The city is adorned with a mixed cultural get-up. One can walk on the pathways and run into Marwaris, Bengalis, Oriyas - just about every region has its representative here. It is a mixed flavour even when it comes to monuments. You can find Buddhist monasteries at Bavikonda, Thotlakonda and Sankaram. If you want to prostrate before Hindu gods, then the Simhachalam temple is the most famous one. Situated 800 feet above sea level, the temple is six kilometres from the railway station and easily accessed through private buses and cab services.

A good way to look around the city is go on a drive starting from along the steel plant via the Scindia Junction route which presents a view of the Eastern Naval Command establishments like the Naval Ship Design and Research Centre (NSDRC) which is is constructed in the shape of a ship. The structure has an architectural appeal. The Hindustan Shipyard comes next and then INS Circars, INS Satvahana cross by and one swiftly moves towards the town or the city area.

While the roads are perennially under repairs near the Convent junction and it turns a little bumpy there, one sees a symbol of Vizag's mixed flavour in the church, mosque and temple all located in one venue, famous as 'Ross Hill'.

Moving townwards, we approach the Visakhapatnam Railway Station. It has a clean look, with information flashed on digital screens in English, Hindi and Telugu, frequent announcements, 24-hour coffee shop, platform security and first aid. There are not many pickpocketers but beggars aplenty. The luggage is usually safe and the food is hygienic.

Further townwards, there are the hotels vying for attention. The better ones include Vizag's only five-star The Park, The Taj Residency, The Welcomgroup Grandbay, Green Park, Daspalla Executive Court, Hotel Dolphin and the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's Yatri Nivas. Room tariffs range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 for a day. Package deals are in vogue and most of them offer a variety of food choices, complementary use of gymnasiums, spa, sauna and swimming pool.

If you are looking to shop, silk, pattu sarees, traditional wear, gold, silver, semi-precious stones and diamonds are Vizag's specialities.

The most amazing things in Vizag have in fact just unfolded in recent months. The first cable car in Andhra Pradesh has started near Kailashgiri, a single ride priced at Rs 35. Photography is allowed and the view is spectacular. While the APTDC intends to start a cruise liner for the port view, there are many yachts available for hire for a sightseeing spree into the sea.

There's plenty to unearth in Vizag. The distances are short, people are friendly, locales are picturesque, packages are pocket-friendly and then of course there is the mouth-watering Andhra cuisine…what more could one want.