Transport in Visakhapatnam is the network of roads, railways, rapid transit system in the largest city of Andhra Pradesh . The city of Visakhapatnam also serves as the central hub of transport and logistics on the East coast of India and hence it is called as City Of Destiny.
There are various modes of transportation available in Visakhapatnam. It includes auto rickshaws, bicycles to mass transit systems such as buses and trains. Visakhapatnam is also home for a Seaport and an International Airport.
Visakhapatnam is integrated into the National Highway Network of India through NH 16, NH 516C, NH 516D, NH 516E, while two State Highways SH38, SH39 originate/terminate in Vizag. Visakhapatnam has a vehicle population of nearly 12 lakhs and is the highest in the state.
The city has a total road length of 2,007.10 km (1,247.15 mi), covering 1,865 km (1,159 mi) of municipal roads, 70.10 km (43.56 mi) of Roads & Buildings department roads and 72 km (45 mi) of National highways. [1] There are several arterial roads and ten junctions in the city, [2] where Beach Road, Dabagardens Road, Dwarakanagar road, Sampath Vinayak Temple Road (also known as VIP road), [3] Scindia Road, [4] Chitralaya Road [5] and waltair Main road [6] are some of them. Jagadamba Centre, Maddilapalem Junction, [7] [8] Siripuram Junction, Madhurawada Junction, Gajuwaka Junction, Gopalapatnam Junction and NAD X Road are major junctions in the city.
There are plans to upgrade National highway NH 16 that is presently passing through city and shift it to newly constructing Anakapalle - Anandapuram Highway, so that unnecessary traffic passing through city can be regulated. [4]
Bus Transit is the major mode of passenger transport in the city. Within the municipal limits of the city, APSRTC plies nearly 600 City bus services in the region which serve lakhs of commuters in city daily from Dwaraka Central Bus Station Complex, Maddilapalem bus station, [9] MVP Colony bus station, Gajuwaka Bus station, [10] Simhachalam bus station, [11] Kurmannapalem bus station [12] and Madhurawada bus station.
Also APSRTC plies various interstate and distant buses from Dwaraka Central Bus Station Complex, Maddilapalem bus station, Simhachalam bus station and Madhurawada Bus Station to major parts of the State and neighboring states like Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. There are kinds of buses that ply in city namely:
Visakhapatnam Bus Rapid Transit System was completely operational. [13]
Vehicle for hire companies serving localities daily are Ola and Uber, While Rapido gives rides for one person only. Private tour operators serve for commuting in major lines. Also there are Mini Vans that commute people from short and long distances ranging from 10 km to 100 km.
Cycle rickshaws are only confined to a very small area of the city and are almost disappeared, which were one of the major means of transport. [14] Cycling paths are under construction in Vizag. By 2017, Vizag will be AP's first city to get such bike stations. [15] All India Bicycling Federation is planning to build 20-25 bicycle stations in the city, each hosting 25 bicycles. This project costs around ₹200 crore (US$25 million). GVMC plans to introduce a community cycling initiative over 10.5 km2 of roads in downtown Visakhapatnam, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. In the central parts of the city, cycling tracks will be earmarked on 100-feet roads to a width of about 8 feet. [16]
Train Transit is the major mode of transportation in the city, as the city is a hub for Major Industrial buildings, Employees and Goods are transported through trains. Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of South Coast Railway zone of Indian Railways. Visakhapatnam Railway Station is an A1 station with the highest gross revenue in the Waltair railway division. There are plans to modernize this railway stations under station modernization launched by union government. [17] Because present railway station is a terminal building and several constrains, Division has identified Marripalem as an option and is planning to make it an alternative for present station, that can bring trains ignoring city's main station. Other important railway stations in the city are:
Vizag Metro is proposed to be constructed in the city. GVMC has identified four corridors for mass rapid transit (MRT) covering a total distance of 75.3 km at an estimated cost of ₹15,933 crore. The first phase, extending over 46.40 km, is expected to be completed by 2025. They are Steel Plant to Kommadi junction covering a distance of 34.23 km, Gurudwara to Old Post Office covering 5.26 km, Tatichetlapalem to China Waltair covering 6.91 km and Kommadi to Bhogapuram Airport, covering a distance of 28.91 km. [18] It is estimated to cost ₹15,933 crore (US$2.0 billion) for the construction of these corridors.
Govt of Andhra Pradesh has planned to build trackless tram services in Visakhapatnam for a length of 60.2 km. [19] This tram would be included in four corridors namely NAD X Roads - Pendurthi, Steel Plant - Anakapalle, Old post office - Rushikonda and Rushikonda - Bheemunipatnam.
Visakhapatnam International Airport, situated to the North-East of Andhra Pradesh, is the main gateway for the city's domestic and international civilian air traffic. In 2017–18, the airport handled more than 2.8 million passengers. Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Vijayawada, [20] Tirupati, Dubai, Singapore and Kuala Lampur are the major Airway destinations from city airport. Annually, 7.47 lakh passengers travelled on the Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad route, followed by 4.90 lakh passengers on the Visakhapatnam-Bengaluru. [21]
Construction of Greenfield Airport near Bhogapuram in 2,558 acres is on its way that could probably meet needs of Visakhapatnam city now. State government has handed over the construction process to GMR Airports Limited . [19]
Visakhapatnam Port is one of 13 major ports in India and the only major port of Andhra Pradesh. It is India's second largest port by volume of cargo handled in the nation. [23] It is located on the east coast of India and is located midway between the Chennai and Kolkata Ports. [24] Visakhapatnam Port has three harbors - the outer harbor, inner harbor and the fishing harbor. The outer harbor has 6 berths capable of handling vessels with a draft up to 17 meters while the smaller inner harbor has 18 berths that are Panamax compatible. Vizag Seaport owns two berths in the inner harbor; berth EQ-8 is fully mechanized and berth EQ-9 berth is not. Iron ore, manganese ore, steel products, general cargo, coal and crude oil are the main commodities handled at this port.
Visakhapatnam Port is undergoing a modernization and expansion program aimed at increasing its capacity to 130 million tonnes by 2016–17, entailing an investment of ₹13,000 crores. This will also solve the problem of air pollution caused by the open handling of coal that had earlier led to citywide protests.
The Visakhapatnam Port Trust plans to develop a satellite port at Bheemunipatnam to decongest traffic at Visakhapatnam. The project is expected to cost ₹2,000 crore (US$250 million) and is to be undertaken through a Public- Private Partnership (PPP)venture. Also govt plans to have a new port at Nakkapalli. [25] [24]
Another major port in Visakhapatnam is Gangavaram port which is considered as deep port. It can handle vessels up to 2,00,000 DWT. The Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) which runs the Vizag Steel Plant had shifted base to this port, taking with it a large chunk of the coal and iron ore traffic.
Cruise Shipping is operational between Visakhapatnam and Andaman and Nicobar islands. [26] There are plans to launch cruises to Kakinada. [24]
Visakhapatnam, also known as Vizag, Viśākha or Waltair, is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is between the Eastern Ghats and the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is the third-largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai, and the fourth-largest in South India. It is one of the four smart cities of Andhra Pradesh selected under the Smart Cities Mission and is the headquarters of Visakhapatnam district. With an estimated output of $43.5 billion, it is the ninth-largest contributor to India's gross domestic product as of 2016.
Anakapalli is a residential neighborhood in the city of Visakhapatnam, also the headquarters of Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. In 2015 Anakapalli municipality was merged with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. It falls under zone 7 of GVMC. India's second largest jaggery market is located over here.
Bheemunipatnam, is a suburb of Visakhapatnam, India. The town was named after Bhima, a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It formerly administered under the Bheemunipatnam municipality, but merged into GVMC in 2017. It is currently under the administration of Bheemunipatnam revenue division and the headquarters is located at Bheemunipatnam.
Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, officially Andhra Pradesh Raastra Roadu Ravaana Samstha, is the state-owned road transport corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its headquarters is located at NTR Administrative Block of RTC House in Pandit Nehru bus station of Vijayawada. Many other Indian metro towns in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, Yanam, Kerala, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh are also linked with the APSRTC services.
Pendurthi is a neighbourhood in the city of Visakhapatnam, India. The neighbourhood is considered as the major residential and commercial area in the city. It is located within the jurisdiction of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for the civic amenities in Pendurthi. It is located on the west fringe of Visakhapatnam city. Pendurthi is one of the peaceful neighborhoods of Vizag.
The Economy of Andhra Pradesh is primarily dependent on agriculture, which directly and indirectly employs 62% of the population. GSDP as per the first revised estimate, for the year 2022-23 is ₹13,17,728 crore. The state is ranked 1st in the country for the year 2021-22 in terms of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth at constant prices with growth rate of 11.43%.
Visakhapatnam BRTS :-The implementation of the bus rapid transit system has been taken up as a high- capacity public transport system in Visakhapatnam keeping in view the projected multi-fold increase in traffic and constraints of road capacity. A Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) was approved for the city under the JNNURM. This project is under construction and will be completed by the end of 2010. The BRTS intends to increase use of public transport from the present share of about 30 per cent to 50 per cent by 2011.
Visakhapatnam Junction is an important railway station located in Visakhapatnam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is on the Howrah–Chennai main line. It is operated by East coast Railway till now and it may take some time to administered under the South Coast Railway zone by Indian Railways. Originally named the Waltair railway station, it was founded in 1896. In 1987, it was renamed Visakhapatnam.
Madhurawada is a major business and residential area of Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located on the Visakhapatnam-Vizianagaram stretch of National Highway 16 around 16 km from the city center of Visakhapatnam.
Muvvala Vani Palem Colony, known as MVP Colony is an urban neighborhood in the Indian city of Visakhapatnam and is Asia's largest township with a population of more than 250,000. The colony is divided into 12 sectors.
Andhra Pradesh is well connected with various destinations in India, as well as other countries. It has road, rail, airways. With a long coast of Bay of Bengal and many sea ports, it flourishes in sea trade as well. The state has one of the largest railway junctions at Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam Port being one of the largest cargo handling seaport.
Maddilapalem is an area of Visakhapatnam, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Gopalapatnam is a neighborhood in the city of Visakhapatnam, India. The neighborhood is considered to be the major residential and commercial area in the district. It is located within the jurisdiction of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for the area's civic amenities. It is located on the western fringe of Visakhapatnam. The Visakhapatnam gas leak occurred in the neighborhood on 7 May 2020.
Arilova is a residential area of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located on the north fringe of Visakhapatnam city with hills surrounding on opposite sides. It is located beside Kailasagiri. Arilova is a Part of GVMC Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, which is responsible for the civic amenities in Arilova.
Visakhapatnam Metro is a planned rapid transit system for the city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India. The system is proposed to reduce traffic congestion as well as providing a modern and efficient public transport system in the city which became the largest city and the main hub for economic activity of Andhra Pradesh after the state's bifurcation. It will be the only Indian city which will have a combination of both metro and tram. Once constructed it will be the world's largest metro prepared in a PPP model. Initially proposed for Metro Rail alignment for a length of 42.55 km in the city. Now, Government have planned to expand the Metro Rail system to cover more routes in the city as well as in the VMRDA area.
Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is the civic body that governs the city of Visakhapatnam, largest city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its jurisdiction encompasses an area of 640 km2 (250 sq mi). It is also part of the planning body of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority. Established in the year 1979, the executive power of the GVMC is vested in the Municipal Commissioner, an Indian Administrative Service officer appointed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The position is held by G. Lakshmisha. Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari (YSRCP) was elected as the Mayor and Jiyyani Sridhar (YSRCP) as the Deputy Mayor by the newly elected general body in March 2021. In January 2021, the number of wards were increased to 98 from 81 earlier.
GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport is an international airport and a greenfield airport under construction at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east of Visakhapatnam.
There are various modes of transportation available in Vizianagaram and its Neighbourhoods. It includes auto rickshaws, bicycles to mass transit systems - such as buses, trains and flights.
CMR Central is a shopping mall located at Maddilapalem, Visakhapatnam. It was developed by CMR Shopping Mall Private Limited.