One Town area in Visakhapatnam gets the much-needed facelift

GVMC revamping Visakhapatnam's One Town area with road extensions, clock tower, and stadium renovations to boost tourism and infrastructure.

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has launched several works to give facelift to the old city or the One Town area. GVMC Commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma has started several development works, including the long-pending road extension works from Lepakshi Junction to Old Post Office Junction, with a budget of around ₹30 crore.

According to the GVMC officials, the popular Jagadamba Junction is getting a makeover, including island decoration with decorative plants. The junction will also have a first-of-a-kind clock tower, for which the authorities are trying to construct a European style clock tower to attract the tourists.

Road extension work between Lepakshi Junction and Old Post Office Junction has been a major demand from the locals as well as public representatives since a decade due to growing population and traffic issues. The corporation has strove to resolve the land issues with the locals and had started the extension works last year in the 2.1 km stretch of the One Town.

Superintendenting Engineer, GVMC, Zone IV, P.V.V. Satyanarayana Raju, said that before initiating road works, works related to laying of drains and UG cable shifting were taken up. Around 55 to 60% of the works were already completed. Apart from this, median development works between Jagadamba Junction and Turner’s Chowltry Junction are also being done, he said. These road extension works cost around ₹13 crore, he added.

The old Indira Priyadarshini Municipal Stadium is also being given a facelift by the corporation. Around two months ago, Mr. Saikanth Varma had asked the officials to prepare proposals and take up renovation works, as the stadium could serve as a ground for the local athletes.

With an estimated budget of around ₹9 crore, the corporation is taking up renovation works. Renovation works of the stands, galleries, commentary boxes, toilets, two pavilion galleries, gym, garden and boundary walls are being taken up for the last two months. The authorities are mulling to set up snooker tables, table tennis, chess, carrom boards, boxing ring inside the stadium premises, apart from setting up cricket nets, a volleyball court, a basketball court, children play arena and parking facility.

Recently, Mr. Saikanth Varma has directed the officials to clear unwanted plants and other debris in the historical Regimental Lines Cemetery at Jagadamba Junction. The boundary or compound wall of the cemetery will also be repaired.