Visakhapatnam to Get East Coast Habitat Centre

The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) is progressing with plans to build the East Coast Habitat Centre-Visakhapatnam (ECHC-V). To guide the project, VMRDA Chairman Pranav Gopal and his team visited the India Habitat Centre (IHC) in New Delhi on Saturday. They gathered insights into IHC’s design and operations to help shape their own project in Visakhapatnam.

“We had a productive visit to the India Habitat Centre, where we met with General Manager Amarnath. The insights into their architecture, conference facilities, and hotel operations will be crucial as we plan ECHC-V,” Gopal said.

The proposed ECHC-V will be located on 8.82 acres of VMRDA-owned land in Madhurawada, a key area of Visakhapatnam. The project is expected to cost between ₹450-500 crore. It will be situated along Law College Road, near the International Cricket Stadium in PM Palem and the old National Highway-16.

VMRDA sees the ECHC-V as a response to the increasing urban development in Madhurawada and Rushikonda. These areas are rapidly growing with new IT parks, gated communities, and high-end housing. The project is also expected to benefit from the upcoming international airport at Bhogapuram, just 45 km away.

“The centre will cater to the growing IT sector, with companies like Infosys already in Rushikonda, and others like TCS and Google expected to invest,” a VMRDA official said.

The project has gained support from key political leaders, including Cabinet Ministers Nara Lokesh and Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Once complete, the ECHC-V will feature office spaces, a business centre, a clubhouse, a star hotel, dining options, and event spaces for exhibitions and cultural activities.