Vizag Steel: The reason behind the emergence of the “City of Destiny”

As we all know, Vizag was initially a fishing hamlet. Recognizing its potential in the fields of tourism and business, the government decided to establish the steel plant, which we all know today as “Vizag Steel”. Vizag Steel was one of the major contributors in transforming this city from a city of hamlets to the “City of Destiny”. As the CMD of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL or the Vizag Steel Plant),Ponnapalli Madhusudan while speaking to Yo! Vizag, said, ” If you look at any global growth story of any economy it is invariably piggybacked on the growth of the steel industry and coal sector.”

Vizag’s cosmopolitan aspect had received an international boost with the sanctioning of the Vizag Steel Plant; dozens of Russians descended here to help build this mega-industry. One of the biggest industrial townships in Vizag district, it changed the complete topography and economic dynamics of Gajuwaka and the surrounding areas. Vizag Steel was conferred Navratna status in 2010.

Ever since its inception in 1971, Vizag Steel has been an epicenter of employment, infrastructure, and housing in Visakhapatnam. The company has grown from initially a loss-making industry to now a net worth of 3 billion dollars.

Did you know?

• Vizag steel plant is the largest single-site plant in India and Asia minor, producing over 2,52,000 tonnes per year.
• Vizag received a huge donation of land (6000 acres) thanks, Kurupam Zamindars in 1970’s which lead to the construction of “The Vizag steel Plant”.
• Due to the increasing workforce at the plant, a whole new township “Ukkunagaram” was commissioned by the government aimed at providing proper housing and medical facilities to employees working at the steel plant.