Draw roadmap with timelines for Vizag development

Visakhapatnam could scale up further as a prominent industrial, IT, pharmaceutical and tourism hub if a roadmap with timelines is prepared in consultation with the stakeholders to augment the existing infrastructure, opined O Naresh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of global IT and ITeS solutions provider, Symbiosys Technologies.

"If we get required infrastructure and dedicated industrial clusters like Sri City at Tada in Chittoor district and Raheja IT Park in Hyderabad, certainly Visakhapatnam will get big ticket projects, thereby attracting investors from various corners of the world. What the city lacks at present is a dedicated team of officials who can facilitate investors in finding out a location. Social infrastructure with affordable housing, schooling and entertainment is required," he stated in an interview to Santosh Patnaik of Bizz Buzz. Naresh Kumar said connectivity problems like high-speed internet and transportation facilities for staff to reach their workstations should be provided. Incentives promised should be released on time.

He said work should start on a fast-track mode on the coastal corridor, Sagarmala project linking all new and existing ports, VCIC and, new railway zone headquarters announced in Visakhapatnam.

Naresh Kumar said the INS Dega Airport in the city should be freed from naval control, introduce green vehicles for public transport and make Visakhapatnam clean, green and livable, preventing traffic bottlenecks, ensuring proper parking lots and bringing industrial pollution under check.