It’s Rs. 1,500 crore private investment as of now. Malls and multiplexes popping up in quick succession in the new capital region of Andhra Pradesh are changing the cityscape. The new structures seem to be finally helping Vijayawada metamorphose from a laid-back city to a mini-metro.
The swanky shopping malls and ritzy multiplexes coming up in the upmarket areas have introduced the denizens to contemporary fashion and lifestyle trends. Besides the existing ones — LEPL Centro mall on Mahatma Gandhi Road, LEPL ICON Mall near Stella College, PVP Square opposite Chennupati Petrol Bunk and Ripples Mall near Nalanda Degree College — a few other projects worth around Rs. 1,500 crore will soon dot the city canvas.
The imposing structure of the near-complete Trendset Mall near the Benz Circle Junction is arguably the biggest project so far in city which is said to have cost a whopping Rs. 600 crore.
The grand brick and mortar structure in its inside has restaurants, play area, shopping and entertainment zones, a six-screen multiplex in addition to a 7-D theatre. Spread across an area of 4.5 lakh sq ft., the project will start in a couple of months and “will throw open its doors to a new world of entertainment and amusement to people of the city,” according to T. Ramesh, Director, Trendset Mall, Vijayawada.
Dhulipalla Srikanth is coming up with a posh commercial complex opposite Tipsy Topsy garments’ store on Bandar Road in an area of 70,000 sq ft. “The complex will have seven stores to cater to the high-end shoppers,” says Mr. Srikanth. It is said that Mr. Srikanth is eager to transform this stretch in the heart of the city into a unique set-up by leaving ample space in the front and rear side of the building.
Vijayawada is traditionally a land of movie buffs known to have patronised cinema in a big way from time immemorial. With not many entertainment avenues available in the past, the city dwellers relied heavily on cinema viewing, a practice that apparently grew into an obsession over the years.
The swanky multiplexes with multiple-screens have revolutionised the cinema viewing experience for people of this city. The Inox ushered in the multi-screen culture in the city, opening new vistas of entertainment by offering people a one-stop destination to shop, entertain, dine, and watch movies under single roof.
Adding yet another option is S. Kishore’s upcoming mall-cum-multiplex opposite Siris Company near Ashok Nagar. “The first two floors will be part of the mall and above it will be a four-screen multiplex operated by Cinepolis,” says Mr. Kishore. Besides, LEPL group’s mega commercial-cum-residential venture near Mangalagiri, envisages high-rise blocks of 16-stories and 26-storied concrete structures facing the road. The city finally seems to be ready to embrace a new culture that reflects in the high-end apartments, sophisticated flats, villas, star hotels, high-rise buildings and a flurry of other facilities being created for the local population.
