BDL plans to expand Vizag unit

New facilities will also be set up, says CMD

BDL will open its fifth unit at Amravati in Maharashtra for production of very short range missiles, says CMD Commodore Siddharth Mishra.

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is planning further expansion by setting up of new facilities besides strengthening the existing unit in Visakhapatnam, Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of BDL, has said.

The CMD was here to participate in a programme organised at the Indo-German Institute of Advanced Technology (IGIAT) recently. “Our Visakhapatnam unit is getting a number of orders from the Indian Navy, apart from friendly nations for manufacturing of torpedoes and underwater weapons. We have plans to expand the existing unit in Visakhapatnam,” Commodore Mishra told The Hindu .

The main unit of BDL at Kanchanbagh in Hyderabad manufactures surface-to-air missiles and the second unit at Bhanur in Medak district produces anti-tank guided missiles.

These two are located in Telangana and third big facility is being created at Ibrahimpatnam, also in Telangana. This facility will also manufacture surface-to-air missiles but of the latest upgraded version, he explained.

“The Visakhapatnam unit manufactures underwater weapons and torpedoes. Varunasthra is being made here and we are planning to complete it in two years time. Our fifth unit will come up at Amravati in Maharashtra for production of very short range missiles,” Commodore Mishra said.

He, however, declined to give more details on the weapons or the nations that have placed orders with BDL for manufacture of missiles on the plea that it was ‘classified information.’

CSR activity

This year happens to be the golden jubilee of BDL and our thrust is on indigenisation and implementing the ‘Make in India’ policy of the Government of India. BDL is committed to the development of society through its CSR activities. “We have provided digital labs at IGIAT to empower youth, especially those from tribal areas and women through skill training,” he said.

Toilets have been provided to individual households at Gondupalem village in Visakhapatnam district, ₹2 crore has been earmarked for construction of building for the social welfare hostel in addition to undertaking repairs to existing buildings in Vizianagaram. We also have plans to develop the infrastructure at colleges in Military Madhavaram village in West Godavari district, he added.