Plans to develop an international convention centre in Visakhapatnam have met with obstacles whenever proposals were mooted in the past two decades.
The idea has been hanging fire ever since the first stint of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu as Chief Minister owing to one reason or the other. On several occasions, the A.P. Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and the Infrastructure Corporation of A.P. had made vain attempts to scout for a suitable developer to construct it under a Build, Operate and Transfer basis.
Advertisements issued for bidders had evoked a lukewarm response in the past including the one on the APIIC vacant land at Harbour Park. In response to global tenders issued by INCAP, LuLu Group emerged as the lone bidder, who later insisted that it would take up construction only if 3.40 acres belonging to the function hall of CMR Group was given to enable the project a beachfront view.
Later, the then TDP Government convinced CMR Group to part with the land after offering it six prime pieces of land in the city with zero registration charge. The project was awarded to it on a 33-year PPP basis with an investment of ₹2,200 crore.
The State Cabinet on Wednesday resolved to cancel the allotment as agreement with a single bidder was against the norms laid down by the Central Vigilance Commisson.
At one point of time, the UPA-II Government had also released an initial grant of ₹20 crore to develop a convention centre at Mudasarlova at a cost of ₹300 crore.
This was followed by attempts by the erstwhile TDP Government to develop a mega convention centre with a seating capacity of 8,000 to 10,000 opposite Hill No.3 of Rushikonda. At that time, INCAP was designated as the nodal agency to finalise bids for the beachfront convention centre in an area of 70 to 100 acres, which did not take off due to poor response.
The previous government had also proposed to develop a convention centre between Rushikonda and Yendada under Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT). However, though some private entrepreneurs have developed small convention centres mostly for use for exhibitions and social functions like marriages, the city still lacks an international convention centre.
Waiting game
One has to watch and see when the city can get a international convention centre with a seating capacity of 7,000 to 10,0000, exhibition centre, five star hotel to accommodate guests and a world-class multiplex at one place to transform Visakhapatnam into a global hub for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) tourism.
