As Visakhapatnam moves towards becoming a major data centre destination and investment hotspot, the city is entering a new phase of growth. IAS Muttimbaku Abhishikth Kishore, a 2015 Batch Officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, who recently took charge as Collector Visakhapatnam, says the focus is on preparing the district for upcoming projects, employment generation and infrastructure expansion.

Referring to the scale of investments attracted by the state in the last two years- 16% of total private domestic investment in the first year and 25% in the second year. “A major chunk is coming from Visakhapatnam and these are not MOU’s they are approved projects” He noted

Looking ahead, the effort now is to ground these projects and build ecosystems around them, including ambitions to develop Visakhapatnam as a major data centre destination and employment hub. Additionally he shared “We want to become the data centre capital of the world. Visakhapatnam has also become the buzzword in the area of US and San Francisco as well and we want to capitalise on these aspects”

At the same time, Kishore stresses balanced growth to avoid the kind of pressure seen in major metropolitan cities and keep Vizag comfortable for residents.Additionally seamless connectivity to the upcoming airport, citizen friendly urban planning and preservation of the city’s liveability are important considerations.

Tourism is another area receiving attention. “Several high-end seven and five star hotels are under construction in the city” he said, adding that the aim is to position Vizag as a major tourism and MICE destination while engaging the city’s resilient and globally connected community. 

IAS Abhishikth Kishore’s vision aims to support city’s transformation into a vibrant, future-ready economic and tourism powerhouse.