VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam may soon be home to an international-standard shopping mall project by Lulu Group International.
In an order issued by the Andhra Pradesh govt on Wednesday, the state govt instructed the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) to thoroughly assess the proposal from Lulu Group and obtain the approval of the competent authority for the early implementation of the project.
To facilitate the development, the government also directed the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) to transfer the possession of 13.43 acres of Harbour Park lands on the RK beach road in Visakhapatnam back to APIIC.
In January, Lulu Group International submitted a representation to the state govt, expressing their readiness to revive the shopping mall project in Visakhapatnam.
The company outlined plans for a mall featuring a world-class hypermarket, a children’s amusement park named Funtura, a fine-dining food court, and an 8-screen IMAX multiplex, alongside ample car parking.
Once completed, the project is set to become a landmark leisure and shopping destination for both residents and tourists in Andhra Pradesh, the group said.
During the tenure of the TDP government from 2014 to 2019, a large parcel of land near RK Beach was allocated to Lulu for the same project. However, the initiative was cancelled after the YSRCP came to power in 2019. Following this, Lulu adjusted its plans and opened a mall in Hyderabad.
Now, the state government may once again allocate the same land near the RK beach to Lulu for the proposed project. After cancellation of the project, the land was allocated to VMRDA for auctioning. The same land will be now restored back to the APIIC to facilitate the LuLu project.
