Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has long been the pride of Andhra Pradesh. Apart from staggering figures of steel production, the township, popularly known as Ukkunagaram, with its clean, wide roads and vast green cover, never fails to impress anyone. Here are 6 amazing facts you need to know about the the Steel Plant:
#1 The township has more than 8000 dwellings spread over 12 sectors and 3900 acres, as well as a green belt of 4260 acres. Among the many facilities located here, the Goddess Kali temple, Puri Jagannath Temple, Venkateshwara Temple and Ukkunagaram Masjid are among the most well-summits in Visakhapatnam.
#2 Situated over 33,000 acres, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is the only shore-based steel plant in India.
#3 The company has grown from a loss-making white elephant to a profitable one. It has now grown into a 2 billion dollar turnover company in a very short span of time, registering a growth of 203.6% in just four years.
#4 The Steel Plant was conferred with the Navratna status on 17 November 2010. (Navaratna companies are entitled to invest up to Rs 1000 crore without explicit government approval).
#5 In April 1982, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was separated from Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) was made the corporate entity of the Steel Plant.
#6 As part of a major brand promotion exercise for its brand ‘Vizag Steel’, the Samata Express was renamed as Vizag Steel Samata Express in 2016. This then Union Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu, had flagged off the daily train from Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi.
The Steel Plant proudly stands as one of the biggest assets of Visakhapatnam. Apart from providing employment and boosting the revenue of the city, it acts as the ‘lung space of the city’ with its extensive green cover. What is your favourite aspect of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant? Do let us know in the comments section below.
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