Visakhapatnam 2024 wrap: Check out all the highlights of this year!

With passing memories and time, another year is coming to an end, marking the beginning of new adventures and experiences. With a few days left before New Year 2025, let’s look back on all the important events that happened in Visakhapatnam in 2024, making the year memorable!

1. When the Biggest International Maritime Exercise, MILAN 2024, Took Place Here!

The twelfth edition of India’s international exercise was  Multilateral International Liaison and ANtisubmarine Warfare (MILAN 2024) marked the beginning of 2024 in Visakhapatnam. Milan 2024 is recognised as the Indian Navy’s largest-ever multilateral naval exercise. It witnessed the participation of 50 countries with more than 100 warships.  The city saw stunning demonstrations of city and witnessed a grand international parade to celebrate the moment!

Know more about MILAN 2024.

2. When the IPL Season Was Filled With Nostalgia and Emotional Highs For Visakhapatnam Cricket Fans!  

Any cricket lovers’ most anticipated time of the year is IPL season! In 2024, IPL gave Visakhapatnam cricket fans something to look forward to as two matches were held in the city’s Dr Y S Rajashekhara Reddy ACA-VCDA stadium, namely DC vs CSK and DC vs KKR!

The stadium was filled with loud cheers and excitement as MS Dhoni turned back the years with a sensational cameo of 37 runs from 16 deliveries. Watching MS Dhoni live in the same stadium, where he hit his first century back in 2002 was a dream come true for cricket lovers!

Giving a tough competition to CSK, Mukesh Kumar, snapping three wickets and Khaleel Ahmed removing two CSK openers, made the game more nail-biting till the end, where DC won against the CSK.

That wasn’t the end of the IPL story! For the second match, the co-owner of the KKR’s franchise, Shah Rukh Khan, made his way to Visakhapatnam. His interaction with Rishabh Pant and other teammates after the match made everyone emotional, resulting in a memorable IPL experience.

3. When Vizag’s Connectivity Got a Boost With New Vande Bharat Trains!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated two new Vande Bharat trains from Visakhapatnam in March. One of them connects Visakhapatnam to Secunderabad and another connects it with Puri.

4. When Visakhapatnam’s New Railway Zone Project Came to Life!

After years of delay, the long-awaited project of establishing the headquarters of South Coast Railways in Vizag saw a ray of light after the elections. The Rs 107 crore worth South Coastal Railway Zone project was originally launched by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the city on 12 November 2022. In 2024, the land for the headquarters was assigned by CM Chandrababu Naidu. According to sources, PM Narendra Modi is set to visit Visakhapatnam after New Year, on January 8, 2025, to lay the foundation stone for the project.

5. When a New Time Tracker Entered Visakhapatnam!

Since time of immemorial, Visakhapatnam has had a rich history with timekeeping. The clock towers in the city are testaments to that. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation brought in another clock tower in the city in 2024 – the Jagadamba Clock Tower. The European-style clock tower with colourful illumination became one of the iconic spots in Visakhapatnam.

6. When Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Got A Hope For Revival

Visakhapatnam Steel Plant has gone through many ups and downs this year. The news about the privatisation of the Plant took a turn as officials including Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy came forward to assure workers that efforts would be made towards revival. The plant initially went into the

7. When India’s Second Nuclear Submarine Was Launched in Visakhapatnam!

From commissioning the first and second Survey Vessel Large (SVL) to hosting SLINEX 2024 and Navy Marathon, this year has marked many remarkable Naval operations in Visakhapatnam. One such proud event, for not only Visakhapatnam but for the Indian Navy, was the commissioning of the second nuclear-powered submarine – INS Arighat on 29 August 2024. 

8. When TCS and Google Decided to Put Up Their Offices Here!

Visakhapatnam is rapidly moving towards the development of tech. Major companies including TCS and Google signed MoUs with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up campuses in Vizag. Additionally, with Niti Ayog choosing Vizag as a pilot city of economic growth, the city is poised to attract investments of over Rs 10,000 crore, setting it up to rival giants like Delhi and Mumbai.

9. When the Annual Tradition of Navy Day was Called Off!

For decades, Visakhapatnam has been the centre of Navy Day celebrations and 2024 marks a break in that tradition. The Indian Navy decided to hold Navy Day festivities in Puri of Odisha this year. However, to continue the tradition of hosting Navy Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has scheduled a special naval operational demonstration after New Year, on 4 January 2025.

10. When Concert Fervour Gripped Vizagites!

The last two months of 2024 were filled with electrifying performances by Armaan Malik, Sunitha Upadrasta and more and the party is still on. With New Year being around the corner, singers like Sreerama Chandra and NC Karunya are set to welcome the New Year in Visakhapatnam, with their soulful performances!

2024 saw a number of developments in Visakhapatnam, but it also saw some losses, including the demolition of the iconic Taj Hotel, and the loss of lives in accidents at pharma plants near the city. With New Year 2025 looming ahead, it is a reminder for Visakhapatnam to do better and make it a memorable year for all the right reasons.

What were your sweet or bitter memories of 2024? Share with us in the comments!

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