Vizianagaram is in growing phase in retail sector. It is having its presence of Branded readymade stores. It also has Textile traders wholesale merchants, around 250 shops in Balaji Textile market, Cantonment where you can varied shops dealing in Suitings and Shirtings, Sarees, Dress materials selling at wholesale rates. A shopping mall and multiplex is under construction at the Balaji complex site opposite the RTC complex, and also beside the railway station. The development in the city has speeded up in recent years thanks to the astronomic growth of Vizag city, which is about 52 km (32 mi) away. There have been a number of layouts planned by VUDA (Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority) on the way to Vizag. The growth of Vizag indeed has a direct impact on the growth of Vizianagaram. Vizianagaram is also expected to merge into the Vizag metropolitan area soon. According to the VUDA master plan, a metropolitan area called Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region (VMR) of over 1,700 km2 (660 sq mi), consisting of Vizag, Gajuwaka, Bheemunipatnam, Anakapalle and Vizianagaram, will be formed by 2021. A lot of zonal development schemes have been sanctioned, which include several plans in Vizianagaram.
This area was ruled by different Hindu emperors of Kalinga (ancient Odisha) up to the medieval period. After the fall of the centralized Gajapati empire of Odisha, the region was governed by the Golkonda rulers. The ancestors of the Maharajas of Vizianagaram are thought to be descended from the Ranas of Udaipur, the Sisodia branch of the Guhilot tribe and Vasishta gotra. An important event in the history of the district which occurred by about this time is the war between the Rajas of Vizianagaram and Bobbili, popularly known as Bobbili Yuddam. The war was fought between the Rajah of Vizianagaram aided by the French General Bussy and the Rajah of Bobbili on the 24th January 1757. Rulers of this princely state belong to the Pusapati family. The village Pooshpadu in Nandigama Taluq was built by Amala Raju. The village later came to be known as Pusapadu. Therefore, the Kshatriyas living there came to be known as Pusapatis.
18.12°N 83.42°E. It has an average elevation of 74 metres (242 feet).The district is bounded on the east by Srikakulam District on the west and south by Visakhapatnam district, on the south east by the Bay of Bengal and North West by Odisha state.The principal rivers flowing in the district are Nagavali, Vegavathi, Gomukhi, Suvarnamukhi, Champavathi and Gostani. The Nagavali is the main river, which flows in about 112 K.M in Vizianagaram district. The River Gosthani has its origin in Anantagiri forest area and flows through S.Kota and Jami mandals. The suvarnamukhi river takes its birth in the hills of Saluru mandal and takes an eastern direction and finally join the Nagavali at Sangam village in Palakonda mandal of Srikakulam District . Vegavathi originates in pachipenta hills of Pachipenta Mandal and flows almost parallel to Suvarnamukhi.
Vizianagaram is the main city and Head Quarters of the Vizianagaram district of Northeast Andhra Pradesh in south India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighboring districts Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is the largest municipality of Andhra Pradesh in terms of population till Date. It is located about 18 KM inland from the Bay of Bengal, and 42 KM northeast of Visakhapatnam. The meaning of Vizianagaram is the “City of Victory” and it is also sometimes referred to as the “City of Education”. Vizianagaram is an important business and educational center for north coastal Andhra and the adjoining state of Odisha. It is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Andhra Pradesh. Its proximity to Vizag city (about 40 KM) has caused a large influx of the working class in recent years.
Ferro Alloys Facatories at Sriramnagar of Garividi Mandal and Kothavalasa which are Mineral based. Apart from the above there are resources based industries such as brick and tile making industries around Kothavalasa. Besides this Sponge Iron units of M/s Gold Star Alloy Limited and M/s Maa Mahamaaya Industries are suitated at L.Kota Mandal. M/s Jindal Ferro Alloys factories sutiated at Jindal Nagar of Kothavalasa Mandal. Prawn Feed Manufacturing unit of M/s C.P.Acqua Limited, Maize Starch unit of M/s Vizianagar Biotech and Pharmaceutical unit of M/s Matrix Industries are at Poosapatirega Mandal and M/s Miracle Software at Bhogapuram Mandal and Bio-Mass Power Plant of M/s Perpetual Energy systems at Seethanagaram Mandal are prominent.
The climate of Vizianagaram district is characterized by high humidities nearly all the year round with oppressive summer and good seasonal rainfall. The summer season is from march to may. This is followed by South West monsoon season,which continues up to September, Octoberand November constitute the post monsoon or retreating monsoon season. The normal rainfall of the district for the year is 1,131.0 MM as against the actual rainfall of 740.6 MM received during 2002-03. The district gets the benefit of both the South- West and North- East monsoon. December to February is the season of generally fine weather. The climate of the hill parts of the district is different from that of the plain.
Vizianagaram District is predominantly an agricultural district. The agricultural land in Vizianagaram is 6,53,900 Hectares(2010–11) as 68.4% of the workers are engaged in Agriculture and about 82% of the population of the District is livining in Rural area s and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Rainfed farming is the characteristic of Agriculture in the District as about 80% of its area is cultivated purely under Rainfed conditions. Even the rest of the area which is termed as irrigated area is mostly dependent on the rainfall received in the District. In view of the unassured irrigation conditions in the district majority of crops grown are dry crops.
There are 22 Large and Medium Scale Industries established with an Investment of Rs. 669.09 Crores and providing Employment to 20,759 persons. These Industries are mainly engaged in the manufacture of mainly Jute Twine, Ferro Alloys, Sugar, Cement and Pharmaceuticals, Sponge, Iron etc. There are 4653 Small Scale / Tiny units with an Investment of Rs. 114.20 Crores and providing employment to 32,615 persons. These SSI units are mainly engaged in General Engineering, Motor Workshops, Groundnut Oil Mills, Rolling Mills, RCC Spun Pipes, Saw Mills, Aluminium Utensils, Bus, Lorry and Cycle Rickshow Body Buildings etc.
The economy of Vizianagaram District is predominantly an agricultural one. Industrial development in the District has been generally agro based i.e. the establishment of Jute Mills at Nellimarla, Vantithadi Agrahram and Bobbili, Salur and Kothavalasa. Sugar factories at Lachhayapeta, Bheemasinghi – Kumaram Village of Jami Mandal besides the above major agrobased industries are there. High Carbon Ferro Chrome is being exported to South Koria from our District through Vizag Port.
Paddy crop is cultivated mainly during Kharif season with 80% of its area under tankfed conditions which is turn depend on the local rainfall. The major crops grown in the District are Paddy, Ragi, Bajra, Sugarcane, Pulses, Mestha, Cotton and Groundnut. The average yields obtained in the district are low due to the erratic rainfall generally received in the district.
The Mandals Cheepurupalli, Garividi and Merakamudidam in the district are good sources of high quality Manganese. Garivid is also a good source of various sedimentary rocks like Kankar and Limestone. Cheepurupalli is a good source of Quartz. Parvatipuram and Makkuva mandals in the district are good sources of Granite.
Vizianagaram is one of the principal towns in north coastal Andhra, otherwise known as Uttarandhra. There are a number of industries around the city. The country’s largest ferro-manganese plant is situated in Garividi in the outskirts of the city. There are various jute mills here; for example, the Hooghly Jute Mills.
Vizianagaram is a favorite destination for the textile wholesale market. It is the preferred destination for marriage-related shopping for most people living not only in the district, but also from the neighbouring districts, and for Telugus living in Odisha and West Bengal.
Out of 12 Towns 1485 inhabited villages in the district 633 villages are having postal facilities. Apart from the Head Post Offices at Vizianagaram, Saluru and Bobbili, 69 sub-post offices and 561 branches are located in different parts of the district.
Vizianagaram district had a coastal belt of 28 km. Pusapati Rega and Bhogapuram are coastal mandals with 8 main villages and 16 hamlets. The land of 80.47 Acres in the coastal villages of these mandals is being used for salt cultivation.
Vengala Raya Sagaram Proejct was constructed across Suvarnamukhi, a tributary of Nagavali River. The project is located near Laxmipuram village, Salur Mandal of Vizianagaram District.
Peda Ankalam Anicut across Suvarnamukhi which is a tributary to the river Nagavali. The project is located near Pedankalam village, Seethanagaram Mandal, Vizianagaram district.
Vizianagaram district extends over an area of 6,539 km2 with a density of 343 per km2 covering 1,551 villages, out of which 66 are uninhabited. As of 2011 India census,
Vizianagaram railway station is on the Khurda Road-Visakhapatnam section of Howrah-Chennai main line and is the terminus for the Jharsuguda-Vizianagaram line.
The complete forest area in Vizianagaram district constitutes 17.8% of the total geographical area of the district. The forest area covers 1,19,303 Hectares.