Vizag Decked Up for IFR, MILAN and City Parade From Tomorrow

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam is all set to host the International Fleet Review (IFR), Exercise MILAN-26, and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IANS) Conclave of Chiefs. Apart from taking up various endeavours, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has spent ₹17.5 crore on city beautification ahead of these events.

Beach Road has received a complete makeover: sculptures repainted, greenery developed, and footpaths and central medians beautified for the International City Parade scheduled for February 19.

A massive tent has been erected at the YMCA for participants in the parade, while a dais has been set up along the beach. Seating arrangements have been put in place. Tourist destinations and museums have been spruced up in anticipation of visits by foreign delegates. The entire Beach Road stretch is now under comprehensive CCTV surveillance.

Visakhapatnam city police commissioner Sankhabrata Bagchi confirmed the deployment of over 6,000 personnel, comprising approximately 4,000 civil police, 700 Armed Reserve staff, 500 APSP and Greyhounds personnel, and 500 staff dedicated to barricading and bomb disposal duties.

Elite units, including Octopus commandos and Greyhounds, have been assigned for VVIP protection and fringe-area security, respectively. Fourteen parking locations have been designated, a special command-and-control room set up on Beach Road, and 64 drones pressed for surveillance service alongside body-worn cameras and RFID technology as part of the security measures.

A strict no-drone zone has been enforced within a 5-km radius from INS Dega to Park Hotel from February 17 to February 20. Violators of the restriction will face criminal prosecution.

On the waterfront, 100 boats sourced from Visakhapatnam port and Kakinada harbour, each equipped with life jackets and fitted with up to 35 sofas accommodating nearly 100 passengers, have been readied to ferry international delegates to mid-sea for boarding visiting naval ships.

For spectators and general public, APSRTC has deployed approximately 150 special buses between R.K. Beach and VUDA Park. Officers and depot managers have been stationed at key intersections, including R.K. Beach, the Collector's Office, Jagadamba, and Vuda Park, to coordinate bus diversions in real time based on crowd flow and traffic conditions.

Private vehicles are prohibited along the R.K. Beach. Bus services in the evening will operate only up to the Collector's Office. For commuters, eight buses have been deployed along the Andhra University to RTC Complex route. Another eight will ply between Vuda Park and RTC Complex, with frequency adjusted dynamically based on passenger rush and police directives.

Airports Authority of India has revised the Visakhapatnam Airport flight schedule from February 15 to February 19, closing the city airspace during three slots daily to facilitate Indian Navy aerial drills.

Fishing has been banned in the sea across the beach stretch from February 14 to February 21 to ensure clear sea lanes for the events.