VIJAYAWADA: All set for the grand inauguration of the newly constructed Dr BR Ambedkar Kala Vedika at the prestigious Dr BR Ambedkar Smriti Vanam on Bandar Road in Vijayawada on Monday, marking a major milestone in the city’s civic and cultural infrastructure development.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the convention centre coinciding with the launch of the MSME Growth Summit-2026, which will be hosted at the newly built convention facility.
Developed as part of the ambitious Dr BR Ambedkar Smriti Vanam project, the state-of-the-art convention centre has been constructed at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 90 crore through the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).
The facility has been named Dr BR Ambedkar Kala Pranganam and is spread across 13,479 square metres within the sprawling 18.81-acre memorial park.
During the YSRCP regime, the 18.81 acre land belonging to Public Works Department (PWD) and Irrigation department was transferred to APIIC and planned to develop the land into Ambedkar Smirti Vanam which featuring the 206-foot “Statue of Social Justice”, the world’s tallest statue of Dr Ambedkar, Ambedkar life experience centre, museum, library, theatre and food court facilities.
Until now, the city largely depended on the government-run Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetram near the railway station for official functions. Officials said the project has been conceived to strengthen Vijayawada’s capability to host national and international conventions, exhibitions and government programmes in a professional environment.
“The convention centre is the biggest government convention centre ever developed in Vijayawada, aimed at transforming the city into a major destination for official conferences, business summits, cultural programmes and large-scale public events,” said the APIIC officials.
The convention centre features a 1,500-seat main auditorium, VIP lounges, executive suites, green rooms, advanced audio-visual systems and modern interiors designed to international standards.
The G+1 structure also includes parking space for around 370 cars and 250 two-wheelers, making it capable of handling large gatherings, government events, private functions and other high-profile events.
According to APIIC officials, works worth nearly Rs 320 crore have already been completed under the Smriti Vanam project.
Authorities expect the convention centre to emerge as a key revenue-generating public asset through leasing for cultural, commercial and official events while enhancing Vijayawada’s urban profile.