Nuzvid

Nuzvid is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It serves as the administrative headquarters for Nuzvid mandal and Nuzvid revenue division.

Geography

Nuzvid is located at 16.7881°N 80.8465°E. It has an average elevation of 81 m (266 ft).

Demographics

As of 2014 Census of India, the town had a population of 132,590. There were 66,117 males and 66,473 females — a sex ratio of 1012 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 940 per 1000. 5,213 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 2,606 are boys and 2,607 are girls—a ratio of 1000 per 1000. The average literacy rate stands at 82.37%, significantly higher than the national average of 73.00%.

Governance

Civic administration

Nuzvid municipality is the civic body of the city. It is a I–Grade Municipality, which was constituted in the year 1983. It is spread over an area of 28.69 km² (11.08 sq mi) and has 32 election wards.

History

Nuzvid is a mandal and municipality in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 50 km from Vijayawada and 35 km from Eluru. Nuzvid is a historical fort city. It was the capital seat of the famous zamindars of the illustrious Meka-Apparao family and has been a centre of great cultural and literary activity. Many a scholar and a poet had been recipient of annual gratuity and honour from the zamindars, who besides being poets themselves are patrons of learning and arts. Nuzvid was founded by late Meka Basavarayudu, a chieftain subordinate to Maharani Rudrama Devi of the Kakatiya dynasty from Orugallu. The original name of the village is said to be “Noojelaveedu”. There are two legends behind the establishment of this place. According to one legend the chieftain came to the village with his dogs for hunting and while he was hunting, he found to his surprise that his dogs were chased by rabbits! After having witnessed the bravery of the rabbits, he realised the power in this soil and has decided to build his fort over here. The “KUKKALAGETU” was built depicting this story. The other legend goes that on a certain day as he was going on a hunting excursion he came to a field of gingelly oil seeds where a goat was defending itself most furiously against the attacks of a wolf, this the Rajah considered to be a good omen inasmuch as a feeble animal successfully resisted a mighty one, and on the spot he built his fort; and hence Nuzvid is derived from Nuzvid chetta vidu (the place of the oil seed plant). The earliest authentic account of Nuzvid is found in Mr. Grant’s ‘Political Survey of the Northern Circars,’ written in 1783 and published as an Appendix (p. 205) to the Fifth Report of the Select Committee on the Affairs of the East India Company. Mr. Grant had been for many years resident in Hyderabad and had special opportunities of acquiring correct information. He writes : – ‘Nujere, or Noozed, the capital of ‘the extensive deshmooky, supposed to appertain by right of ‘Sanads, to Macca Narayana Appa Row of the Velarna caste. ‘Macca Venkayya, the first of this family, came from the ‘Carnatic, and rented five or six villages of Golapille or ‘Nujere in 1652; twelve years after, the next in succession ‘obtained a lease of the whole pergunnah, and took the name ‘of Appa Row, in addition to the local patronymic of Macca” There is a famous and ancient temple called “KOTA MAHALAKSHMI” temple in the FORT CAMPUS (Near PG Center). There are some stories saying that “KOTA MAHALAKSHMI” used to guard the FORT from the evil forces and enemies in the days gone by. While she was roaming in the fort campus, people used to listen the anklets of the Goddess KOTA LAKSHMI, during night time. The city is famous for the Dasara festival, Chedugud/ Kabaddi (rural sports), basketball. Nuzvid is well known for its mangos, which are exported worldwide. and variety of mangoes. Nuzvid Chinna Rasalu (a type of small mango) and Pedda Rasalu (large mangos) Each Pedda Rasam mango weighs as much as 3 kg and they are very sweet and tasty. In Andhra history, the first mutiny was held by Nuzvidians against British colonial rule by Rebel Apparao. . Nuzvid soil cultivated rich history, culture and heritage

Economy

The Mango orchards are in abundance with Banginapalli, Totapuri varieties, those are even exported to foreign countries. It even generates revenue for Vijayawada railway division of South Central Railway zone, in terms of freight loading. In the year, 2009–10, 34,314 tonnes of mangoes were loaded to generate an income of ₹5.12 crore (US$680,000).

Transport

The town has a total road length of 153.60 km (95.44 mi). The Tiruvuru road connects it with NH 221 in the north-west and the Hanuman Junction road connects it to NH 5 in the south-east. The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation operates bus services from Nuzvid bus station. Nuzvid railway station is under the jurisdiction of Vijayawada railway division of South Central Railway zone. It is situated on the Howrah-Chennai main line.

Bus Transport

• Nuzvid have Bus Depot and bus stand operated by APSRTC.
• Mainly buses are operated to different routes like Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Kadapa, Bhadrachalam, Tirupathi and Yerra Gondapalam, Satthupally, Machilipatnam.
• Every 20 mins we have NON-Stop Buses to Vijayawada.

Railway Station

• Nuzvid station is far away from Nuzvid town (20 km away) at Hanuman Junction, it is located between in Chennai and Howarh railway route.
• From Nuzvid station nearly 15+ trains will halt at Nuzvid Station and 50+ trains will cross the station on daily basis.

Education

The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided and private schools, under the School Education Department of the state. The medium of instruction followed by different schools are English, Telugu.

Nuzvid is an educational centre for the surrounding areas with colleges such as, Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, Nuzvid, Krishna University, Sarathi Inst. of Technology, Nuzvid Polytechnic.