Retail major Lulu Group has officially launched one of the largest projects of its kind in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

Based on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model, the integrated project comprises a world-class convention centre with a capacity for 7,000 people, a 2 million square feet shopping mall and a luxury hotel on the beach road in the Harbour Park area of Visakhapatnam. The project is aimed at making the city a global destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism.

Once completed, the project will create more than 5,000 direct jobs and provide indirect employment to another 5,000 people. “We hope to complete this prestigious project by 2021. It will provide a world-class shopping experience to both tourists and residents of the sunrise state,” group’s chairman and managing director, Yusuff Ali M A said.

The mall will have more than 200 national and international brands, a 0.2 million square feet hypermarket, 11 multiplex screens, a family entertainment centre, food courts with 2,500 seats, and more than 20 food and beverage outlets and fine dining concepts.