The AP state government has approved the detailed project reports (DPRs) of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam metro rail projects. It has given the green signal to the AP Metro Rail Corporation to start the first phase of work. It has also approved the proposals made by the AP Metro Rail Corporation that the central government should bear the entire cost of the Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam metro projects.
The state government has recently sent this to the center. These proposals have been prepared so that one of the two AP metro rail projects will bear 100 percent of the cost as per the state reorganization act, and the second will bear the full cost based on the key ‘clause’ included by the center as part of the new metro policy.
In the 13th section of AP Reorganization Act, it has been stated that the center will provide full cooperation for the establishment of the metro rail project in Vijayawada. According to this, the center should bear 100 percent of the funds. In the new metro policy, the center will have the opportunity to build metro projects in any city in the states, if it deems it necessary, without involving the state governments.
The center can take up the construction of a metro in Visakhapatnam, which has a population of 40 lakhs, separately. Considering these two key aspects, proposals have been made that the cost of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam metros will be borne entirely by the central government. As a result, the burden of the state government will be reduced by 42,362 crores.
The AP Metro Rail Corporation is ready to start the first phase of metro work as soon as the approvals are received from the center. As part of Corridor-1, it plans to undertake work from Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) in Vijayawada to Gannavaram for 25.95 km, and from PNBS to Penamalur via Bandaru Road for 12.45 km in Corridor-2, for a total of 38.40 km.
As part of Corridor-1 in Visakhapatnam, the first phase of work will be undertaken from Steel Plant to Kommadi for 34.40 km, from Gurudwara to Old Post Office for 5.07 km in Corridor-2, and from Thatichetlapalem to China Walther for 6.75 km in Corridor-3, totaling 46.23 km.
As soon as the permissions are received from the Center, committees will be formed in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam cities with MAUD, Corporation, Police, Revenue, RTC, Electricity, R&B and other departments. The works to be done by the respective departments immediately along the corridors will be discussed.
